Unveiled: The NHL All Quarter-Century Team Featuring McDavid, Matthews, and Surprising New Legends Since 2010
When you talk about redefining greatness in the NHL, this name just can’t be overlooked. Drafted first overall in 2015, this phenom has been nothing short of a force – lighting up scoreboards with a staggering blend of speed, vision, and creative wizardry on the ice. Over ten seasons, he’s not just tallied points; he’s shattered expectations, racking up over a thousand in regular play alone, and consistently pushing his team into the thick of Stanley Cup battles. The fact that he clinched multiple Hart and Art Ross Trophies—hallmarks of true NHL dominance—only scratches the surface. What really sets him apart? His relentless off-ice dedication that fuels insane on-ice performances year after year. Even when the odds seemed stacked, this player turned potential “down years” into highlight reels, cementing a legacy that’s already spoken about in the same breath as hockey legends. And let’s not forget his jaw-dropping 2024 Conn Smythe win, a rare nod given despite the ultimate heartbreak of a Finals loss. Intrigued? You should be…
Regular-season stats: 350 goals, 686 assists, 1,036 points, 679 games
Postseason stats: 37 goals, 80 assists, 118 points, 74 games
Awards: Hart Trophy and Lindsay Award in 2016-17, when he had 100 points (30 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games, 2020-21 (105 points; 33 goals, 72 assists in 56 games), and 2022-23 (153 points: 64 goals, 89 assists in 82 games); Lindsay Award in 2017-18 (108 points; 41 goals, 67 assists in 82 games); Art Ross Trophy in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23; Richard Trophy in 2022-23; Conn Smythe Trophy in 2024 (42 points; eight goals, 34 assists in 25 games).
Bio: Unquestionably one of the most exciting and talented players in NHL history, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft has put up ridiculous numbers in his first 10 seasons. Since coming into the League for the 2014-15 season, he leads the NHL with 1,082 points and 721 assists in 712 games, an average of 1.52 points per game. He has at least 100 points in eight of his 10 seasons, falling short in his rookie year (48 points in 45 games) because of an injury, and the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season (97 points; 34 goals, 63 assists in 64 games). His 153 points in 2022-23 were the highest total in the NHL since Mario Lemieux had 161 in the 1995-96 season. Flashing unbelievable speed, vision and hands, McDavid has turned the Oilers into a perennial Stanley Cup contender and helped them reach Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, a 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, yet was voted the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, the first from the losing team since Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Anaheim Ducks in 2003.
Quote: “I think the most impressive thing is the work off the ice. You see the work on the ice, it’s second to none and I think for him, there is no stone unturned to find a bit of an edge. The longer I’ve played the more impressive it’s become to me how the superstars do it every single year. Their down years are amazing years, still.” — Oilers forward Adam HenriqueAdam Henrique
Coming Sunday: 6 goalies voted by fans
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