ESPN’s Top 25 NHLers of the 21st Century

[Jared Dunn]

Mackinnon being that high is glaring to me but decent list overall imo


edit: cups do the heavy lifting I'm sure, but feel like Price is more deserving than Quick if we're putting another goalie there

 

[Felidae]

1) He's not the second best defenseman in history, there's more to analyzing a player than counting trophies. Bourque was clearly better, for instance.

2) He played close to half his career in the 90s, this list is for the 2000s.

3) Like I said earlier, even when Lidstrom was winning Norrises, Malkin was near-unanimously considered the better and more impactful player.

Regarding point 3. How much of that is because we undervalue defenseman as a whole? We're talking about a role that affects the most ice and eats up more minutes than any position outside goaltending.

In the history of hockey there's only been 7 defenseman who won the Hary trophy.

5 of them were born in the late 1800s - early 1900s. So since 1942 you mean to tell me there's only been 2 Hart worthy defenseman seasons in the last 81 years? Yeah, that doesn't sit right with me.

Especially considering defenseman tend to fare better in Conn Smythe voting, the much lower games played allows voters to actually watch the games more closely.

 

[RooBicks]

The Greatest American born player in the history of the NHL isn’t an “all-time” great player?

Wtf?

Kane, during his prime, led the entire NHL in points from 2010-2020. Add in the post season resume and idk how there are so many people complaining about his place on this list. I think it’s a coin flip between himself, Malkin, and Lidstrom as it pertains to greatness during the period of time in question here.

Kane is third on that list, and it's not all that close. Lidstrom, Malkin, Kane, in that order. How Malkin isn't rated above Kane when he's been the superior and more impactful player AND better overall point producer at a higher impact position is beyond me. And don't give me the "Crosby took the better matchups" excuse. By and large, so did Kane.

 

[DRW895]

1) Alex Ovechkin
2) Nicklas Lidstrom
rest of list doesn`t matter

 

[VanIslander]

I'm sorry but...

Any list with M-A Fleury over Iginla is trash can.
M-A Fleury over Iginla?

I. Just. Don.t. Get. How. It Is. Possible.

 

[jigglysquishy]

The Greatest American born player in the history of the NHL isn’t an “all-time” great player?

We talking about Brimsek or Chelios?

 

[Miller Time]

How ESPN can be this bad at hockey coverage despite how long they've been covering hockey is impressive...

 

[Fantomas]

I'm glad to see Pavel on the list, but I feel like he should be a spot or two higher.

He should be top 5.

 

[Sentinel]

1) Sidney Crosby
2) Alex Ovechkin
3) Connor McDavid
4) Nicklas Lidstrom
5) Martin Brodeur
6) Evgeni Malkin
7) Patrick Kane
8) Pavel Datsyuk
9) Chris Pronger
10) Joe Thornton
11) Nikita Kucherov
12) Nathan MacKinnon
13) Patrice Bergeron
14) Zdeno Chara
15) Steven Stamkos
16) Jaromir Jagr
17) Anze Kopitar
18) Jonathan Toews
19) Leon Draisaitl
20) Victor Hedman
21) Duncan Keith
22) Auston Matthews
23) Andrei Vasilevskiy
24) Jerome Iginla
25) Erik Karlsson

 

[Bileur]

I'm sorry but...

Any list with M-A Fleury over Iginla is trash can.
M-A Fleury over Iginla?

I. Just. Don.t. Get. How. It Is. Possible.

Not only shouldn’t he be over Iginla, he shouldn’t be on the list. In fact, I can think of at least three players off the top of my head who aren’t on the list who should be above him.

Heck, there are at least three goalies off the list I’d take above him.

 

[kp61c]

Stamkos over Kucherov? Don't think so.

 

[Beyonder91]

Quick Thoughts
- Lidstrom should be top 3 (I wouldn't even be opposed to having Lidstrom #1 to be completely honest)
- Lundqvist at #8 is wild
- Too high: Kane, Mack, Lundqvist
- Way too low: Kucherov

 

[um]

Malkin, Keith too low. No Doughty yikes.

Blackhawks were
1. Keith
2. Kane
3. Toews
4. Seabrook
5. Hossa/Sharp/Buff/Saad

Agreed for the 6 years when they were winning cups, but Kane has by far the best career outside those years.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Once again, these lists are awful when you don't divide by position.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Crosby over McDavid lol full thread of people punching the air

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Malkin > Kane and MacKinnon

 

[Oilers]

I like Erik Karlsson, but shouldn’t be on this list.

 

[Mobiandi]

Drai and Matthews shouldn’t even be on the list

 

[TheBeard]

A little surprised Mike Hoffman didn't make the list. He's gotta be #26, no?

 

[TheGoldenJet]

I'm sorry but...

Any list with M-A Fleury over Iginla is trash can.
M-A Fleury over Iginla?

I. Just. Don.t. Get. How. It Is. Possible.

They only count half of Iggy’s career.

But still, the list is trash, it is plain to see.

 

[Silky Johnson]

How are there people saying Lidstrom is too low? He's at 5 and I can't see any argument for him being higher. When he was winning Norrises no one thought he was better than Crosby, Malkin, or Ovechkin.

That's because people value tops line stats over actual impact on the game...

7 Norris's is ridiculous as is 10 first team all stars, 4 cups, triple gold club & 1142 points as a premier defensive defenceman.

If defensive impact were easier to quantify, the debate would be about if he should be first on this list....

 

[bambamcam4ever]

That's because people value tops line stats over actual impact on the game...

7 Norris's is ridiculous as is 10 first team all stars, 4 cups, triple gold club & 1142 points as a premier defensive defenceman.

If defensive impact were easier to quantify, the debate would be about if he should be first on this list....

It is the nature of the sport that a single player can have a greater positive impact offensively than defensively.

 

[Silky Johnson]

It is the nature of the sport that a single player can have a greater positive impact offensively than defensively.

Nope. It's just easier to quantify.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Nope. It's just easier to quantify.

It is easier to quantify, but it is also true. A great offensive player can create opportunities for his teammates and make them more effective. Lidstrom paired with Ristolainen is still going to give up plenty of goals against, because defense is more of a team effort.

 

[S E P H]

I think the biggest flop of this list is having Datsyuk much lower than Chara.