Top 10 Players in the NHL

I’m not going to lie, I haven’t followed hockey in about 2 years. However, with the great NHL playoffs we’ve been experiencing so far, I really have no choice but to write about the sport.

I’m relatively unfamiliar with a lot of the new faces in the league, but I’m going to try to slap together a respectable list so that casual, non-casual, and non-fans alike can all appreciate the superstars of the league. Agree to disagree, of course. Additionally, a preview of the conference semifinals will probably follow this, for all the hockey fans out there.

10. Steve Stamkos, Lightning- He has two years under his belt, but I need to put this guy on the list. The first overall pick in the 2008 draft, Stamkos immediately burst onto the scene. He tied for the league lead with 51 goals this year. You’re wondering how old he is? Twenty. He was born on February 7, 1990; he’s three days younger than I am. I feel significantly less accomplished in my life. He has an incredible future ahead of him.

9. Zdeno Chara, Senators- The 6’9’’ giant has been a cornerstone at defenseman for the Sens. Picked up the Norris Trophy last year for being the league’s best defender. He also had a slap shot clocked at 105.4 miles per hour at last year’s All-Star Skills Competition. Why the hell did the Islanders trade this guy? Oh right, because we wanted Alexei Yashin. And transactions like that are why the Islanders aren’t going to be on Long Island for too much longer. Good times.

8. Mike Green, Capitals- This guy seems pretty badass. The 24-year old is extremely prolific as a defenseman (76 points this season, 73 the year before) and reportedly ruptured one of Philadelphia Flyer Patrick Thoresen’s testicles due to a nasty slap shot. Moreover, he also hold the record for most consecutive games with a goal by a defenseman with eight. Also rocks a mean faux hawk.

7. Martin Brodeur, Devils- The guy’s track record is unmatched. He’s the all-time leader in wins and shutouts, in addition to being the only goaltender with eight 40-win seasons. He has 602 wins, to be exact. A hero in New Jersey (not like they have many of them there), he’s the most accomplished goalie in history and still tearing it up at the age of 37. Yeah, he’s pretty good.

6. Patrick Kane, Blackhawks- The 21-year old American is ferocious on the wing in Chicago. With 88 points in 82 games, Kane is capable of taking over a game and carrying the Blackhawks. The first overall pick in the 200 draft, Kane hasn’t disappointed anyone in his short career in the league. Earns bonus points for punching out a cab driver. So maybe his parents aren’t too happy with him, but it’s all good.

5. Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings- One of the most versatile forwards in the league, the Swedish Zetterberg can do it all. A two-time Stanley Cup winner, he may not have mind-boggling numbers but is a proven commodity the league and improves his teammates’ play just by being on the ice. Like a Steve Nash of some sort.

4. Joe Thornton, Sharks- Arguably one of the most dynamic centers in the league. Thornton is the only guy to ever win league MVP and lead the league in points while switching teams in one season. A great asset for San Jose, the 6’4’’, 235-pound monster does nothing but score points; you also may have seen him make an appearance for the evil Canadians in this year’s Olympics.

3. Ryan Miller, Sabres- Easily the best goalie in the league right now. Came up monsterously in the Olympics and in the NHL season this year as well (41 wins, 2.22 GAA, .929 SV%). America’s goalie for years to come, Miller is a huge reason for Buffalo’s success the last few years; like a quarterback, this goalie is the cornerstone of the team and will keep stopping shots in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

2. Sidney Crosby, Penguins- If you’re from Canada or a Penguins fan, you love him. If you’re a female, you think he’s the cutest player in the league. If you’re none of the above, you hate Sidney Crosby. You may describe him as a “frail, pretty-boy, smug little bitch.” You may hate him because of his gold medal-winning goal in this year’s Olympics against the United States. Personally, I’m not a fan of his, but you have to recall the lockout for the 2004-2005 season. Crosby was the first pick of the draft following the stoppage, and had a HUGE responsibility of helping make the NHL relevant again. It’s still a bit of a journey, but with 506 career points in 370 games, Crosby is on his way to being one of the best ever. But he’s still not the best player in the league…

1. Alexander Ovechkin, Captials- This guy dominates the league like LeBron dominates the NBA. I’m hard-pressed to find a single thing Ovie can’t do. He’s big, fast, strong, and an extremely good stick-handler. There’s also that thing he does when he puts the puck in the net. It’s not just that he scores a lot of goals, it’s HOW he scores them; I’m too lazy to find a Youtube video on here and post it. So you may have to look yourself. In summary, Ovechkin is the best, most exciting, and most electrifying player in the world right now.