Top 10 Players Of The Last Decade

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

Let me know when Datsyuk becomes a PPG playoff performer. You would of been better served to say Zetterberg.

Well, Zetterberg didn't, so I couldn't. but again, the list is meant to serve as a decade long comparison of worth, and statistical achievements were looked at cumulatively throughout the decade, so 2 cups > 1... 540 points > 450. Again, the list of top individual seasons already exists, no need to get redundant by including individuals based upon the results of only a hand full of seasons. This isn't an analysis of who is presently the best, or who has had a better career, but a look at the greatest impact over the entire decade. Crosby and Ovie certainly have had the most influence over the post-lockout era, but that's half the decade. Injuries, years off, changing leagues, all were factored into the inclusion and exclusion of players, as well as their rankings on the list (Thornton > Jagr because Jagr went to the KHL). With something as subjective as who was the best of X-Y-Z era, it helps to stick to one's own criteria for judgment. I agree categorically with the rest of the list, but the inclusion of those two players simply undermines the list, because it is not a list based upon who is best, who is the biggest star, but who had the most successful career of the decade.

[Carman 387]

Let me know when Crosby and Ovechkin become mainstays of their PK, then I'll start caring about their PPG.

Will do. Although Detroit being the 28th ranked PK isn't exactly something to boast about.

Oh and it's not like scoring is important at all either, your right.

Edited November 25, 2009 by Carman

[Theophany 110]

Will do. Although Detroit being the 28th ranked PK isn't exactly something to boast about.

Oh and it's not like scoring is important at all either, your right.

Actually, Datsyuk was a PPG player in the 08 playoffs, FYI.

22 GP, 23 pts.

But y'know, he was playing on the PK, too. Oh, and he's got a few Selke trophies.

I wouldn't say that Crosby and Ovechkin don't belong up there, but they don't belong at #3 and #4. There are SO many better players that have played this decade.

But it's alright, flashy goal scorers are always going to be noticed more than two-way players. The only reason Yzerman is so respected—outside of the organization—is because of his leadership (and 3 Cups), not because of his two-way play.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Ovechkin nor Crosby deserve their positions on this list. Maybe on the list, but definitely not 3 & 4.

Pronger, Sakic, & Iginla deserve higher ranking. Hasek deserves to be on the list.

Neid's on the list is questionable as is Jagr (2000's remember.).

Maybe 3 & 4 in 6 years pending they don't kill themselves, again over promotion.

I wonder where players rank if we took voted trophy's out of consideration.

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

I knew you or someone else would use that logic response. I guess by your logic, Sakic and Jagr shouldn't be on the list either, right?

The last four years that Crosby and Ovechkin have played in the league, Ovechkin has won 5 different trophies (Hart twice, Calder, Ross, Richard twice, and Pearson twice) and Crosby has 3 (Hart, Ross, and Pearson) and a Stanley Cup. Only Heatley has a measly Calder and Kovalchuk/Lecavalier both have a Richard (and Vinny also has a SC too).

Since playing in their first four years in the league, they've both accumulated 100+ points in 3 seasons out of their 4 played.

As a total in their first 4 seasons:

Ovechkin - 420 points (4 seasons) 105 point average

Crosby - 397 points (4 seasons) 99.3 point average

Other players on your list since the beginning of the 2000 season:

Lecavalier - 574 (8 seasons) 71.8 pt. avg.

Kovalchuk - 557 (7 seasons) 79.6 pt. avg.

Alfredsson - 652 (8 seasons) 81.5 pt. avg.

Heatley - 543 (7 seasons) 77.6 pt. avg.

Sundin - 561 (8 seasons) 70.1 pt. avg.

So I believe Ovechkin and Crosby do deserve to be on that list, since they have been the most dominate players in the league next to the other players already on that list. But you obviously think they don't because they have played half a decade and because they're marketed?

Again, it's best players of the last decade, and no doubt they deserve to be on the list.

Subjective. Half this decade was clutch and grab, and half was considerably more open and free flowing. A comparison of ppg averages doesn't account for the different in play, style, and potency from the last decade.

You can't compare Sundin with Crosby or Ovechkin since his prime entirely predated the lockout, and he was amongst the most dominant players in the league prior to it, and still one of the top after it. Alfredsson is in similar territory as he was peaking around the lockout, so again the comparison is moot, but his ppg numbers after the lockout are still pretty close to Ovie and Crosby.

Since the lockout.

Ovie: 1.30 ppg.

Crosby: 1.33

Vinny: 361 points in 341 games. 1.06 ppg.

Kovulchuk: 373 points in 332 games. 1.12 ppg... without the benefit of the teams Crosby and Ovie have of late (yes, in the Heatley/Hossa days he did have a little help, but that's about the extent of it through his entire career).

Alfredsson: 376 points in 324 games. 1.16 ppg.

Heatley: 390 points in 342 games. 1.14 ppg.

Datsyuk: 386 points in 337 games. 1.14 ppg, while winning more cups than anyone else mentioned, and being by far the best out of any other contender defensively.

Ovie n Crosby's numbers are certainly better (by about 0.15 - 0.20 ppg)... but the difference, to me, isn't astronomical enough to justify inclusion amongst the best decade-long performers... guys like Alfredsson have been leading their teams for the entire decade, compiling upwards of 700 points, amongst other accomplishments.

[Dynheart 42]

Without a doubt it's Vesa Toskala.

But seriously, I'd say Lids. The man plays D like no other and with the exception of the last season and this one, he could score more than most teams top line scorers could. The man has friggin' eagle eyes (shooting throuch 10 people/sticks/stakes and still makes it to the net). Barely misses games, plays a disciplined game AND has a strong leadership quality. I would have said Yzerman, but he really didn't finish out the decade, so my vote is for Lids.

[rage 24]

And they didn't even mention the ridiculously small amount of games he's missed in his career. It's mindbogglingly.

[jeff48109 474]

And they didn't even mention the ridiculously small amount of games he's missed in his career. It's mindbogglingly.

that, in my opinion, is something that is almost never talked about when listing Lidstrom's accomplishments. not only is he great, he's out there every night.

[Doggy 130]

It's a good list and all but am I the only one who thinks Jose Theodore was a bit unlucky to not make it on there?

Edited November 25, 2009 by Doggy

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

It's a good list and all but am I the only one who thinks Jose Theodore was a bit unlucky to not make it on there?

No, not in the slightest. With the exception of a hand full of seasons he's been very mediocre. There are probably close to a half-dozen goalies with better decades (emphasis on the word decade, not season) than him overall (see: Nabokov, Osgood, Kipper, etc.....)

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

that, in my opinion, is something that is almost never talked about when listing Lidstrom's accomplishments. not only is he great, he's out there every night.

No one mentioned he got speared in the testicles and only missed 2 (TWO!!!!) games.

[Doggy 130]

No, not in the slightest. With the exception of a hand full of seasons he's been very mediocre. There are probably close to a half-dozen goalies with better decades (emphasis on the word decade, not season) than him overall (see: Nabokov, Osgood, Kipper, etc.....)

Yikes.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Of course, Sid only needs 4 years to be a player of the DECADE.

Ovechkin was on there too chief.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Wasn't there a thread about this not too long ago where Lidstrom was voted ahead of Brodeur?

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

Wasn't there a thread about this not too long ago where Lidstrom was voted ahead of Brodeur?

Yes, but that was hockey news, this is puck daddy and is a separate list. Puck daddy is doing a series of top ten lists for the decade, including top 10 teams (Detroit's 02 squad was #1)

[thegerkin 189]

No one mentioned he got speared in the testicles and only missed 2 (TWO!!!!) games.

Exactly, Lids has a strict 1-game per ******** limit.

[dropkickshanahans 463]

Yes, but that was hockey news, this is puck daddy and is a separate list. Puck daddy is doing a series of top ten lists for the decade, including top 10 teams (Detroit's 02 squad was #1)

Clearly they're biased

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Ovechkin was on there too chief.

My question... is if Sid and Ovie deserve 3 & 4 on a decade list shouldn't Malkin be there (somewhere) too? It's not like he's been absent or something.

Or would that make it too obvious Sid and Ovie have no place as 3rd and 4th?

Edit: this doesn't mean I think Malkin deserves to be on this list, but rather for perspective.

Edited November 25, 2009 by CaliWingsNut

[Doggy 130]

My question... is if Sid and Ovie deserve 3 & 4 on a decade list shouldn't Malkin be there (somewhere) too? It's not like he's been absent or something.

Or would that make it too obvious Sid and Ovie have no place as 3rd and 4th?

Edit: this doesn't mean I think Malkin deserves to be on this list, but rather for perspective.

Well Malkin has played one year less and hasn't won an MVP so I don't think you could put them in the same category.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Well Malkin has played one year less and hasn't won an MVP so I don't think you could put them in the same category.

Umm... about half the people on that list haven't been a MVP.

Again... How are Sid and Ovie 3 & 4 and Malkin not even on the list (and again... they are ranked higher than they should be).

"Decade of Dominance" can we wait on that for another 5 years please (until they've came close to playing a decade)?

[Doggy 130]

Umm... about half the people on that list haven't been a MVP.

Yeah but they played more than two good seasons.

[BeeRYCE 2]

Thornton should be 2 or 3, seeing as he has the most points since 2000.

[akustyk 84]

I knew you or someone else would use that logic response. I guess by your logic, Sakic and Jagr shouldn't be on the list either, right?

Sakic was an NHL player for almost the entire decade. from 1/1/2000 up to 6/9/2009. I don't quite get where did you see the paralelity here

Jagr also played through the majority of this decade. he finished with the NHL 3/7/2008, so it's still 8 1/2 years of the decade.

does he deserve a place on this list. I think so.

The last four years that Crosby and Ovechkin have played in the league, Ovechkin has won 5 different trophies (Hart twice, Calder, Ross, Richard twice, and Pearson twice) and Crosby has 3 (Hart, Ross, and Pearson) and a Stanley Cup. Only Heatley has a measly Calder and Kovalchuk/Lecavalier both have a Richard (and Vinny also has a SC too).

it's your call to order players by the number of their trophies. not mine. nor Puck Daddy's I guess.

Since playing in their first four years in the league, they've both accumulated 100+ points in 3 seasons out of their 4 played.

As a total in their first 4 seasons:

Ovechkin - 420 points (4 seasons) 105 point average

Crosby - 397 points (4 seasons) 99.3 point average

again... it's your assumption number of points in single season, or a couple of seasons is the only basis to order players.

Other players on your list since the beginning of the 2000 season:

Lecavalier - 574 (8 seasons) 71.8 pt. avg.

Kovalchuk - 557 (7 seasons) 79.6 pt. avg.

Alfredsson - 652 (8 seasons) 81.5 pt. avg.

Heatley - 543 (7 seasons) 77.6 pt. avg.

Sundin - 561 (8 seasons) 70.1 pt. avg.

bolded the important part. 5 years is not a decade to me. notwithstanding the simple fact that Ovie or Crosby

are on course to be in such ranking over 2-3 years... this is not enough for me as of now. my hockey memory is simply

not overshadowed by most recent seasons. just as some people now claim Crosby is the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ,

I'll point out at certain Gretzky guy, or a Howe guy...

also... I most certainly admire guys like Sundin and Alfredson for more than just their point production.

those guys were hearts and souls of their respective teams and also clutch playoff performers.

if I was a GM building a team foor 2000-2009 decade I'd pick any of those two over a vast majority

of guys who finished higher in NHL scoring ranks for past 9 seasons. hands down.

So I believe Ovechkin and Crosby do deserve to be on that list, since they have been the most dominate players in the league next to the other players already on that list. But you obviously think they don't because they have played half a decade and because they're marketed?

yes, I don't think they belong to the list of "top players of the decade".

not because they are now better than a number of other guys on this list.

and I don't quite recall saying they don't deserve because they are marketed.

I just stated that including them on such list is Puck Daddy chewing on the hype.

and

Again, it's best players of the last decade, and no doubt they deserve to be on the list.

I'm not really used to saying "no doubt" in a discussion that questions given statement.

I rather stick to familar and respectful (to other members) IMHO.

and IMHO a list for last decade should span through the decade. not some part of it.

otherwise it's a stretcht.

[dropkickshanahans 463]

Umm... about half the people on that list haven't been a MVP.

Again... How are Sid and Ovie 3 & 4 and Malkin not even on the list (and again... they are ranked higher than they should be).

"Decade of Dominance" can we wait on that for another 5 years please (until they've came close to playing a decade)?

Like the person said before, it's subjective, so it's easy to say what most of the posters on here want to say according to first glance of the title's meaning of the list. Everyone believes that Ovie and Crosby need a full decade in order to even be mentioned on the list, but that's not how I looked at it.

I think the list has a little bit to do with everything over the stretch of the decade, season dominance, playoffs and cups won, etc. You believe Ovechkin and Crosby shouldn't be ranked 3 and 4, which is fine; I can see where you're coming from. But the way I believe the creators of the list looked at it was if you take a look back at this decade, which players have been the most dominate? If a person argued that they believe Alfredsson should be on this list because of the amount of points he's racked up over the span of a decade, would that person then say he would rather have Alfredsson on his team than Ovechkin, given what we've seen of him this year and the past 4 years and his total dominance? Nope, he'd pick Ovechkin over Alfredsson everytime. Who's the bigger threat on the ice, Ovechkin or Heatley? This is where I think the creators are coming from.

I key in on Ovechkin because he's the one player that has the ability to take over games compared to Crosby (aside from the playoffs last season). Crosby gets his points but other than that I've never known him to be someone to take over a game the way Ovechkin can. Therefore I believe Crosby should be lower on the list.

As for Malkin, well, it's a list of the best 10, and Jagr is probably more deserving of the #10 spot than Malkin is in their eyes., which is hard to argue with; Jagr's had some pretty dominate seasons this decade.

[Doggy 130]

I think the list has a little bit to do with everything over the stretch of the decade, season dominance, playoffs and cups won, etc. You believe Ovechkin and Crosby shouldn't be ranked 3 and 4, which is fine; I can see where you're coming from. But the way I believe the creators of the list looked at it was if you take a look back at this decade, which players have been the most dominate? If a person argued that they believe Alfredsson should be on this list because of the amount of points he's racked up over the span of a decade, would that person then say he would rather have Alfredsson on his team than Ovechkin, given what we've seen of him this year and the past 4 years and his total dominance? Nope, he'd pick Ovechkin over Alfredsson everytime. Who's the bigger threat on the ice, Ovechkin or Heatley? This is where I think the creators are coming from.

The list would be completely different if that was the case. Why would they call it best players of the decade when they mean best players right now?