NHL History: Public-At-Large Votes On Top Players From Past Quarter Century
Monday, May 12, 2025 at 01:46PM By Barry Janoff
UPDATED May 12, 2025: The final group of players in the NHL Quarter-Century Team was unveiled May 11. The latest group is made up of the six goalies voted onto the team. All stats are from Jan. 1, 2000-Dec. 31, 2024.
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
Roberto Luongo, Florida Panthers / Vancouver Canucks
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Patrick Roy, Colorado Avalanche
The next group of players in the NHL Quarter-Century Team was unveiled May 10. The latest group is made up of the six players voted onto the team who made their NHL debuts after 2010. (Listed in alphabetical order; statistics are through Dec. 31, 2024.)
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets
Via the NHL: He played two seasons in Columbus before he was killed, along with his brother, Matthew, on Aug. 29, 2024, when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver who was charged with two counts of death by auto, while riding bicycles near their home in Salem County, New Jersey. Johnny was 31 years old. Matthew was 29.
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
UPDATED May 9, 2025: The Quarter-Century Team was selected via the NHL Quarter-Century Team Fan Vote presented by SAP from Feb. 12-April 1.
The fan vote followed the reveal of all 32 NHL clubs' first and second teams, which were named earlier this year. The six players named to each team's First Team were eligible for selection in the Fan Vote.
The first group of players on the NHL Quarter-Century Team was unveiled Mzy 8. The group is comprised of the six players voted onto the team who made their NHL debuts before 2000.
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
Teemu Selanne, Anaheim Ducks
Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks
The second group of players in the NHL Quarter-Century Team were unveiled May 9. The latest group is comprised of the seven skaters voted onto the team who made their NHL debuts between 2000-2010 (All stats are up to Dec. 31, 2024)
Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
UPDATED February 12, 2025: Beginning today and continuing through April 1, the public-at-large will have the final say in the NHL Quarter-Century Team Fan Vote presented by SAP. The players named to each club's First Team are eligible for selection in the Fan Vote, 191 stars in all.
The top 25 players, regardless of position, in the Fan Vote will comprise the NHL Quarter-Century Team presented by SAP and be revealed this spring.
NHL Productions also will produce four debate-style studio shows around the players and highlights of the last 25 years, with the shows scheduled to be released in March.
Vote here.
NHL All-25-Year Team-By-Team Selections
• Anaheim Ducks
• Arizona Coyotes
• Boston Bruins
• Buffalo Sabres
• Calgary Flames
• Carolina Hurricanes
• Chicago Blackhawks
• Colorado Avalanche
• Columbus Blue Jackets
• Dallas Stars
• Detroit Red Wings
• Edmonton Oilers
• Florida Panthers
• Los Angeles Kings
• Minnesota Wild
• Montreal Canadiens
• Nashville Predators
• New Jersey Devils
• New York Rangers
• Ottawa Senators
• Philadelphia Flyers
• Pittsburgh Penguins
• San Jose Sharks
• Seattle Kraken
• St. Louis Blues
• Tampa Bay Lightning
• Toronto Maple Leafs
• Utah Hockey Club
• Vancouver Canucks
• Vegas Golden Knights
• Washington Capitals
• Winnipeg Jets
December 14, 2024: In 2017, the NHL compiled a list to honor the league’s 100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years, dating back to 1917.
It included such current players as Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane, as well as now retired Nicklas Lidstrom and Martin Brodeur.
Those icons are likely headed for another all-time list, with the NHL planning to honor its best players from the past 25 years in a multi-phased Quarter-Century Team presented by SAP selection and celebration
Also virtually certain to land on the Quarter-Century Team are players including Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Auston Matthews.
The campaign will be rolled out in three stages, with each accompanied by what was called a “robust content campaign across all NHL platforms to reflect selections.”
NHL Productions will produce four debate-style studio shows around the players and highlights of the last 25 years, with the shows scheduled to air in March.
Players under consideration for selection are those who have appeared in at least one game for their respective franchises since Jan. 1, 2000.
Players who were traded, signed as free agents or otherwise changed teams are eligible to appear on more than one Quarter-Century Team as long as they played at least one game with each club.
Phase 1 of the selection runs Dec. 30, 2024 through Jan. 31, 2025, during which time each of the league’s teams will name their respective First and Second Quarter-Century Teams.
Each club’s First and Second Quarter-Century Teams will be selected by a panel of media, retired players and executives specific to each club.
Starting at the Discover NHL Winter Classic and continuing daily through January, the NHL will unveil each club’s First and Second Quarter-Century Teams.
The St. Louis Blues, the visiting team at the Discover NHL Winter Classic in Chicago’s Wrigley Field, will on Dec. 30 be the first to unveil their First and Second Quarter-Century Teams.
The Blackhawks, hosting the Discover NHL Winter Classic on Dec. 31, will reveal their First and Second Quarter-Century Teams that day.
The Utah Hockey Club, which relocated this season from Arizona, will be the last to unveil their team, on Jan. 31.
Both the First Team and Second Team will consist of three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender.
The public-at-large will then be able to participate.
Following the naming of the 32 Club Quarter-Century Teams presented by SAP, the focus will be on a league-wide public voting from Feb. 12-26.
That vote, regardless of position, will determine the Top 25 players of the past 25 years and comprise the NHL Quarter-Century Team presented by SAP.
Only those players named to a club’s First Quarter-Century Team will be eligible for selection by the public.
This phase of voting will be conducted on both NHL.com and Twitter (X).
The public will have 100% of the vote. The NHL said more details on the public vote would be unveiled in the coming weeks.
The date of the final NHL Quarter-Century Team presented by SAP reveal will coincide with the shows from NHL Productions.
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