The sport of ice hockey requires a lot of physical fitness, mental toughness, and impeccable skill. As a result, the game has produced some of the best players in all sports. The following are the top five most significant players in ice hockey history and their many accolades.
– Photo by Jack Lima
Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe was born in Canada and signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings in 1944. During his 25 years in Detroit, “Mr. Hockey” won six league MVP awards, six scoring titles, and four Stanley Cups. While Howe retired in 1970, he returned to play in the World Hockey Association for the New England Whalers. The right winger played his last game in 1980 after 32 professional seasons – even skating with his sons Marty and Mark.
Bobby Orr
Undoubtedly, Bobby Orr is one of the greatest professional ice hockey players. Before his 1976 trade to the Chicago Blackhawks, Orr spent ten seasons with the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League. During the 1969-70 season, he became the league’s top points scorer. Orr’s career was cut short by injuries, but he still notched 270 goals, 645 assists, and 915 points in 657 games, which were all records at the time.
Maurice Richard
Maurice “Rocket” Richard, a player who scored 50 goals in a single season, gave his name to the award given to the league’s leading scorer each year. He achieved the feat in just 50 games during his 1944-45 season, during which he earned 14 All-Star nods. His career with the Montreal Canadiens spanned 18 years, and he won eight championships while becoming the first player to reach 500 goals in the league. In his retirement, Richard led the league with 544 goals. As a result of his 965 points in 978 appearances, he entered the Hall of Fame in 1961.
Mario Lemieux
Before a career-ending injury in 1990-91 cut short his storied Pittsburgh Penguins career, Lemieux racked up six consecutive 100-point campaigns. He would eventually score four more 100-point seasons despite cancer interrupting his prime years. Later, in 2000, Lemieux returned to the ice and played five more seasons before retiring from the game. Nine All-Star appearances and three Hart Trophies were among the Pittsburgh legend’s career highlights.
Wayne Gretzky
Gretzky is considered to be the greatest passer and scorer of all time. The truth is, he seemed to know where his teammates would be before they did. In 768 games, Gretzky scored 1,842 points, an average of 2.4 points per game. On average, he scored 196 points per 82 games. Throughout five seasons, he scored 200 points four times. Gretzky is the only player who has processed the game at the same level as Bobby Orr.
Conclusion
Because of their accomplishments in the game, each of these players deserved a spot on our list. Since many channels and networks show ice hockey live, the sport has become increasingly popular worldwide. As a result, you can now bet live on your favourite ice hockey teams and players, but if you do bet, make sure your betting site of choice is well regulated, just as you would for an online casino that offers Live Casino Canada. But, of course, the aim of Hockey is to entertain its fans and fans are always on the look out of the new talents, some to keep an eye out for are Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, who will serve as essential players in the NHL in the future.
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