Use this table find the name, jersey number, and hockey position of the top fifty National Hockey League Players of all-time.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, The Hockey News presented its list of the “Top 50 NHL Players of All-Time” on January 9, 1998. The list was determined by a panel of 50 hockey experts representing past and present NHL players, coaches, executives and journalists. Voting was conducted before the 1997 Stanley Cup playoffs. Players active during the 2001-02 season are in bold type.
| No. | Player | Pos |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne Gretzky, 1979-99 | C |
| 2 | Bobby Orr, 1966-79 | D |
| 3 | Gordie Howe, 1946-71, 79-80 | RW |
| 4 | Mario Lemieux, 1984-97, 2000- | C |
| 5 | Maurice Richard, 1942-60 | RW |
| 6 | Doug Harvey, 1947-69 | D |
| 7 | Jean Beliveau, 1950-71 | C |
| 8 | Bobby Hull, 1957-72, 79-80 | LW |
| 9 | Terry Sawchuk, 1949-70 | G |
| 10 | Eddie Shore, 1926-40 | D |
| 11 | Guy Lafleur, 1971-85, 88-91 | RW |
| 12 | Mark Messier, 1979- | C |
| 13 | Jacques Plante, 1952-65, 67-73 | G |
| 14 | Ray Bourque, 1979-2001 | D |
| 15 | Howie Morenz, 1923-37 | C |
| 16 | Glenn Hall, 1952-71 | G |
| 17 | Stan Mikita, 1958-80 | C |
| 18 | Phil Esposito, 1963-81 | C |
| 19 | Denis Potvin, 1973-88 | D |
| 20 | Mike Bossy, 1977-87 | RW |
| 21 | Ted Lindsay, 1944-60, 64-65 | LW |
| 22 | Red Kelly, 1947-67 | D |
| 23 | Bobby Clarke, 1969-84 | C |
| 24 | Larry Robinson, 1972-92 | D |
| 25 | Ken Dryden, 1970-79 | G |
| 26 | Frank Mahovlich, 1956-74 | LW |
| 27 | Milt Schmidt, 1936-42, 45-55 | C |
| 28 | Paul Coffey, 1980-2001 | D |
| 29 | Henri Richard, 1955-75 | C |
| 30 | Bryan Trottier, 1975-92, 93-94 | C |
| 31 | Dickie Moore, 1951-65, 67-68 | LW |
| 32 | Newsy Lalonde, 1917-21, 25-27 | C |
| 33 | Syl Apps, 1936-48 | C |
| 34 | Bill Durnan, 1943-50 | G |
| 35 | Patrick Roy, 1984- | G |
| 36 | Charlie Conacher, 1929-41 | RW |
| 37 | Jaromir Jagr, 1990- | RW |
| 38 | Marcel Dionne, 1971-89 | C |
| 39 | Joe Malone, 1917-24 | C |
| 40 | Chris Chelios, 1983- | D |
| 41 | Dit Clapper, 1927-47 | D |
| 42 | Bernie Geoffrion, 1950-64, 66-68 | RW |
| 43 | Tim Horton, 1949-50, 51-74 | D |
| 44 | Bill Cook, 1926-37 | RW |
| 45 | Johnny Bucyk, 1955-78 | LW |
| 46 | George Hainsworth, 1926-37 | G |
| 47 | Gilbert Perreault, 1970-87 | C |
| 48 | Max Bentley, 1940-43, 45-54 | C |
| 49 | Brad Park, 1968-85 | D |
| 50 | Jari Kurri, 1980-98 | RW |
