LOS ANGELES – The National Hockey League completed its 100 Greatest Players of All-Time list on Friday night at a gala in Los Angeles, as part of its All-Star Weekend and yearlong centennial celebration.
The list has was compiled by a “Blue Ribbon Panel” of 58 individuals – including executives, media members and NHL alumni – created the top 100, which was presented by era but unranked. The first group of players was revealed on Jan. 1.
The list only featured six current players: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith from the Chicago Blackhawks; Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins; Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals; and Jaromir Jagr, the second-leading scorer in NHL history.
The list tilted strongly to the 1970s Montreal Canadiens, as several members of the dynasty made the cut. It was also geographically driven, as some prominent American-born players like Mike Modano, Pat LaFontaine and Kane seemingly made the cut for that reason.
Among the surprises: Serge Savard, a defenseman with the Montreal Canadiens dynasty who was never a finalist for the Norris Trophy; Jacques Lemaire, a strong defensive center for the Montreal Canadiens dynasty and later a Jack Adams-winning coach; Joe Nieuwendyk, a star for the Calgary Flames and Dallas Stars, who won the Calder and the Conn Smythe but sits at No. 55 all-time in points. Less surprising were Toews and Kane, as they were picked for the LA All-Star Game, although their inclusion on the list was controversial.
The NHL 100, released on Friday, was:
SID ABEL*(C, 1938-39/1953-54)*
SYL APPS*(C, 1936-37/1947-48)*
ANDY BATHGATE*(RW, 1952-53/1970-71)*
JEAN BELIVEAU*(C, 1950-51/1970-71)*
MAX BENTLEY*(C, 1940-41/1953-54)*
TOE BLAKE*(LW, 1934-35/1947-48)*
MIKE BOSSY*(RW, 1977-78/1986-87)
RAY BOURQUE*(D, 1979-80/2000-01)
JOHNNY BOWER*(G, 1953-54/1969-70)*
TURK BRODA*(G, 1936-37/1951-52)*
MARTIN BRODEUR*(G, 1991-92/2014-15)
JOHNNY BUCYK*(LW, 1955-56/1977-78)*
PAVEL BURE*(RW, 1991-92/2002-03)
CHRIS CHELIOS*(D, 1983-84/2009-10)
KING CLANCY*(D, 1921-22/1936-37)*
BOBBY CLARKE*(C, 1969-70/1983-84)
PAUL COFFEY*(D, 1980-81/2000-01)
CHARLIE CONACHER*(RW, 1929-30/1940-41)*
YVAN COURNOYER*(RW, 1963-64/1978-79)
SIDNEY CROSBY*(C, 2005-06/Present)
PAVEL DATSYUK*(C, 2001-02/2015-16)
ALEX DELVECCHIO*(C, 1950-51/1973-74)*
MARCEL DIONNE*(C, 1971-72/1988-89)
KEN DRYDEN*(G, 1970-71/1978-79)
BILL DURNAN*(G, 1943-44/1949-50)*
PHIL ESPOSITO*(C, 1963-64/1980-81)
TONY ESPOSITO*(G, 1968-69/1983-84)
SERGEI FEDOROV*(C, 1990-91/2008-09)
PETER FORSBERG*(C, 1994-95/2010-11)
RON FRANCIS*(C, 1981-82/2003-04)
GRANT FUHR*(G, 1981-82/1999-00)
BOB GAINEY*(LW, 1973-74/1988-89)
MIKE GARTNER*(RW, 1979-80/1997-98)
BERNIE GEOFFRION*(RW, 1950-51/1967-68)*
WAYNE GRETZKY*(C, 1979-80/1998-99)
GLENN HALL*(G, 1952-53/1970-71)*
DOUG HARVEY*(D, 1947-48/1968-69)*
DOMINIK HASEK*(G, 1990-91/2007-08)
TIM HORTON*(D, 1949-50/1973-74)*
GORDIE HOWE*(RW, 1946-47/1979-80)*
BOBBY HULL*(LW, 1957-58/1979-80)
BRETT HULL*(RW, 1986-87/2005-06)
JAROMIR JAGR*(RW, 1990-91/Present)
PATRICK KANE*(RW, 2007-08/Present)
DUNCAN KEITH*(D, 2005-06/Present)
RED KELLY*(D, 1947-48/1966-67)*
TED KENNEDY*(C, 1942-43/1956-57)*
DAVE KEON*(C, 1960-61/1981-82)*
JARI KURRI*(RW, 1980-81/1997-98)
ELMER LACH*(C, 1940-41/1953-54)*
GUY LAFLEUR*(RW, 1971-72/1990-91)
PAT LAFONTAINE*(C, 1983-84/1997-98)
BRIAN LEETCH*(D, 1987-88/2005-06)
JACQUES LEMAIRE*(C, 1967-68/1978-79)
MARIO LEMIEUX*(C, 1984-85/2005-06)
NICKLAS LIDSTROM*(D, 1991-92/2011-12)
ERIC LINDROS*(C, 1992-93/2006-07)
TED LINDSAY*(LW, 1944-45/1964-65)*
AL MACINNIS*(D, 1981-82/2003-04)
FRANK MAHOVLICH*(LW, 1956-57/1973-74)*
MARK MESSIER*(C, 1979-80/2003-04)
STAN MIKITA*(C, 1958-59/1979-80)
MIKE MODANO*(C, 1988-89/2010-11)
DICKIE MOORE*(LW, 1951-52/1967-68)*
HOWIE MORENZ*(C, 1923-24/1936-37)*
SCOTT NIEDERMAYER*(D, 1991-92/2009-10)
JOE NIEUWENDYK*(C, 1986-87/2006-07)
ADAM OATES*(C, 1985-86/2003-04)
BOBBY ORR*(D, 1966-67/1978-79)
ALEX OVECHKIN*(LW, 2005-06/Present)
BERNIE PARENT*(G, 1965-66/1978-79)
BRAD PARK*(D, 1968-69/1984-85)

GILBERT PERREAULT*(C, 1970-71/1986-87)
JACQUES PLANTE*(G, 1952-53/1972-73)*
DENIS POTVIN*(D, 1973-74/1987-88)
CHRIS PRONGER*(D, 1993-94/2011-12)
JEAN RATELLE*(C, 1960-61/1980-81)
HENRI RICHARD*(C, 1955-56/1974-75)*
MAURICE RICHARD*(RW, 1942-43/1959-60)*
LARRY ROBINSON*(D, 1972-73/1991-92)
LUC ROBITAILLE*(LW, 1986-87/2005-06)
PATRICK ROY*(G, 1984-85/2002-03)
JOE SAKIC*(C, 1988-89/2008-09)
BORJE SALMING*(D, 1973-74/1989-90)
DENIS SAVARD*(C, 1980-81/1996-97)
SERGE SAVARD*(D, 1966-67/1982-83)
TERRY SAWCHUK*(G, 1949-50/1969-70)*
MILT SCHMIDT*(C, 1936-37/1954-55)*
TEEMU SELANNE*(RW, 1992-93/2013-14)
BRENDAN SHANAHAN*(LW, 1987-88/2008-09)
EDDIE SHORE*(D, 1926-27/1939-40)*
DARRYL SITTLER*(C, 1970-71/1984-85)
BILLY SMITH*(G, 1971-72/1988-89)
PETER STASTNY*(C, 1980-81/1994-95)
SCOTT STEVENS*(D, 1982-83/2003-04)
MATS SUNDIN*(C, 1990-91/2008-09)
JONATHAN TOEWS*(C, 2007-08/Present)
BRYAN TROTTIER*(C, 1975-76/1993-94)
GEORGES VEZINA*(G, 1917-18/1925-26)*
STEVE YZERMAN*(C, 1983-84/2005-06)
DISAGREE WITH THE NHL’S PICKS? HERE’S AN ALTERNATIVE:

—
Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.