Hockey is one of the games that have been entertaining people for many decades. With diligence and outstanding performance, players have made their way into history. Sportsmen and women have thrilled the minds and hearts of many people over centuries. They have worked hard and persevered with the ice to live the audience entertained and mesmerized. Many of hockey players gained fame while others vanished into the thin air but managed to etch their places into our hearts forever.
However, it is not easy to be able to name a few players of all the time. In choosing the top players there are some of the criteria that should be used e.g. scoring, passing, leadership skills, skating among others. Below are the players who have managed to out shine the others in various ways.
Wayne Gretzky
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| The Great One tops the list |
He is a Canadian ice hockey professional and happens to hold the title of the greatest hockey player of all the time that being the reason why he was nicknamed ��The Great One’! His playing career started in 1978 and as he retired in April 1999 he had 40 regular season record, six all-star records and fifteen playoff records. When he retired, he was absorbed into the hockey wall of fame.
Bobby Orr
He was a Canadian ice hockey player who enthralled crowds and sports fans during his twelve year playing career. He was a great defense-man who played for Chicago hawks and Boston Bruins. He won eight straight Norris Trophies hence becoming the best defense man in NHL.
Gordie Howe
In hockey history he is the player who played more games than any other. He started his career in 1946 and happens to be the only player to have completed in the NHL in five different decades. He holds the title of having gained most points in a hockey player’s career and the most assists. He played hockey until the age of 52.
Mario Lemieux
He was a talented fast skater and play-maker well known for beating defense-men with fakes and dekes and was NHL’s most deadly goal and point scorer in each game. Though he did not play for prominent teams, he played for the Pittsburgh for seventeen seasons in a row. It is also good to note that unlike the rest his career was plagued by several health issues.
Joseph Henri Maurice
Having started his career in 1942 he is deemed to be the first player of his era to score 50 goals in 50 games. More also he was the first player to score 500 goals in his hockey career. He was the captain of a team that won four consecutive straight cups. He also won the Stanley cup eight times. At the time of his retirement he was NHL’s all-time leading scorer.
Doug Harvey
He is crowned one of the greatest defense-man in hockey history. He had a phenomenal skating speed and swift passing ability that enabled him to score points for his team. He won several titles including five consecutive Stanley cups in the 1950.
Jean Be`liveau
He is famed for being the leading goal scorer in Stanley cup history and the Montreal. He was a huge tall man which in turn added advantage in the game as it enabled him skate faster with bigger strides scoring winning goals for his team.
He was the first player to bag the Conn Smythe trophy in 1965 for his phenomenal performance in the Stanley cup playoff. After his retirement he devoted a lot of attention to disabled children.
Bobby Hull
He is considered the best winger in the history of hockey. By scoring 50 goals in one season he bagged himself a record. He was nicknamed “The Golden jet’ due to his blonde hair, remarkable slap shot and jet speed on the ice.
Terry Sawchuk
He was a Ukrainian-Canadian player and has 21 seasons under his NHL belt. He managed 103 regular season shutouts which makes him one of the best goaltenders in hockey history. He sustained many childhood injuries but did not let any of them deter his dreams. He died after sustaining injuries in his liver and gall bladder during a fight.
Eddie Shore
He is famed as being a great defense man of all the time. He was the first defense-man to be awarded the NHL’s most valuable player and Hart trophy four times. He was perceived as a dictator, ruthless and nasty. He was aggressive on the ice though was not appreciated by other players or fans. He went down to become a trainer and a coach and he was remembered by his trainees as the best teacher.
As we have seen people have become prominent in playing hockey. For a person to be able to play hockey in India they need to have an Indian Visa so that they can travel freely and visit different hockey teams in the country. In India there are several hockey teams with great professional players and coaches. All that you require is an Indian visa to enable you visit facilities across the country.
