Greatest Hockey Players (11-25)

11. Jean Beliveau

Beliveau was the first player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy and is second all-time on the Montreal Canadiens scoring list. He is known for his classiness and has his name engraved 17 times on the Stanley Cup as a player and an executive.

12. Martin Brodeur

Martin Brodeur is the NHL's all-time leader in wins and is closing in on the lead for career shutouts. He won 3 Stanley Cups for the New Jersey Devils who were known as a mediocre team before his arrival. On the international stage he ended Canada's 50 year gold metal drought at the Olympics.

13. Nicklas Lidstrom

His awards speak for themselves. 4 Stanley Cups, 7 James Norris Trophies, 1 Olympic Gold Medal, and 1 Conn Smythe trophy. He has accumulated over 1100 points from the blueline and was the first European to Captain a Stanley Cup team. Lidstrom has played in the NHL for over 20 years and was named as the best NHL players during the last decade by the Sporting News and Sports Illustrated. Lidstrom known for his durability and he scored his first hatrick at age 40.

14. Bobby Hull

Bobby Hull is recognized as the league's greatest left-winger (Ovechkin has just started his career) and was hockey's first million dollar player when he defected to the World Hockey Association. His slap shot was over 120 miles per hour.

15. Jaromir Jagr

Jagr is ninth on the NHL's all-time point list. He won the Stanley Cup in his first two years in the NHL and was the league's most dominant player in the 90's where he carried the Penguins while Lemieux was frequently injured.

16. Ray Bourque

Ray Bourque holds the NHL records for most goals, assists, and points by an NHL defenseman. Bourque was the Bruins longest serving captain and holds the team record for most games played. He won his first Stanley Cup for Colorado and the Avalanche decided to

17. Steve Yzerman

Yzerman a career Detroit Red Winger was the longest-serving Captain of any North American Professional team. He is 6th on the NHL's all-time point list and when he switched to be a more defensive player in the second half of his career he won 3 Stanley Cups.

18. Joe Sakic

Sakic was a dominant player with the Nordiques where he was surrounded by players with little talent. With the help of the Lindros trade that drastically improved the team's depth Sakic was able to win three Stanley Cups with the Avalanche when they relocated to Denver. Sakic is 8th on the NHL's all-time point list.

19. Al MacInnis

MacInnis is third amongst NHL defensemen in points and he won the Stanley Cup in 1989. MacInnis was known for his slap shot and won the hardest shot competition at the all-star game 7 times.

20. Patrick Roy

Roy was the NHL's winningest goalie till Brodeur beat his record. St. Patrick was the reason why the goalie became a desirable position to play and most of today's goalies grew up idolizing Patrick Roy.

21. Phil Esposito

Esposito was the first player to score more than 100 points in a season and he is 10th on the all-time points list. Esposito's leadership on the international level helped rally to Canadian victory over the Russians where he spoke out against the critics on national TV.

22. Jacques Plante

Plante will always be remembered as the first goalie to don a mask. Plante was an innovator who was the first to stop an icing call and signify to his players by raising his hand when he wanted an icing call. Plante also won 6 Stanley Cups for the Canadiens including 5 straight victories.

23. Viacheslav Fetisov

Fetisov is known as the Greatest Russian Hockey Player. On the international stage he won 2 Olympic gold metals and 7 World Championship Gold Metals. Fetisov was known as the Russian Bobby Orr and when he came to the NHL past his prime he was able to win 2 Stanley Cups with the Red Wings.

24. Brett Hull

The "Golden Brett" is third on the NHL's all-time goal scoring list. Hull and Gretzky are the only players who scored 50 goals in 50 games twice. Late in his career he started playing more defensive and won two cups with the Stars and Red Wings.

25. Jari Kurri

Kurri is 19th on the NHL's all-time point list and also known as one of the game's best ever defensive forwards. Kurri will be remembered as being Gretzky's right-winger and a primary reason why Gretzky was able to shatter so many scoring records.