Throughout the past month, writers at ESPN published their “Top 100” list of the greatest athletes of the 21st century. Hockey wasn’t very well-represented, with only three players (Crosby, Ovechkin, McDavid) being named in the entire list. Therefore, the sports conglomerate also published a list of the top 25 NHL players of the 2000s. Despite enjoying three Stanley Cup runs in one of the greatest dynasties the sport has seen (and certainly the greatest in this century), Blackhawks fans likely weren’t too pleased with the list, with multiple points of contention when it comes to the representation of their favorite stars.
Kane, who ranked fourth on the list of NHL players, was left off the list of the top 100 players of this century. The greatest American-born NHLer (who was also somehow listed with a picture in a Red Wings sweater) wasn’t recognized over athletes like golfer Annika Sorenstam, soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, boxer Bernard Hopkins, or hooper A’ja Wilson. Kane, who was known as one of the best goal-scorers of his generation, was a 2015 Hart Trophy winner and was primarily responsible for Chicago’s three Stanley Cups, all while racking up nine All-Star honors. His 17 incredible seasons, plus a ridiculous OHL campaign before being drafted, clearly make him one of the top 100 players of the 21st century.
Patrick Kane’s disinclusion from the top 100 list is disappointing for Blackhawks fans, but there’s at least an argument in favor of the athletes who were chosen ahead of him. The other point of contention with the NHL list, however, is much more glaring and, frankly, outrageous. Jonathan Toews, one of the faces of this generation of hockey was… nowhere to be found. The superstar center, one of the top five players in the Blackhawks’ illustrious history, was left off of the list of the top 25 best players of this century.
There’s no question every one of the players on the list has put together a tremendous career. After all, there’s a reason they’re likely all future Hall of Famers and are being honored. Still, there’s absolutely no excuse for Toews being left off the list. The site included the key accomplishments of each player on the list, and they would’ve had a lengthy one for the Blackhawks superstar. He’s a three-time Stanley Cup champion, member of the NHL 100 greatest, two-time Olympic gold medal winner, Conn Smythe Award winner, Olympic Most Valuable Forward, member of the IIHF Triple Gold Club (youngest player ever to qualify), Selke Trophy winner, Mark Messier Leadership Award winner, and ranks sixth in franchise history in regular-season goals and points and fifth in postseason points. The longest-tenured Blackhawks captain ever also has the most postseason game-winning goals.
Comparatively, it seemed as if players like Zdeno Chara and Joe Thornton were more so included for their longevity than what they did in that time. That isn’t to say that either isn’t an outstanding, legendary player, but Thornton put up similar or slightly worse accolades than Toews while playing in nine more seasons. It’s hard to argue that Thornton has been the “greater” of the two just because he produced at a lower level for longer.
It could even be argued that a player like Marian Hossa, who appeared in five Stanley Cup Finals, should be on the list. Either way, the Blackhawks as a team, despite having Kane and Duncan Keith on the list, were truly snubbed – no question about it.
