And I won't be doing this alone, I've got a co-author writing their own lineup with me. My friend, and fellow hockey writer, Lauren Burg, are working together for this. We will each be putting out our ideal lineup for a team of guys that have played in this century.
Now I'm setting some parameters for this. Anybody that makes this list has to have played a game starting in the 1999-2000 season up until the 2019-2020 season. Anybody playing before that is out. Wayne Gretzky wouldn't make this list because he retired at the end of the 98-99 season. If they have played a game in the last twenty season in the NHL then they could make this list.
As for me and my selections, I'm making them based on stats and overall game. It may look weird not having a traditional lineup, meaning two scoring lines a checking /defensive line and an energy/grinder line. Its just a combination of guys I think would have played very well together and made a great line.
With that in mind, here's my best lineup of the 21st century so far
Alex Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby-Jaromir Jagr
Three of the highest scoring offensive talents to ever play the game. Sid is the best center the game has to offer right now, there's no doubt. Crosby the best player in the game today. Ovechkin is the Mike Bossy of this generation, the best goal scorer the league has to offer. And yes it is true that Jagr's truly great scoring years wherre left behind him in the 1990's, he was still an extremely dynamic offensive player. Hell he played till he was 45 in the NHL and was still a productive player.
Patrick Kane-Joe Thornton-Martin St Louis
The offensive upside and playmaking ability with this line is key here. Joe Thornton took off as a playmaker as the century went on, but he really hit his stride in 2006 when he got traded from Boston to San Jose. A change of scenery proved to be just what Jumbo Joe needed. Martin St Louis was the best "little man" to play the game in this generation. Twice lead the NHL in scoring, won the 2004 Hart trophy. Then there's Patrick Kane, one of the best American Born players in the game today. He can pretty much do it all on the offensive side of the game. He can skate, dish and bury the puck all with ease.
Dan Heatley-Peter Forsberg-Jarome Iginla
You needed a physical line in hockey and one that can provide some scoring punch. These three guys could more then do that At the turn of the century, Peter Forsberg was viewed, and rightfully so, as the best all around player in the game, and so few could argue. With Iginla and Heatley, both guys are 50 goal scorers and, like Forsberg, love to play the physical game. All three guys could score, hit, fight if they needed to. They were this generations example of a power forward.
Jonathan Toews-Pavel Datsyuk-Patrice Bergeron
Three great players who could not only put the puck in the back of the net, but they're also known for their defensive side of the game. All three guys have won the Selke Trophy as best defensive player,. And all three guys could not only lead, but were damn good playmakers. Datsyuk didn't earn the nickname the Magic Man for nothing. Bergeron could not only excel on the defensive side of the puck but you need a big goal scored, he's your guy to score it. There few leaders in the game today that are near the level of what Toews is doing in Chicago. He can do it all in the windy city. Good defender and equally good scorer.
Nicklas Lidstrom-Zedeno Chara
Nicklas Lidstrom-Zedeno Chara
Two of the greatest to ever lace up skates. Chara really grew into his game during his time in both Ottawa and Boston. He's got a shot that rivals only really Al McCinnis and that's saying a lot. His skating has really improved over the last twenty years and his game finally caught up with his surging height. He can and has done it all for both Ottawa and the last 14 years in Boston. Then you have Nick Lidstrom who could very well end up being one of the ten greatest all around defenders to ever step foot on the ice. He was consistent. There wasn't one aspect of his game he excelled at more than another, he was just steady at all aspects of the game. That's what made him so good. Skating, passing good shot.
Erik Karlsson-Duncan Keith
Two guys who can skate like the wind and make plays at both ends of the ice. Karlson is probably the best all around skating blueliner in hockey right now. He got speed to burn, with good vision to make a play and a pretty good shot. Keith had the same attributes but was a bit more of a stay at home guy on the back end. Known for his outlet passes and great play in the defensive end of the ice
Brent Burns-Drew Doughty
Two good puck movers with very underrated shots. Both guys know how to be able to control the game with quick passes, good shots ore being able to lead rushes themselves. Solid all around defenders who can excel at both ends of the rink and can pretty much play any style you want.
Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur
There was little if any doubt that the winningest goalie in the history of the game was going to make this list. There was nobody better in this century than Marty. Yes I know there's going to be some talk about playing in the Devils system helped out, which it did do. But at the same time, you still have to be a damn good goalie to be able to win games at the National Hockey League level. And nobody in the game of hockey was better at it than Marty. He was a great puckhandler as a netminder and could make the outlet to start a counter attack. He had good mobility and a pretty good glove. What's more to say that hasn't already been said about the best to ever play the game.
Henrik Lundqvist
For a guy who was picked in 205th overall in 2000, he's made a hell of a name for himself. 459 career wins and won 30 or more games in all but four seasons in the league. He's done it all for the Rangers, only thing eluding him was the Cup. Other then that, there's nothing King Henrik hasn't done on Broadway between the pipes
Head Coach: Joel Quenneville
Three titles with the Hawks and 790 wins in this decade, says a lot about how great Coach Q really is. Three cups in the Windy City, now in charge of trying to get the Panthers back in the right direction. He's been a proven winner in every place he's coached. There's few coaches in this game that plan and prepare as well as Coach Q and the fact that he has the 3rd highest win total in league history prove that beyond a doubt
Assistant Coach: Barry Trotz, John Tortorella
Two more guys who have their names etched in the Cup in this century and both guys who are players coaches for sure. Trotz managed to turn the Capitals into Cup Contenders and then managed to get the Islanders going in the direction they needed to. He's a very calm coach who knows how to communicate with his players. Then there's Tortorella, who can do the same as Trots, but with much more fire than Barry or Coach Q
Two more guys who have their names etched in the Cup in this century and both guys who are players coaches for sure. Trotz managed to turn the Capitals into Cup Contenders and then managed to get the Islanders going in the direction they needed to. He's a very calm coach who knows how to communicate with his players. Then there's Tortorella, who can do the same as Trots, but with much more fire than Barry or Coach Q
And now for the lineup courtesy of Lauren Burg
What makes a championship caliber team? Great players that have a combination of high-end talent, a willingness to work hard and heart. For this exercise, I will put together what I think is the greatest team of the 21st century. These players have played at least one National Hockey League (NHL) game between the 1999-2000 season until now (2019-2020). There will be four lines (12 forwards), three defense pairs and two goaltenders. The coaching staff will consist of a head coach and two assistant coaches. All three could be current head coaches in the league.
Once the lines and pairs have been listed, I'll give my reasoning behind each line. It may not be completely traditional, but the players are some of the best to play during the past 20 years. Most will be slotted in their original position, whether that be center, left or right wing, unless they have a few years of experience and have shown themselves to be versatile enough to play multiple positions.
Now that the guidelines have been established, here is my all-time greatest hockey team from this century.
Alexander Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby-Patrick Kane
This is my championship line. Each of these players have a combined seven Stanley Cup championships. All but one occurred in the past 10 years. The three have also racked up four Conn Smythe trophies, given annually to the playoff MVP.
Artemi Panarin-Pavel Datsyuk-Nikita Kucherov
This is my Russian line. It features the reigning Art Ross Trophy winner in Kucherov, along with two elite set-up men in Datsyuk and Panarin. Both Kucherov and Panarin have amassed a plus-minus rating of 95 or above throughout their still young careers. Datsyuk, meanwhile, put up 918 points and won two Stanley Cups in 14 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.
Steven Stamkos-Steve Yzerman-Martin St. Louis
This was an interesting line. Both Stamkos and St. Louis have ample experience playing with one another. It was St. Louis who, for many seasons, set up Stamkos for many of his 422 goals. Over the years, he helped the 2008 first overall draft pick develop into a two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner and team leader. Yzerman is the odd ball here, not only because of his strained relationship with St. Louis, but because he has little chemistry with the other two. The sole reason he's here is because of his time as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, a position that allowed him to get to know both players. He's also among the top 10 scorers in NHL history with 1,755 points.
Dave Andreychuk-Patrice Bergeron-Jaromir Jagr
This line is comprised of players with a power play prowess and defensive presence at both ends of the ice. While Andreychuk was at his best early in his career, he was a leader on the Lightning's 2004 Stanley Cup winning team. Bergeron currently plays on the point for the Boston Bruins power play, along with being a four-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded to the NHL's best defensive forward. Jagr is among the top five in goals, assists and points.
Nicklas Lidstrom-Zdeno Chara
After a rocky start to his NHL career, Chara has evolved into one of the better defenseman this league has seen. Since 2001-02, his plus-minus rating has been on the positive side of the scale for 16 of 18 seasons. In fact, his lone negative mark came during his first season with the Boston Bruins in 2006-07 when he posted a -21 rating. His career high plus-33 rating occurred three times, most notably during the Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup championship. He is also a threat on the power play, as he's one assist away from the 100 mark on the man advantage. Lidstrom, meanwhile, posted his third best plus-minus rating in his rookie season. He also had four years where his plus-minus was above 40. Three of those came from 2002 until 2008, the latter of which was the last time the Detroit Red Wings lifted Lord Stanley's Cup. He was also an elite set-up man for the power play, with 458 assists over a 20 year career.
Victor Hedman-Erik Karlsson
A dynamic Swedish duo, these two made magic together during the 2018 NHL All Star Game in Tampa, Florida. They helped propel the Atlantic Division to the championship game and thrilled fans with their pirate costumes. Over their careers, each has shown a knack for setting up teammates on the power play. 152 of Hedman's 473 points have come via the man advantage, while 228 of Karlsson's 603 points came on the power play. Hedman is the better one defensively, with a plus-116 rating over his 11 year career, but Karlsson's contributions cannot be diminished.
Brent Burns-Drew Doughty
An offensive defenseman in every sense of the word, Burns has put up 694 points in 1,113 games with the Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks. 252 of those came on the man advantage, proving his ability to impact a game's outcome by scoring. The one knock on Burns is that, despite showing flashes of great defense, he has a minus-7 rating for his overall career. Doughty, meanwhile, has 502 points in 919 games played. The 2008 second overall draft pick also is a plus-43 for his career and has two Stanley Cup rings, the last of which came in 2014.
Martin Brodeur
One of the best goaltenders to ever play the game, Brodeur posted 691 wins, a 2.24 goals against average (GAA) and a .912 save percentage in 1,266 games played. He was a four time Vezina Trophy winner, given to the NHL's top netminder, and a three time Stanley Cup champion. Two of those came in the 21st century, in 1999-2000 and again in 2002-03. He was also recently inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Tim Thomas
While Thomas had a short NHL career compared to Brodeur and some other goaltenders, he left his mark as one of the game's best. He racked up 214 wins, a 2.52 GAA and a .920 save percentage in 426 games played. He won two Vezina trophies and led the Boston Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup, a feat that was recognized by being awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player (MVP) of the 2011 playoffs. Now that the players have been chosen, I'll give my selections regarding the coaching staff.
Head Coach: John Tortorella
A coach that's well known for his fiery personality on and off the ice, this selection might be a bit odd to some. While it's true that Tortorella had mediocre stints with both the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks, he combined to win 448 games behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jacket benches. He has won two Jack Adams Awards, in 2003-04 and 2016-17, the 2004 Stanley Cup and, last season, led the Blue Jackets to their first playoff series win.
Assistant Coaches: Barry Trotz, Jon Cooper
Two defensive minded coaches, both Trotz and Cooper have left their mark on the NHL. A two time winner of the Jack Adams Award, Trotz captured the trophy with the Washington Capitals in 2016 and New York Islanders in 2019. He also led the Caps to their first ever Cup in 2018. Cooper hasn't yet won a Cup, but he has 348 wins in 578 games. Under his guidance, the Lightning have won two Atlantic Division titles (2017-18 and 2018-19), the Prince of Wales Trophy as Eastern Conference champions in 2015 and the franchises first-ever Presidents Trophy (2019).
What do you think? Leave your thoughts on my selections and, if you so desire, give us your selections if they differ from ours in any way.
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