Gordie Howe is the SOG Sports pick as the greatest NHL winger of all-time, with Alex Ovechkin, Bobby Hull, Maurice Richard and Jaromír Jágr rounding out the top five. This ranking weighs career value, peak dominance, goal scoring, playmaking, awards, playoff résumé, era context and how much each winger shaped the position.
This is a subjective SOG Sports ranking, not an official NHL leaderboard. The list focuses on players whose primary NHL identity was at wing, so centers, defensemen and goalies are handled separately in other SOG Sports rankings.
Table of Contents
- How We Ranked the Best NHL Wingers Ever
- Best NHL Wingers of All-Time: 1-10
- Best NHL Wingers of All-Time: 11-20
- Best NHL Wingers of All-Time: 21-30
- Biggest Takeaways From the Ranking
- Toughest Omissions
- Full Ranking Table
- FAQ
- Conclusion
- More NHL Rankings
How We Ranked the Best NHL Wingers Ever
The top of this list rewards players who combined elite scoring with long-term value. A winger who scored at a historic rate, drove playoff wins, won major awards and remained great across multiple eras or roster builds earned the strongest case.
Career totals matter, but they are not the only factor. Maurice Richard, Mike Bossy and Bill Cook do not need modern counting-stat totals to rank highly because their peaks, era dominance and championship value were enormous. Modern players such as Alex Ovechkin, Nikita Kucherov, Patrick Kane, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak are judged against the deeper talent pool, tighter defensive systems and longer postseason expectations of their own eras.
Players were evaluated by their NHL résumé first. WHA, international and pre-NHL context can help explain a player’s historical footprint, but the main ranking is built around NHL performance and positional value. Regular-season work carries the most weight, while playoff performance, awards, team role and era-adjusted dominance separate close cases.
Players are listed at wing when that was their primary NHL identity, even if they occasionally moved to center or filled another role. The ranking is about the player’s value as a winger, not a claim that every season of a long career came at one exact position.
Best NHL Wingers of All-Time: 1-10
The top 10 best NHL wingers of all-time, led by Gordie Howe, Alex Ovechkin, Bobby Hull, Maurice Richard, Jaromir Jagr, and Guy Lafleur.
1. Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe takes the No. 1 spot because his case is the most complete. He was not only a scorer; he was a power winger, playmaker, physical presence and long-term franchise force who remained elite for an extraordinary length of time.
Howe’s six Hart Trophies, six Art Ross Trophies and four Stanley Cups give him a peak and longevity blend no other winger fully matches. Ovechkin owns the greater pure goal-scoring record, but Howe’s all-around value and era-spanning résumé keep him first.
2. Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin is the greatest goal-scoring winger in NHL history. His shot volume, one-timer, power-play dominance and ability to keep scoring into his late 30s separate him from almost every modern forward.
Ovechkin’s case became even stronger when he passed Wayne Gretzky for the NHL’s all-time regular-season goals record in 2025. Add a Stanley Cup, three Hart Trophies and an unmatched run as the defining goal scorer of his generation, and No. 2 is the right landing spot.
3. Bobby Hull
Bobby Hull brought a level of speed, power and shooting force that changed what a winger could look like. His slap shot was terrifying for goalies, but the broader case is about how much he separated from his peers as a scorer.
Hull won three Art Ross Trophies, a Hart Trophy and a Stanley Cup with Chicago. He does not have Howe’s all-around longevity or Ovechkin’s NHL goal record, but his peak as a game-breaking left wing belongs near the very top.
4. Maurice Richard
Maurice Richard is one of hockey’s most important finishers and one of its most emotionally powerful figures. He was the first NHL player to score 50 goals in 50 games, and his postseason scoring made him more than a regular-season legend.
Richard’s ranking is built on goal-scoring gravity, playoff value and the way he became the standard for the power goal scorer. He played in a lower-scoring, shorter-schedule era, so raw totals alone do not capture his value. Eight Stanley Cups and eight 50-goal seasons further separate his résumé from ordinary volume scorers.
5. Jaromír Jágr
Jaromír Jágr gives this list one of its best peak-plus-longevity cases. He was massive, creative, impossible to knock off the puck and productive across several different NHL eras.
Jágr’s five Art Ross Trophies, two Stanley Cups and place near the top of the NHL’s all-time points list make him the highest-ranked winger outside the Howe, Ovechkin, Hull and Richard group. His puck-protection style aged better than almost any winger’s game.
6. Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur was the offensive face of the 1970s Montreal Canadiens dynasty. His speed through the neutral zone, release off the rush and ability to turn big games into highlight reels made him one of the most dangerous wingers ever.
Lafleur’s five Stanley Cups, three Art Ross Trophies and two Hart Trophies give him a strong argument for the top five. He lands at No. 6 because the players above him either had a longer elite runway, a stronger historical scoring claim or a slightly larger era-adjusted footprint.
7. Nikita Kucherov
Nikita Kucherov has already built one of the best offensive winger résumés in NHL history. His vision, deception, power-play control and postseason scoring make him more than a pure finisher.
Kucherov’s 2019 season, Tampa Bay’s back-to-back Stanley Cup runs and his three Art Ross Trophies push him above many older legends. He is the highest-ranked active-era winger on this list after Ovechkin because his peak playmaking value is rare for a player listed at wing.
8. Mike Bossy
Mike Bossy’s career was shorter than most players in this top 10, but his scoring rate is impossible to ignore. He was one of the cleanest finishers the sport has ever seen, with elite hands, timing and accuracy.
Bossy also proved his scoring translated to championship hockey. His nine straight 50-goal seasons, four Stanley Cups and postseason finishing ability keep him ahead of longer-career wingers who never matched his peak.
9. Ted Lindsay
Ted Lindsay ranks this high because he combined production, edge, championship value and influence. He was a fierce winger on Detroit’s “Production Line” and one of the defining stars of his era.
Lindsay’s Hart Trophy, scoring title, four Stanley Cups and leadership in player rights give him a historical profile that goes beyond box-score totals. On the ice, he was a complete, difficult, high-end winger who fit perfectly beside elite talent without being carried by it.
10. Bill Cook
Bill Cook closes the top 10 as one of the greatest early-era wingers in NHL history. His numbers need era context, but his standing among the first generation of NHL stars is too strong to push lower.
Cook was a premier scorer, a two-time Stanley Cup winner and a foundational New York Rangers legend. The ranking gives him credit for being one of the best right wings before the Original Six era became the league’s defining historical reference point.
Best NHL Wingers of All-Time: 11-20
The best NHL wingers of all-time ranked No. 11 through No. 20, featuring Charlie Conacher, Patrick Kane, Brett Hull, Teemu Selanne, Brad Marchand, and Bernie Geoffrion.
11. Charlie Conacher
Charlie Conacher was one of the NHL’s great early power scorers. He had size, a heavy shot and enough finishing dominance to stand out in an era where schedules, scoring environments and equipment were nothing like the modern game.
Conacher sits just outside the top 10 because his peak was immense, but the players above him carry either broader career value or greater historical reach. Three Art Ross Trophies and three Stanley Cups keep his early-era case secure.
12. Patrick Kane
Patrick Kane is one of the most skilled American-born forwards ever. His puck control, creativity, playoff confidence and ability to create offense from nothing made him the signature winger of Chicago’s championship era.
Kane’s Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy and three Stanley Cups give him a clean modern résumé. He ranks behind Kucherov because Kucherov’s peak scoring rate and two-way playoff engine became slightly more overwhelming, but Kane’s case is still top-tier.
13. Brett Hull
Brett Hull was one of the purest goal scorers the NHL has ever seen. His release, one-timer and ability to find soft ice made him a nightmare even when defenders knew exactly where the puck was going.
Hull’s ranking reflects extreme offensive value. He does not bring the all-around game of Howe, Lindsay or Marchand, but his five 50-goal seasons and two Stanley Cups give his peak enough weight to place him ahead of many more complete players.
14. Teemu Selanne
Teemu Selanne combined speed, finishing and longevity in a way few wingers have matched. His rookie season remains one of the most explosive introductions in NHL history, but his full career was far more than one historic year.
Selanne adapted across eras and eventually added a Stanley Cup with Anaheim. His 76-goal rookie season, 600-goal career and blend of peak, longevity and era-adjusted scoring keep him inside the top 15.
15. Brad Marchand
Brad Marchand’s ranking is built on a rare combination: elite scoring, defensive value, playoff bite and long-term line-driving impact. He was not just a pest who could score; he became one of the best two-way wingers of his generation.
Marchand’s Stanley Cup, penalty-killing value and years of high-end production make his résumé deeper than some higher-volume scorers. His case is especially strong when postseason and defensive context are included.
16. Bernie Geoffrion
Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion was one of the defining shooters of his era. His slap shot helped shape the way later generations thought about point-of-attack scoring and shooting power.
Geoffrion’s two Art Ross Trophies, Hart Trophy and two Stanley Cups make him more than a historical footnote. He sits at No. 16 because his peak belongs among the best, even if the league around him looked very different from today’s NHL.
17. Jarome Iginla
Jarome Iginla was the classic power winger for the post-1990s NHL. He scored, fought through traffic, played heavy minutes and carried Calgary’s offense for years.
Iginla won two Rocket Richard Trophies and finished as an MVP finalist during his best stretch. The missing Stanley Cup keeps him from climbing higher, but his overall winger profile remains one of the strongest of the modern era.
18. Andy Bathgate
Andy Bathgate was an elite scorer and playmaker whose best years came with New York. He had enough high-end offensive value to stand out even without the team success that boosted some other players in this range.
Bathgate’s Hart Trophy and sustained production give him a strong Original Six case. He ranks here because his individual value was clear even when his supporting cast did not always match the league’s deepest teams.
19. Frank Mahovlich
Frank Mahovlich had the size, scoring skill and championship résumé to fit almost any all-time winger conversation. He won at a high level and produced for multiple storied franchises.
Mahovlich’s case is built on consistency, postseason contribution and top-end talent. He does not quite have the individual award dominance of the wingers above him, but six Stanley Cups and a complete résumé are too strong to leave outside the top 20.
20. Jari Kurri
Jari Kurri was much more than Wayne Gretzky’s finisher. His intelligence, defensive responsibility and playoff scoring made him one of the most complete wingers of the Edmonton dynasty.
Kurri’s five Stanley Cups, 601 regular-season goals and 92 playoff goals give him a powerful case. He ranks 20th because some of his peak value came within an historically loaded environment, but he still clearly belongs among the greatest wingers ever.
Best NHL Wingers of All-Time: 21-30
The best NHL wingers of all-time ranked No. 21 through No. 30, featuring Martin St. Louis, Cy Denneny, Dickie Moore, Toe Blake, Aurele Joliat, and Pavel Bure.
21. Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis was undersized by NHL standards, but his career became a lesson in skill, pace and persistence. He won two scoring titles, drove elite offense and helped Tampa Bay capture the Stanley Cup.
St. Louis ranks ahead of several bigger-name scorers because he combined peak production with playmaking and team-driving value. His Hart Trophy and 1,000-point career make the résumé even stronger than the size narrative suggests.
22. Cy Denneny
Cy Denneny represents the early NHL scoring era on this list. His goal totals and offensive standing were enormous for his time, and he deserves more credit than modern fans usually give him.
The challenge with Denneny is era translation. He ranks 22nd because his dominance was real, but comparing the NHL’s first decade to later versions of the league requires caution. Four Stanley Cups and his place among the early league’s premier scorers keep him in the top 25.
23. Dickie Moore
Dickie Moore was a key winger for Montreal’s dynasty years and one of the league’s best offensive players at his peak. His two scoring titles and championship role give him a strong Original Six résumé.
Moore ranks here because he combined production with winning context. He was not simply along for the ride on a stacked Canadiens team; he was one of the players who made that machine overwhelming. Six Stanley Cups support the placement.
24. Toe Blake
Toe Blake was a high-end winger before becoming even more famous as a coach. As a player, he brought scoring, toughness and championship value to Montreal.
Blake’s case is helped by his role on the Canadiens’ famous “Punch Line” and by the way his game fit winning playoff hockey. He lands in the 20s because the individual scoring peak is not quite as large as the names higher on the list, even though he won three Stanley Cups as a player.
25. Aurèle Joliat
Aurèle Joliat was one of the NHL’s great early wingers and a major Montreal Canadiens figure. He played with speed, scoring skill and enough creativity to remain historically relevant nearly a century later.
Joliat’s Hart Trophy, three Stanley Cups and long Canadiens career keep him inside the top 25. Like Denneny, he requires era adjustment, but his placement reflects how dominant he was in his own time.
26. Pavel Bure
Pavel Bure’s peak was electric. Few wingers have ever combined straight-line speed, acceleration and finishing as violently as Bure did at his best.
Two Rocket Richard Trophies, five 50-goal seasons and a shorter, injury-interrupted prime define the tradeoff. Bure is one of the clearest peak-over-longevity choices in the ranking, and his best seasons were explosive enough to beat several longer-career players.
27. David Pastrnak
David Pastrnak is the highest-ranked winger here whose all-time case is still actively growing. His release, scoring consistency and ability to drive Boston’s attack already put him ahead of many strong modern candidates.
Pastrnak ranks 27th because his peak goal-scoring profile is outstanding, but he still needs more career runway and postseason résumé to challenge the top 15. His current scoring profile can be compared with the SOG Sports list of the most goals scored in the NHL since 2020.
28. Johnny Bucyk
Johnny Bucyk built one of the strongest longevity cases among NHL wingers. He was productive for a long time, became a Boston Bruins icon and aged into a key veteran on championship teams.
Bucyk does not have the same explosive peak as Bure or Bossy, but his career value is excellent. He ranks 28th because sustained quality matters on an all-time list, especially for a player who cleared 1,500 points and won two Stanley Cups.
29. Paul Kariya
Paul Kariya was one of the most dynamic skill wingers of the dead-puck era. His skating, puck control and creativity gave Anaheim a true offensive star before the franchise became a champion.
Kariya’s peak was high enough to make the list, even with injuries reducing the full career case. He ranks 29th because his best hockey was special, but durability and postseason hardware leave some separation from the players above him.
30. Marian Hossa
Marian Hossa closes the ranking because his two-way winger résumé is stronger than his raw scoring totals alone suggest. He could score, defend, forecheck and fit championship rosters without needing the entire offense built around him.
Hossa’s three Stanley Cups with Chicago and long stretch of high-level play make him a strong No. 30. He beats out several bigger regular-season scorers because his complete game translated cleanly to playoff hockey.
Biggest Takeaways From the Ranking
Goal Scoring Alone Is Not Enough
Ovechkin, Hull, Richard, Bossy, Brett Hull, Selanne, Bure and Pastrnak show how valuable pure finishing can be. Still, the top of the ranking favors players who added either long-term all-around value, elite playmaking or championship weight.
The Original Six Era Still Matters
Richard, Howe, Hull, Lindsay, Geoffrion, Moore, Blake, Joliat and Mahovlich all benefited from playing in a more concentrated league, but they also faced fewer roster spots and heavy defensive attention. Their placement reflects dominance within their own hockey world, not a direct copy of modern stat totals.
Modern Wingers Have a Higher Cutoff
Ovechkin, Kucherov, Kane, Marchand, Pastrnak, Kariya and Hossa had to separate in a deeper, more specialized NHL. That makes Kucherov’s and Ovechkin’s placements especially impressive, while Pastrnak’s position leaves room for movement if his peak continues.
Playoff Value Changes the Middle of the List
Bossy, Kane, Marchand, Kurri and Hossa all get meaningful boosts because their games held up in championship settings. That is one reason this list does not simply mirror a career goals or points leaderboard.
Toughest Omissions
The hardest cuts were Brendan Shanahan, Mark Recchi, Daniel Alfredsson, Ilya Kovalchuk, Theo Fleury and Patrik Elias. Each has a credible top-30 argument depending on how much the ranking values longevity, peak scoring, international impact or two-way play.
Shanahan and Recchi have especially strong longevity cases, while Kovalchuk and Fleury have higher peak arguments. They miss the final 30 because the last few spots went to players with either stronger playoff value, better peak separation or more era-defining influence at wing.
Full Ranking Table: Best NHL Wingers of All-Time
| Rank | Player | Primary NHL Team | Primary Wing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | Right Wing |
| 2 | Alex Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | Left Wing |
| 3 | Bobby Hull | Chicago Blackhawks | Left Wing |
| 4 | Maurice Richard | Montreal Canadiens | Right Wing |
| 5 | Jaromír Jágr | Pittsburgh Penguins | Right Wing |
| 6 | Guy Lafleur | Montreal Canadiens | Right Wing |
| 7 | Nikita Kucherov | Tampa Bay Lightning | Right Wing |
| 8 | Mike Bossy | New York Islanders | Right Wing |
| 9 | Ted Lindsay | Detroit Red Wings | Left Wing |
| 10 | Bill Cook | New York Rangers | Right Wing |
| 11 | Charlie Conacher | Toronto Maple Leafs | Right Wing |
| 12 | Patrick Kane | Chicago Blackhawks | Right Wing |
| 13 | Brett Hull | St. Louis Blues | Right Wing |
| 14 | Teemu Selanne | Anaheim Ducks | Right Wing |
| 15 | Brad Marchand | Boston Bruins | Left Wing |
| 16 | Bernie Geoffrion | Montreal Canadiens | Right Wing |
| 17 | Jarome Iginla | Calgary Flames | Right Wing |
| 18 | Andy Bathgate | New York Rangers | Right Wing |
| 19 | Frank Mahovlich | Toronto Maple Leafs | Left Wing |
| 20 | Jari Kurri | Edmonton Oilers | Right Wing |
| 21 | Martin St. Louis | Tampa Bay Lightning | Right Wing |
| 22 | Cy Denneny | Ottawa Senators | Left Wing |
| 23 | Dickie Moore | Montreal Canadiens | Left Wing |
| 24 | Toe Blake | Montreal Canadiens | Left Wing |
| 25 | Aurèle Joliat | Montreal Canadiens | Left Wing |
| 26 | Pavel Bure | Vancouver Canucks | Right Wing |
| 27 | David Pastrnak | Boston Bruins | Right Wing |
| 28 | Johnny Bucyk | Boston Bruins | Left Wing |
| 29 | Paul Kariya | Anaheim Ducks | Left Wing |
| 30 | Marian Hossa | Chicago Blackhawks | Right Wing |
FAQ
Who is the greatest NHL winger ever?
Gordie Howe is the SOG Sports pick as the greatest NHL winger ever. His combination of scoring, physical play, awards, Stanley Cups and unmatched longevity gives him the strongest all-around case.
Why is Alex Ovechkin not No. 1?
Alex Ovechkin has the greatest goal-scoring case in NHL history, but Gordie Howe holds the edge in complete all-around value. Howe’s playmaking, physical presence, awards, longevity and championship résumé keep him at No. 1.
Where does Patrick Kane rank among NHL wingers?
Patrick Kane ranks 12th among NHL wingers in this SOG Sports list. His skill, playoff production, Hart Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy and three Stanley Cups give him one of the best modern winger résumés.
Why is Mike Bossy ranked eighth?
Mike Bossy ranks eighth because his peak goal-scoring and championship value were extraordinary, but his career was shorter than most players ahead of him. The ranking rewards his scoring rate while still accounting for longevity.
Is this an official NHL ranking?
No. This is a SOG Sports editorial ranking of the best NHL wingers of all-time. The order is based on SOG Sports’ evaluation criteria, including peak, longevity, era context, playoff value and positional impact.
Conclusion
The best NHL wingers of all-time start with Gordie Howe because he has the strongest complete résumé at the position. Alex Ovechkin owns the greatest goal-scoring case, Bobby Hull and Maurice Richard defined earlier scoring eras, and modern stars such as Nikita Kucherov, Patrick Kane, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak show how deep the position remains. The final order rewards more than raw totals: peak dominance, playoff value, longevity and era context all matter.
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