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Who are the top NHL players of the 2000s? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Daniel Alfredsson: the longtime captain of the Ottawa Senators, Alfredsson was a consistent, but underrated force – despite not leading the league in any major statistical category, the 2x All-Star Game selection was third overall in total points scored for the decade.
9. Scott Niedermayer: a smooth-skating defenseman for both the New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks, Niedermayer won the 2003-2004 Norris Trophy and made four All-Star Games while scoring 400+ points and winning three Stanley Cups (and winning Conn Smythe honors in the process with Anaheim).
8. Alex Ovechkin: after scoring 50+ goals and winning the Calder Trophy as a rookie, Ovechkin was selected to three All-Star Games and won two Hart Trophies, two Ross Trophies, a Pearson Award, and a Richard Trophy while scoring 250+ goals and having by far the highest goals-per-game scoring average of the 2000s.
7. Sidney Crosby: the youngest rookie in NHL history with 100+ points, Crosby won the Hart/Pearson/Ross Trophy trifecta in 2006-2007 at the age of 19 and went on to score 500+ points with the highest points-per-game average during the decade; he was also a 3x All-Star Game selection and helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win a Stanley Cup.
6. Chris Pronger: known for his intimidating physical presence, Pronger became the first defenseman to win both the Norris and Hart Trophies in the same season (1999-2000) since Bobby Orr; moreover, he was a 5x All-Star Game selection who racked up over 400 points and also won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks.
5. Jarome Iginla: a 5x All-Star Game selection, Iginla led the decade in goals scored (350) and was also second in total points, winning a slew of awards: 2x Richard, 1x Pearson, 1x Ross, 1x Clancy, and 1x Messier.
4. Pavel Datsyuk: the premier two-way forward of the era, Datsyuk was a 3x All-Star Game selection, 4x Lady Byng Trophy winner, and 3x Selke Trophy winner who accumulated nearly 600 points during the 2000s and won two Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings.
3. Joe Thornton: the top point-scorer of the 2000s with 800+ points, Thornton won both the Hart and Ross Trophies in 2005-2006 while also making six All-Star Games during the decade.
2. Martin Brodeur: the winningest goalie in NHL history, Brodeur racked up by far the most wins (358) and shutouts (68) with a 2.22 GAA and .914 SV% during the decade, earning five All-Star Game selections, four Vezina Trophies (with three other top-five finishes), and three Jennings Trophies while guiding the Devils to three Stanley Cup titles.
1. Nicklas Lidstrom: the dominant defenseman of the 2000s with six Norris Trophies and the most points scored from the blue line, Lidstrom was also selected to eight All-Star Games and won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, becoming both the first European-born Conn Smythe winner and the first European-born captain of a Cup-winning team.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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