Sidney Crosby headlines NHL's all-decade team

As we enter a new decade, it’s a good time for a retrospective of the last 10 years of action in the NHL. Fans saw the rise of some mini-dynasties in the Blackhawks (three Stanley Cups from 2010-15), Penguins (consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017), Kings (Stanley Cup champs in 2012 and 2014) and Bruins (won the Stanley Cup in 2010, finalists in 2013 and 2019). They were also treated to the first championships in the franchise history for the Capitals (2018) and the Blues (2019) and saw the Vegas Golden Knights make the finals in their inaugural season (2018). The shrinking of goalie equipment also led to a rise in goal-scoring, something many have craved for years. Here is a collection of the greatest players by position in the NHL over the last 10 seasons.

Center: Sidney Crosby

Love him or hate him, it’s inarguable that Sidney Crosby turned the Penguins from a bottom-feeder into a perennial Stanley Cup threat since joining the NHL in 2005. In the last decade alone Crosby has raked in two Richard Trophies, two Ted Lindsay Awards, an Art Ross Trophy, a Hart Trophy and two Conn Smythe Trophies to go with two Stanley Cups. His stats (836 points in 670 games) would be even flashier if he didn’t miss so many games due to injury.

Honorable mentions: Jonathan Toews, Steven Stamkos, Connor McDavid

Left wing: Alex Ovechkin

Considered by many to be the greatest goal-scorer of all-time, Alex Ovechkin is a slam-dunk choice for best left winger of the decade. He garnered six Richard Trophies since 2010 and seven All-Star team selections. Ovechkin finally got the monkey off his back by winning the Stanley Cup (and the Conn Smythe Trophy) in 2018, the first in Capitals franchise history.

Honorable mentions: Rick Nash, Artemi Panarin

Right wing: Patrick Kane

Patrick Kane is a sure-fire Hall of Famer and he’s only 31. The career Blackhawk has won a Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy and a Ted Lindsay Award to go with three Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe Trophy. The 2018-19 campaign was his best to date as he notched 110 points.

Honorable mentions: Vladimir Tarasenko, Corey Perry

Defensemen: Drew Doughty, Erik Karlsson

Fifth in points among defensemen (and second in power play points) but with an intimidating physical presence, the Kings’ Drew Doughty was the best all-around blueliner of the last 10 years. Doughty was a three-time finalist for the Norris Trophy and received one in 2016.

Erik Karlsson took the term “offensive defenseman” to another level in the last decade as he won two Norris Trophies and was a finalist two additional times. He led the Senators in points in five of his nine seasons there and led the NHL in assists in 2015-16, becoming the first defenseman to do so since the legendary Bobby Orr in 1974-75.

Honorable mentions: Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith

Goaltender: Pekka Rinne

No one goaltender stood out in this decade the way Martin Brodeur did in the previous one, but Pekka Rinne gets the nod here. He was second in wins, third in both save percentage and goals-against average and led the NHL in shutouts. The Predators netminder was a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist and finally won the award in 2018. Rinne was able to shine in the 2017 playoffs as he went 14-8 with a 1.96 GAA and .930 save percentage before falling to the Penguins in six games in the Stanley Cup Final.

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