25 best NHL players of all time

The 2026 NHL Draft wrapped up Saturday, June 27, with 224 players joining the world’s premier hockey league.

From the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top pick, left wing Gavin McKenna, to the Montreal Canadiens’ final selection, right wing Tyler Deakos, dreams of greatness accompanied each call to the next level.

It’s possible at least one of the players selected during the draft will join the list of all-time NHL legends. Which one? It’s impossible to say.

MORE: Maple Leafs No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna makes Stanley Cup promise

But the question stirs curiosity. Who are the top 25 NHL players of the moment?

Arguments about the best hockey player ever usually start with Wayne Gretzky and spiral into a bar fight from there, so let’s lean into it and actually rank the 25 best NHL players of all time.

This is not a list of favorite players or modern analytics darlings. It is a mix of peak dominance, long-term production, playoff impact and how much an all-time great bent the sport to his will.

MORE: Ranking the best No. 1 overall picks of the modern NHL Draft era

Just three active players made the cut, although several standouts — Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews and Cale Makar, to name a few — are well on their way.

You will disagree with parts of this list. That is the point.

1. Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky is the easiest call on this list. He is the NHL’s all-time leader in assists and points by massive margins, and he piled up so many assists that he would still top the career scoring list even if you erased his goals. His nine Hart Trophies as league MVP and four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers define a run of dominance that looks made up when you read the numbers back.

The game evolved, goaltending improved, systems got tighter, and Gretzky still sits there with records that have not been seriously threatened decades later. Until someone makes 200-point seasons feel normal — a feat Gretzky accomplished four times — the top spot is not really up for grabs.

2. Mario Lemieux

Mario Lemieux is the counter-argument for anyone who wants to push back against Gretzky. At his peak, he was a 6-foot-4 playmaker who could score like a sniper and control a game with every touch of the puck. He led the league in scoring six times, won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a player and later helped rescue the franchise as an owner.

Back injuries and a cancer diagnosis carved huge chunks out of his prime. That is the only reason this debate is not closer. On a per-game basis, Lemieux is the only player who looks like he could have realistically chased Gretzky’s production.

3. Bobby Orr

Bobby Orr did for defensemen what Gretzky did for offense. Before him, blueliners were expected to stay home, make the first pass and let the forwards handle the rest. Orr exploded that template by rushing the puck, driving offense and still defending at an elite level.

He won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Boston Bruins and eight Norris Trophies in a row. He became the only defenseman to lead the league in scoring, and he did it twice. Chronic knee issues shortened his career, but in a relatively small window he changed what was possible at his position and dragged the sport into a faster, more creative era.

4. Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe’s nickname was “Mr. Hockey” for a reason. He was the prototype for the modern power forward, blending skill, snarl and longevity in a way no one has matched. His career point total (1,850) stood as the gold standard until Gretzky came along, and he stayed productive at an age when most players are retired or coaching youth teams.

Howe, who claimed four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings, played professional hockey in five different decades. He finished near the top of the scoring race repeatedly in a low-scoring era. Any conversation about two-way, physically imposing star players starts with him.

5. Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr spent the first half of his career as Lemieux’s running mate and the second half breaking records that seemed out of reach for anyone not named Gretzky. He sits second on the all-time list in points (1,921) and fourth in goals (766), with scoring titles and MVP-level seasons scattered across different eras, systems and countries.

His strength and puck protection made him impossible to knock off the puck in his prime, and he remained effective into his 40s by leaning on vision and craft. Jagr, who won two championships with the Penguins, is the bridge between the wide-open 1990s and the modern era, and he delivered in both.

6. Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby arrived with impossible expectations and somehow met them. He has two Hart Trophies, two Conn Smythes as playoff MVP, and three Stanley Cups as the centerpiece of Pittsburgh’s lineup. Beyond raw numbers, his game is defined by detail, balance and competitiveness in every zone.

He adapted from a pure offensive force early in his career to a complete, two-way center who could carry checking responsibilities and still tilt the ice. In an era with deeper goaltending and tighter defensive structure, his peak sustained dominance keeps him in the inner circle of all-time greats.

7. Alexander Ovechkin

Alexander Ovechkin is the greatest pure goal scorer the league has ever seen. His one-timer from the left circle became so predictable that teams knew exactly what was coming and still could not consistently stop it. He racked up nine 50-goal seasons in a lower-scoring era and climbed above Gretzky and Howe on the all-time goals list. He now stands alone with 929 career goals.

Winning the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 removed the one big knock on his resume. When you consider era-adjusted scoring and how dramatically teams game-planned to slow him down, his goal totals become even more impressive.

8. Maurice “Rocket” Richard

Maurice “Rocket” Richard was the NHL’s first 50-goal scorer and the first player to hit that mark in 50 games, setting a standard that stood as a measuring stick for generations. He was the emotional centerpiece of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1940s and 1950s, combining finishing ability with a burning intensity that defined that era of the franchise.

His impact went well beyond the box score, especially in Quebec. But even if you strip that away, you are left with a winger who dominated a low-scoring league and racked up eight championships with the Canadiens.

9. Patrick Roy

Patrick Roy is the first goaltender on this list and the face of modern butterfly goaltending. He won four Stanley Cups as the backbone of two different franchises — Montreal and the Colorado Avalanche — and collected three Conn Smythes by turning playoff series into personal showcases. His intensity, positional play and ability to lock in during big moments set the template for the next generation in net.

The combination of longevity, playoff success and influence on the position gives him a strong argument as the greatest goalie the league has seen.

10. Dominik Hasek

Dominik Hasek did not look or play like any of his peers. His unorthodox style, athleticism and anticipation led to highlight-reel saves and numbers that pushed the boundaries of what a goaltender could do behind an ordinary team. At his peak with the Buffalo Sabres, he won two Hart Trophies, something almost unheard of for a goalie.

He eventually added a pair of Stanley Cups with Detroit, but his case rests heavily on peak value. For several seasons, Hasek was the single biggest competitive advantage any team had at any position.

11. Jean Beliveau

Jean Beliveau was the smooth, commanding center at the heart of the Canadiens’ dynasty years. He blended size, skill and leadership, collecting 10 championships and individual awards along the way. His production in an Original Six league stacked with talent stands up well against his peers.

Beliveau might not have the eye-popping single-season numbers of a Gretzky or Lemieux, but the combination of excellence and being the central figure on one of the greatest teams in history earns him a spot this high.

12. Guy Lafleur

Guy Lafleur was the offensive engine of Montreal’s 1970s juggernaut, stringing together six consecutive 50-goal, 100-point seasons while the Canadiens steamrolled the league. The flow, the stride, the shot from the right side, it all added up to one of the most recognizable stars of his generation.

He produced at an elite level on a stacked roster and delivered in the playoffs as well, collective five Stanley Cup titles. Lafleur’s peak was not as long as some, but for several years he was the most feared winger in hockey.

13. Mark Messier

Mark Messier spent the first part of his career as Gretzky’s powerhouse sidekick in Edmonton and the second as the emotional heartbeat of the New York Rangers. He won Stanley Cups with both franchises — five with the Oilers, one with the Rangers — and built a reputation for delivering when the pressure spiked the highest. His assists (1,193) and points (1,887) totals rank third all-time in NHL history.

His combination of size, edge and offensive touch made him a nightmare matchup, and his leadership stories have taken on a life of their own. Even if you strip away the mythology, the production and rings put him firmly in the top tier.

14. Bobby Hull

Bobby Hull’s skating speed and slap shot power helped redefine what a goal scorer could look like on the wing. He posted five 50-goal seasons and a Stanley Cup title with the Chicago Blackhawks in an era when defenses could mug you without much consequence and equipment was primitive compared to today.

His jump to the WHA changed the business side of the sport, but his NHL resume alone would have earned him legendary status. On the ice, he was one of the first truly terrifying shooters from distance.

15. Nicklas Lidstrom

Nicklas Lidstrom was not flashy in the way Orr was, but he controlled games with positioning, stick work and decision-making like almost no one else. He anchored Detroit’s blue line for decades, winning seven Norris Trophies and four Stanley Cups while rarely taking a bad angle or making a rushed play.

His numbers and minutes hold up under any level of scrutiny, and coaches viewed him as a cheat code. Plug Lidstrom into your lineup, and your team immediately played smarter.

16. Martin Brodeur

Martin Brodeur’s career counting stats are staggering. He sits at the top of the all-time wins and shutouts lists, and he was the backstop for the New Jersey Devils’ trap-era success. His puck-handling skills acted as a third defenseman, breaking forechecks and helping the Devils drain the life out of games on the way to three Stanley Cups.

Critics will point to the defensive system in front of him, but you do not win that often, for that long, without being a problem for opposing shooters.

17. Phil Esposito

Phil Esposito was a scoring machine in the early 1970s, posting numbers that jumped off the page even before the offensive explosion of the 1980s. His work around the net, finding soft spots and cleaning up rebounds, made him the centerpiece of Boston’s attack amid two title runs and beyond.

He led the league in goals six times and points five times and set single-season records that stood until the Gretzky era. Esposito was proof that you do not need end-to-end rushes to dominate a game offensively.

18. Steve Yzerman

Steve Yzerman started as a pure offensive force, putting up massive point totals as a young captain in Detroit, then reinvented himself as a two-way center under a more structured system and kept winning. He eventually lifted the Stanley Cup three times with the Red Wings and finished with 1,755 career points.

The arc of his career, from flashy scorer to complete leader who sacrificed personal stats for team success, has become a template for stars trying to get over the hump.

19. Ray Bourque

Ray Bourque spent most of his career as the face of the Bruins’ blue line, piling up points and minutes in every situation. His shot from the point was a constant threat on the power play, and he consistently finished near the top of the scoring charts for defensemen, collecting five Norris Trophies.

He eventually got his long-awaited Stanley Cup with Colorado, but his body of work in Boston alone would have made him a legend. Bourque represents the gold standard for all-around, workhorse defensemen.

20. Joe Sakic

Joe Sakic’s release was as clean as any shot in the league, and his calm presence with the puck made him a nightmare in big moments. He captained Colorado through multiple deep playoff runs and lifted the Cup twice, often raising his game when the stakes increased.

His combination of regular-season consistency and clutch playoff production keeps him high on any all-time center list.

21. Stan Mikita

Stan Mikita was a complete center before that label became trendy. He won four scoring titles and two MVP awards while earning recognition for sportsmanship and two-way play. His work with Chicago, which included a Stanley Cup title, helped modernize offensive tactics, especially around faceoffs and puck possession.

In a league that demanded toughness and skill, Mikita delivered both and did it over a long, productive career.

22. Mike Bossy

Mike Bossy’s career was cut short by back issues, but his peak as a finisher was as good as it gets. He averaged well over a point per game and stacked nine consecutive 50-goal seasons while serving as the sniper on the New York Islanders dynasty that won four straight Cups in the early 1980s.

Had he stayed healthy into his mid-30s, his career totals might have pushed him much higher on this list. Even in a shorter window, he made a permanent mark as one of the most efficient goal scorers ever.

23. Jari Kurri

Jari Kurri is often remembered as Gretzky’s wingman in Edmonton, but that sells him short. He was an elite finisher in his own right and a responsible two-way player on those Oilers teams. His playoff production speaks for itself, and he continued to produce at a high level even after leaving that loaded roster.

Kurri’s ability to read off Gretzky and find space in dangerous areas helped turn Edmonton into an offensive supernova. Kurri earned five Stanley Cup championships with the Oilers.

24. Pavel Bure

Pavel Bure might be the most purely explosive player on this list. His speed with the puck, edge work and finishing touch made every shift feel like a breakaway waiting to happen. He posted five 50-goal seasons for the Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers, often carrying the offensive load for rosters that did not have much margin for error.

Injuries kept him from building the same longevity as some of the names above him, but peak Bure is burned into the memory of anyone who watched him terrorize defenders in the 1990s.

25. Connor McDavid

Connor McDavid is the clearest sign that the sport is still evolving. His top-speed puck handling, vision and acceleration have produced video-game offense in an era defined by structure and systems. He has already collected six scoring titles and three MVP awards while dragging Edmonton into deep playoff runs.

The only thing keeping him this low right now is time. If his current trajectory holds and he adds championships to the resume, he will climb into the inner circle of this list and push some legends down a few spots.

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