| External media | |
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| Images | |
 100 Greatest NHL Players, NHL.com | |
| Video | |
 100 Greatest NHL Players, NHL.com |
In 2017, theNational Hockey League commemorated its 100th anniversary with a list of the100 Greatest NHL Players.[1] The list was made through voting compiled by a panel of 58 people, including media members, NHL alumni and NHL executives.[2][3] The list is in alphabetical order rather than ranked.
The first 33, representing players who started NHL play anytime from 1917 to 1966, were unveiled during apre-game ceremony at theNHL Centennial Classic outdoor game on January 1, 2017.[2] The remaining players, who started their NHL careers during the second 50 years, were announced on January 27, 2017, at a specialNHL 100 Gala ceremony held at theMicrosoft Theater inLos Angeles, two days before the2017 NHL All-Star Game.[4]
Of the players on the list, 39 arecentremen, 21 aredefencemen, 15 aregoaltenders, 15 are rightwingers and 10 are left wingers.[3] There are 21 players who started their NHL career in the decade of the 1980s, and 22 who last played in the NHL during the decade of the 2000s, the most by decade for each category. The player on the list with the shortest NHL career is goaltenderBill Durnan, who played for seven seasons – winning theVezina Trophy and selected to theNHL First All-Star team in six of his seasons. The two players on the list with the longest NHL career, at 26 seasons each, are right wingerGordie Howe and defencemanChris Chelios. At the time of the list's publication, six players on it were still active in the NHL (Jaromir Jagr,Duncan Keith,Alexander Ovechkin,Sidney Crosby,Jonathan Toews andPatrick Kane).[3]
The inclusion ofDuncan Keith,Jonathan Toews[3][5][6] andPatrick Kane,[3][5][6] all of them then-active players and three-timeStanley Cup champions, was considered controversial.Evgeni Malkin,[5][6][7]Ed Belfour,[5][7][8]Dale Hawerchuk,[5][7][8]Joe Thornton,[6][7]Jarome Iginla,[6][7]Zdeno Chara,[6][7]Pierre Pilote[6][7] andMichel Goulet[5][8] were considered to be notable players omitted from the list. Malkin responded to his omission by joking that he could be the 101st best player, and remarked that all who were featured on the list earned the honour.[9]
Every member of the panel voted for 100 players, with each vote worth one point. Voting was conducted last July and August and the results were tabulated by the accounting firm of EY ... The 58 members of the Blue Ribbon Panel represent a wide cross-section of the NHL family – including owners, executives, general managers and coaches, players, and broadcasters and media members