Top 7 Canadian Hockey Players Of All Time

Canada boasts one of the world’s strongest ice hockey leagues, with a rich history of producing exceptional athletes every fan knows. Our piece is another homage to the top 7 Canadian hockey players who have left the biggest impact on the NHL and local sports history.

Top 7 Canadian Hockey Players Ever

We acknowledge that ranking the top players is subjective. While we have aimed for an unbiased attitude, please understand that your favorite player might not be included in this list. Canada has produced numerous hockey stars, each deserving of praise and recognition. Here is our perspective on the top 7 Canadian hockey players of all time.

Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and former head coach who enjoyed a distinguished career spanning 20 seasons in the National Hockey League with four teams from 1979 to 1999. Widely known as “the Great One,” he has been hailed as the greatest ice hockey player ever by numerous sportswriters, players, The Hockey News, and the NHL itself, based on extensive surveys of hockey insiders. Gretzky holds the record for most career goals, assists, and points in NHL history, with more career assists than any other player has total points. He is also the only one to surpass 200 points in a single season, achieving this remarkable feat four times.

Additionally, Gretzky amassed over 100 points in 15 professional seasons, including 13 consecutive ones. At his retirement, he held an astonishing 61 NHL records across regular season, playoff, and All-Star categories. Gretzky’s remarkable career began with him being the top scorer in the 1978 World Junior Championships. He subsequently signed with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA) before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers, where he achieved numerous scoring records and led the team to four Stanley Cup championships.

His trade to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988 significantly bolstered the team’s performance, culminating in a Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1993 and popularizing hockey in California. Before retiring, Gretzky also had stints with the St. Louis Blues and the New York Rangers.

Throughout his career, Gretzky garnered numerous accolades, including nine Hart Trophies, 10 Art Ross Trophies, two Conn Smythe Trophies, and five Lester B. Pearson Awards. He was a staunch advocate against fighting in hockey and received the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship and performance on five occasions. After retiring, Gretzky was named one of the greatest sportsmen from Canada and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The NHL retired his jersey number 99 league-wide. He was honored on the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Centennial All-Star Team and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2000.

Mario Lemieux

Another notable name on the top 7 Canadian hockey players list is Mario Lemieux, a retired Canadian ice hockey legend who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL from 1984 to 2005. Renowned for his extraordinary skills, he earned the nickname “Le Magnifique” and “Super Mario” due to his remarkable blend of size, strength, athleticism, and creativity. Drafted first overall by the Penguins in 1984, Lemieux led them to Stanley Cup victories in 1991 and 1992 as a player and later assumed team ownership in 1999.

During his ownership tenure, the Penguins secured additional championships in 2009, 2016, and 2017. Lemieux’s exceptional career extended beyond the NHL; he also led Team Canada to various international successes, including an Olympic gold medal in 2002 and victories in the 1987 Canada Cup and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. His individual accolades include multiple Lester B. Pearson Awards, Hart Trophies, Art Ross Trophies, and Conn Smythe Trophies.

Despite battling numerous health issues throughout his career, such as spinal disc herniation, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and chronic tendinitis, Lemieux’s impact on the game remained immense. His NHL debut was in 1984, and he played his final game in 2005, with intermittent retirements due to health concerns.

Lemieux’s influence transcended his playing days; he purchased the Penguins in 1999 and played a pivotal role in their survival, earning induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997 and returning to play again in 2000. He was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2004 and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2008. At online gambling sites in Canada, you can bet on the next athlete to be granted a place in the HOF.

Martin Brodeur

Martin Brodeur, a former professional ice hockey goaltender of Canadian-American descent, has transitioned into a team executive. Throughout his 22-season career in the National Hockey League (NHL), he spent 21 seasons with the New Jersey Devils, where he achieved remarkable success, securing three Stanley Cup championships and five Eastern Conference championships across 17 postseason appearances. Additionally, he earned two Olympic gold medals as part of Team Canada in the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympic Games and various other international competitions.

Widely acclaimed as one of the finest goaltenders in the sport’s history, he was honored in 2017 as one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” by the league, and the subsequent year, he was inducted into the prestigious Hockey Hall of Fame. Brodeur boasts an array of NHL and franchise records for goaltenders, including the most wins (691) and games played (1,266) in regular-season history. He maintained a remarkable streak of at least 30 wins in 12 consecutive seasons from 1995–96 to 2007–08 and remains the sole goaltender in NHL annals to achieve eight 40-win seasons. Furthermore, he clinched the Vezina Trophy four times, the William M. Jennings Trophy five times, and was a ten-time NHL All-Star, also claiming the Calder Memorial Trophy. 

Brodeur’s legacy extends beyond his goaltending prowess and his place among the top 7 Canadian hockey players; he stands among the elite group of 14 NHL goaltenders who have scored a goal in the regular season and is the second to accomplish this feat in the playoffs, boasting a total of three goals, the highest among NHL goaltenders.

Jonathan Toews

Jonathan Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is one of the top 7 Canadian hockey players who had a distinguished career and has become one of the most respected and accomplished NHL stars. The Chicago Blackhawks selected Toews with the third overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He immediately impacted the league, earning a roster spot with the Blackhawks for the 2007-2008 season. In his rookie year, Toews showcased his talent and leadership abilities, earning a nomination for the Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top rookie.

Toews quickly established himself as one of the premier forwards in the #1 hockey league. He possesses a rare combination of offensive skills, defensive prowess, and leadership qualities. He was named team captain of the Blackhawks before the 2008-2009 season, becoming one of the youngest captains in NHL history at 20. Under his leadership, the Blackhawks experienced a resurgence and emerged as one of the league’s top teams.

Toews has been a key player in the Blackhawks’ success, helping lead the team to three Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013, and 2015. He has earned numerous individual accolades throughout his career, including the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2010 and the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward in 2013.

Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby is a Canadian professional ice hockey player widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation and of all time. Born on August 7, 1987, in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Crosby’s career has been marked by exceptional skill, leadership, and numerous accolades. Had he played today, his Vave Sportsbook coefficients would have been the best.

Crosby was highly touted as a young player and was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He owned the NHL, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s rookie of the year in the 2005-2006 season. Since then, he has become the face of the Penguins franchise and one of the most recognizable figures in hockey.

Throughout his career, Crosby has amassed an impressive list of achievements and awards. He has won three Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, 2016, and 2017, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs in 2016 and 2017. He has also received numerous individual honors, including two Hart Memorial Trophies as the NHL’s most valuable player, two Art Ross Trophies as the league’s leading scorer, and two Ted Lindsay Awards as the most outstanding player voted by the NHL Players’ Association.

Crosby’s impact extends beyond his NHL success. He has represented Canada in international competitions, winning gold medals at the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014. He famously scored the overtime game-winning goal in the gold medal game of the 2010 Olympics, cementing his status as a national hero in Canada.

Bobby Orr

Robert Gordon Orr is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, widely regarded as one of the top 7 Canadian hockey players ever. Orr’s exceptional speed on the ice, scoring prowess, and ability to create plays redefined the role of a defenseman in hockey. Over his 12-season career in the National Hockey League, he spent the first decade with the Boston Bruins and the subsequent two seasons with the Chicago Black Hawks. Orr is the only defenseman to have earned the league’s scoring title with two Art Ross Trophies. He also boasts records for the most points and assists in a single season by a defenseman.

Additionally, Orr clinched a record eight consecutive Norris Trophies for being the NHL’s best defenseman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the league’s most valuable player. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 at the age of 31, Orr was recognized by the NHL in 2017 as one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” in history.

Orr’s hockey journey began at the age of eight. He initially played forward before transitioning to defense, where his exceptional skating skills allowed him to dominate play. His performances in Ontario provincial competitions caught the attention of NHL scouts as early as age twelve. At fourteen, Orr joined the Oshawa Generals, affiliated with the Boston Bruins, where he excelled, earning all-star honors for three out of his four seasons. 

In 1966, he joined the Boston Bruins. Today, the team leads the odds at Vave Sportsbook, but back then, they were struggling to regain former glory, and under Orr’s influence, they secured the Stanley Cup twice, in 1970 and 1972. Orr played pivotal roles in both victories, scoring the championship-winning goals and earning the playoff MVP title. His final significant achievement came in 1976 when he was named MVP of the Canada Cup international hockey tournament.

In 1976, Orr’s career took a turn as repeated injuries severely affected his left knee, leading to his retirement in 1978 at the age of 30 after joining the Chicago Black Hawks as a free agent. Following his retirement from playing, Orr ventured into scouting and later became a player agent in 1996, serving as the president of the Orr Hockey Group agency until its acquisition by the Wasserman Media Group in 2018.

Phil Esposito

Philip Esposito is a retired Canadian ice hockey professional who has worked as a coach and executive and is now a broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Lightning. With a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame, he had a distinguished career spanning 18 seasons in the National Hockey League, playing for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers. Notably, he clinched two Stanley Cups with the Bruins. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport’s history, he is Tony Esposito’s older sibling, who is also a Hall-of-Famer.

Esposito achieved numerous milestones during his playing days. He was the first player to surpass 100 points in a single season, accomplishing this feat with 126 points in 1968–69, which he repeated five more times. Additionally, he became the inaugural player to net 50 goals in a season on five consecutive occasions, including setting a then-record of 76 goals in 1970–71, alongside a record 152 points in the same year.

Throughout his career, he claimed the Art Ross Trophy for leading point scorer five times, topped the league in goals on six occasions, won the Hart Trophy twice as the league MVP, and was selected as a first-team All-Star Center six times. Follow online sportsbooks in Canada to find the latest betting odds on the current NHL season.

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