Dangles, Snipes, & Robbery: The 30 Best Players In The NHL Today

Honorable Mention to:

Steven Stamkos
Alexander Semin
Drew Doughty
Mike Richards
Duncan Keith
Mike Green
Henrik Lundqvist
Roberto Luongo
Cory Perry
Bobby Ryan
Mike Cammellari
Ales Hemsky
Paul Stastny
Mike Richards
Ryan Miller

30. Marc Savard

Position: C
Age: 32
2009/10 Season:
10 Goals, 23 Assists, 33 Points, +2 (41 Games)

Marc Savard kicks off the count-down at number 30.

Savard is one of the smaller guys in the National Hockey League at 5'10" and 191 Pounds. Nonetheless, Marc Savard is one of the league's top play-makers. He was held to only 23 assists this season due to unfortunate injuries.

However, he produced 63 assists last season, as well as two seasons ago, and recorded a career high 74 assists in the 2006-07 season.

Savard is a very knowledgeable player who just cracks the list at number 30.

29. Jeff Carter

Position: Center
Age: 25
2009-10 Season:
33 Goals, 28 Assists, 61 Points, +2 (74 Games)

Jeff Carter is one of the league's best goal scorers today. He registered an excellent 46 goals last season which was good for second in the NHL, behind only Alexander Ovechkin.

This season however his numbers decreased slightly as he scored only 33 goals and put up 61 points.

But Jeff Carter is still one of the best power-forwards in the NHL and he uses his speed and size well around the net.

28. Brad Richards

Position: Center
Age: 30
2009-10 Season:
24 Goals, 67 Assists, 91 Points

Brad Richards has spent nine seasons in the NHL and has yet to register under 60 points.

If it's one thing that Richards is good at it's being consistent. He has proven countless times that he knows how to be a good or even great play-maker but people never seem to give him enough credit.

27. Martin St. Louis

Position: Right Wing
Age: 34
2009-10 Season:
29 Goals, 65 Assists, 94 Points, -8 (82 Games)

He's 5'9" and he weighs in at 177 pounds, but Martin St.Louis is one of the most dynamic players in the game today.

Despite being 34 years old, St. Louis is still faster then ever and is still racking up the points.

He was the league's best player in 2004, winning the Hart Trophy. That was the same year he took home the Stanley Cup. He's an Olympian and a serious threat when on the ice.

26. Daniel Alfredsson

Position: Right Wing
Age: 37
2009-10 Season:
20 Goals, 51 Assists, 71 Points, +8 (70 Games)

Daniel Alfredsson has achieved nine straight seasons with over 70 points and is currently riding a 10 year streak with at least 20 goals.

The injury bug has really hit Alfredsson in his career. He hasn't played a full season since his rookie campaign back in the 1995-1996 season.

What is really impressive is that Alfreddson is a very well-rounded player and has great offensive awareness. In his whole career, Alfredsson has only had one season where he has been a minus in +/- rating, and that was his rookie season.

25. Patrick Marleau

Position: Left Wing
Age: 30
2009-10 Season:
44 Goals, 39 Assists, 83 Points, +21 (82 Games)

He is a full time Shark and a full time goal scoring machine.

Patrick Marleau had an excellent season, scoring a career high 44 goals, and was a +21 on the season.

He has been a legitimate 30+ goal scorer since the NHL lock-out and this year he took his game to the next level reaching the 40 goal mark.

24. Rick Nash

Position: Right Wing
Age: 25
2009-10 Season:
33 Goals, 34 Assists, 67 Points, -2 (76 Games)

He was selected first overall in the 2002 draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets and has not disappointed.

Rick Nash has a big frame at 6'4" and 218 pounds but, despite his size, is incredibly quick and is one of the best if not the best power forward in the NHL.

With his threatening appearance, Rick Nash is a true sniper and a great leader. He represented Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics and won gold.

23. Vincent Lecavalier

Position: Center
Age: 30
2009-10 Season:
24 Goals, 46 Assists, 70 Points, -16 (82 Games)

He had a pretty rough season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, Lecavalier is a phenomenal player and his numbers throughout his career don't lie.

Vinny is the Captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning and was the main reason that he and the team won the Stanley Cup in 2004 when he was just 23 years old.

22. Marian Gaborik

Position: Right Wing
Age: 28
2009-10 Season:
42 Goals, 44 Assists, 86 Points, +15 (76 Games)

Marian Gaborik is one of the best scorers in the NHL today. In fact, he could have probably been a consistent 40-plus goal scorer if not for injuries.

Gaborik has fought injury problems his entire career. He's actually never had a season where he's played in all 82 games. However, Gaborik is a very dynamic player and has great offensive awareness. If only he was playing for a legitimate team...

21. Patrick Kane

Position: Right Wing
Age: 21
2009-10 Season:
30 Goals, 58 Assists, 88 Points, +16 (82 Games)

This American-born hero has had a very impressive NHL career so far, even if it has been just three years.

Patrick Kane achieved a career high 30 goals, 58 assists, and 88 points this season with the Chicago Blackhawks and could very well be on his way to the Stanley Cup.

20. Nicklas Backstrom

Position: Center
Age: 22
2009-10 Season:
33 Goals, 68 Assists, 101 Points, +37 (82 Games)

At just the age of 22, Nicklas Backstrom reached 100 points.

Granted, he was feeding the puck to Ovechkin all season long, but you still can't deny Backstrom's sheer skill in his speed, handles and dangles.

He was selected fourth overall in the 2006 draft and, boy, did they ever cash in big time. Backstrom has shown great consistency and should be a huge part of the Capitals success in the near future.

19. Dany Heatley

Position: Right Wing
Age: 29
2009-10 Season:
39 Goals, 43 Assists, 82 Points, +14 (82 Games)

Dany Heatley is a natural born goal scorer.

He has scored at least 50 goals in a season twice in his career and has reached the 100 point mark twice in his career.

He looked poised to have another close to 50 goal season this season but slowed down near the end and managed to achieve just 39.

Nonetheless, 39 goals is not bad.

18. Eric Staal

Position: Center
Age: 25
2009-10 Season:
29 Goals, 41 Assists, 70 Points, +4 (70 Games)

At just the age of 25, Eric Staal is already a very complete player.

He won the cup at just the age of 21 (which was the same season he scored 45 goals and 100 points) and won the gold medal at the Olympics this past year.

Staal averaged a point per game this season with the Carolina Hurricanes and wears the 'C' on his jersey very proudly.

17. Ryan Getzlaf

Position: Center
Age: 25
2009-10 Season:
19 Goals, 50 Assists, 69 Points, +4 (66 Games)

Ryan Getzlaf has got the whole package.

He's big, fast, he can score, he can pass, and he's got great awareness when on the ice.

In his five year career, he has had zero seasons where he was a minus on the plus/minus rating.

He posted a career high 91 points last season, scored just 69 points this season, but his season was cut short due to injury.

16. Jonathan Toews

Position: Center
Age: 22
2009-10 Season:
25 Goals, 43 Assists, 68 Points, +22 (76 Games)

He is only 22 years old and is the captain of his team, a gold medal winning Olympian and got the honors of being the best forward at the Olympics in 2010. And he might also be named the Conn Smythe winner if he keeps up his current play.

Jonathan Toews may not be putting up the top tier numbers in terms of goals and points, but he is a great leader and he makes his team and the players around him better.

15. Scott Neidermayer

Position: Defense
Age: 36
2009-10 Season:
10 Goals, 38 Assists, 48 Points, -9 (80 Games)

He's won a Stanley Cup, he's won gold at the Olympics, and he's had a very successful career.

Scott Neidermayer is one of the best defenders in the NHL and is just one of three defensemen to make this list.

He has been a leader everywhere he plays, from his time in New Jersey to his time in Anaheim and even at the Olympics representing Canada as the captain.

14. Daniel Sedin

Position: Left Wing
Age: 29
2009-10 Season:
29 Goals, 56 Assists, 85 Points, +36 (63 Games)

Daniel Sedin has had a magnificent season. He tallied a career high in points while playing in only 66 games!

Sedin averaged 1.28 Points Per Game this season and is one of the league's classiest players today.

13. Henrik Zetterberg

Position: Left Wing
Age: 29
2009-10 Season:
23 Goals, 47 Assists, 70 Points, +12 (74 Games)

Henrik Zetterberg posted three straight 30 plus goal seasons including one 40 goal season.

However, he saw his goal scoring take a toll as he scored only 23 goals this past season.

Nonetheless, Zetterberg remains one of the best players in the NHL and is phenomenal when it comes to the playoffs, scoring 91 points and 46 goals in 97 career playoff games.

12. Henrik Sedin

Position: Center
Age: 29
2009-10 Season:
29 Goals, 83 Assists, 112 Points, +35 (82 Games)

Henrik Sedin has not missed a game of NHL hockey since 2004. He is certainly dedicated to the game and is one the league's best play-makers.

He won the Art Ross trophy this season after tallying a league leading 112 points and 83 assists.

Henrik Sedin is a player filled with class and talent and, well, who wouldn't want this guy on their team?

11. Jarome Iginla

Position: Right Wing
Age: 32
2009-10 Season:
32 Goals, 37 Assists, 69 Points, -2 (82 Games)

Some people believe that his best days are slowly but surely trailing behind him, but that doesn't mean he hasn't had a terrific career.

Besides, he still has another 6-8 years left in him and Iginla, at just the age of 32, has had a great career.

He has tallied 920 career points and is currently riding a nine year streak with over 30 goals.

10. Zach Parise

Position: Left Wing
Age: 25
2009-10 Season:
38 Goals, 44 Assists, 82 Points, +24 (81 Games)

Zach Parise is already creating his own legacy. He's currently on a four year streak with over 30 goals, including last season's campaign when he tallied a magnificent 45 goals.

He can do it all, he's got skill, speed, hands, and he can play defense. Zach Parise is everything you look for in a player.

He was ranked by NHL.com has the best current player born in America.

9. Chris Pronger

Position: Defense
Age: 35
2009-10 Season:
10 Goals, 45 Assists, 55 Points, +22 (82 Games)

You would think that, at the age of 35, Chris Pronger's play and numbers would be decreasing.

But he proved this season that age doesn't matter, at least not with him. He recorded 55 points and was a +22 this season with the Flyers.

Pronger has the whole package you want to see on the blue line. He has great size and physicality but has a solid offensive touch to his game as well.

8. Ilya Kovalchuk

Position: Left Wing
Age: 27
2009-10 Season:
41 Goals, 44 Assists, 85 Points, +10 (76 Games)

Ilya Kovalchuk is the second best scorer in the league, in my opinion.

He is on a six season streak with over 40 goals, including two seasons with over 50 goals.

Although Kovalchuk has only played nine career playoff games, he remains one of the league's most effective players when he's got the puck on his stick and his speed is nearly untouchable.

He's a free agent this summer but there is no question that, wherever he goes, that team will see a massive increase in scoring.

8. Joe Thornton

Position: Center
Age: 30
2009-10 Season:
20 Goals, 69 Assists, 89 Points, +17 (79 Games)

I don't think people understand just how good Joe Thornton really is.

In six of his last seven seasons, Thornton has tallied at least 85 or more points, including 114 points in 2007, and an unbelievable 125 points in 2006. In that same season, he recorded an absolutely brilliant 92 points in just 58 games with his new team, the San Jose Sharks!

Many criticize him for his lack of success in the postseason but, despite that, he is still one of the league's top players today.

6. Pavel Datsyuk

Position: Center
Age: 31
2009-10 Season:
27 Goals, 43 Assists, 70 Points, +17 (80 Games)

The fact that he was drafted in the sixth round is a great introductory chapter to his impressive book.

Datsyuk is a very well rounded player who can play all 200 feet of the ice. He produces points, he makes plays for his team-mates, and he really does make his teammates better.

5. Evgeni Malkin

Position: Center
Age: 23
2009-10 Season:
28 Goals, 49 Assists, 77 Points, -6 (67 Games)

I can't believe people actually thought that Pittsburgh was going to trade this guy.

He won the Art Ross trophy, the Stanley Cup, and the Conn Smythe trophy at the age of just 22 and he is already one of the best players in the NHL, at just 23.

Some people think he is more valuable then Sidney Crosby.

Malkin has shown that he can do it all: He can score, he can pass, he's got size, and he's got speed.

4. Martin Brodeur

Position: Goalie
Age: 38
2009-10 Season:
45-25-6, 2.24 GAA, .916 SV%, 9 SO

602 Wins and still counting. Brodeur probably has another 2 years left in him. I predict he will probably have at least 675 wins, maybe even 700, if he and the Devils do extremely well.

He is the best goalie of all time. There is no doubt about that. He leads in wins, shutouts, and he has a terrific 99 career playoff wins. He's got Olympic gold...a Stanley Cup...he has it all.

3. Niklas Lidstrom

Position: Defense
Age: 40
2009-10 Season:
9 Goals, 40 Assists, 49 Points, +22 (82 Games)

Six James Norris Memorial Trophies.

Four Stanley Cups.

One Olympic Gold Medal.

1,046 Career Points.

+431 in his career.

Need I say more?

2. Sidney Crosby

Position: Center
Age: 22
2009-10 Season:
51 Goals, 58 Assists, 109 Points, +15 (81 Games)

Sidney Crosby is the savior of Pittsburgh.

506 Points in 371 Career Games.

Crosby has won the Cup, he's won Olympic gold, he has an Art Ross trophy, a Hart Memorial trophy, and now shares the Maurice Rocket Richard trophy with Steven Stamkos this past season.

Sidney Crosby is the best play-maker in the NHL and will most likely go down as one of the best players in NHL history.

1. Alexander Ovechkin

Position: Left Wing
Age: 24
2009-10 Season:
50 Goals, 59 Assists, 109 Points, +45 (72 Games)

I know you probably don't want to see him as number one, but you have to admit, he deserves it.

Alexander Ovechkin is the only player that can break Gretzky's 92 goal record.

He scored 65 in just his third season in the NHL, and his worst season thus far was a 92 points, 46 goal season.

He has two Hart trophies, one Art Ross trophy, two Ted Lindsay awards, and two Maurice Richard trophies.

The only thing Ovechkin is missing? A Stanley Cup, and I guess an Olympic Gold too.