best nhl teams of the 2000s

He recorded four 200-point campaigns in a span of five seasons. His 76 goals during the 1970-71 campaign shattered Bobby Hull’s single-season record by 18 goals.In the decade, Esposito won the Art Ross Trophy four times, the Lester Pearson Award twice and the Hart Trophy once, in addition to one Stanley Cup victory.Ken Dryden was a new breed of goaltender when he arrived during the 1970-71 playoffs. If the cleaning ladies were up there, you should have seen them scatter. His 190 goals topped all scorers in the decade, leading the league in single-season goals three times. He won one Cup with the Toronto St. Pat’s in 1922.The league’s first star defenseman. His 200-foot game served as the perfect second line compliment to Gretzky; probably the best one-two punch down the middle in the history of the game.Gretzky’s departure to Los Angeles prior to the 1989-90 season paved the way for Messier to step out from “The Great One’s” shadow to showcase just how great he was himself. Durnan captured six Vezina Trophies in a span of seven years; sheer dominance. Unless the NHL makes multiple, massive rule changes it’s unlikely that anyone comes close to “99’s” scoring records.Eight Hart Trophies, eight Art Ross Trophies, five Lester Pearson Awards, two Conn Smythe Trophies and four Stanley Cup wins make Gretzky the most decorated player on this list.And forget having your jersey retired by your former team; Gretzky’s 99 is retired by the entire league.Despite not coming into the league until the 1984-85 season, Mario Lemieux did more than enough in his six seasons to make the top five of the decade.

He eclipsed 30 goals every year in the decade, 40 goals six times and 50 goals four times. The aforementioned accolades and statistics are made even more incredible by the fact that Lidstrom was already 30 years old when the decade began.

He is a special athlete.Quietly excellent throughout the 1990s on a star-studded Red Wings squad, Lidstrom’s play (and acclaim) exploded in the 2000s. Last year’s Tampa Bay Lightning are the shining, shocking example. That was Gordie Howe.-Red Wings and Maple Leafs forward Paul Henderson (In the decade, Howe won the Hart and Art Ross Trophies five times apiece, while winning the Stanley Cup four times. He has won the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Lester Pearson (Ted Lindsay) Award and the Conn Smythe Trophy once apiece.Jonathan Toews is Mark Messier 2.0, playing arguably the best 200-foot game in the league. He recorded 199 points (85 goals, 114 assists) during the 1988-89 season; the highest point total ever by a player not named “Gretzky.”Lemieux finished the decade with two Art Ross Trophies, two Lester Pearson Awards and one Hart Trophy. Franchise wins. Former opponent and The best part about coming to Chicago was that Bobby Hull was on my side,” But I still had to face him and his shot in practice. Make that centerman Mario Lemieux and the writing was on the wall; teams would be giving up goals, and plenty of them.His 958 points (in 725 games) led all scorers in the decade. Here is a look back at the 10 of the best playoff rounds of the 2000s.

See also: List of National Hockey League awards. It was The Capitals have had a lot of great teams over the past decade, and it's kind of funny that the one that finally broke through and won the Stanley Cup may have been the worst of the three. As virtuous, honorable and humble as they come, Bourque’s greatness began in the 1980s, but spanned two full decades.Had cancer and multiple back surgeries not taken their toll and abbreviated Mario’s career he could have made a legitimate run at Gretzky’s scoring records. He captained the Penguins to back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals, bringing the trophy back to Pittsburgh in 2009 for the first time in nearly 20 years.A goal-scoring machine. Shore registered 199 points in 386 games, giving him an average of 42 points per 82 games; incredible numbers for a defenseman in the era. I know it’s kind of a cop-out, but I truly could not decide between these two surefire Hall of Famers.On one hand, Pavel Datsyuk was one of the most complete players of his era, and of recent memory. He won one of his three Stanley Cups in the decade (1939).Marty Barry was a model of consistency. Howie was in a class by himself. Here’s a nugget for you: of the 12 teams that posted the most points in a single regular season in the 2010s, not one of them went on to win the Stanley Cup in that same season. They clinched the Cup in dramatic fashion, scoring two late goals in Game 6 in Boston. He captured one Hart Trophy, one Art Ross Trophy, and won the Stanley Cup five times in the decade.