This is for you hockey lovers! The list of the 100 Greatest NHL Players (NHL 100) according to NHL. A centerpiece in honoring 100 years of NHL hockey, selected by distinguished members of the hockey community. 

There are so many great hockey players that it can’t have been an easy task to select the greatest. Nevertheless, this is the official list of the National Hockey League. Shown here a là Journeys of Life - chronologically, showing also the possible other professions or activities of the player, and followed by a monthwise list. This monthwise list is just for fun, showing the most prominent months here.

Since most of these players have at least once won the Stanley Cup, those are not mentioned here at all. But the “3GC” after some of the players refers to the Triple Gold Club - i.e. hockey players who have won an Olympic Games gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and the Stanley Cup - considered by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to be “the three most important championships available to the sport”.

You might also want to check the list for the NHL All-Time Goals Leaders.

100 Greatest NHL Players

1887-0121 Georges Vézina* hockey goalie/the Vezina Trophy since 1926 – Chicoutimi, QC Canada (1926/39)

1902-0225 King Clancy* hockey player /referee/coach – Ottawa, ON Canada (1986/84)
1902-0921 Howie Morenz* hockey player/inspired the creation of the Boston Bruins – Mitchell, ON Canada (1937/34)
1902-1123 Eddie Shore* hockey player/team owner – Fort Qu’Appelle, NT Canada (1985/82)
1909-1220 Charlie Conacher* hockey player/coach – Toronto, ON Canada (1967/58)

1912-0821 Toe Blake* hockey player – Victoria Mines, ON Canada (1995/82)
1914-0515 Turk Broda* hockey goalie/coach – Brandon, MB Canada (1972/58)
1915-0118 Syl Apps* pole vaulter/hockey player/politician – Paris, ON Canada (1998/83)
1916-0122 Bill Durnan* hockey goalie – Toronto, ON Canada (1972/56)
1918-0122 Elmer Lach* hockey player/coach/salesperson – Nokomis, SK Canada (2015/97)
1918-0222 Sid Abel* hockey player/coach/GM – Melville, SK Canada (2000/81)
1918-0305 Milt Schmidt* hockey player/coach/GM – Kitchener, ON Canada (2017/98)

1920-0301 Max Bentley* hockey player/farmer – Delile, SK Canada (1984/63)
1921-0804 Maurice “Rocket” Richard* hockey player/ instrumental in Montreal’s five consecutive championships – Montreal, QC Canada (2000/78)
1924-1108 Johnny Bower* (b Kiszkan) hockey goalie – Prince Albert, SK Canada (2017/93)
1924-1219 Doug Harvey* hockey player/coach/co-founder of the NHLPA/ entrepreneur – Montreal,  QC Canada (1989/65)
1925-0729 Ted Lindsay* hockey player/coach/GM/co-founder of the NHLPA – Renfrew, ON Canada (2019/93)
1925-1212 Ted Kennedy* hockey player/horse breeder – Port Colborne, ON Canada (2009/83)
1927-0709 Red Kelly* hockey player/coach – Simcoe, ON Canada (2019/91)
1928-0331 Gordie Howe* “Mr Hockey” hockey player – Floral, SK Canada (2016/88)
1929-0117 Jacques Plante* hockey goalie/coach/GM – Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, QC Canada (1986/57)
1929-1228 Terry Sawchuk* hockey goalie – Winnipeg, MB Canada (1970/40)

1930-0112 Tim Horton* hockey player/entrepreneur – Cochrane, ON Canada (1974/44)
1931-0106 Dickie Moore* hockey player/businessman – Montreal, QC Canada (2015/84)
1931-0214 Bernie Geoffrion* hockey player/coach/color commentator – Montreal, QC Canada (2006/75)
1931-0831 Jean Béliveau* hockey player – Trois-Rivières, QC Canada (2014/83)
1931-1003 Glenn Hall* hockey goalie – Humboldt, SK Canada
1931-1204 Alex Delvecchio* hockey player/coach/GM – Fort William, ON Canada
1932-0828 Andy Bathgate* hockey player – Winnipeg, MB Canada (2016/83)
1935-0512 Johnny Bucyk* hockey player – Edmonton, AB Canada
1936-0229 Henri “The Pocket Rocket” Richard* hockey player/11SC/ brother of Maurice Richard – Montreal, QC Canada (2020/84)
1938-0110 Frank Mahovlich* hockey player/credited for being the first player to hoist the Stanley Cup above his head – Timmins, ON Canada
1939-0103 Bobby Hull* hockey player – Pointe Anne, ON Canada

1940-0322 Dave Keon* hockey player/real estate agent – Noranda, QC Canada
1940-0520 Stan Mikita* (b Guoth) Canadian hockey player/to Canada at age 8 – Sokolce, Slovak Republic (2018/78)
1940-1003 Jean Ratelle* hockey player/coach/player scout – Lac Saint-Jean, QC Canada
1942-0220 Phil Esposito* hockey player/coach/broadcaster – Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada
1943-0423 Tony Esposito* hockey goalie – Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada (2021/78)
1943-1122 Yvan Cournoyer* hockey player/coach – Drummondville, QC Canada
1945-0403 Bernie Parent* hockey goalie/instrumental in better facial gear for goalies – Montreal, QC Canada
1945-0907 Jacques Lemaire* hockey player/coach – LaSalle, QC Canada
1946-0122 Serge Savard* hockey player/executive/businessman – Landrienne, QC Canada
1947-0808 Ken Dryden* hockey goalie/GM/author/politician – Hamilton, ON Canada
1948-0320 Bobby Orr* hockey player/coach/player agent – Parry Sound, ON Canada
1948-0706 Brad Park* hockey player – Toronto, ON Canada
1949-0813 Bobby Clarke* hockey player/GM – Flin Flon, MB Canada

1950-0918 Darryl Sittler* hockey player/most points scored in one game – St. Jacobs, ON Canada
1950-1113 Gilbert Perreault* hockey player/coach – Victoriaville, QC Canada
1950-1212 Billy Smith* hockey goalie/the first goalie to be credited with a goal – Perth, ON Canada
1951-0417 Börje Salming* hockey player/entrepreneur – Kiruna, Sweden (2022/71)
1951-0602 Larry Robinson* hockey player/10SC/coach/executive – Winchester, ON Canada
1951-0803 Marcel Dionne* hockey player/entrepreneur – Drummondville, QC Canada
1951-0920 Guy Lafleur* hockey player – Thurso, QC Canada (2022/70)
1953-1029 Denis Potvin* hockey player/color commentator – Ottawa, ON Canada
1953-1213 Bob Gainey* hockey player/coach/GM – Peterborough, ON Canada
1956-0717 Bryan Trottier* hockey player/coach – Val Marie, SK Canada
1956-0918 Peter Šťastný* Slovak-Canadian hockey player/ politician/father of Paul Stastny – Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
1957-0122 Mike Bossy* hockey player/color commentator – Montreal, QC Canada
1959-1029 Mike Gartner* hockey player – Ottawa, ON Canada

1960-0518 Jari Kurri* hockey player/executive – Helsinki, Finland
1960-1228 Ray Bourque* hockey player – Saint Laurent, QC Canada
1961-0118 Mark Messier* hockey player/coah/philanthropist  – Edmonton, AB Canada
1961-0126 Wayne Gretzky* hockey player/coach/executive – Brantford, ON Canada
1961-0204 Denis Savard* hockey player/coach – Gatineau, QC  Canada
1961-0601 Paul Coffey* hockey player – Weston, ON Canada
1962-0125 Chris Chelios* hockey player/OS – Chicago, IL USA
1962-0827 Adam Oates* hockey player/coach/entrepreneur – Weston, ON Canada
1962-0928 Grant Fuhr* hockey goalie/coach – Spruce Grove, AB Canada
1963-0301 Ron Francis* hockey player/GM- Salt Ste. Marie, ON Canada
1963-0711 Al MacInnis* hockey player/coach/philanthropist – Inverness, NS Canada
1964-0401 Scott Stevens* hockey player/coach – Kitchener, ON Canada
1964-0809 Brett Hull* hockey player/executive – Belleville, ON Canada
1965-0129 Dominic Hašek* hockey goalie/OG – Pardubice, Czechoslovakia
1965-0222 Pat LaFontaine* hockey player/philanthropist – St. Louis, MO USA
1965-0509 Steve Yzerman* hockey player/GM – Cranbrook, BC Canada
1965-1005 Mario Lemieux* hockey player/owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins/ philanthropist – Montreal, QC Canada
1965-1005 Patrick Roy* hockey goalie/coach/executive – Quebec City, QC Canada
1966-0217 Luc Robitaille* hockey player/executive – Montreal, QC Canada
1966-0910 Joe Nieuwendyk* hockey player/OG – Oshawa, ON Canada
1968-0303 Brian Leetch* hockey player – Corpus Christi, TX USA
1969-0123 Brendan Shanahan* hockey player/3GC/hockey executive – Etobicoke, ON Canada
1969-0707 Joe Sakic* hockey player/3GC/executive – Burnaby, BC Canada
1969-1213 Sergei Fedorov* hockey player/one of the first hockey players to defect from Soviet Union in order to play in the NHL/coach – Pskov, Russia, Soviet Union

1970-0428 Nicklas Lidström* hockey player/3GC – Krylbo, Sweden
1970-0607 Mike Modano* hockey player/executive/philanthropist – Livonia, MI USA
1970-0703 Teemu “The Finnish Flash” Selänne* hockey player/rookie goal record/entrepreneur – Helsinki, Finland
1971-0213 Mats Sundin* hockey player – Bromma, Sweden
1971-0331 Pavel Bure* hockey player – Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union
1972-0215 Jaromír Jágr* hockey player/3GC – Kladno, Czechoslovakia
1972-0506 Martin Brodeur* hockey goalie/manager/OG – Montreal, QC Canada
1973-0228 Eric Lindros* hockey player/philanthorpist/with Swedish great-grandfather – London, ON Canada
1973-0720 Peter Forsberg* hockey player/3GC – Örnsköldsvik, Sweden
1973-0831 Scott Niedermayer* hockey player/3GC/coach – Edmonton, AB Canada
1974-1010 Chris Pronger* hockey player/3GC/executive – Dryden, ON Canada
1978-0720 Pavel Datsyuk* hockey player – Sverdlovsk, Russia, Soviet Union

1983-0716 Duncan Keith* hockey player – Winnipeg, MB Canada
1985-0917 Alexander Ovechkin* hockey player – Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union
1987-0807 Sidney Crosby* hockey player/3GC – Cole Harbour, NS Canada
1988-0429 Jonathan Toews* hockey player/3GC – Winnipeg, MB Canada
1988-1119 Patrick Kane* hockey player – Buffalo, NY USA

A monthwise list of the players

JANUARY

1939-0103 Bobby Hull* hockey player – Pointe Anne, ON Canada
1931-0106 Dickie Moore* hockey player/businessman – Montreal, QC Canada (2015/84)
1938-0110 Frank Mahovlich* hockey player – Timmins, ON Canada
1930-0112 Tim Horton* hockey player/entrepreneur – Cochrane, ON Canada (1974/44)
1929-0117 Jacques Plante* hockey goalie/coach/GM – Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, QC Canada (1986/57)
1915-0118 Syl Apps* pole vaulter/hockey player/politician – Paris, ON Canada (1998/83)
1961-0118 Mark Messier* hockey player/coah/philanthropist  – Edmonton, AB Canada
1887-0121 Georges Vézina* hockey goalie/the Vezina Trophy since 1926 – Chicoutimi, QC Canada (1926/39)
1916-0122 Bill Durnan* hockey goalie – Toronto, ON Canada (1972/56)
1918-0122 Elmer Lach* hockey player/coach/salesperson – Nokomis, SK Canada (2015/97)
1946-0122 Serge Savard* hockey player/executive/businessman – Landrienne, QC Canada
1957-0122 Mike Bossy* hockey player/color commentator – Montreal, QC Canada
1969-0123 Brendan Shanahan* hockey player/3GC/hockey executive – Etobicoke, ON Canada
1962-0125 Chris Chelios* hockey player/OS – Chicago, IL USA
1961-0126 Wayne Gretzky* hockey player/coach/executive – Brantford, ON Canada
1965-0129 Dominic Hašek* hockey goalie/OG – Pardubice, Czechoslovakia

FEBRUARY

1961-0204 Denis Savard* hockey player/coach – Gatineau, QC  Canada
1971-0213 Mats Sundin* hockey player – Bromma, Sweden
1931-0214 Bernie Geoffrion* hockey player/coach/color commentator – Montreal, QC Canada (2006/75)
1972-0215 Jaromír Jágr* hockey player/3GC – Kladno, Czechoslovakia
1966-0217 Luc Robitaille* hockey player/executive – Montreal, QC Canada
1942-0220 Phil Esposito* hockey player/coach/broadcaster – Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada
1918-0222 Sid Abel* hockey player/coach/GM – Melville, SK Canada (2000/81)
1965-0222 Pat LaFontaine* hockey player/philanthropist – St. Louis, MO USA
1902-0225 King Clancy* hockey player/referee/coach – Ottawa, ON Canada (1986/84)
1973-0228 Eric Lindros* hockey player/philanthorpist/with Swedish great-grandfather – London, ON Canada
1936-0229 Henri Richard* hockey player/11SC/ brother of Maurice Richard – Montreal, QC Canada (2020/84)

MARCH

1920-0301 Max Bentley* hockey player/farmer – Delile, SK Canada (1984/63)
1963-0301 Ron Francis* hockey player/GM- Salt Ste. Marie, ON Canada
1968-0303 Brian Leetch* hockey player – Corpus Christi, TX USA
1918-0305 Milt Schmidt* hockey player/coach/GM – Kitchener, ON Canada (2017/98)
1948-0320 Bobby Orr* hockey player/coach/player agent – Parry Sound, ON Canada
1940-0322 Dave Keon* hockey player/real estate agent – Noranda, QC Canada
1928-0331 Gordie Howe* “Mr Hockey” hockey player – Floral, SK Canada (2016/88)

APRIL

1964-0401 Scott Stevens* hockey player/coach – Kitchener, ON Canada
1945-0403 Bernie Parent* hockey goalie/instrumental in better facial gear for goalies – Montreal, QC Canada
1951-0417 Börje Salming* hockey player/entrepreneur – Kiruna, Sweden (2022/71)
1943-0423 Tony Esposito* hockey goalie – Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada (2021/78)
1970-0428 Nicklas Lidström* hockey player/3GC – Krylbo, Sweden
1988-0429 Jonathan Toews* hockey player/3GC – Winnipeg, MB Canada

MAY

1972-0506 Martin Brodeur* hockey goalie/manager/OG – Montreal, QC Canada
1965-0509 Steve Yzerman* hockey player (NHL 100) /GM – Cranbrook, BC Canada
1935-0512 Johnny Bucyk* hockey player – Edmonton, AB Canada
1914-0515 Turk Broda* hockey goalie/coach – Brandon, MB Canada (1972/58)
1960-0518 Jari Kurri* hockey player/executive – Helsinki, Finland
1940-0520 Stan Mikita* (b Guoth) Canadian hockey player – Sokolce, Slovak Republic (2018/78)

JUNE

1961-0601 Paul Coffey* hockey player – Weston, ON Canada
1951-0602 Larry Robinson* hockey player/10SC/coach/executive – Winchester, ON Canada
1970-0607 Mike Modano* hockey player/executive/philanthropist – Livonia, MI USA

JULY

1970-0703 Teemu Selänne* hockey player/rookie goal record/entrepreneur – Helsinki, Finland
1948-0706 Brad Park* hockey player – Toronto, ON Canada
1969-0707 Joe Sakic* hockey player/3GC/executive – Burnaby, BC Canada
1927-0709 Red Kelly* hockey player/coach – Simcoe, ON Canada (2019/91)
1963-0711 Al MacInnis* hockey player/coach/philanthropist – Inverness, NS Canada
1983-0716 Duncan Keith* hockey player – Winnipeg, MB Canada
1956-0717 Bryan Trottier* hockey player/coach – Val Marie, SK Canada
1973-0720 Peter Forsberg* hockey player/3GC – Örnsköldsvik, Sweden
1978-0720 Pavel Datsyuk* hockey player – Sverdlovsk, Russia, Soviet Union
1925-0729 Ted Lindsay* hockey player/coach/GM//co-founder of the NHLPA – Renfrew, ON Canada (2019/93)

AUGUST

1951-0803 Marcel Dionne* hockey player/entrepreneur – Drummondville, QC Canada
1921-0804 Maurice Richard* hockey player/ instrumental in Montreal’s five consecutive championships – Montreal, QC Canada (2000/78)
1987-0807 Sidney Crosby* hockey player/3GC – Cole Harbour, NS Canada
1947-0808 Ken Dryden* hockey goalie/GM/author/politician – Hamilton, ON Canada
1964-0809 Brett Hull* hockey player/executive – Belleville, ON Canada
1949-0813 Bobby Clarke* hockey player/GM – Flin Flon, MB Canada
1912-0821 Toe Blake* hockey player – Victoria Mines, ON Canada (1995/82)
1962-0827 Adam Oates* hockey player/coach/entrepreneur – Weston, ON Canada
1932-0828 Andy Bathgate* hockey player – Winnipeg, MB Canada (2016/83)
1931-0831 Jean Béliveau* hockey player – Trois-Rivières, QC Canada (2014/83)
1973-0831 Scott Niedermayer* hockey player/3GC/coach – Edmonton, AB Canada

SEPTEMBER

1945-0907 Jacques Lemaire* hockey player/coach – LaSalle, QC Canada
1966-0910 Joe Nieuwendyk* hockey player/OG – Oshawa, ON Canada
1985-0917 Alexander Ovechkin* hockey player – Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union
1950-0918 Darryl Sittler* hockey player/most points scored in one game – St. Jacobs, ON Canada
1956-0918 Peter Šťastný* Slovak-Canadian hockey player (NHL 100)/ politician/father of Paul Stastny – Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
1951-0920 Guy Lafleur* hockey player – Thurso, QC Canada (2022/70)
1902-0921 Howie Morenz* hockey player/inspired the creation of the Boston Bruins – Mitchell, ON Canada (1937/34)
1962-0928 Grant Fuhr* hockey goalie/coach – Spruce Grove, AB Canada

OCTOBER

1931-1003 Glenn Hall* hockey goalie – Humboldt, SK Canada
1940-1003 Jean Ratelle* hockey player/coach/player scout – Lac Saint-Jean, QC Canada
1965-1005 Mario Lemieux* hockey player/owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins/philanthropist  – Montreal, QC Canada
1965-1005 Patrick Roy* hockey goalie/coach/executive – Quebec City, QC Canada
1974-1010 Chris Pronger* hockey player/3GC/executive – Dryden, ON Canada
1953-1029 Denis Potvin* hockey player/color commentator – Ottawa, ON Canada
1959-1029 Mike Gartner* hockey player – Ottawa, ON Canada

NOVEMBER

1924-1108 Johnny Bower* (b Kiszkan) hockey goalie – Prince Albert, SK Canada (2017/93)
1950-1113 Gilbert Perreault* hockey player/coach – Victoriaville, QC Canada
1988-1119 Patrick Kane* hockey player – Buffalo, NY USA
1943-1122 Yvan Cournoyer* hockey player/coach – Drummondville, QC Canada
1902-1123 Eddie Shore* hockey player/team owner – Fort Qu’Appelle, NT Canada (1985/82)

DECEMBER

1931-1204 Alex Delvecchio* hockey player/coach/GM – Fort William, ON Canada
1925-1212 Ted Kennedy* hockey player/horse breeder – Port Colborne, ON Canada (2009/83)
1950-1212 Billy Smith* hockey goalie/the first goalie to be credited with a goal – Perth, ON Canada
1953-1213 Bob Gainey* hockey player/coach/GM – Peterborough, ON Canada
1969-1213 Sergei Fedorov* hockey player/coach – Pskov, Russia, Soviet Union
1924-1219 Doug Harvey* hockey player/coach/co-founder of the NHLPA/ entrepreneur – Montreal,  QC Canada (1989/65)
1909-1220 Charlie Conacher* hockey player/coach – Toronto, ON Canada (1967/58)
1929-1228 Terry Sawchuk* hockey goalie – Winnipeg, MB Canada (1970/40)
1960-1228 Ray Bourque* hockey player – Saint Laurent, QC Canada

Updated 25.11.2022