The Hockey 100: The Definitive Ranking of Ice Hockey's Greatest Players by The Athletic's Journalists

The fastest, fiercest, and most unforgettable legends—a definitive ranking of the 100 greatest modern-day players ever to lace up skates, from the best sports writers on the planet

Hockey is a sport like no other. It requires its players to master the grace of a figure skater, absorb the punishment of a linebacker, and trade the bare-knuckled blows of an MMA fighter, all while chasing a frozen, rock-hard puck that can fly across the ice at over ninety miles an hour.

A game this singular breeds an equally eccentric cast of characters. Now, the world-class journalists at The Athletic, led by Sean McIndoe and Dan Robson, settle the sport’s most irresistible debate by counting down the 100 greatest players in modern history—each expertly reported on and vividly profiled. Highlights include:

• Legendary goaltender Dominik Hasek, known as “The Dominator,” was immortalized for having a “Slinky for a spine”
• Serge Savard somehow still managed to skate off with seven Stanley Cups despite breaking the same leg twice
• Guy Lafleur's off-the-ice exploits included recording a bizarre disco album
• The unforgettable lives and careers of modern titans like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Alex Ovechkin

Here, hockey’s headliners are ranked and their stories told through deep research and one-on-one interviews as only The Athletic can.

Written with a deep love of the game and sure to spark gloves-off debates, The Hockey 100 is the ultimate celebration of the game and its players for millions of hockey fans worldwide.

The Athletic has built the world’s largest sports newsroom by focusing on deep reporting, expert analysis, and unmatched journalism to drive its storytelling. It is a part of The New York Times Company.

Sean McIndoe is a national NHL columnist for The Athletic, where he has covered hockey since 2018. Based in Ottawa, he has written for Grantland, ESPN, Sportsnet, and Vice, and cohosts the Puck Soup podcast. A lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan, he blends deep hockey knowledge with sharp humor.

Dan Robson is a senior writer and head of features at The Athletic. A National Magazine Award and National Newspaper Award winner and the bestselling author of several books, he spent seven years at Sportsnet before joining The Athletic in 2018. He is based in Toronto.