from Mick Kern of SiriusMM.

The very nature of a Best of List mandates that it be exclusive, not inclusive. There is no way a Top 100 list of anything (albums, films, great restaurants) will not end up offending someone somewhere.

What measuring stick is applied? How does one compare eras, particularly regarding players most of us never saw play? The short answer is, you don’t. Yet we sally forth, determined to measure the unmeasurable.

How much weight is given to individual accomplishments versus team accomplishments? Did a player make his team better, or did he benefit from being part of a strong squad. Or both? And is longevity key?

And, yes, being a part of a Stanley Cup winning team matters in the rankings.

The general rule-of-thumb is this…how much of an impact did said player have on the era he played in? Was he at, or near, the top of his position for at least half a decade? When it comes to comparing players from different eras, it is a thankless task. The best manner in which to proceed with this vainglorious exercise is to determine which player made a bigger splash in their respective eras....

Here now, for your perusal, ridicule, and hopefully engaging enjoyment, is the Sirius XM NHL Network Radio final list of The Top 100 NHL Players from the First 100 Years of the National Hockey League:

5. Mark Messier
6. Martin Brodeur – goalie
7. Jean Beliveau***
8. Doug Harvey – D***
9. Patrick Roy – goalie
10. Nicklas Lidstrom – D

more...