The top 25 Olympians of the NHL era
What makes an Olympic hockey career special?
When tasked with creating Daily Faceoff’s top-25 list of the greatest Olympians of the NHL era, an endless sea of questions immediately flooded the canvas…
- What’s the right balance of individual play versus team results in international action?
- Is factoring into multiple Olympics more important than dominating at one?
- How should the expectation gap between favorites and underdogs be factored?
- What if a player’s timeline didn’t fully line up with NHL participation?
- In a short, high-intensity event, how much power belongs to the Olympics’ signature moments?
Big, polarizing questions… with no easy answers.
But after weighing all of the above and performing exhaustive research, the list took shape. Your list might look much different than this one. And that’s okay. Great debates are supposed to produce passion.
🥇 NHL Olympic Participation
Here’s a quick refresh of the five Winter Olympic Games that have featured best-on-best NHL talent, spanning 1998 through 2014. Any Olympic action outside this window has not been considered.
| Year | Host | Teams | Gold (total) | Silver | Bronze |
| 1998 | Nagano, Japan | 14 | Czechia | Russia | Finland |
| 2002 | Salt Lake City, USA | 14 | Canada | USA | Russia |
| 2006 | Turin, Italy | 12 | Sweden | Finland | Czechia |
| 2010 | Vancouver, Canada | 12 | Canada (2) | USA (2) | Finland (2) |
| 2014 | Sochi, Russia | 12 | Canada (3) | Sweden | Finland (3) |
Let’s get to it: counting down the top 25 Olympians of the NHL era — plus 10 honorable mentions.
25. Brian Rafalski, USA
Olympics: 3; Medals: 2x Silver
Stat Line (goals/assists/points): 5/8/13 in 17 games
Two Americans have silver medals from both Salt Lake City and Vancouver: Rafalski and current New York Rangers‘ GM Chris Drury. Undersized and underrated, Rafalski was outstanding in 2010. He co-led USA in goals (four), assists (four), and points (eight) and was named the Best Defenseman. Rafalski is one of just two Americans on the list — USA has either fallen just short or been no-shows in the NHL’s Olympic era.
24. Joe Sakic, Canada
Olympics: 3; Medals: Gold
Stat Line: 6/7/13 in 16 games
You know this is a tough list to crack when the 2002 Olympic Most Valuable Player just makes the cut. Sakic went nuclear in the gold medal game with two goals and two assists in a 5-2 win over USA, including the famous “Jooooe… Sakic” call from Bob Cole. But Salt Lake City was Sakic’s only medal in three tries, sandwiching Canadian disappointments in Nagano and Turin.
23. Olli Jokinen, Finland
Olympics: 4; Medals: Silver, 2x Bronze
Stat Line: 13/6/19 in 24 games
The first of five Finns in the top 25, Jokinen was a weapon for the Suomi spanning four Olympic Games. The well-travelled veteran of 10 NHL franchises, he’s tied for third in Olympic goals (13) in the NHL era. In Finland’s silver medal showing in Turin, Jokinen scored six times in eight games. He’s one of only eight players of the best-on-best era to win three Olympic medals. All are from Finland.
22. Roberto Luongo, Canada
Olympics: 3; Medals: 2x Gold
Stat Line: 7-1, .936 SV% in 8 games
Luongo saw action in three Olympics, winning gold twice. But his sensational body of work at his NHL home city in Vancouver secured his spot. After he grabbed the net from Martin Brodeur in group play, Luongo won four straight elimination games, highlighted by a dramatic, game-saving stop against Slovakia in the semi-final. He outdueled Ryan Miller in the gold medal game, making 34 saves before the Golden Goal.
21. Jaromir Jagr, Czechia
Olympics: 5; Medals: Gold, Bronze
Stat Line: 9/14/23 in 28 games
Only four men have competed in all five Olympics featuring NHL talent. Unsurprisingly, the ageless Jagr is one of them. At 25, he co-led Czechia in points in a stunning gold-medal run in Nagano — the country’s only best-on-best title to date. Jagr was still a factor in Sochi at 42, bumping his Olympic point total to 23, fourth-most of the NHL era. Still active in Czech Extraliga, he’ll turn 54 during this year’s Games… never say never?
20. Scott Niedermayer, Canada
Olympics: 2; Medals: 2x Gold
Stat Line: 2/3/5 in 13 games
Niedermayer, a four-time Cup winner, didn’t pad the scoresheet or make the event All-Star team in either of his Olympic Games. But it’s no surprise that Canada won two golds with him and didn’t medal twice without him. He was snubbed in 1998 and recovering from knee surgery in 2006, but Niedermayer’s serene presence was critical to victory in 2002 and 2010. He captained the Vancouver team to gold in his final NHL season.
19. Antero Niittymaki, Finland
Olympics: 1; Medals: Silver
Stat Line: 5-1, .951 SV% in 6 games
Appropriately slotting Niittymaki on the list was complicated. He suited up in a single Olympics after Finnish fixtures Miikka Kiprusoff and Kari Lehtonen dropped out with injuries. But Niittymaki’s performance in 2006 was iconic. Still in his first full season with the Philadelphia Flyers, the 25-year-old dominated. A Flyers goalie dominating? I swear, it happened… Tournament MVP. Best Goaltender. All-Star. Olympic Silver. Save percentage of .951. Three shutouts. Spectacular.
18. Ryan Miller, USA
Olympics: 2; Medals: Silver
Stat Line: 6-1, .945 SV% in 7 games
Miller entered the Vancouver Olympics with an air of invincibility. He was in the middle of a Vezina Trophy-winning season with the Buffalo Sabres. The American allowed just five goals in his first five Olympic starts, including a fear-inducing, 39-save win against rival Canada in group play. Like Niittymaki’s four years earlier, Miller’s fortune finally faded in the gold medal game. While his slumped shoulders are etched in Golden Goal replays forever, Miller’s Olympic legacy was secured as the tournament’s MVP.
17. Nicklas Lidstrom, Sweden
Olympics: 4; Medals: Gold
Stat Line: 4/10/14 in 20 games
The seven-time Norris winner and Detroit Red Wings fixture played in four Olympics for the Tre Kronor. Lidstrom’s only medal was gold in 2006, which remains Sweden’s only best-on-best crown in 14 tries. His blast just inside the blueline only 10 seconds into the third period of the gold medal game stood as the winner. Lidstrom was named to the All-Star team in Turin but teammate Kenny Jonsson shocked as the tournament’s Best Defenseman.
16. Jarome Iginla, Canada
Olympics: 3; Medals: 2x Gold
Stat Line: 10/4/14 in 19 games
Iginla was immortalized on the “Iggy!” call heard around the world as the architect of 2010’s Golden Goal. But he also scored five times in Vancouver as the affable elder statesman — the only forward remaining from the Salt Lake City gold-medal winners eight years prior. Canada’s Olympic success has functioned by committee, a result of unmatched depth in international play. He’s one of only three Canadian forwards (Sakic, Rick Nash) to play in three NHL-era Olympics, and Iginla’s 10 goals and 14 points lead his country.
15. Pavol Demitra, Slovakia
Olympics: 3; Medals: None
Stat Line: 6/14/20 in 15 games
Demitra is the first of two players on this list without an Olympic medal. That’s how dominant he was for unheralded Slovakia. Demitra’s career 1.33 points-per-game rank second in the NHL Olympic era. He led the 2010 Games in points (10) and made the All-Star team. The Slovaks shocked the globe that year, nearly upsetting Canada in the semis and falling 15 minutes shy of bronze. An underappreciated veteran of 16 NHL seasons, Demitra tragically perished in the 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash at 36.
14. Kimmo Timonen, Finland
Olympics: 5; Medals: Silver, 3x Bronze
Stat Line: 3/10/13 in 30 games
Finland has repeatedly punched above its weight in the Olympics. Timonen, a 5-foot-10 defenseman and veteran of 1,108 NHL games, is the perfect symbol of the Finns’ understated brilliance. He and countryman Teemu Selanne are the only players with four Olympic medals in the five NHL-repped Games. Timonen was no passenger, either — he led his team’s blueline in points (five) and made the event All-Star team in Turin.
13. Pavel Bure, Russia
Olympics: 2; Medals: Silver, Bronze
Stat Line: 11/1/12 in 12 games
Nine Russians earned both silver in Nagano (1998) and bronze in Salt Lake City (2002) — the country’s only medals in the NHL era. The only Russian on the list, Bure was easily the most distinguished. His performance in Nagano alone lands him just outside the top 10. The rocket-fueled winger scored a preposterous nine goals in six games and was named the event’s Best Forward. That included five goals in a 7-5 semi-final win. Bure’s encore in 2002 wasn’t at the same level (two goals) as he played with a fractured hand. But his 0.92 goals-per-game is the best of the NHL era.
12. Sidney Crosby, Canada
Olympics: 2; Medals: 2x Gold
Stat Line: 5/5/10 in 13 games
Where Crosby belonged on this list was one of the biggest challenges. He didn’t dominate in Vancouver or Sochi. He wasn’t recognized with Tournament Directorate or Media awards in either Olympics. But how do you put a value on defining moments? With respect to Paul Henderson in 1972 and Gretzky-to-Lemieux in 1987, the Golden Goal on home soil in 2010 is now ‘The Goal’ to Canadians 25 to 50 years old.
Crosby’s buy-in as captain of Mike Babcock’s stifling approach in Sochi led to team perfection (6-0 record, only three goals allowed). His breakaway tuck in that gold medal game was also big-time. Combine his solid play with a heavy dose of Olympic magic and the #12 spot felt right. In Milan — after an inconceivable 12-year wait — Crosby can become the first player to captain multiple gold-medal winners in the NHL era.
11. Drew Doughty, Canada
Olympics: 2; Medals: 2x Gold
Stat Line: 4/4/8 in 13 games
Having just turned 20 before the Vancouver Games, Doughty is the youngest player to suit up for Canada in the best-on-best Olympic era. A divisive choice in 2010, he was poised beyond his years, playing a key role with a plus-six rating. His encore in Sochi was even better — team highs of four goals and six points. Doughty scored both goals in a 2-1 overtime win against Finland, ultimately earning a spot on the All-Star team. He’s one of 10 men — all Canadians — to win two gold medals in two tries in the NHL era. He and Crosby are gunning to be the first to go three-for-three in Milan.
10. Mats Sundin, Sweden
Olympics: 3; Medals: Gold
Stat Line: 11/9/20 in 16 games
Sundin knows team heartache. The tears from his Toronto Maple Leafs‘ tenure alone could overflow a landfill. Sundin’s international career was headed in the same direction. Nagano, 1998: three goals in four games; quarter-final exit. Salt Lake City, 2002: led the event in points (nine) in only four games; shocked by Belarus on the infamous Tommy Salo gaffe. Mercifully, Sundin reached the mountain top in Turin at 35, captaining Sweden to gold with eight points. His 1.25 Olympic points-per-game are third in the NHL era.
9. Carey Price, Canada
Olympics: 1; Medals: Gold
Stat Line: 5-0, .972 SV% in 5 games
Price joins Niittymaki as the only players to make the list by appearing in only one Olympics. The Montreal Canadiens‘ superstar had a near-perfect tournament at a position where perfection is a dream, not a realistic target. Here was Price’s five-win run: 3-1 over Norway (19 saves); 2-1 over Finland (14 saves); 2-1 over Latvia (15 saves); 1-0 over USA (30 saves); 3-0 over Sweden (24 saves). Price won Best Goaltender, delivering a .972 save percentage and a comical 0.60 goals against average — that’s three goals in 303 minutes.
8. Daniel Alfredsson, Sweden
Olympics: 5; Medals: Gold, Silver
Stat Line: 13/14/27 in 26 games
Playing in five Olympics is an incredible feat on its own. Doing so for a hockey heavyweight like Sweden is even more rarified air. It means being one of the country’s best 25 players for a 16-year period. Alfredsson was an impact Olympian from age 25 through 41, compiling juicy career totals. The longtime Ottawa Senator is top four in goals, assists, points, plus-minus, and games played in the NHL’s Olympic era. His best work came in Turin where he led the Swedes in goals (five) and points (10) en route to gold.
7. Jonathan Toews, Canada
Olympics: 2; Medals: 2x Gold
Stat Line: 2/9/11 in 13 games
Toews’ two Olympic titles came amidst a jaw-dropping run of team dominance. How about this stretch? Olympic Gold (2010). Stanley Cup (2010). Stanley Cup (2013). Olympic Gold (2014). Stanley Cup (2015). World Cup (2016). This spanned ages 21 to 28 for Toews. Decent. You might look at the two career Olympic goals scored by ‘Captain Serious’ and scoff at his #7 ranking. But he was the on-ice conscience and two-way force that drove Canada’s back-to-back golds. And those two goals? Each opened the scoring of gold medal games. Toews was named Best Forward in Vancouver — his seven assists and plus-nine rating led the event.
6. Marian Hossa, Slovakia
Olympics: 4; Medals: None
Stat Line: 14/14/28 in 19 games
The second and final Slovak on the list, Hossa slayed at four Olympics. It needs to be said that there is one individual benefit of playing on a second-tier hockey nation: maximum ice time. Absent a full squad of NHL’ers, Slovakia doesn’t roll four lines. But it also means you’re an easy target for the opposition. While he never snagged a medal, Hossa’s 1.47 points-per-game and plus-14 rating are the best of the NHL’s Olympic era. He led his country to unprecedented heights. After finishing 10th and 13th in the first two best-on-best Olympics, Slovakia ranked fifth and fourth in Turin and Vancouver, respectively.
5. Shea Weber, Canada
Olympics: 2; Medals: 2x Gold
Stat Line: 5/7/12 in 13 games
A Stanley Cup runner-up and three-time Norris finalist, Weber was often a groomsmen and never a groom in the NHL. But he activated Beast Mode in back-to-back gold medal wins. In 2010, Weber was a tournament All-Star (two goals, four assists). He famously ripped a slap shot through the mesh against Germany, igniting an urban legend. In 2014, Weber’s six points co-led the team. His late game-winner in the quarter-final against Latvia rescued Canada from potential disaster. The NHL-era blueline leader in Olympic goals-per-game and points-per-game, Weber is both the list’s top defenseman and Canadian.
4. Henrik Lundqvist, Sweden
Olympics: 3; Medals: Gold, Silver
Stat Line: 12-3, .926 SV% in 15 games
In the best-on-best era, The King is the only goalie to both: (i) play a starting role in three Olympics; and (ii) win two medals as a starter. Debuting at 23 years old in Turin, Lundqvist led Sweden to gold, emerging from a crowded crease to author a 5-1 record. By the Vancouver Games, he was a bona fide NHL star with the New York Rangers. Yet, despite two shutouts in three starts, the Swedes were stunned in the quarters by Slovakia. In Sochi, Lundqvist was on a revenge tour — .943 save percentage and tournament All-Star. Sweden’s only loss was in the gold medal game, edged 3-0 by a Canadian buzzsaw. Lundqvist’s 12 wins are five more than any other goalie in the NHL era.
3. Saku Koivu, Finland
Olympics: 3; Medals: Silver, 2x Bronze
Stat Line: 5/18/23 in 20 games
Koivu’s 18 assists are the most by any player in the NHL’s Olympic era. He twice co-led the Games in points — 10 in six games in Nagano, 11 in eight games in Turin. But his Olympic career isn’t defined only by numbers. Respected for both his motor and his mind, Koivu was named captain of Team Finland in 1998 at just 23 years old, a post he would he keep internationally for 12 years through the 2010 Olympics. The only time the Finns missed an Olympic medal in his tenure was 2002… while he was out battling non-Hodgkins’ lymphoma. Koivu is one of three players — all Finns — to medal in each of their three Olympic appearances (Ville Peltonen, Lasse Kukkonen).
2. Dominik Hasek, Czechia
Olympics: 3; Medals: Gold, Bronze
Stat Line: 6-3, .948 SV% in 11 games
If you know, you know. Peak Hasek was not going to lose in Nagano. The 1998 Games arrived during the second of his back-to-back Hart Trophy seasons, amidst a stretch of six Vezinas in eight years. North American fans were setting alarms for the middle of the night to watch the action live from Japan. And Hasek was operating in an unbeatable state of goaltending nirvana. His body of work in the elimination round:
- Quarter-final (USA): 4-1 win, 38 saves
- Semi-final (Canada): 2-1 win, 30 saves, 5-for-5 in the shootout
- Gold medal game (Russia): 1-0 shutout win, 20 saves
Hasek was named Best Goaltender with a 5-1 record, 0.97 goals against average, and .963 save percentage, delivering gold to a nation with modest hopes of a medal. There was no MVP award that year, but he’d have won it unanimously. In 2002, at 37 years old, Hasek had a .924 save percentage but the Czechs got bounced 1-0 in the quarters. In 2006, Hasek, then 41, played just nine minutes but added a bronze medal.
1. Teemu Selanne, Finland
Olympics: 5; Medals: Silver, 3x Bronze
Stat Line: 17/15/32 in 29 games
Selanne was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in his NHL life. But something special happened when he put on the blue and white of the Finnish national team.
- 1998: 10 points in five games; co-led Olympics in points; bronze medal
- 2002: Three goals in four games
- 2006: 11 points in eight games; co-led Olympics in points; Best Forward; All-Star; silver medal
- 2010: Two assists in six games; bronze medal
- 2014: Six points in six games; Tournament MVP; All-Star; bronze medal… all at 43 years old!
Put it all together and Selanne is easily the NHL era’s best Olympian. His 17 goals and 32 points are the most ever. He’s one of four players to play in all five NHL-attended Olympics. He’s one of two with four medals. He was the scoring leader at 27 and 35. He was the MVP at 43. An unparalleled Olympic hockey life.
Honorable Mentions
Jere Lehtinen, Finland (8/9/17 in 24 games); Martin Brodeur, Canada (6-3, .911 SV% in 11 games); Duncan Keith, Canada (0/7/7 in 13 games); Sergei Fedorov, Russia (3/11/14 in 16 games); Chris Pronger, Canada (1/8/9 in 25 games); Pavel Datsyuk, Russia (5/15/20 in 23 games); Ryan Getzlaf, Canada (4/6/10 in 13 games); Erik Karlsson, Sweden (4/4/8 in 6 games); Phil Kessel, USA (6/4/10 in 12 games); Phillippe Bozon, France (8/5/13 in 8 games)
Split by Country: Canada (9); Finland (5); Sweden (4); Czechia, Slovakia, USA (2); Russia (1)
Split by Position: Forwards (13); Defensemen, Goaltenders (6)
Data from Quant Hockey; Hockey-Reference; Wikipedia; per-game rankings require minimum 10 games
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