Are these Canada's greatest-ever hockey players?

Ever since hockey was first played on ice back in 1875, Canada has been obsessed with the sport, so there should be no surprise that they have produced some of the greatest players the sport has ever seen. But of those, who are the best?

‘The Rocket’ was the first player in NHL history to reach 50 goals in a season and 500 goals in his career, per Hockey Reference. During his 18 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, Richard helped the Habs win eight Stanley Cup titles. Not bad.

It’s perhaps a little early to crown MacKinnon amongst the greats, but the Colorado Avalanche center is averaging over a point a game in his career (709 games, 284 goals, 475 assists, 759 points). MacKinnon was a pivotal part of the Avs’ Stanley Cup victory in 2022, scoring 13 goals during the playoffs, per NHL Network.

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The lesser-known of the two Richard brothers, Henri was known as ‘The Pocket Rocket’, in reference to Maurice’s famous nickname. Henri won a remarkable 11 Stanley Cups in his career, tying only Bill Russell (NBA) for championships in a major North American sport, per Pantheon.

For some, Mario Lemieux is the greatest player ever, surpassing even Gretzky. We feel his record doesn’t quite live up to that of ‘The Great One’, but it’s about as close as you can get. His 1,723 points (690 goals, 1,033 assists) rank second all-time, per Hockey Reference. Were it not for injuries he could have pushed Gretzky’s record close, but he couldn’t stay healthy.

Hull was born into hockey royalty as the son of ‘The Golden Jet’, Bobby Hull. Brett more than surpassed his father’s legacy, totaling 1,391 points (741 goals, 650 assists) in his career alongside a couple of Stanley Cup wins.

Messier was a key part of the Edmonton Oilers’ dominance in the 80s and was a key figure in Edmonton’s post-Gretzky Stanley Cup triumph in 1990 as well. He sits third all-time with 1,887 points (694 goals, 1,193 assists), per Hockey Reference, and is described as, “the most complete player of his generation,” by the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Steve Yzerman played over 1,300 games for the Detroit Red Wings in a career spanning from 1983 to 2006. Along the way, he won three Stanley Cups and scored 1,755 points (692 goals, 1,063 assists). His play wasn’t all that made him legendary though, as he “personified leadership,” per Joel Prosser of Bleacher Report.

‘Sid the Kid’ was drafted number one overall back in 2005 with huge expectations on his shoulders, now, nearly 20 years later, he is thought of as perhaps the greatest player of his era and a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame. His two Hart Memorial Trophies and three Stanley Cups are fair rewards for a remarkable career.

Bobby Orr changed hockey for good with his aggressive, attacking play as a defenseman, redefining the role forever. Per The Hockey Writers, his 1.393 points per game is fifth all-time in the NHL, as a defenseman, in the 60s and 70s.

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Howe’s playing career seemingly lasted forever, playing over 1,700 games in the NHL and a further 419 in the World Hockey Association. Never one to shy away from the physical side of hockey, Howe’s legacy lives on through the ‘Gordie Howe Hat Trick’, awarded to a player who scores, records an assist, and fights all in one game.

Esposito became the first player to score 100 points in a season and the first to score 50 goals in a season five times in a row. His 152-point season in 1970-71 ranks third all-time (not including tallies by Gretzky and Lemieux because that’s just not fair) behind two others on this list, per Statsmuse.

McDavid is everything the Oilers hoped he would be when they selected him first overall in the 2015 draft. With six 100+ point seasons under his belt already, the 27-year-old is well set for another in the 23-24 season. He just needs a Cup to cement his legacy as a true great.

Nicknamed ‘Captain Class’ by Sports Illustrated, Francis finished his career fifth all-time in points with 1,798 (549 goals, 1,249 assists) alongside two Stanley Cups. Francis was one of the youngest captains of all time whilst playing for the Hartford Whalers, showcasing his hard-working spirit and leadership.

Sakic is part of the exclusive Triple Gold Club, winning a Stanley Cup, Olympics and World Championship titles, per Bleacher Report, that alone should be enough to include him amongst the greats, but his 1,641 points (625 goals, 1,016 assists) in the NHL, per Hockey Reference, really cement his legacy.

Last but by no means least, we have ‘The Great One’. Gretzky is the best to ever do it and is one of the best sportspeople of all time regardless of sport. Almost every record in hockey needs to be caveated with “Gretzky excluded” otherwise it would just be a list of his personal achievements.

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