NHL All-Star team facts for kids
Quick facts for kids NHL All-Star Team |
|
|---|---|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| League | National Hockey League |
| Given for | Best players at each position as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association |
| History | |
| First award | 1930–31 |
The National Hockey League All-Star Teams are special groups of players chosen each year in the NHL. These teams celebrate the best players in different positions for their amazing skills throughout the hockey season.
Hockey writers from the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for these teams after the regular season ends. It's a big honor to be picked for an All-Star Team!
One of the greatest players ever, Gordie Howe, was chosen for an All-Star Team a record 21 times! He played his whole career with the Detroit Red Wings. Another famous player, Alexander Ovechkin, was once picked for both the First and Second All-Star Teams in the same year because of a voting mistake.
Contents
How Players Are Picked
When you look at the tables below, here's what the special symbols mean:
| ^ | This means the player is still playing in the NHL today. |
| * | This means the player has been chosen for the Hockey Hall of Fame. That's a huge honor for hockey legends! |
| † | This means the player has stopped playing but isn't old enough yet to be considered for the Hockey Hall of Fame. |
| Player (X) | The number in the brackets shows how many times that player has been selected for an All-Star Team. |
| Player (in bold text) |
This player also won the Hart Memorial Trophy in the same year. This award goes to the NHL's Most Valuable Player! |
| Player (in italic text) |
This player also won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in the same year. This award goes to the NHL's best defenseman! |
Early Hockey Stars (1930–31 to 1941–42)
The NHL All-Star Teams began in the 1930-31 season. Back then, players like Eddie Shore and Charlie Gardiner were some of the first big names to be recognized as the best in the league. These early teams set the stage for how players would be honored for their skills for decades to come.
The Original Six Era (1942–43 to 1966–67)
This period is known as the "Original Six" era because only six teams played in the NHL for many years. During this time, legendary players like Maurice Richard, Gordie Howe, and Bobby Hull became household names, earning many All-Star selections.
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The Expansion Era (1967–68 to 2004–05)
Starting in 1967, the NHL grew bigger, adding more teams. This "Expansion Era" brought new stars to the league, and the All-Star Teams continued to highlight the very best players as hockey became even more popular across North America.
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Modern Hockey Stars (2005–06 to Present)
After a break in the 2004-05 season, the NHL came back with new rules and new stars. This era has seen incredible players like Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, and Connor McDavid dominate the league and earn many All-Star honors.
Players with the Most All-Star Selections
Here's a list of the players who have been chosen for the NHL All-Star Teams the most times. It shows how many times they made the First Team, Second Team, and if they won the MVP award (Hart Memorial Trophy) in those seasons.
| ^ | This means the player is still playing in the NHL today. |
| * | This means the player has been chosen for the Hockey Hall of Fame. |
| † | This means the player has stopped playing but isn't old enough yet to be considered for the Hockey Hall of Fame. |
| Player | Position | Total Selections | First Team Selections | Second Team Selections | MVP Awards (Hart) | Seasons Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordie Howe* | RW | 21 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 26 |
| Ray Bourque* | D | 19 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 22 |
| Wayne Gretzky* | C | 15 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 20 |
| Maurice Richard* | RW | 14 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 18 |
| Bobby Hull* | LW | 12 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
| Nicklas Lidstrom* | D | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 20 |
| Alexander Ovechkin^ | LW | 12 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 18 |
| Doug Harvey* | D | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| Glenn Hall* | G | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| Jean Beliveau* | C | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 20 |
| Earl Seibert* | D | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 15 |
| Bobby Orr* | D | 9 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| Ted Lindsay* | LW | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| Mario Lemieux* | C | 9 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 17 |
| Frank Mahovlich* | LW | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| Eddie Shore* | D | 8 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 14 |
| Jaromir Jagr† | RW | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 24 |
| Phil Esposito* | C | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 18 |
| Red Kelly* | D | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 20 |
| Stan Mikita* | C | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 22 |
| Mike Bossy* | RW | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Pierre Pilote* | D | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 14 |
| Luc Robitaille* | LW | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
| Sidney Crosby^ | C | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 18 |
| Paul Coffey* | D | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 21 |
| Frank Brimsek* | G | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 10 |
More Hockey Fun
- NHL All-Star Game - Learn about the special game where All-Stars play against each other!
- NHL All-Rookie Team - Find out which new players are recognized as the best in their first year!
