Greatest 'Foreign' player ever who graced the NHL?

[User9992]

Who is the 'Greatest Foreign Player' who ever graced the NHL?


Jaromir Jagr: 1733 GP - 766 Goals - 1155 Assists - 1921 Points - 1.108 PPG
2x Stanley Cup (1991, 1992)
1x Hart Trophy (1999)
3x Ted Lindsay (1999, 2000, 2006)
5x Art Ross (1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
7x First All-Star team (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006)
1x Second All-Star team (1997)
1x Olympic Games (1998)

Domink Hasek: 735 GP - 2.20 GAA - 0.922 SV% - 81 Shutouts
2x Stanley Cup (2002, 2008)
2x Hart Trophy (1997, 1998)
2x Ted Lindsay (1997, 1998)
6x Vezina Trophy (1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001)
6x First All-Star team (1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001)
1x Olympic Games' Best Goaltender (1998)
1x Olympic Games (1998)

Nicklas Lidstrom: 1564 GP - 264 Goals - 878 Assists - 1142 Points - 0.73 PPG - 450-/+
4x Stanley Cup (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008)
7x Norris Trophy (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011)
10x First All-Star team (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011)
2x Second All-Star team (2009, 2010)
1x Conn Smythe (2002)
1x Olympic Games (2006)

Alex Ovechkin: 1440 GP - 863 Goals - 705 Assists - 1568 Points - 1.089 PPG
1x Stanley Cup (2018)
3x Hart Trophy (2008, 2009, 2013)
3x Ted Lindsay (2008, 2009, 2010)
1x Art Ross (2008)
9x Rocket Richard (2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020)
1x Conn Smythe (2018)
1x Calder Memorial (2006)
8x First All-Star team (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2019)
4x Second All-Star Team (2011, 2013, 2014, 2016)

Honorable Mentions: Stan Mikita, Evgeni Malkin, Nikita Kucherov, Peter Stastny, Peter Forsberg, Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, Sergei Fedorov, Pavel Datsyuk, Leon Draisait, Mats Sundin, Sedin brothers, Zdeno Chara, Henrik Lundqvist, Pavel Bure, Ange Kopitar, Henrik Zetterberg, Erik Karlsson, Victor Hedman, Alexander Mogilny, David Pastrnak, Ilya Kovalchuk, Mikko Rantanen.

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[Honour Over Glory]

Jaromir Jagr. It's crazy he put up 1,921 points and he could have gone well past 2,000pts if he didn't leave for the KHL for 3 seasons. If you figure he would put up at least 70pts in each of those 3 seasons he left the KHL for, likely more if he was on better teams, probably finish around 2,150-2,250pts or so.

After Jagr, it'd be hard not to say Ovechkin.

 

[User9992]

Jaromir Jagr. It's crazy he put up 1,921 points and he could have gone well past 2000pts if he didn't leave for the KHL for 3 seasons.

After Jagr, it'd be hard not to say Ovechkin.

I agree. But some people always bring up Hasek & Lidstrom.

 

[trick9]

The Players Tribune?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I agree. But some people always bring up Hasek & Lidstrom.

I'd make the case for them as Best Foreign/Euro born Goalie and Defenseman. But overall? For me personally, it's Jagr and then Ovechkin.


If you did a top 5?

Jagr
Ovechkin
Lidstrom
Hasek


Also does Mikita really count? He came to Canada at 8yrs old, he was raised through the Canadian hockey program and played for Team Canada. So for that I leave him off. It'd probably be a toss up between Forsberg, Selanne, and Malkin for me for the 5th spot.

 

[Albatros]

Hašek was the best, Lidström the greatest.

 

[Shroud of Orrin]

The guy who I thought for a very long time was the first - the great Anders Börje Salming.

 

[bobholly39]

Who is the greatest 'foreign' player ever who graced the NHL?

- Jaromir Jagr
- Domink Hasek
- Niklas Lidstrom
- Alex Ovechkin
- Peter Forsberg
- Teemu Selanne
- Stan Mikita
- Nikita Kucherov
- Evgeni Malkin
- Peter Stastny
- Jari Kurri
- Leon Draisait
- Sergei Fedorov
- Pavel Datsyuk
- Mats Sundin
- Pavel Bure
- Ange Kopitar
- Henrik Lundqvist
et al.

I have Jagr #1, with Ovechkin and Hasek close, and others might make a case for them at #1.

No one else is really close or in the running. Lidstrom is #4, but he's a ways back for me.

 

[karhukissa]

Probably Jagr. Absolute peak Forsberg is probably the best, but career wise (due to injuries) nowhere close to guys like Jagr and Lidström.

 

[Caroline Says ll]

I think a case can be made for all three of Jagr, Hasek and Ovechkin. I think all three are some of the most unique players with talents and skill sets which are almost trademarks. All had peaks and extended periods in the NHL where they were the best player in the league.

Jagr is one of the greatest of all time with longevity unmatched, a puck protection ability which was unrivaled. Factor in the lockouts, missing years and his resume would be even more impressive.

Ovechkin is the greatest goal scorer of all time and who mixed this ability with also becoming the greatest power forward - mixing talent with strength and relentlessness.

Hasek is the greatest goalie, with one of the most unorthodox play styles which appeared chaotic but described as mathematical. Not many players, save Gretzky and Lemieux, can match the dominance he had from 93 to 01.

 

[Randyne]

Ovechkin AINEC
BTW Ovechkin has the same number of top PPGs as Jagr (and 8 vs 1 top GPG)

trends.google.com since 2004
Red is Ovechkin, blue is Jagr. The rest left behind by a mile.

 

[Super Hans]

Ovechkin AINEC
BTW Ovechkin has the same number of top PPGs as Jagr (and 8 vs 1 top GPG)

trends.google.com since 2004
Red is Ovechkin, blue is Jagr. The rest left behind by a mile.

View attachment 928810

Imagine how many points Jagr would have if he didn't spend those 2 seasons in the Bolivian Hockey League.

 

[Randyne]

Imagine how many points Jagr would have if he didn't spend those 2 seasons in the Bolivian Hockey League.

Ovechkin would have 1000 goals if not NHL and COVID and 1500 goals if he played with Lemieux

 

[PaulD]

I have Jagr #1, with Ovechkin and Hasek close, and others might make a case for them at #1.

No one else is really close or in the running. Lidstrom is #4, but he's a ways back for me.

Great list.

But Mogilny over Lunquist all day long.

 

[dr robbie]

Jagr is #1 and it's pretty clear cut in my opinion. I think people are remembering him as a 45 year old player that hung on as long as he could and not the offensive machine he was in the 90s/00s.

 

[bobholly39]

Ovechkin would have 1000 goals if not NHL and COVID and 1500 goals if he played with Lemieux

Yeah and Crosby would have 5000 points if not covid, and 25 000 points if he played with Gretzky

 

[Albatros]

Ovechkin would have 1000 goals if not NHL and COVID and 1500 goals if he played with Lemieux

Lemieux in his prime would never have become a playmaker for Ovechkin.

 

[mrv52]

Jagr, I guess even though he quit on the Pens and Caps.

 

[Randyne]

Yeah and Crosby would have 5000 points if not covid, and 25 000 points if he played with Gretzky

Why are you so mad?
2004/05 -50 G (2005/06 Ovechkin scored 52)
2012/13 -23 G (.67 GPG)
2019/20 -10 G (.71 GPG)
2020/21 -17 G (.53 GPG)
863+100=963 G and he can easily score 50-60 goals in ~150 games left. It's more than 1000 goals.
BTW WTH Sid is doing in this thread.

 

[User9992]

Lemieux in his prime would never have become a playmaker for Ovechkin.

Lemieux was a sniper himself. Gretzky would definitely love to feed Ovi though.

 

[Contenderorpretender]

I often wonder what Bure's career would have looked like if healthy.

 

[Randyne]

Lemieux in his prime would never have become a playmaker for Ovechkin.

Jagr's lone top GPG was in 1996/97 when Lemieux assisted 47% of his goals

 

[elmaco]

Jagr

 

[miscs75]

 

[elmaco]

View attachment 928825

Leo is still playing in Liiga.