Who is the greatest Ice Hockey Athlete of all time?

Wayne Gretzky leads Ice Hockey with a verified GOAT Score of 97.8/100.

How is the Ice Hockey GOAT ranking calculated?

Five verified categories are weighted against 2234 reference records. Only eligible profiles receive a score.

How many Ice Hockey players are ranked?

477 eligible Ice Hockey athletes currently have a published GOAT Score, from 2234 reference records.

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Ice hockey: the greatest of all time

GOAT Rank's data-driven ranking

Stanley Cups, scoring titles and all-time point totals adjusted for era scoring. Each players below is scored on verified career data and normalised against the full Ice hockey reference cohort — no shortlists, no unverified provisional numbers.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, Wayne Gretzky is the highest-ranked of the players in Ice hockey, with an in-sport GOAT Score of 97.8. Next are Gordie Howe (94.2), Doug Harvey (93.0).

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

1757 records fall below the data threshold and are excluded from this ranking. Eligibility rules →

Showing 477 of 477 ranked players# = official in-sport rank

Category

PositionCountryEraStatusSort

#	Athlete	Era	Career points	Career goals	Stanley Cups	Hart Trophies	Art Ross Trophies	GOAT
1	🇨🇦Wayne GretzkyRetired	1979–1999	2,857	894	4	9	10	97.8
2	🇨🇦Gordie HoweRetired	1946–1980	—	—	4	6	6	94.2
3	🇨🇦Doug HarveyRetired	1947–1969	—	—	6	—	—	93.0
4	🇷🇺Viacheslav FetisovRetired	1974–1998	—	—	2	—	—	92.1
5	🇨🇦Jayna HeffordRetired	1997–2015	—	—	—	—	—	91.9
6	🇨🇦Caroline OuelletteRetired	1999–2016	—	—	—	—	—	91.8
7	🇨🇿Jaromír JágrRetired	1988–2024	—	—	2	1	5	91.6
8	🇷🇺Sergei MakarovRetired	1976–1997	—	—	—	—	—	91.6
9	🇨🇦Red KellyRetired	1947–1967	823	—	8	—	—	91.5
10	🇨🇦Howie MorenzRetired	1923–1937	472	271	3	3	—	91.3
11	🇷🇺Alexander OvechkinActive	2005–present	1,660	897	1	3	—	91.2
12	🇨🇦Clint BenedictRetired	1912–1930	—	—	4	—	—	91.1
13	🇨🇦Bobby ClarkeRetired	1969–1984	—	—	2	—	—	91.0
14	🇨🇦Glenn HallRetired	1952–1971	—	—	1	—	—	90.7
15	🇨🇦George HainsworthRetired	1926–1937	—	—	2	—	—	90.7
16	🇨🇦Ron FrancisRetired	1981–2004	1,798	—	2	—	—	90.6
17	🇨🇦Bernie GeoffrionRetired	1950–1968	—	393	6	1	—	90.6
18	🇷🇺Vladislav TretiakRetired	1968–1984	—	—	—	—	—	90.5
19	🇨🇦Jacques PlanteRetired	1947–1975	—	—	6	1	—	90.4
20	🇺🇸Mike ModanoRetired	1989–2011	—	—	1	—	—	90.4
21	🇨🇦Joe MaloneRetired	1908–1924	—	—	2	—	—	90.3
22	🇨🇦Aurèle JoliatRetired	1922–1938	460	270	3	1	—	90.2
23	🇨🇦Dit ClapperRetired	1927–1947	474	—	3	—	—	90.2
24	🇨🇦Sidney CrosbyActive	2005–present	—	—	3	2	2	90.0
25	🇨🇦Martin BrodeurRetired	1991–2015	—	—	3	—	—	90.0
26	🇨🇦Jean BéliveauRetired	1950–1971	—	—	10	2	1	90.0
27	🇷🇺Valeri KharlamovRetired	1967–1981	—	—	—	—	—	89.9
28	🇨🇦Angela JamesRetired	1985–2000	—	—	—	—	—	89.9
29	🇺🇸Brian LeetchRetired	1987–2006	—	—	1	—	—	89.9
30	🇨🇦Alex DelvecchioRetired	1950–1974	1,281	—	3	—	—	89.8
31	🇨🇦Grant FuhrRetired	1981–2000	—	—	5	—	—	89.8
32	🇨🇦Dave KeonRetired	1960–1982	—	—	4	—	—	89.8
33	🇨🇦Mario LemieuxRetired	1984–2006	1,723	690	2	3	6	89.7
34	🇨🇦Bobby OrrRetired	1966–1979	915	—	2	3	2	89.7
35	🇨🇦Frank BoucherRetired	1921–1944	423	—	2	—	—	89.7
36	🇨🇦Charline LabontéRetired	1999–2017	—	—	—	—	—	89.6
37	🇨🇦Ed BelfourRetired	1988–2007	—	—	1	—	—	89.6
38	🇨🇦Scott NiedermayerRetired	1991–2010	740	—	4	—	—	89.5
39	🇨🇦Terry SawchukRetired	1947–1970	—	—	4	—	—	89.4
40	🇨🇦Ray BourqueRetired	1979–2001	—	—	1	—	—	89.3
41	🇨🇦Tony EspositoRetired	1968–1984	—	—	—	—	—	89.3
42	🇨🇦Rob BlakeRetired	1989–2010	777	—	1	—	—	89.3
43	🇸🇪Nicklas LidströmRetired	1988–2012	—	—	4	—	—	89.1
44	🇨🇿Dominik HašekRetired	1981–2011	—	—	2	2	—	89.1
45	🇨🇦George ArmstrongRetired	1949–1971	713	296	4	—	—	89.1
46	🇨🇦Bobby HullRetired	1957–1980	—	—	1	2	3	89.0
47	🇷🇺Vyacheslav FetisovRetired	1974–1998	—	—	2	—	—	88.9
48	🇨🇿Václav NedomanskýRetired	1962–1983	—	—	—	—	—	88.9
49	🇨🇦Hayley WickenheiserRetired	1991–2017	—	—	—	—	—	88.8
50	🇨🇦Mark MessierRetired	1978–2004	—	—	6	2	—	88.7

1–50 of 477 athletes

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Compare top two: Gretzky vs Howe

Coaches

Coaching career — listed separately from the player ranking.

🇨🇦 Scotty BowmanHead coach 🇺🇸 Bob JohnsonHead coach 🇨🇦 Clare DrakeHead coach

Top 10 Ice Hockey players of all time

The ten highest verified GOAT Scores across every era.

1🇨🇦Wayne Gretzky1979–199997.8
2🇨🇦Gordie Howe1946–198094.2
3🇨🇦Doug Harvey1947–196993.0
4🇷🇺Viacheslav Fetisov1974–199892.1
5🇨🇦Jayna Hefford1997–201591.9
6🇨🇦Caroline Ouellette1999–201691.8
7🇨🇿Jaromír Jágr1988–202491.6
8🇷🇺Sergei Makarov1976–199791.6
9🇨🇦Red Kelly1947–196791.5
10🇨🇦Howie Morenz1923–193791.3

By position

Centre

1🇨🇦Wayne Gretzky1979–199997.8
2🇨🇦Howie Morenz1923–193791.3
3🇨🇦Bobby Clarke1969–198491.0
4🇨🇦Ron Francis1981–200490.6
5🇺🇸Mike Modano1989–201190.4

Right wing

1🇨🇦Gordie Howe1946–198094.2
2🇨🇿Jaromír Jágr1988–202491.6
3🇷🇺Sergei Makarov1976–199791.6
4🇨🇦Bernie Geoffrion1950–196890.6
5🇨🇦George Armstrong1949–197189.1

Defenceman

1🇨🇦Doug Harvey1947–196993.0
2🇷🇺Viacheslav Fetisov1974–199892.1
3🇨🇦Bobby Orr1966–197989.7
4🇨🇦Scott Niedermayer1991–201089.5
5🇨🇦Ray Bourque1979–200189.3

Forward

1🇨🇦Jayna Hefford1997–201591.9
2🇨🇦Caroline Ouellette1999–201691.8
3🇨🇦Angela James1985–200089.9
4🇺🇸Cammi Granato1990–200588.7
5🇨🇦Syd Howe1929–194688.4

Winger

1🇷🇺Alexander Ovechkin2005–present91.2
2🇨🇦Réjean Houle1969–198382.1
3🇨🇦Willie O'Ree1956–197976.2

Goaltender

1🇨🇦Clint Benedict1912–193091.1
2🇨🇦Glenn Hall1952–197190.7
3🇨🇦George Hainsworth1926–193790.7
4🇷🇺Vladislav Tretiak1968–198490.5
5🇨🇦Jacques Plante1947–197590.4

Left wing

1🇨🇦Aurèle Joliat1922–193890.2
2🇷🇺Valeri Kharlamov1967–198189.9
3🇨🇦Bobby Hull1957–198089.0
4🇨🇦Dickie Moore1951–196888.2
5🇨🇦Bert Olmstead1948–196288.0

Defence

1🇺🇸Brian Leetch1987–200689.9
2🇨🇦King Clancy1921–193788.3
3🇨🇦Geraldine Heaney1988–200288.0
4🇺🇸Rod Langway1978–199387.9
5🇨🇦Sprague Cleghorn1918–192887.5

By country

Canada

1🇨🇦Wayne Gretzky1979–199997.8
2🇨🇦Gordie Howe1946–198094.2
3🇨🇦Doug Harvey1947–196993.0
4🇨🇦Jayna Hefford1997–201591.9
5🇨🇦Caroline Ouellette1999–201691.8

Russia

1🇷🇺Viacheslav Fetisov1974–199892.1
2🇷🇺Sergei Makarov1976–199791.6
3🇷🇺Alexander Ovechkin2005–present91.2
4🇷🇺Vladislav Tretiak1968–198490.5
5🇷🇺Valeri Kharlamov1967–198189.9

Czechia

1🇨🇿Jaromír Jágr1988–202491.6
2🇨🇿Dominik Hašek1981–201189.1
3🇨🇿Václav Nedomanský1962–198388.9

United States

1🇺🇸Mike Modano1989–201190.4
2🇺🇸Brian Leetch1987–200689.9
3🇺🇸Cammi Granato1990–200588.7
4🇺🇸Mark Howe1973–199588.4
5🇺🇸Rod Langway1978–199387.9

Sweden

1🇸🇪Nicklas Lidström1988–201289.1
2🇸🇪Sven Tumba1949–196686.0
3🇸🇪Håkan Loob1979–199684.9
4🇸🇪Henrik Lundqvist2000–202084.5
5🇸🇪Kim Martin2001–201684.4

Slovakia

1🇸🇰Marián Hossa1997–201788.4
2🇸🇰Zdeno Chára1996–202284.1
3🇸🇰Peter Šťastný1975–199583.6
4🇸🇰Miroslav Šatan1992–201581.8
5🇸🇰Marián Gáborík2000–201879.3

Finland

1🇫🇮Riikka Sallinen1988–201987.6
2🇫🇮Teemu Selänne1988–201486.8
3🇫🇮Jari Kurri1977–199885.6
4🇫🇮Michelle Karvinen2008–present85.2
5🇫🇮Jenni Hiirikoski2005–present85.0

Czech Republic

1🇨🇿Patrik Eliáš1994–201683.4
2🏳️Ondřej Palát2012–present57.1
3🏳️David Pastrňák2014–present56.6
4🏳️Vítek Vaněček2020–present48.2

By era

1900s

1🇨🇦Joe Malone1908–192490.3
2🇨🇦Jack Marshall1900–191788.4
3🇨🇦Newsy Lalonde1905–192787.9
4🇨🇦Frank McGee1903–190686.4
5🇨🇦Tommy Phillips1902–191286.3

1910s

1🇨🇦Clint Benedict1912–193091.1
2🇨🇦Hap Holmes1912–192888.7
3🇨🇦Punch Broadbent1912–192988.6
4🇨🇦Frank Calder1917–194388.3
5🇨🇦Mickey MacKay1914–193087.7

1920s

1🇨🇦Howie Morenz1923–193791.3
2🇨🇦George Hainsworth1926–193790.7
3🇨🇦Aurèle Joliat1922–193890.2
4🇨🇦Dit Clapper1927–194790.2
5🇨🇦Frank Boucher1921–194489.7

1940s

1🇨🇦Gordie Howe1946–198094.2
2🇨🇦Doug Harvey1947–196993.0
3🇨🇦Red Kelly1947–196791.5
4🇨🇦Jacques Plante1947–197590.4
5🇨🇦Terry Sawchuk1947–197089.4

1950s

1🇨🇦Glenn Hall1952–197190.7
2🇨🇦Bernie Geoffrion1950–196890.6
3🇨🇦Jean Béliveau1950–197190.0
4🇨🇦Alex Delvecchio1950–197489.8
5🇨🇦Bobby Hull1957–198089.0

1960s

1🇨🇦Bobby Clarke1969–198491.0
2🇷🇺Vladislav Tretiak1968–198490.5
3🇷🇺Valeri Kharlamov1967–198189.9
4🇨🇦Dave Keon1960–198289.8
5🇨🇦Bobby Orr1966–197989.7

1970s

1🇨🇦Wayne Gretzky1979–199997.8
2🇷🇺Viacheslav Fetisov1974–199892.1
3🇷🇺Sergei Makarov1976–199791.6
4🇨🇦Ray Bourque1979–200189.3
5🇷🇺Vyacheslav Fetisov1974–199888.9

1980s

1🇨🇿Jaromír Jágr1988–202491.6
2🇨🇦Ron Francis1981–200490.6
3🇺🇸Mike Modano1989–201190.4
4🇨🇦Angela James1985–200089.9
5🇺🇸Brian Leetch1987–200689.9

1990s

1🇨🇦Jayna Hefford1997–201591.9
2🇨🇦Caroline Ouellette1999–201691.8
3🇨🇦Martin Brodeur1991–201590.0
4🇨🇦Charline Labonté1999–201789.6
5🇨🇦Scott Niedermayer1991–201089.5

2000s

1🇷🇺Alexander Ovechkin2005–present91.2
2🇨🇦Sidney Crosby2005–present90.0
3🇨🇦Marie-Philip Poulin2007–present87.3
4🇷🇺Evgeni Malkin2003–present86.2
5🇺🇸Patrick Kane2007–present85.7

By country · By position · By era

Ice Hockey GOAT debates

The closest calls in the ranking, with a full side-by-side breakdown.

Gretzky vs Howe· Gretzky ranks higher at 97.8 versus Howe at 94.2, a margin of 3.6 points.Howe vs Harvey· Howe ranks higher at 94.2 versus Harvey at 93.0, a margin of 1.2 points.Harvey vs Fetisov· Harvey ranks higher at 93.0 versus Fetisov at 92.1, a margin of 0.9 points.Fetisov vs Hefford· Fetisov ranks higher at 92.1 versus Hefford at 91.9, a margin of 0.2 points.Hefford vs Ouellette· Hefford ranks higher at 91.9 versus Ouellette at 91.8, a margin of 0.1 points.

How the Ice Hockey ranking works

Every athlete is scored on five verified components — Dominance (25%), Peak (20%), Longevity (20%), Honours (20%) and Statistics (15%) — normalised against the full Ice Hockey reference cohort rather than a shortlist. A record only receives a published score once it is editorially verified and complete: a season-by-season series, at least three career metrics, documented honours and independent sources. Read the full methodology.

Ice Hockey GOAT — frequently asked

Who is the greatest Ice Hockey Athlete of all time?: Wayne Gretzky leads Ice Hockey with a verified GOAT Score of 97.8/100.
How is the Ice Hockey GOAT ranking calculated?: Five verified categories are weighted against 2234 reference records. Only eligible profiles receive a score.
How many Ice Hockey players are ranked?: 477 eligible Ice Hockey athletes currently have a published GOAT Score, from 2234 reference records.