NHL Reveals First Members of Quarter-Century Team

The tallest person to ever play in the NHL at 6-9, Chara played an even bigger game than his massive size would suggest. The Czechoslovakian-born defenseman captained the Boston Bruins from 2006-20, won the Norris Trophy in 2008-09 and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2010-11, when he also helped his team win the Stanley Cup.

Jarome Iginla

Iginla may not have been drafted by the Calgary Flames, but he's arguably the most iconic player to ever suit up for the team. Calgary's captain from 2003-13, Iginla won two Rocket Richard Awards and an Art Ross Trophy and helped the Flames reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2004. He was also a leader in the locker room and in the community, winning the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2004 and Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2009.

Nicklas Lidstrom

One of the best defensemen to ever take the ice, Lidstrom won a whopping seven Norris Trophy's throughout his legendary career, tied for the second-most in NHL history behind the great Bobby Orr. He was also synonymous with the Detroit Red Wings' dominance throughout the 2000s, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2002 and leading the team to another Stanley Cup in 2008, this time as the captain.

Joe Sakic

Sakic may have been 30 when the calendar turned to 2000, but he continued to play at an extremely-high level for years after that. In 2000-01, he won the Hart Trophy, Lady Byng Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award (known Lester B. Pearson Award at the time) before leading the Colorado Avalanche to their second Stanley Cup. He also won the NHL Foundation Player Award, a defunct award that honored a player's work in the community, in 2006-07.

Teemu Selanne

After a knee injury threatened his career during the 2004-05 lockout, Selanne returned with authority with 90 points (40 goals, 50 assists) for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2005-06, winning the Bill Masterton Trophy as a result. He then helped the newly-renamed Anaheim Ducks win the Stanley Cup in 2007, and continued to play until his age-43 season in 2013-14.

Joe Thornton

Thornton won both the Hart Trophy and the Art Ross Trophy after scoring 125 points (29 goals, 96 assists) in 2005-06, during which he was shockingly traded from the Bruins to the San Jose Sharks. After that, he became arguably the face of the franchise, leading the Sharks to the best regular-season record in the NHL over his 15 seasons with them. He last played in 2021-22 with the Florida Panthers, but thanks to his incredible skill and fun personality, he continues to be a modern NHL icon.

Next week, the league will announce the seven skaters who debuted between 2000-10 to make the Quarter-Century Team.