Top 20 players

[eva unit zero 271]

I'm going to nominate Toews, don't know how he's not on the list but he's the closest thing to the next Stevie Y/Sakic caliber player in the NHL right now

Toews is definitely in the mold of those two...but he's a year or maybe two away from that level. He'll be a top 5 or 6 center in the league at that point, and he'll be there for a while. Kane, however, is an overrated prima donna with good scoring skills and some speed, but no interest in improving the rest of his game. He'll be a good player but never a top player. Heatley is the same way. Very good player, but his attitude and the fact he really only possesses one skill, which he is very good at, pushes him down the list.

Heater's not an elite hockey player. Very good, yes. Elite? Not now, and at no time before. He had the potential to be so, but his refusal to improve his weaknesses shut that down. Heatley could have had a Hart by now if he had improved the other areas of his game. Instead he's a prima donna who feels the rest of the team is around to take care of his mistakes, and thinks he has been the best player on every team he's been on when in reality he hasn't been so even once in his career.

[T-Ruff 47]

Getzlaf

[eva unit zero 271]

Shea Weber and Duncan Keith 2nd tier? I'm sorry but Spezza, Heatley, Lecavalier, St. Louis, Kane, Toews, Phaneuf,Willie Mitchell, Ohlund, Staal, Nash, and Gaborik all deserve spots ahead of those two guys!

Spezza, Heatley, Lecavalier, St. Louis, Toews, Phaneuf, Staal, and Gaborik all make my Tier 3 list. Beyond that I have Tier 4 and then it breaks down into "Top six forwards" "Top four defensemen" and "Starting goaltenders."

I've always though Nash was a bit overrated. He's got a good touch for scoring goals, but is a terrible playmaker and one of the worst defensive forwards to play a major role for his team. If Nash could improve his defensive game to match the kind of defense played by perhaps a Samuelsson or Langkow, he would be a much more complete player and would go from being a highly skilled goal scorer to a solid two-way player. If he could develop his defensive game to the level of a guy like Craig Conroy or Dan Cleary? He'd be one of the league's elite two-way players and a Hart contender. Nash has been slowing improving his defense, but he needs to work harder at it because that will show guys like Huselius and such on the Jackets that you have to work at your weaknesses if you want to win.

Mitchell and Ohlund I assume were there as jokes, as Mitchell has never been better than a #3 defenseman in his life and Ohlund, while he was once one of the ten or fifteen best defenseman and arguably the best defensive defenseman in the NHL, is now a #2-3 defenseman, although still very good defensively.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Okay I suppose I'll close off voting for this round.

We had 19 total votes with Getzlaf coming in first with 9 votes, or 47.37%

Kovalchuk and Luongo tied with 3 votes each (15.79%)

Parise had 2 votes (10.53%)

Towes and Chara each had 1 vote (5.26%)

1)Ovechkin

2)Lidstrom

3)Crosby

4)Datsyuk

5)Malkin

6)Zetterberg

7)Iginla

8)Getzlaf

Lets get voting started for 9th best.

I start off with Kovalchuk

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Luongo

[Zetts 236]

Luongo. I know that goalies aren't really dominating right now like they did a bit ago, but it would be a travesty to have a top 10 list with no goaltenders at all.

[Lamothe 5]

Luongo. I know that goalies aren't really dominating right now like they did a bit ago, but it would be a travesty to have a top 10 list with no goaltenders at all.

Luongo. He's right about not having one in the top 10.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Luongo.

[Buppy 1,720]

Kovalchuk again

[dat's sick 1,002]

Parise

I'd put Lundqvist ahead of Luongo btw. But that's just me.

[T-Ruff 47]

Luongo

[egroen 384]

Parise

I'd put Lundqvist ahead of Luongo btw. But that's just me.

He's something special all right... but I think Luongo is still ahead.

[StevieY'sguy 1]

He's something special all right... but I think Luongo is still ahead.

I would like to think Luongo is ahead but when it comes to the playoffs i have to give the goalie from New York the nod...he has shown up in the playoffs which is something i cannot say for Roberto

[pockets 9]

Luongo

[egroen 384]

I would like to think Luongo is ahead but when it comes to the playoffs i have to give the goalie from New York the nod...he has shown up in the playoffs which is something i cannot say for Roberto

His past two years, Luongo has had a .930 SV%.

He is not the reason Vancouver lost.

Lundqvist has a .909 throughout the past two years in the playoffs.

Though you might be able to say he has been more "clutch".

Edited September 20, 2009 by egroen

[eva unit zero 271]

Martin Brodeur.

Luongo is a good goalie...but he doesn't really separate himself from guys like Backstrom, Lundqvist, Miller, or Vokoun. Brodeur is still the best goalie in the league, and is one of the ten best players in the NHL.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Martin Brodeur.

Luongo is a good goalie...but he doesn't really separate himself from guys like Backstrom, Lundqvist, Miller, or Vokoun. Brodeur is still the best goalie in the league, and is one of the ten best players in the NHL.

I know Luongo doesn't have much of a playoff career, but Brodeur in the last few playoffs has been terrible. To me, he's a product of a team that had great defensemen for many years, and played a defensive style of trapping hockey.

Ever since they've gone away from that style, and ever since Rafalski, Stevens and Nidermayer left, Brodeur has been subpar in the playoffs. Also, they did fine last year without him as a team. Basically, I'm saying that he's overrated.

[StevieY'sguy 1]

His past two years, Luongo has had a .930 SV%.

He is not the reason Vancouver lost.

Lundqvist has a .909 throughout the past two years in the playoffs.

Though you might be able to say he has been more "clutch".

No I wasnt implying that Luongo was the reason that the Canucks lost, just that I have never watched Luongo play a game in the playoffs and came away thinking that he stole a game for his team or single handedly kept them in it....I have with Lundqvist.

[StevieY'sguy 1]

I know Luongo doesn't have much of a playoff career, but Brodeur in the last few playoffs has been terrible. To me, he's a product of a team that had great defensemen for many years, and played a defensive style of trapping hockey.

Ever since they've gone away from that style, and ever since Rafalski, Stevens and Nidermayer left, Brodeur has been subpar in the playoffs. Also, they did fine last year without him as a team. Basically, I'm saying that he's overrated.

I don't want to get all worked up and write a novel of a post telling you how wrong you are so i will just say that Martin Brodeur is one of the top 5 NHL goaltenders of all-time, period.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I don't want to get all worked up and write a novel of a post telling you how wrong you are so i will just say that Martin Brodeur is one of the top 5 NHL goaltenders of all-time, period.

Stats wise he is, but this is the era of great stats and great goaltending.

All I know is that he hasn't done s*** since their Hall of Fame defensemen left their team. He's just a guy that puts up great regular seasons, but who doesn't at this point? His playoffs the last few years have been less than stellar. Great goalie, but overrated.

[Lidstrom for Norris 0]

Martin Brodeur

[Lamothe 5]

Stats wise he is, but this is the era of great stats and great goaltending.

All I know is that he hasn't done s*** since their Hall of Fame defensemen left their team. He's just a guy that puts up great regular seasons, but who doesn't at this point? His playoffs the last few years have been less than stellar. Great goalie, but overrated.

I'd agree with you to a point. I think when Stevens, Neidermayer, and Rafalski were on the team, Brodeur was also in his prime and playing fantastic. Yes, those defensemen helped... But Brodeur was also playing great. Both of those two factors worked together in years past to take New Jersey to the finals. But... Years of playing 60-75 games a year, then trying to carry a team in the playoffs has really gotten to him.

Is Bordeur one of the best goalies to ever be in the NHL? Yes. But the clock is ticking, and I think he's past his prime now.

[StevieY'sguy 1]

I'd agree with you to a point. I think when Stevens, Neidermayer, and Rafalski were on the team, Brodeur was also in his prime and playing fantastic. Yes, those defensemen helped... But Brodeur was also playing great. Both of those two factors worked together in years past to take New Jersey to the finals. But... Years of playing 60-75 games a year, then trying to carry a team in the playoffs has really gotten to him.

Is Bordeur one of the best goalies to ever be in the NHL? Yes. But the clock is ticking, and I think he's past his prime now.

Yes, i would entirely agree that he is past his prime and that as far as his skills are currently, he probably is overrated. However as far as his career as a whole is concerned then i would vehemently disagree about him being overrated....True, he did play in the golden age of goaltending with larger pads etc. but just because Wayne Gretzky played in the high scoring 80s doesn't mean he was any less brilliant...The "era they played in" argument can be used against players on the "fringe" of being considered great, ( Dino Ciccarelli is a perfect example: 16th all time in goals scored and has 64 more career goals the Rocket Richard...I love Dino as much as anyone but he should never be mentioned in the same breath as the Rocket...tell me playing in the 80s didn't help him out!) but it cannot be used against someone who was far and away the best goalie of his generation like Marty was/is.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Kovalchuk, again.

[egroen 384]

I don't want to get all worked up and write a novel of a post telling you how wrong you are so i will just say that Martin Brodeur is one of the top 5 NHL goaltenders of all-time, period.

I have a tough time seeing him ahead of Hasek, Plante, Roy, Sawchuk and Hall.