The Hockey News - Top 50 Players of All-Time By Franchise

[Habsfan18]

Received this in the mail this afternoon and thought it was a pretty neat concept for a special edition. Haven’t dug too deep yet but each franchise has a top 50 list and a spotlight article on a player. There is even a section at the end of the book for defunct teams featuring top 10 players per franchise.

I can’t post too much due to site rules but I’ll take a few random teams and post top 10’s for discussion purposes and to give you an idea of what to expect.

Los Angeles Kings:

1. Wayne Gretzky
2. Marcel Dionne
3. Drew Doughty
4. Luc Robitaille
5. Rob Blake
6. Anze Kopitar
7. Bernie Nicholls
8. Jonathan Quick
9. Dave Taylor
10. Butch Goring

Pittsburgh Penguins:

1. Mario Lemieux
2. Sidney Crosby
3. Jaromir Jagr
4. Evgeni Malkin
5. Tom Barrasso
6. Kris Letang
7. Ron Francis
8. Marc-Andre Fleury
9. Kevin Stevens
10. Jean Pronovost

Chicago Blackhawks:

1. Bobby Hull
2. Stan Mikita
3. Glenn Hall
4. Pierre Pilote
5. Jonathan Toews
6. Patrick Kane
7. Earl Seibert
8. Chris Chelios
9. Duncan Keith
10. Charlie Gardiner

Click to read more...

 

[VanIslander]

Chicago Blackhawks:

1. Bobby Hull
2. Stan Mikita
3. Glenn Hall
4. Pierre Pilote
5. Jonathan Toews
6. Patrick Kane
7. Earl Seibert
8. Chris Chelios
9. Duncan Keith
10. Charlie Gardiner

A solid list.

But serious honourable mentions to two of the best (who simply didn't win the Stanley Cup, or else the list may be different):

Denis Savard, 3rd in franchise scoring (2nd in assists)!

Tony Esposito, 1st in franchise wins (by a long shot)!

 

[Passchendaele]

Wondering what Toews has accomplished that Kane hasn't. Being born in Canada?

 

[EpochLink]

No Denis Savard in the top 10 Hawks?

 

[Habsfan18]

Yeah, I was surprised to see Savard omitted from the top 10. He’s actually 13th, behind Tony Esposito and Doug Bentley.

I’d also personally have Kane over Toews.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Wondering what Toews has accomplished that Kane hasn't. Being born in Canada?

i personally have kane before toews too, but to answer your question, toews has a selke, two runner-ups, and four more top five finishes; as well as being captain for a decade.

 

[Sprague Cleghorn]

Honestly, the samples you provided look very good. Much better than what is usually expected from the mainstream media. I am pleasantly surprised at Gardiner making it into the top 10, and over Esposito to boot. However, Toews is massively overrated. I wouldn't have him before Keith at 9th. He'd be somewhere around Savard.

 

[Habsfan18]

Thought I’d add 2 more.

Montreal Canadiens:

1. Maurice Richard
2. Jean Beliveau
3. Doug Harvey
4. Guy Lafleur
5. Howie Morenz
6. Jacques Plante
7. Larry Robinson
8. Patrick Roy
9. Henri Richard
10. Newsy Lalonde

Dallas Stars/Minnesota North Stars:

1. Mike Modano
2. Neal Broten
3. Sergei Zubov
4. Dino Ciccarelli
5. Brian Bellows
6. Jere Lehtinen
7. Derian Hatcher
8. Jamie Benn
9. Marty Turco
10. Craig Hartsburg

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Did they have the sense to put Lidstrom at #2 for Detroit? And were both Datsyuk and Zetterberg in the Top 10?

 

[Habsfan18]

Did they have the sense to put Lidstrom at #2 for Detroit? And were both Datsyuk and Zetterberg in the Top 10?

Lidstrom is 2, Datsyuk 10 and Zetterberg 13.

 

[VanIslander]

Dallas Stars/Minnesota North Stars:

1. Mike Modano
2. Neal Broten
3. Sergei Zubov
4. Dino Ciccarelli
5. Brian Bellows
6. Jere Lehtinen
7. Derian Hatcher
8. Jamie Benn
9. Marty Turco
10. Craig Hartsburg

Benn and Hartsburg?

I'd rather honor Calder winner and franchise highest individual scoring season holder (114 pts) Bobby Smith, the franchise's 1st round 1st overall pick who led the North Stars on its first-ever Stanley Cup run in 1981 and is top-5 in franchise career scoring.

Choosing Benn screams of "We gotta include a guy from today for that part of the fanbase unfamiliar with the franchise's history." Benn has 3 great years and one good playoff postseason. I guess him being a 4-year captain right now helps.

I'd rather honor for the franchise the 7-year captain heart-and-soul guy Brenden Morrow, who has led the guys through four playoffs with winning series, including two conference final runs. Heck, Morrow has more career goals as a Star than Benn does!

Hartsburg isn't top-10 in games played or points. He did captain the club for one and a bit years, then when Bellows struggled with the pressure of captaincy (I recall well), Hartsburg took over the captaincy for two more seasons and the bit of two more. He was touted early in his career and went to three all-star games three of his first four seasons in Minnesota. He played just 570 games for the team and had 413 points, a decent passer who led the team in blueline scoring in each of the six full seasons he played. He was 7th in North Stars scoring in their 1981 cup run, though his 15 points in 19 games were significant, one more than any other blueliner in town.

 

[Habsfan18]

Smith and Morrow are 11 and 12 respectively, for what it’s worth.

 

[VanIslander]

Smith and Morrow are 11 and 12 respectively, for what it’s worth.

Awesome!

I almost forgot it's a top-50 listing for each franchise, not just a top 10. If I wasn't working overseas I'd pick myself a copy of that issue!

For those with a copy, where is Curt Giles and Bill Goldsworthy? And is Jon Casey on it?

 

[Habsfan18]

Awesome!

I almost forgot it's a top-50 listing for each franchise, not just a top 10. If I wasn't working overseas I'd pick myself a copy of that issue!

For those with a copy, where is Curt Giles and Bill Goldsworthy? And is Jon Casey on it?

Bill Goldsworthy is 13, Curt Giles is 25 and Jon Casey is 33.

 

[Habsfan18]

Interesting note, Jaromir Jagr made the list for 4 separate clubs.

Pittsburgh - 3
Washington - 30
New York - 38
Florida - 23

 

[Nick Hansen]

What makes Toews better than Kane or Keith?

 

[GlitchMarner]

Interesting note, Jaromir Jagr made the list for 4 separate clubs.

Pittsburgh - 2
Washington - 30
New York - 38
Florida - 23

Is he twenty-third on FLA's list based on performance or because because he's ******** Jaaaaarrrrooooommmmiiirrrrrr Jaaaaaagggggggrrrrrr?

Yes, he's one of the GOAT, but he played for FLA for a little over two years as a 40+ year old.

I know FLA hasn't had an abundance of great players... but it's surprising he's in their top 25.

I can only imagine who the 90-100th players for teams like FLA and CLB are.

 

[Habsfan18]

Is he twenty-third on FLA's list based on performance or because because he's ******** Jaaaaarrrrooooommmmiiirrrrrr Jaaaaaagggggggrrrrrr?

Yes, he's one of the GOAT, but he played for FLA for a little over two years as a 40+ year old.

I know FLA hasn't had an abundance of great players... but it's surprising he's in their top 25.

I can only imagine who the 90-100th players for teams like FLA and CLB are.

Well, I think it speaks more towards the quality of players that have played for the organization and I mean no disrespect to fans of the franchise. I mean..Bill Lindsay is ranked at 20, and guys like Rostislav Olesz, Peter Worrell, Mike Weaver and Gregory Campbell cracked the top 50.

 

[GlitchMarner]

Well, I think it speaks more towards the quality of players that have played for the organization and I mean no disrespect to fans of the franchise. I mean..Bill Lindsay is ranked at 20, and guys like Rostislav Olesz, Peter Worrell, Mike Weaver and Gregory Campbell cracked the top 50.

 

[sharkhawk]

Interesting note, Jaromir Jagr made the list for 4 separate clubs.

Pittsburgh - 2
Washington - 30
New York - 38
Florida - 23

Not dissing jagr, but i can't see him as 2 for pens. Don't see any way you place him above Crosby or malkin

 

[Habsfan18]

Not dissing jagr, but i can't see him as 2 for pens. Don't see any way you place him above Crosby or malkin

Crap, my apologies. He is ranked 3, not 2. That was a typo on my part. The Pens top 10 list was posted in the thread.

 

[tjcurrie]

Benn and Hartsburg?

I'd rather honor Calder winner and franchise highest individual scoring season holder (114 pts) Bobby Smith, the franchise's 1st round 1st overall pick who led the North Stars on its first-ever Stanley Cup run in 1981 and is top-5 in franchise career scoring.

Choosing Benn screams of "We gotta include a guy from today for that part of the fanbase unfamiliar with the franchise's history." Benn has 3 great years and one good playoff postseason. I guess him being a 4-year captain right now helps.

I'd rather honor for the franchise the 7-year captain heart-and-soul guy Brenden Morrow, who has led the guys through four playoffs with winning series, including two conference final runs. Heck, Morrow has more career goals as a Star than Benn does!

Hartsburg isn't top-10 in games played or points. He did captain the club for one and a bit years, then when Bellows struggled with the pressure of captaincy (I recall well), Hartsburg took over the captaincy for two more seasons and the bit of two more. He was touted early in his career and went to three all-star games three of his first four seasons in Minnesota. He played just 570 games for the team and had 413 points, a decent passer who led the team in blueline scoring in each of the six full seasons he played. He was 7th in North Stars scoring in their 1981 cup run, though his 15 points in 19 games were significant, one more than any other blueliner in town.

With all due respect, just a correction. Morrow only captained the team to 2 playoff appearances in his 6+ years as captain, 2007 in a 7 game 1st round loss to Vancouver, and 2008 in that Conference Final appearance losing to Detroit. 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 no playoffs, then traded spring 2013 when the club again missed the playoffs for the 5th straight season.

I love B-Mo and he was certainly a warrior for us. Difficult choice there, but Jamie Benn is poised this season to shoot up into the top 4-6 in every major offensive category for the franchise, including 5th in points, and after a couple more top 3-4 in all (Goals, Assists, Points, GWGs). Barring any major fall-off, he should do it. He's the only player in franchise history to receive a 1st Team All-Star nod (2014, 2016) and has a 2nd Team to go along with it (2015), and of course his Art Ross. He really is that superstar we waited for after Modano, though he's not Modano, and I will say that I would need to see him prolong his play another season or two before I start solidifying him ahead of a guy like Brian Bellows. There could be a bit of, "Let's place a guy from today this high" going on, as you said.

Hartsburg is a top 3 defenseman for the franchise. I get the questioning his top 10 placement given the amount of hockey he missed, but given just how good he was, and the fact that there really isn't anyone behind him with too strong a case, I have to like the placement.

You're right it's a bit strange not seeing Bobby Smith's name in that top 10. Really hard though. I'd consider maybe placing Turco a bit lower and having Smith in that top 10, but I don't know, again it's tough. I think the fact that he was traded to Montreal (He demanded to be traded right away or he'd quit hockey) in his prime and then returned in his latter years (Helluva playoff 1991) hurts him there. It's likely if he stuck around another year or two that slides him up a few notches. Also let's face it, a guy like that gets overshadowed a bit when it was guys like Gretzky and Trottier etc running the show at center during his initial North Stars tenure.

Glad to hear Goldsworthy is place fairly high. I'm not sure who I'd move in order to slide him up, but I wouldn't complain if he was placed a bit higher. The guy was great for us and needs to be recognized.

I'm interested to see what kind of respect a guy like Steve Payne will get, and Giles I like seeing as he was my 1st ever favorite Stars player and his #2 was my 1st ever Stars jersey. Still have it!

Anyways, I messaged my wife to see if she was stopping anywhere else in the big city (Edmonton) before she hits the highway and heads home, in hopes that she could grab me this magazine. I feel like a kid at Christmas now. Fingers crossed.

 

[Regal]

Benn and Hartsburg?

I'd rather honor Calder winner and franchise highest individual scoring season holder (114 pts) Bobby Smith, the franchise's 1st round 1st overall pick who led the North Stars on its first-ever Stanley Cup run in 1981 and is top-5 in franchise career scoring.

Choosing Benn screams of "We gotta include a guy from today for that part of the fanbase unfamiliar with the franchise's history." Benn has 3 great years and one good playoff postseason. I guess him being a 4-year captain right now helps.

I'd rather honor for the franchise the 7-year captain heart-and-soul guy Brenden Morrow, who has led the guys through four playoffs with winning series, including two conference final runs. Heck, Morrow has more career goals as a Star than Benn does!

Hartsburg isn't top-10 in games played or points. He did captain the club for one and a bit years, then when Bellows struggled with the pressure of captaincy (I recall well), Hartsburg took over the captaincy for two more seasons and the bit of two more. He was touted early in his career and went to three all-star games three of his first four seasons in Minnesota. He played just 570 games for the team and had 413 points, a decent passer who led the team in blueline scoring in each of the six full seasons he played. He was 7th in North Stars scoring in their 1981 cup run, though his 15 points in 19 games were significant, one more than any other blueliner in town.

Benn is also the only Art Ross winner in the team's history is already 9th in team scoring, and will likely pass Morrow this month. I don't see why it'd be a case of having to get a new guy on there, I think it's a case of him clearly being a top 10 talent to play for the team, even if he doesn't have the years and playoffs yet.

 

[Regal]

Barrasso and Letang stick out for the Pens. Seems like Francis is always the guy who gets put 5th there. And I had a discussion about Letang as potentially the top blueliner for the Pens on the main boards recently, but it seems odd to see him there and Coffey and Murphy out of the top 10. Though I suppose they could be just outside.

 

[whatname]

where does Chara rank in Boston?