HOH Top 60 Wingers of All Time

Hawkey Town 18

Registered User
Jun 29, 2009
8,244
1,631
Chicago, IL
This is the final list of the top wingers from all of hockey history, as determined by the History of Hockey community at HFBoards:

RankPlayerHeightWeightBornDiedCareerNationality
1Gordie Howe6'0"205192820161946-1980Canada
2Bobby Hull5'10"19519391957-1980Canada
3Maurice Richard5'10"17019211942-1960Canada
4Jaromír Jágr6'3"240197111988-presentCzechia
5Guy Lafleur6'0"18519511971-1991Canada
6Sergei Makarov5'11"18519581976-1997Russia (USSR)
7Bill Cook5'10"170189619861920-1937Canada
8Mike Bossy6'0"186195711977-1987Canada
9Alexander Ovechkin6'3"23019852001-presentRussia
10Ted Lindsay5'8"16319251944-1965Canada
11Charlie Conacher6'1"195190919671929-1941Canada
12Bernie Geoffrion5'9"166193120061951-1968Canada
13Valeri Kharlamov5'8"165194819811967-1981Russia (USSR)
14Andy Bathgate6'0"180193220161952-1971Canada
15Teemu Selänne6'0"20019701990-2014Finland
16Frank Mahovlich6'0"20519381956-1978Canada
17Cy Denneny5'7"168189119701914-1929Canada
18Dickie Moore5'10"168193120151951-1968Canada
19Aurèle Joliat5'7"136190119861922-1938Canada
20Boris Mikhailov5'10"16919441965-1981Russia (USSR)
21Jari Kurri6'0"19419601977-1998Finland
22Brett Hull5'11"20319641986-2006Canada, USA
23Hector "Toe" Blake5'10"165191219951934-1948Canada
24Jarome Iginla6'1"21019771996-presentCanada
25Martin St. Louis5'8"18019751998-2015Canada
26Anatoli Firsov5'9"154194120001959-1974Russia (USSR)
27Ralph "Busher" Jackson5'11"195191119661929-1944Canada
28Doug Bentley5'8"145191619721939-1954Canada
29Pavel Bure5'10"18919711988-2003Russia
30Tommy Phillips5'9"168188319231901-1912Canada
31Syd Howe5'9"165191119761929-1946Canada
32Vladimír Martinec5'9"18319491967-1981Czechia (ČSSR)
33Sweeney Schriner6'0"185191119901934-1946Canada
34Johnny Bucyk6'0"21519351955-1978Canada
35Bryan Hextall, Sr.5'10"180191319841936-1948Canada
36Luc Robitaille6'1"21519661986-2006Canada
37Paul Kariya5'10"18519741994-2010Canada
38Mark Recchi5'10"19519681988-2011Canada
39Brendan Shanahan6'3"22019691987-2009Canada
40Cecil "Babe" Dye5'8"150189819621919-1931Canada
41Michel Goulet6'1"19519601978-1994Canada
42Marián Hossa6'1"21019791997-presentSlovakia
43Roy Conacher6'2"175191619841938-1952Canada
44Vladimir Krutov5'9"195196020121977-1996Russia (USSR)
45Patrik Eliáš6'1"19519761995-2016Czechia
46Yvan Cournoyer5'7"17819431963-1979Canada
47Daniel Alfredsson5'11"19619721995-2014Sweden
48Alexander Yakushev6'2"19819471963-1983Russia (USSR)
49John LeClair6'3"22619691990-2007USA
50Gordie Drillon6'2"178191319851936-1943Canada
51Didier Pitre5'11"185188319341903-1923Canada
52Rod Gilbert5'9"18019411960-1978Canada
53Paul Thompson5'11"180190619911926-1939Canada
54Helmuts Balderis5'11"19019521973-1985; 1989Latvia (USSR)
55Theoren Fleury5'6"18219681988-2003Canada
56Cecil Dillon5'11"173190819691930-1940Canada, USA
57Bert Olmstead6'1"180192620151948-1962Canada
58Rick Middleton5'11"17019531974-1988Canada
59Ilya Kovalchuk6'3"23019832001-presentRussia
60Reg Noble5'8"180189619621917-1933Canada
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
Links to all the discussion threads that went into making this list:
Round 2 Voting Results
Round 2, Vote 1 (1-4)
Round 2, Vote 2 (5-8)
Round 2, Vote 3 (9-13)
Round 2, Vote 4 (14-16)
Round 2, Vote 5 (17-20)
Round 2, Vote 6 (21-24)
Round 2, Vote 7 (25-29)
Round 2, Vote 8 (30-35)
Round 2, Vote 9 (36-40)
Round 2, Vote 10 (41-45)
Round 2, Vote 11 (46-50)
Round 2, Vote 12 (51-56)
Round 2, Vote 13 (57-60)

Preliminary Threads:
Preliminary discussion threads before voters submitted their lists
Determining Positions - Should he be considered a winger?
Rules Discussion Thread

Links that explain the creation of the aggregate list that formed the basis of discussion. This data was released at the end of the project:
Round 1 Voting Results (Aggregate List)
Round 1 Screening Procedure
Participant Survey

Listed here are the individual voting records of all participants:
Andros
Art of Sedinery
bigbuffalo313
BillyShoe1721
Canadiens1958
Darth Yoda
Dennis Bonvie
Hardyvan123
Hawkey Town 18
intylerwetrust
Johnny Engine
kmad
MadArcand
MXD
reckoning
Rob Scuderi
seventieslord
tarheelhockey
ted1971
TheDevilMadeMe
the edler
tony d
unknown33
Ursaguy
 
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TheDevilMadeMe

Registered User
Aug 28, 2006
52,271
6,980
Brooklyn
Pretty crazy that from the start of Richard's career to the end of Hull's covers 38 years.

Not as crazy as Gordie Howe covering 34 years himself.
 

Plural

Registered User
Mar 10, 2011
33,703
4,853
I always forget how long Bobby Hull played also. I'm always surprised to see his career last until -80.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,538
4,911
I always forget how long Bobby Hull played also. I'm always surprised to see his career last until -80.

Top scorer in the 1974 Summit Series [aged 35], highest scoring Canadian forward (tied with Perreault) in the 1976 Canada Cup [aged 37], Top 5 scorer in the WHA 1977-1978 [aged 38-39]. Should have brought it up in the discussion, but I don't think longevity is a weakness, not even compared with Maurice Richard.
 

Bruins2011Champions*

Guest
Cam Neely had to be in there, I mean 50 goals in 44 games right after coming back from a knee injury.

1986-87 Boston Bruins NHL 75 36 36 72 143 23 4 5 1 6 8
1987-88 Boston Bruins NHL 69 42 27 69 175 30 23 9 8 17 51
1988-89 Boston Bruins NHL 74 37 38 75 190 14 10 7 2 9 8
1989-90 Boston Bruins NHL 76 55 37 92 117 10 21 12 16 28 51
1990-91 Boston Bruins NHL 69 51 40 91 98 26 19 16 4 20 36
1991-92 Boston Bruins NHL 9 9 3 12 16 9 -- -- -- -- --
1992-93 Boston Bruins NHL 13 11 7 18 25 4 4 4 1 5 4
1993-94 Boston Bruins NHL 49 50 24 74 54 12 -- -- -- -- --

NHL Totals 726 395 299 694 1241 93 57 32 89 168
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8252f0HJLL4
 
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seventieslord

Student Of The Game
Mar 16, 2006
36,080
7,132
Regina, SK
Cam Neely had to be in there, I mean 50 goals in 44 games right after coming back from a knee injury.

1986-87 Boston Bruins NHL 75 36 36 72 143 23 4 5 1 6 8
1987-88 Boston Bruins NHL 69 42 27 69 175 30 23 9 8 17 51
1988-89 Boston Bruins NHL 74 37 38 75 190 14 10 7 2 9 8
1989-90 Boston Bruins NHL 76 55 37 92 117 10 21 12 16 28 51
1990-91 Boston Bruins NHL 69 51 40 91 98 26 19 16 4 20 36
1991-92 Boston Bruins NHL 9 9 3 12 16 9 -- -- -- -- --
1992-93 Boston Bruins NHL 13 11 7 18 25 4 4 4 1 5 4
1993-94 Boston Bruins NHL 49 50 24 74 54 12 -- -- -- -- --

NHL Totals 726 395 299 694 1241 93 57 32 89 168
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8252f0HJLL4

I'ma letchyou finish, but this is the list of the greatest wingers of all-time. OF ALL TIME!
 

sr edler

gold is not reality
Mar 20, 2010
11,845
6,290
Cam Neely had to be in there

If Cam's so great then why is he under a PPG in his first three seasons with the Bruins? Not to mention his three years in Vancouver prior to that where he was very mediocre. And this in the crazy 80s when everyone scored boatloads of points. I'm not a Neely hater, and he's on my list, but the guy was pretty one dimensional and never really showed he could score on his own, without a slick center and a great defenseman to feed him pucks. Because he couldn't drive the play on his own from back ice. He took off the same season soft hands Janney showed up at his side. Coincidence? Think not. Then he had Oates, and he also had Bourque at the same time! That's crazy support.

You think Cam Neely would have scored 50 in 44 playing with Jyrki Lumme and Greg Adams? Color me a bit skeptical.
 

MXD

Original #4
Oct 27, 2005
50,672
16,395
Neely will almost certainly end up in the Top60, we're at least 5 weeks away from him being relevant to a discussion.
 

Hardyvan123

tweet@HardyintheWack
Jul 4, 2010
17,552
24
Vancouver
If Cam's so great then why is he under a PPG in his first three seasons with the Bruins? Not to mention his three years in Vancouver prior to that where he was very mediocre. And this in the crazy 80s when everyone scored boatloads of points. I'm not a Neely hater, and he's on my list, but the guy was pretty one dimensional and never really showed he could score on his own, without a slick center and a great defenseman to feed him pucks. Because he couldn't drive the play on his own from back ice. He took off the same season soft hands Janney showed up at his side. Coincidence? Think not. Then he had Oates, and he also had Bourque at the same time! That's crazy support.

You think Cam Neely would have scored 50 in 44 playing with Jyrki Lumme and Greg Adams? Color me a bit skeptical.

Hey both Lumme and Adams were really good players but ya they sure weren't Oates and Bourque.

Neely BTW almost certainly wouldn't have developed in Vancouver as he was more interested in the Mountain Shadow Inn (which was a great spot BTW) than the weak winning culture that existed in Vancouver at the time.

great flying V unis though.
 

seventieslord

Student Of The Game
Mar 16, 2006
36,080
7,132
Regina, SK
Neely will almost certainly end up in the Top60, we're at least 5 weeks away from him being relevant to a discussion.

Without giving too much away, Neely is far enough down the round 1 list that he is suceptible to being overtaken in the round 2 voting by a handful of other guys - my honest prediction: he doesn't make it.
 
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Hardyvan123

tweet@HardyintheWack
Jul 4, 2010
17,552
24
Vancouver
Without giving too much away, Neely is far enough down the round 1 list that he is suceptible to being overtaken in the round 2 voting by a handful of other guys - my honest prediction: he doesn't make it.

That would seem surprising but then again let's see how it plays out.
 

MXD

Original #4
Oct 27, 2005
50,672
16,395
Without giving too much away, Neely is far enough down the round 1 list that he is suceptible to being overtaken in the round 2 voting by a handful of other guys - my honest prediction: he doesn't make it.

Okay. You know better than me :)
 

seventieslord

Student Of The Game
Mar 16, 2006
36,080
7,132
Regina, SK
That would seem surprising but then again let's see how it plays out.

it's not that far-fetched. Based purely on prime regular season point production, is he even in the top-100 wingers of all-time? I realize he makes up huge ground as a playoff scorer and as a power forward, but how much he makes up is the million dollar question.
 

Hardyvan123

tweet@HardyintheWack
Jul 4, 2010
17,552
24
Vancouver
it's not that far-fetched. Based purely on prime regular season point production, is he even in the top-100 wingers of all-time? I realize he makes up huge ground as a playoff scorer and as a power forward, but how much he makes up is the million dollar question.

I'm not sure and for one i think he gets over rated a bit at times but his game to game impact when healthy was truly elite as a goal scorer and as a power forward both in the regualrl season and playoffs for a good period of time, ie 7ish years or so off the top of my head.

How much that peak impact influenced voters, compared to say guys who stayed healthy and put up very good numbers for a long period of time like Mike Gartner is hard to say.

Honestly i couldn't remember where I placed him, and I'm pretty confident that I would redo the entire slit 7 different ways if I did a new list every day next week, but I was surprised were I placed him on my list when I had a look back.
 

vadim sharifijanov

Registered User
Oct 10, 2007
28,589
15,949
i can't wait for bure vs. neely vs. anderson vs. gartner (vs. shutt vs. martin vs. leach vs. kerr?)

it's going to get so ugly
 

seventieslord

Student Of The Game
Mar 16, 2006
36,080
7,132
Regina, SK
Gartner, Martin and Anderson are going to depend on how many names we allow in the last round.

Mogilny will get a shot.

Shutt, Kerr and Leach will not.

Leach wasn't named on a single list.
 

Hardyvan123

tweet@HardyintheWack
Jul 4, 2010
17,552
24
Vancouver
Gartner, Martin and Anderson are going to depend on how many names we allow in the last round.

Mogilny will get a shot.

Shutt, Kerr and Leach will not.

Leach wasn't named on a single list.

It's too bad about Leach with his drinking problems (which he overcame and has had a good life after hockey) but one has to wonder what might have happened had the flyers drafted Leach and his chemistry with Clarke, along with no alcohol problems eh?
 

seventieslord

Student Of The Game
Mar 16, 2006
36,080
7,132
Regina, SK
It's too bad about Leach with his drinking problems (which he overcame and has had a good life after hockey) but one has to wonder what might have happened had the flyers drafted Leach and his chemistry with Clarke, along with no alcohol problems eh?

Rick Martin plus a couple cups and a smythe? Maybe a couple decent seasons before and after peak as well.
 

MXD

Original #4
Oct 27, 2005
50,672
16,395
While doing some research about Lafleur, I suddenly got mad at the fact I overlooked Marc Tardif in the process. I can't remember if I ranked him or not, but I know that If I did rank him, that was probably of about 15 spots, and possibly more.

Oh well, first element of round 1 that I'd like to re-do :(
 

Say Hey Kid

The best all around player ever
Dec 10, 2007
23,621
5,496
TSN published a book of their Top 60 Post-67 players and they didn't include RWs Selanne and Iginla so they must not be good enough to merit any consideration for this project. ;) J/K
 

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