Sidney Crosby
Mark Messier
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Mark Messier leads 3 of 5 categories. Our all-time ranking places Sidney Crosby at #5 and Mark Messier at #12.
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The case for Sidney Crosby
The most complete player of his generation, Sidney Crosby has carried the Pittsburgh Penguins and Canadian hockey for two decades. Drafted first overall in 2005 amid impossible hype as The Next One, he delivered: three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016, 2017), two Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP, two Hart Trophies, and the 2010 Olympic gold medal, which he clinched with the Golden Goal in overtime against the United States, the most famous goal in Canadian hockey since 1972. Through the 2024-25 season he has amassed more than 1,650 points and over 600 goals, and remains a point-per-game player deep into his thirties. Crosby's genius is his two-way command and his puck protection down low, where his low centre of gravity and strength make him nearly impossible to dislodge. A relentless competitor and a model captain, he elevated the Penguins into a modern dynasty and stands as the defining North American star of the post-lockout era, bridging the game's past and present.
The case for Mark Messier
The Messiah is remembered as hockey's ultimate leader, the only man to captain two different franchises to the Stanley Cup. Mark Messier won five Cups alongside Gretzky with the powerhouse Edmonton Oilers of the 1980s, then delivered the signature moment of his career in 1994, guaranteeing a win and scoring a hat trick in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final to drag the New York Rangers toward their first championship in 54 years. He retired with 1,887 points, second only to Gretzky on the all-time list at the time, and 694 goals, won two Hart Trophies, and played 25 punishing seasons. Messier combined a power forward's ferocity with a scorer's hands and an intimidating will that teammates and opponents alike describe in almost mythic terms. Where Gretzky was serene artistry, Messier was force and fire, the emotional engine of every team he played for. His blend of production, longevity and championship leadership secures his place among the immortals.