50 Best Players in NHL Video Game History

EA Sports has released NHL 12, and fans everywhere are hard at work on the sticks searching for the next dominant players in a long line of superstar video game hockey players.

Since video games were invented, there have been players and teams that people have loved to play as. Whether it be NHL Hitz, the 2K series, or the increasingly popular EA Sports NHL series, certain players have stood out from the virtual crowd.

Here are the 50 most outstanding players in hockey video game history.

Steven Stamkos: NHL 12

NHL 12 has only been out for a week, but it is already apparent that Steven Stamkos is going to be a force in this year's game. With the new found effectiveness of the wrist shot in NHL 12, Steven Stamkos will pile up goals.

Peter Forsberg: NHL Hitz

NHL Hitz put an emphasis on the physical play, so two way players like Peter Forsberg became even more valuable in that game. In a matter of seconds Forsberg was able to put a player through the glass and beat the goaltender with a slap shot.

Darius Kasparaitas: NHL 98

Defensemen don't get enough love from gamers. In 1998, Darius Kasparaitis was on top of his game in real life as well as in video game world. His rating in the game reflected that and made him extremely difficult to beat.

Jason Spezza: NHL 2K8

As the cover athlete of NHL 2K8, Jason Spezza, along with his linemates, was downright nasty. The game featured trick moves which Spezza executed to perfection.

Brendan Shanahan: NHL 2001

Brendan Shanahan had a productive NHL career as a power forward. His virtual career was just as successful. Shanahan hit his peak in 2001 in the middle of his streak of 70 point seasons.

Jeff Carter: NHL 10

In NHL 10 there was a small glitch in the gameplay where a player with a solid toe drag and wrist shot could put the puck into the top corner with ease. This made Jeff Carter absolutely deadly.

Sidney Crosby: NHL 10

Sidney Crosby always finds himself among the league leaders, both in the real world and the EA Sports world. Crosby does not have any of the defining traits that make him a video game monster, but his terrific all around game makes him a pain to play against in every version of the NHL video game.

Jarome Iginla: NHL 2005

NHL 2005 introduced a gameplay mode called Free 4 All. In that mode four skaters would battle it out every man for himself. Jarome Iginla was an absolute beast in this game mode. His size, speed and shot made him the best choice.

Sergei Samsonov: NHL 2002

Sergei Samsonov has never been a superstar in the NHL. However, the speed he possesses makes him an excellent player to have on your video game team. Samsonov's value maxed out after his back-to-back 70 point seasons with the Boston Bruins.

Zdeno Chara: NHL 10

Zdeno Chara makes hockey look easy thanks to his 6'9'' frame. For gamers who chose the Bruins in NHL 10, they saw just how easy virtual Chara can make things as well. He was impossible to knock off of his feet and punished forwards with his physical play.

Zdeno Chara: NHL 11

Same story, different game for Zdeno Chara. The Bruins captain got even better in the 2011 version of EA's hockey franchise.

Pavel Bure: NHL 99

By the time NHL 99 hit the stores, Pavel Bure was on the ladder end of an injury plagued season. That did not stop the make believe version of Pavel Bure from dominating his graphic counterparts in the video game.

Chris Pronger: Backyard Hockey

Chris Pronger has always been a dominant defenseman. It comes as no surprise that the depiction of Pronger in Backyard Hockey was one of the best the game had to offer.

Paul Coffey: NHL 94

Paul Coffey was in the twilight of his career by the time video games became prevalent. However, in EA's first successful hockey game Coffey's speed made him an outstanding asset.

Mike Modano: NHL Faceoff 99

Mike Modano was as steady in video games as he was in real life. But it was NHL Faceoff 99 in which Modano was an absolute force. For whatever reason, the Stars captain was very difficult to contain in that game.

Markus Naslund: NHL 2000

Markus Naslund was an under the radar threat in NHL 2000. He was the cover athlete of the game in his native country of Sweden and was subsequently rated very highly by EA that season. 

Dominik Hasek: NHL 99

Dominik Hasek was the most frustrating goalie to play against in hockey video games. The games always accurately depicted his ability to make unbelievable saves.

Sergei Fedorov: NHL 95

Sergei Fedorov has the ideal video game skill set. His speed is outstanding, and he can stickhandle with the best of them. In NHL 95 Fedorov was unstoppable.

Mario Lemieux: Mario Lemieux Hockey

Mario Lemieux Hockey was not a very popular video game. However, that made it easy for the creators to make Lemieux ridiculously dominant.

Alexander Ovechkin: NHL 09

Alexander Ovechkin is the most marketable figure in the NHL. The creators of NHL recognize this and make him filthy in every video game. NHL 09 was when Ovechkin really came into his own.

Martin Brodeur: NHL 2003

Whether it was Martin Brodeur's defense that made him so successful doesn't really matter in the video game. Only elite gamers could put the puck by the Devils goaltender.

Jeremy Roenick: ESPN NHL Hockey 2K5

Jeremy Roenick has always made his mark on the video game world. Roenick was the poster child for 2K hockey and he dominated in the game year in and year out.

Joe Thornton: NHL 2K7

When Jeremy Roenick's career entered its twilight stage, Joe Thornton took over for 2K hockey as he was entering his prime. The game reflected Jumbo Joe's outstanding productivity. 

Roberto Luongo: NHL 11

After a few Vezina Caliber seasons, Roberto Luongo became one of the highest rated goaltenders in the NHL video game. It made life very difficult when trying to accumulate points against the Vancouver Canucks.

Al MacInnis: NHL 2002

Al MacInnis had one of the hardest slap shots in NHL history. Considering the emphasis the NHL series once put on the slap shot, MacInnis was a valuable on the blue line.

Jarome Iginla: NHL 2006

For as solid as Jarome Iginla was in NHL 2005, the Canadian born winger was even more dominant in NHL 06. The new moves introduced in NHL 06 added to the beast that is Jarome Iginla.

Steve Yzerman: NHL 98

Steve Yzerman was never the flashiest player in the league, but after winning the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings, Yzerman and his team were a handful in the EA video games for years to come.

Mats Sundin: NHL 2002

Mats Sundin is the face of the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise and the only member of the team to make this list. Size and a strong shot are all a player needed in the early days of the NHL video game franchise. Sundin has plenty of both.

Paul Kariya: NHL 2000

Paul Kariya made a living off of his speed. Gamers made a living off of using that speed to terrorize opponents.

Eric Lindros: NHL 99

The Flyers may have been disappointed by how brief a career Eric Lindros had. However, when he was healthy and in his prime, Lindros had a handful of dominant seasons, earning him the cover of NHL 99. Naturally, Lindros was awesome in that game.

Martin St. Louis: NHL 2006

Martin St. Louis was the man to play as in NHL 2006. The game featured tons of new animations in the offensive zone which St. Louis specialized in. 

Ray Bourque: NHL 94

Offensively gifted defensemen have never been all that useful in video games. Ray Bourque was the exception. In NHL 94 Bourque could put the team on his back.

Donald Brashear: NHL Hitz

Some may be surprised to see Donald Brashear on this list. But remember, in NHL Hitz if a player lost a fight he was thrown out of the game. Thus, having Brashear on your team was a weapon.

Mario Lemieux: NHL 95

Mario Lemieux was entering the prime of his career as video games started to get big. NHL 95 accurately portrayed how unstoppable Lemieux was during his career.

Rob Blake: NHL Hitz

The Colorado Avalanche were one of the best teams on NHL Hitz, and Rob Blake was a big part of the reason why. Blake could absolutely crush people in that game.

Peter Forsberg: NHL 98

Having a great playmaker is an asset in both real hockey and the video simulation. Peter Forsberg might have been the best playmaker in the history of the NHL video games.

Jaromir Jagr: NHL Blades of Steel 99

Jaromir Jagr officially stepped out of Mario Lemieux's shadow by earning the cover of NHL Blades of Steel 99. Jagr was downright nasty in that game.

Marian Gaborik: NHL 10/11

Marian Gaborik always tops the league leaders in franchise mode. Despite his inability to stay healthy in real life, Gaborik has insane skills that translate perfectly to the video game.

Patrick Roy: NHL 97

There's a reason Patrick Roy was made one of the legends in NHL 12. His career, both in real life and in the virtual simulation, was exemplary. Particularly in NHL 97 Roy was unbeatable.

Pavel Datsyuk: NHL 11

Many consider Pavel Datsyuk to be the best player in the NHL today. NHL 11 certainly supported that belief, as Datsyuk's dangling skills made him automatic in one-on-one situations with the goalie.

Alexander Ovechkin: NHL 10

Earlier in the article I mentioned the semi-glitch in NHL 10 that made Jeff Carter a beast. Well, that glitch made Alex Ovechkin a monster. His wrist shot is insane and his stickhandling is even better, so letting it rip from the top of the circles was automatic with Ovi.

Joe Sakic: NHL 2004

Joe Sakic was a Hart Trophy winner and subsequently an NHL cover athlete. His rating depicted his dominance on the ice. He and the Avalanche were one of the more formidable squads in the game.

Chris Pronger: NHL Hitz

Chris Pronger is all over this list. NHL Hitz may have been the most effective version of virtual Chris Pronger. The sheer power with which he sent players through the glass in that game was entertaining.

Pavel Bure: NHL 94

NHL 94 really put an emphasis on the star players. It was one of the first games that gave users the power to take control of their favorite NHLers. Pavel Bure was outstanding in 94 due to his breakaway speed.

Scott Stevens: NHL Hitz

The inaugural cover boy of NHL Hitz, Scott Stevens was the easy choice to headline that game. After all, the bone-crushing hits that the game emphasized were the staple of Stevens' on ice play.

Wayne Gretzky: Wayne Gretzky 3D Hockey

During the prime of Wayne Gretzky's career, video games were not big. Thus, gamers never really had the chance to emulate Gretzky's greatness. However, in Wayne Gretzky 3D Hockey for the Nintendo 64, the Great One was the man.

Mario Lemieux: NHL 94

Another frequent appearance on this list is Mario Lemieux. NHL 94 was his strongest showing. It was virtually impossible to remove Lemieux from the puck in that game.

Dominik Hasek: NHL 2K4

Dominik Hasek is in the discussion as the greatest goaltender to ever play the game. He's also the runway in terms of best video game goalie. NHL 2K4 is the best example of just how awesome Hasek was.

Pavel Bure: NHL 95

In NHL 95, Pavel Bure took the reigns as the video game's most outstanding player. He had a great speed rating and that's really all that mattered in that game.

Jeremy Roenick: NHL 94

Vince Vaughn and the movie the Swingers sealed Jeremy Roenick's spot atop this list. There is a scene in the movie where Vince Vaughn is frustrating his friend in a game of NHL due to his dominance with Jeremy Roenick. Roenick could skate circles around any defense in that game.

What Do You Think?

Who is your favorite player to play as in hockey video games? Let me know in the comments.