NHL's Quarter Century Teams

[jigglysquishy]

This is the closest follow-up to the "NHL 100" where the NHL is "officially" recognizing players. Dating starts on January 1, 2000 and is generated from broadcasters, national writers and local writers and NHL.com writers who have covered the respective teams, in addition to select former players.

NHL to select, celebrate Quarter-Century Teams | NHL.com

Panels will choose best players from past 25 years; fan vote also to take place

www.nhl.com

Some interesting selections so far.

Jagr didn't make the Penguins, despite an Art Ross and part of his 1999-00 Art Ross.

Weber ahead of Subban for the Canadiens.

The Jets include Thrashers players.

Thomas ahead of Rask is predictable, but unfortunate.

Very little media fanfare for this.

Click to read more...

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Disappointing to not see Tyler Arnason on the Avalanche's list.

 

[Crosby2010]

I was just saying last night that if you ever want to see how far the mighty have fallen (Habs) just look at the players from 2000-'25 vs. even just a quarter century earlier.

You mentioned it having little fanfare, and I agree. But should it?

 

[MadLuke]

Gallagher-Souray type making the cut, even in honorable mention it would not feel great...

 

[Johnny Engine]

Gallagher-Souray type making the cut, even in honorable mention it would not feel great...

Probably true but I'm always surprised at how fast the star power dropped off on those THN franchise all time lists - not the 30th best Hab ever (don't ask me who that is, I'm just saying a number) isn't a great, great player, it's just that you can't expect their top-50 to be wall to wall Henri Richard types.

That said, the last quarter of the 20th century you'd have something like:

Lafleur, Gainey, Lemaire
Robinson, Savard
Roy

Cournoyer, Shutt, Carbonneau
Lapointe, Chelios
Dryden

And that looks pretty great, but you start to notice that at least half of these guys are dividing their claim to greatness with adjacent time periods and other teams, and you only have one elite scoring star who was in the meat of his prime during 75-99. Then you think about who'd be next up and Naslund would look good as a second teamer, but then after that it's 4 years of Koivu, and a whole bunch of very good players like Desjardins and Smith and while they're better than Sheldon Souray, the glittery lights on this group are definitely out.

50-74 would be a more high-powered group, but I'd take that team's starting and second six over any franchise, period.