the top 50 professional hockey players in the world today!

[skyphoenix 153]

I would really like to hear all these people justify how Zetterberg is #26. There are a few others like Ryan Getzlaf who should be much higher too. How is Joe Thronton in the top 10? That is absolutely asanine. He is good, no doubt, but #9 when you continually drive your team into the ground by choking as soon as you enter the playoffs year after year?

[Coolio Mendez 7]

Regarding a list that ranks Marian Hossa that much higher than Henrik Zetterberg based on what you put forth as how it was compiled? Zetterberg clearly had more of an impact on his team than Hossa this past season. This is undebatable.

Furthermore, Spezza had more of an impact on the Senators than Heatley did this past season.

Either the system is flawed, or those who are using the system are flawed.

This is further proven when Jarome Iginla is ranked ahead of Alexander Ovechkin, and Sidney Crosby is ranked ahead of Evgeni Malkin.

Need more examples?

Martin St.Louis over Zach Parise. Vincent Lecavalier over Mike Richards and Ryan Getzlaf. Mike Ribeiro and Ales Hemsky over Johan Franzen, Anze Kopitar, Brad Boyes, Mats Sundin, Sergei Fedorov.

Either the system is flawed, or the people using it are flawed, because the list is definitely flawed.

Once again, it's a scoring system based on 22 attributes such as skating skill, speed, smarts, shot accuracy, checking, play away from puck, leadership, etc. etc. Points is only one part of the game. The one thing to point out...is less than 2 points separate 1 from 267 (Ales Kotalik)

[Coolio Mendez 7]

One thing people need to realize...there are 30 teams....so theoretically there should be about 3 players per team in the top 100.

So, while people think Cammalleri should be higher (and he's the 4th player on the list from Calgary - Kiprusoff is ahead of him) you need to start comparing against the top 2-3 players from each team (except Toronto and Long Island). For example...Lecavalier and St. Louis rank in the top 30....the next Tampa player is Ryan Malone at 214. Detroit has 11 players ahead of him.

Also, players like Kariya and Kovalev have lost a step, but their leadership skills, smarts, and playmaking skills are still ranked very high. Similarly, Joe Sakic who was top 20 last year is still 53rd based on skill and leadership ability even though his speed, strength, and durability took hits.

People need to stop taking this personally.

[The Big Red Machine 0]

One thing people need to realize...there are 30 teams....so theoretically there should be about 3 players per team in the top 100.

So, while people think Cammalleri should be higher (and he's the 4th player on the list from Calgary - Kiprusoff is ahead of him) you need to start comparing against the top 2-3 players from each team (except Toronto and Long Island). For example...Lecavalier and St. Louis rank in the top 30....the next Tampa player is Ryan Malone at 214. Detroit has 11 players ahead of him.

Also, players like Kariya and Kovalev have lost a step, but their leadership skills, smarts, and playmaking skills are still ranked very high. Similarly, Joe Sakic who was top 20 last year is still 53rd based on skill and leadership ability even though his speed, strength, and durability took hits.

People need to stop taking this personally.

You ask people to debate the merits of the poll and you are now taking offense to people debating the merits of the poll. It should be absolutely no surprise to you that many people on here do not think Crosby should be number #1, etc.

Edited June 30, 2009 by The Big Red Machine

[Coolio Mendez 7]

You ask people to debate the merits of the poll and are now taking offense to people debating the merits of the poll.

Sure did say that, but people tend to forget that this is a list ranking of people who eat, breathe, and sleep hockey. Not really flawed, its simply a list. I do not fully agree with the list, but I do respect it. Now you wouldn't like it if someone walked into your place of work and questioned you, and had no experience in your line of work.

Edited June 30, 2009 by Coolio Mendez

[skyphoenix 153]

Sure did say that, but people tend to forget that this is a list ranking of people who eat, breathe, and sleep hockey. Nothings flawed about it, its simply a list. I do not fully agree with the list, but I do respect it. Now you wouldn't like it if someone walked into your place of work and questioned you, and had no experience in your line of work.

I wouldnt go to a group of people, ask them to debate my job, and expect them to all say good things.

[The Big Red Machine 0]

Sure did say that, but people tend to forget that this is a list ranking of people who eat, breathe, and sleep hockey. Nothings flawed about it, its simply a list. I do not fully agree with the list, but I do respect it. Now you wouldn't like it if someone walked into your place of work and questioned you, and had no experience in your line of work.

"Feel free to debate the merits (or lack thereof in your opinion of the list)"

Don't act surprised at what is going on in this topic. To say nothing about this list is flawed is comical. There is absolutely no fool proof way to determine who is the best hockey player in the world and anyone who thinks otherwise needs a reality check. Again, you cannot ask for debate on this list and then act offended because we are talking bad about someones work. Somehow I doubt that these scouts care that a bunch of people on the internet are talking bad about their list.

Someone needs to post a FAIL pic in this topic. Just wow.

Edited June 30, 2009 by The Big Red Machine

[egroen 384]

Once again, it's a scoring system based on 22 attributes such as skating skill, speed, smarts, shot accuracy, checking, play away from puck, leadership, etc. etc. Points is only one part of the game. The one thing to point out...is less than 2 points separate 1 from 267 (Ales Kotalik)

If all 22 attributes are weighed equally it's easy to see how this list could get skewed - for instance, if "goal scoring" is weighed equally as "strength".

It would be more interesting to see the rankings in each attribute.

[VM1138 1,921]

I know we suffer from Crosby hate here and so might be biased, but in all honesty, how is Crosby the greatest player in the world by ANY stretch of the imagination? In almost every category Ovechkin has him beat statistically, and the intangibles certainly go in favor of players like Datsyuk or Zetterberg.

I'm not saying a Wing should be #1, but honestly, is there any reason other than media hype to put Crosby at number 1? I've never seen anything in him that made me think he was one of the greatest in the world. A fine, fine player, maybe a great player, but not the best in the world, no. I can't even imagine how someone would argue he was.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Iginla at 2?

I'd rather have getzlaf over Iginla. In fact, Getzlaf is easily a top #5 forward in the league.

[Mors 201]

There's some laughable names listed above Zetterberg on that list...I wouldn't disagree with the top rankings, but geez...give the man some credit, he successfully shut down Cindy throughout the finals.

[BigWinston 15]

Ridiculous...

Crosby isn't the best player on his team, nevermind the whole league. Plus, how many awards did Crosby win or get nominatted for? A big fat 0??

Utter crap - think they were told to put him at the top???

Ovenchicken, Malkin and Dats should be the top 3.

Edited June 30, 2009 by BigWinston

[Motown4013 350]

Ridiculous...

Crosby isn't the best player on his team, nevermind the whole league. Plus, how many awards did Crosby win or get nominatted for? A big fat 0??

Utter crap - think they were told to put him at the top???

Ovenchicken, Malkin and Dats should be the top 3.

This list is a joke, especially Zetterberg at 26. He is a top 10 forward in the league EASY and the best/ second best 2 way player on the planet. Crosby is #4 at best- OV, Malkin and Pavs taking the top 3.

Wow, i am stunned by the blantent stupidity of some people.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Zetterberg, Richards, Parise and Getzlaf should be top 10.... easily.

[Guest micah]

Zetterberg, Richards, Parise and Getzlaf should be top 10.... easily.

Okay, make a top 10 professional hockey players (not just forwards) list and include all 4. I don't think you can.

[C20lw 0]

This list makes my head hurt, and thats before I consider the Crosby factor.

Give a big WTF? to this list.

I do agree Crosby should be lower, and Z should be ranked a lil higher than 26. I don't think we should have a lot of wings in the top 50. Glad we have a few, but how they came to some of this spots is just mind boggling.

This list is flawed or we are missing key points of how the 22 pt categorys are weighted. Might have to bust out the Chewbacca defense on this one.

That does not make sense!

[Finnish Wing 110]

Where are goalies Kipper and Backs?!?!?

[Vladifan 680]

Does any player below No. 7 have any argument for being better than Hank? Jagr if this was 10 years ago, and maybe Chara or Luongo (although I'd say they're a stretch); the also criminally underrated Getzlaf is probably the only guy that comes close.

You and hockey23 pretty much say it for me too. Some of these picks are close to criminal. Zetterberg did pretty much shut down Crosby. What the hell else needs to be said about those two?

[dat's sick 1,002]

To me that list is ok for the most part. Certainly not perfect though.

ALSO: It's a scoring system based on 22 attributes such as skating skill, speed, smarts, shot accuracy, checking, play away from puck, leadership, etc. The overall goal (this was designed in the 70s by Sam Pollock) was to assess overall 'impact' a player would have on a team.

I wonder if "will", "determination", "heart" and "dedication" are part of the scoring. If so Zetterberg should be a lot higher. He's the perfect example of a player whose greatness doesn't show up in a statistical analysis.

[Opie 308]

To me the top three should start with the 3 Lester B Pearson nominees firstly the winner!

Ovechkin

Datsyuk (Hey I am a wings fan, jk you get the point though)

Malkin

But what do I know?

[Guest lnvincible]

Zetterberg at 26??? Behind St. Louis, Heatley, Hossa, Jagr, Semin, Spezza, and Richards. Are you ******* kidding. I can understand if it was a fan poll, but the GMs voted??? Not to mention Cindy who was completely shut down by the 26th ranked player and was out scored in the finals. Complete joke

Let him stay underrated then

[smintlin 0]

Central Scouting released their rankings to NHL GMs of the 2000 best professional players in the world (not available to the public as the list is used for arbitration/free agency purposes). I have copied off the top 50. Feel free to debate the merits (or lack thereof in your opinion of the list)

Coolio Mendez, why didn't you cite the page you lifted all of this material from, word for word?

Top 50 players @ Yahoo answers, posted 2 weeks ago

[Interupt 0]

Zetterberg and Lidstrom are not top five players in this league. Do you guys realize that there are thirty teams in this league correct? This list isn't based on past accomplishments or level of play. Lidstrom isn't even the best defenseman in the league now. Was he at one time? Yes

This is getting to be insane, sort of like saying Yzerman was the best player in the league in 2002 or really, any time after 1989.

Datsyuk is the best player on this team and really the only guy I would be comfortable enough putting in the top ten.

Obvious locks for the top ten, in no certain order:

Getzlaf

Datsyuk

Iginla

Brodeur

Crosby

Ovechkin

Malkin

Luongo

Chara

Kovalchuk

You could even make the case for a guy like Lundqvist, who routinely keeps his teams in games.

This team can succeed without Lidstrom just as it could succeed without Yzerman. Does that mean I don't want him on the team? Absolutely not, hes one of the best defenseman in the league still but at the same time the fans are really overrating him.

Part of being the "best" and most important players is giving 100% every night. That includes the regular season, so Datsyuk's injured filled players are more than offset but a 100 point, Selke season when he was consistently our best player every night for 82 games.

Datsyuk could score 110 points, win a third Selke and "Fans" would still make the case for Zetterberg and Lidstrom. I guess that Conn Smythe has a 10 season shelf life. Cam Ward must be the best goalie in the league? lolz

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

I'm thinking Bettman stuffed the ballot. lol

Is this regular season? And just last year?

Z didn't have a great regular season but he is far better than many of the guys ahead of him. Understatement.

AO is better than Crosby today. See NHL awards.

Right now today given the choice, I'd take Malkin over Sid.

I like Iginla but he is too high.

etc etc etc.

[egroen 384]

Zetterberg and Lidstrom are not top five players in this league. Do you guys realize that there are thirty teams in this league correct? This list isn't based on past accomplishments or level of play. Lidstrom isn't even the best defenseman in the league now. Was he at one time? Yes

I'd like to hear a compelling argument how Lidstrom was not the best defenseman in the league this year. Chara and Green showed their stripes in the playoffs, and Lidstrom was a better defenseman even with a leaky ball sack.

The media anointed Chara with the Norris in November, and they never faltered from it, despite Lidstrom outplaying him from that point on and finishing with more points as well as a better +/- in front of the worst goaltender in the regular season while Chara was playing in front of the Vezina winner.