The NHL has unveiled its Quarter-Century Team featuring the best players of the last 25 years as voted on by fans. There is no shortage of greatness to choose from, as we've witnessed some outstanding accomplishments during that time.
From Alex Ovechkin becoming the all-time greatest goal scorer, to Martin Brodeur breaking the single-season records for wins and shutouts in the same year, many of hockey's most talented players have taken the ice during the 21st century.
Needless to say, the list is only 25 players long, and there are countless more skaters that could be in the conversation. Here are the biggest surprises to be left off of the Quarter-Century Team.
Dominik Hasek
If Patrick Roy earned a spot on the list in his three seasons this millennium, then Dominik Hasek undoubtedly deserves recognition for his success in the early 2000s.
The Hall of Fame goaltender reached his prime in the '90s, but continued the legendary play up until his retirement following the 2007-08 season. His 2.10 GAA is the third-best of any goalie during this quarter-century, in addition to 39 shutouts in 312 games played.
He backstopped the Detroit Red Wings to the 2001-02 Stanley Cup championship, posting six shutouts along the way -- the second-most in NHL history for one playoff run, behind only Martin Brodeur (7 in 2002-03).
From a pool of 85 goalies appearing in at least 15 playoff games, Hasek's 1.98 GAA is second-best in the NHL over that span, and he is tied for sixth-most shutouts among all goalies in the playoffs with nine.
Hasek added another Stanley Cup to his collection in 2008, though Chris Osgood got the majority of the starts in that playoff run. Still, the duo combined to win the William M. Jennings Trophy that season as the tandem with the lowest GAA in the NHL. Hasek also won that award solo in the 2000-01 season in addition to the Vezina Trophy as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.
There are plenty of other netminders who are deserving of a spot on the Top 25 list, but Hasek easily belongs over Patrick Roy specifically based on their careers in the 21st century.
Anze Kopitar
It's hard to believe that a player who won the Frank J. Selke Trophy twice, skated in five All-Star Games, and captured two Stanley Cup championships is not regarded as one of the best in this century so far.
Among all players skating between Jan. 1, 2000 and the end of this year's regular season, Kopitar ranks sixth with 1,278 points. He holds the Kings' franchise record for assists with 838, which is the fourth-most in the NHL over the last 25 years. Kopitar is also just 29 points away from breaking Marcel Dionne's franchise record in points.
As far as the playoffs go, Kopitar was anything but a passenger en route to the Los Angeles Kings' Stanley Cup victories in 2012 and 2014. He scored at a point-per-game pace in both playoff runs, averaging over 21 minutes per game across that time. During each of those postseasons, Kopitar led the NHL in both points and assists.
The Kings captain was also one of the runners-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2017-18 as the league's most valuable player. He finished behind winner Taylor Hall and Nathan MacKinnon in a season where each of their respective teams would not have made the playoffs without their contrubutions -- so it was tough competition.
Kopitar may not be the flashiest player on the list, but he is an all-time great for the Kings. With his reliable two-way style and ability to dish out the puck, he continues to make an impact entering his 20th season, and is among the best players of the century so far.
Nikita Kucherov
Perhaps the most head-scratching player to be excluded from the list is Nikita Kucherov, one of the most elite scorers of the last decade. He's received a great deal of recognition for his scoring prowess, winning a Hart Trophy in 2019 and three Art Ross Trophies as the NHL's leading point scorer, including each of the last two seasons.
Kucherov has recorded three of the ten highest-scoring seasons in the last 25 years, with his career best being 144 points in 2023-24. That's the second-most in a single campaign since the year 2000, only behind Connor McDavid's 153 points in 2022-23.
Not only that, but Kucherov has five 100-point years under his belt, including each of the last three seasons. Only McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Sidney Crosby have more in that time -- all of whom made the Quarter-Century Team.
That's not even taking playoffs into consideration. Kucherov led the NHL in points in two straight postseasons as the Lightning won back-to-back Stanley Cups. That includes 27 assists in the 2020 playoffs, which is sixth-most in NHL history for a single postseason. He's even scored three or more points in 23 playoff games -- only Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jari Kurri have done so more times.
Kucherov's accolades speak for themselves. He's played just 803 games and yet is six points away from hitting 1,000 in his career. With everything Kucherov has achieved in his career, it's absolutely absurd to leave him off of the Quarter-Century Team.