Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Crosby, Thornton and H. Sedin make NHL.com’s all-time playmakers list

Detroit Red Wings v Vancouver Canucks

VANCOUVER, CANADA - DECEMBER 21: Henrik Sedin #33 of the Vancouver Canucks makes a drop pass to his brother and teammate Daniel Sedin #22 during the first period in NHL action against the Detroit Red Wings on December 21, 2011 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)

Rich Lam

Henrik Sedin, Joe Thornton and Sidney Crosby are among the 10 best playmakers in league history according to NHL.com’s list.

Those active players join the likes of Wayne Gretzky (naturally No. 1), Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr on John Kreiser’s countdown of the game’s best passers.

Kreiser praises Sedin (No. 10) for the puck cycling methods he’s developed with his more trigger-happy brother Daniel, calling Henrik a “master down low.”

Thornton edges Chicago Blackhawks great Stan Mikita for the seventh spot, as Kreiser wonders if Jumbo Joe is the best pure passer in the sport.

Crosby grabs the highest rank of any active player at fifth overall, earning this description:

Like any great passer, Crosby often seems to have eyes in the back of his head. He came into the NHL with the uncanny ability to find open teammates seemingly without looking at them -- making him nearly impossible to defend against.

Are there any active players who might deserve inclusion on the list instead of one (or more) of those three?