The NHL is a professional and popular ice hockey league in North America, currently consisting of 32 teams: 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the US and Canada as well as a first-class professional ice hockey league in the world. The Stanley Cup is the ultimate prize and oldest professional sports trophy for the league playoff championship.
Over the years the NHL has had Americans and Canadians hooked to their screens. Undoubtedly the game has also created some stars and memories. Amongst the stars you’ll find Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, Jaromir Jagr and Gordie Howe. These guys are as popular as NHL Betting. Come with us as we look at all their achievements and how they managed to become the greatest in the NHL.
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky retired as a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He often goes by the name”The Great One” and is considered to be one of the greatest hockey players of all time. His greatest records include the most goals, assists, and points in NHL history. When he was with the Edmonton Oilers he won four Stanley Cups and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999. After his playing career, Gretzky has also had a successful career as a coach and a team executive.
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux retired as a Canadian professional ice hockey player and businessman. He is considered one of the greatest hockey players. Lemieux played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and won two Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992. He also won six Art Ross Trophies as a leading scorer and three Hart Trophies for valuable player in the NHL. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997, and when he retired as a player, he became the owner of the Penguins and led the team to another three Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr retired as a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is widely considered one of the greatest players and is compared to Wayne Gretzky. Orr played for the Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks during his career. He was popular for his offensive and defensive abilities. He won as the NHL’s best defenseman eight consecutive times and was awarded the Norris Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy two times for the most valuable player in the playoffs twice. He led the Bruins to two Stanley Cup championships in 1970 and 1972 and was also inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979.
Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe, known as “Mr. Hockey,” retired as a Canadian professional ice hockey player and is also considered one of the greatest. He played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers in his career. He won six Hart Trophies for valuable player in the NHL, and was the league’s leading scorer six times. With the Red Wings he won four Stanley Cup championships. He played professional hockey for five decades and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972. The NHL created the Gordie Howe Hat Trick, which is awarded to a player who scores a goal, gets an assist and gets into a fight in one game, in his honor.
Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr is a retired Czech professional ice hockey player and is considered one of the greatest European players of all time. He played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins,and Florida Panthers. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and won the Art Ross Trophy five times for leading scorer. He is second in points scored in the NHL, behind Wayne Gretzky. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.
