Hockey is one of the most popular sports. As one song says, "A coward doesn't play hockey." Indeed, every boy dreams of becoming a famous and successful athlete. And the trip to this dream begins with a stick bought by parents and an accidental puck thrown into a neighbor's window. Not everyone manages to achieve their goal and become the idol of millions. Those who did not betray their dreams become world-class stars. The best hockey players in the world are known all over the planet. Even during their lifetime they become legends, and after their death streets are named after them, monuments are opened to them and poems are dedicated to them. These are people who left a huge mark in the history of sports. Their names are known even to those who are not fond of hockey at all. These are idols and role models.
Top 10 Best Masters
Each spectator has his own ten of the best hockey players on Earth. But in each list there are the same names. Therefore, you can name the top 10 hockey players in the world from this list:
- Niklas Lidström. Defender from Sweden, firmly established in the history of the sport of our planet. He played for the Detroit Red Wings. In the NHL league, Lidström playedover 1.5 thousand matches. And that says a lot. In addition, the athlete managed to play more than a hundred games in the Swedish hockey league. In the playoffs, he played 300 matches.
- Shea Weber. This guy became not only the best hockey player in the world, but also the highest paid ice fighter. For one playing season, he earns 14 million US dollars. Shi is a quarterback for the Nashville Predators. On the ice, Weber's outward sternness merges harmoniously with his aggressive style of play. Shi is great at both attacking and defending.
- Alexander Ovechkin. The Russian athlete is a left winger for the Washington Capitals NHL team. In 2008, Ovechkin became the first hockey player on Earth to sign a contract worth more than one hundred million dollars. He received such a title after he signed a contract with the club for 13 years in the amount of $124 million.
- Anders Berje Salming. This is a former defender of the Swedish team. He gained his fame in the Toronto Maple Leafs club, which is part of the National Hockey League. In the mid-90s of the last century, the athlete was included in the League Hall of Fame.
- Henrik Lundqvist is a hockey legend. Henrik is a two-time Swedish champion. He is called "King Henrik" and "The Beast". This is the most expensive goalkeeper in the NHL.
- Sidney Crosby. Plays in the main hockey club in Pittsburgh. In 2013, Forbes magazine named him the highest paid hockey player in the NHL. Crosby has numerous prestigiousawards that are proof of his talent.
- Vincent Lecavalier. In the adult league, Vincent moved from the Junior League of Quebec. In the last junior season he scored 86 goals. He is a respected person in Quebec and is involved in many other things besides hockey.
- Vladislav Tretiak. Hockey player from Russia, who became an honored master of sports in 1971. Three times became the champion of the Olympic Games. At one time, Tretyak was the champion of the USSR, Europe and the world. He was a goalkeeper and protected his team during the most difficult matches.
- Roberto Luongo. Actively takes part in various tournaments, was awarded a huge number of prizes. Luongo is truly a professional in his field. He is world famous as a Canadian NHL player.
- Jonathan Toews. The game of the Chicago Hawks is simply impossible without this athlete. Despite his very young age, Jonathan has already managed to become the owner of the Stanley Cup three times already.
Glory after death
The best hockey players in the world, even after their death, remain stars. Valery Kharlamov is one of those athletes whose fame does not fade even after their tragic death. Kharlamov twice became the champion of the Olympic Games and was a famous hockey player of the Soviet era.
Valery started playing hockey at the age of seven. The boy was quickly noticed and invited first to the junior and then to the adult team. In the 1968 season, the guy managed to gain a foothold in the base team of CSKA. Forof his brilliant sports career, Kharlamov participated in the World Championship, held in Stockholm and in a number of other competitions. He received award after award, repeatedly became the top scorer and eventually received recognition in world hockey. But death takes such successful people into its arms very quickly. This happened to Valery, who died in a car accident at the age of 33.
Surname known even to children
Above we have given a list of the best hockey players in the world. These are the people who will go down in history forever. But there are individuals who do not even need to be included in the lists. They are simply the best by default. Hockey star Vyacheslav Fetisov belongs to such persons. Even children have heard this surname, and women who are completely indifferent to sports know who Fetisov is.
Vyacheslav is an Honored Master of Sports of the Soviet Union, an Honored Coach of the Russian Federation and just a Soviet-Russian hockey player. His professional activity lasted from 1976 to 1998. He was a defender for such clubs as CSKA Moscow, the Detroit Red Wings and the New Jersey Devils. He managed to become Earth champion seven times.
The three most expensive hockey players
The best hockey players in the world are also the highest paid athletes. So, among the ice fighters, whose popularity costs a lot of money, three people can be distinguished:
- Ryan Getzlaf: earns 9.25 million conditional in one seasonunits. He is a center forward for the California Anaheim Ducks. He has been on the ice since the age of four, and for the first time he earned the title of Olympic champion at the age of 24.
- Phil Kessel: Earns ten million dollars a season. Since 2015, he has been a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Before that, he played for the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Patrick Kane. His fee reaches almost 14 million US dollars per season. Patrick plays for the Chicago Black Hawks. At the Vancouver Olympics, he took second place. On the ice, the athlete feels incredibly confident, and this helps him achieve success.
From the past
The last century gave the hockey environment more than one champion. So, the best hockey players in the world in history are Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull. The first athlete comes from Canada. He began his career in 1946 and played for the National Hockey League. His professional career spanned 35 years. He played in five different clubs and was awarded the Stanley Cup, the Gary Davidson Trophy and a number of other prestigious awards.
Bobby Hull was also a Canadian ice hockey player. He played as a striker in such clubs as the Chicago Blackhawks, Hartford Whalers and others. Hull was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
The goalkeeper who has no equal
Terry Savchuk is another of the world's best hockey players of all time. He became famous as an unsurpassed goalkeeper, equalwhich is not found today. Terry had a fabulously high speed. Going out on the ice, he almost never put on a protective mask. His name is on the list of the hundred best players in the history of the NHL.
Best of the 21st century
Our century also has the best hockey players in the world. Their brightest representative is Pavel Bure. The speed of the athlete confirms the nickname “Russian Rocket” invented for him. The striker was a member of the Vancouver Canucks, CSKA Moscow, New York Rangers, EV Landshut and many others. In 1994, the guy took part in the Stanley Cup Finals.
No way without Tikhonov
The best hockey players in the world in the history of hockey will forever remain the idols of millions. And without some athletes, it is simply unrealistic to imagine ice. So, it is not known how the history of this sport would have developed if Viktor Tikhonov had not become part of it at one time. He played for many Moscow clubs. And then the experience gained helped him as an assistant coach at Dynamo Moscow. After this stage of his career, he moved to a new one and became the main coach of the Dynamo Riga hockey team.
Tikhonov had many victories and failures, but he remained a legend. His last name comes to mind first when it comes to playing on ice. This is a man who managed to prove that the puck and stick are art.
