Great question. First of all, glad they quantified it with the NHL. Hobey Baker definitely merits consideration for any list, his only hinderance is he played before the NHL was formed. The Bobby Jones of hockey.
Chelios is definitely No. 1. Chelios is one of the top 10 defencemen in the history of the game. Regardless of what you think of him (and he can be a jerk at times), there's no denying his ability to dominate all facets of the game, his durability and his ability to carry his team on his back for extended periods of time.
LaFontaine would be my pick at No. 2. Out of the forwards, LaFontaine is definitely the best. In his prime, he was almost peerless. Brilliant offensively, he could beat you in so many ways. Not only was he one of the best offensive players in the league in his prime, but he was fearless, and one of the prototypical small forwards in the game.
Leetch comes in at No. 3. He was a brilliant offensive defenceman who controlled the pace of the game with his sublime skills, smarts and skating ability. So smooth, so skilled. His defensive skills were average, which is why I'd rate Chelios ahead of him. Brilliant for the Rangers in 1994.
Rod Langway was born in Taiwan, but trained in the U.S. He may be the best defensive defenceman of the last 25 years. A bull physically who ate up big minutes and could shut down the opposition's top forward. So good defensively, he was a two-time Norris winner and a Hart Trophy runner-up.
Haven't thought about who would occupy slots 5-10. A lot of worthy candidates: Mullen, Modano, Roenick, Tkachuk and 1925 Hart Trophy winner Billy Burch up front; M. Howe and Housley on the blue-line, Brimsek, Richter, Barasso and Vanbiesbrouck in net.