who is the best hockey player  in the late 90's?
828258
The question is the best player of the late 90's. If we count just the late 90's (that excludes the greats like gretzky) then for my money the best skater would have been Steve Yzerman. He captained them to 2 cups and just missed a third in the late 90's along with getting them a couple of Presidents trophies so I would think that put him at the top during that time span. His presence on the ice was as important as his stats, he was very clearly the heart of the Wings (and the numbers were Hall of Fame numbers too!) \n  As for goalies during that stretch I dont know how anyone can decide between Brodeur or Roy. It is splitting hairs to decide which was better, they are both clearly the best netminders of this era and in my mind equally gifted and very close in late 90's production.
215690
Lidstrom is the best, but Chris Chelios is in the same class with him.  The Red Wings are fortunate to have two great defensemen like those two.  Both are locks for the Hall of Fame when they finally hang 'em up.\n\nBobby Orr was a great player on a great Bruins team, but he was an offensive defenseman.  I was a hockey fan (Red Wings of course) in the years when Orr was the leader of that Boston team along with Phil Esposito, Gerry Cheevers, John McKenzie, Derek Sanderson, Johnny Bucyk and others.  Orr was an original, a defenseman who was offense-minded.  He strayed from the blue line more than any d-man had up to that time.  He scored a lot of goals, but was often up ice so much that it put a lot of pressure on the other defenseman.  Great player, but for pure defense, I'd take Lidstrom or Chelios any day.
211873
1.) Patrick Roy; #1 in wins and his playoff feats will never be touched.\n2.) Terry Sawchuk; to accomplish what this guy did in the pre-mask era is amazing.\n3.) Glenn Hall; "Mr. Goalie" set an NHL record 502 consecutive games (many of which before wearing a mask) is unrivaled.\n\n   Honourable mention would have to go to Jacques Plante, because without him, many of us goalies would not be as lucky as we are.
1097513
I'll take Bobby Orr, the man changed the way the game is played and would have been even better if he could have played longer.  Not that the Great one but remember the Oilers won a cup without him and the Bruins haven't won since Orr left
913554
Ovechkin, Heatley and Kovalchuk are all candidates. But I'd go with Ovechkin. He's the youngest and he's got the most potential.
842648
Terry Sawchuk\n\n He set the bar for todays goalies in terms of wins and won a few Stanley Cups as well, all without a mask!\n\n Not to discount todays goalies but he did it during the original 6 era which is no small feat considering every single player was very talented (not so in the 30 team league today). \n\n We have had the good fortune of watching great goalers like Roy and Brodeur among many others and they all deserve the accolades they get. But my answer has to be Sawchuk!
286818
olie kahn for me. tough under pressure and boosted by years of experience. he wasn't the world's No. 1 goalie for nothing!
335534
96-97: Rick Tabaracci, Dwayne Roloson, Trevor Kidd\n97-98: Rick Tabaracci, Dwayne Roloson, Tyler Moss\n98-99: Ken Wregget, Fred Brathwaite, Tyler Moss, Jean Sebastien Giguere, Tyrone Garner, Andrei Trefilov\n\nAll goalies played at least one game during the seasons.
823217
All of the Staal kids---saw one of the younger ones at a Petes/Knights game last spring.\nThe obvious suspects, Crosby Ovechkin....\nI also like Stajan, but will admit I'm biased because he's a Leaf.
139350
Devils\nMats Sundin\nI love Brody of course, but I have to say Dominik Hasek is my fave netter of all time
663729
Reggie Miller is best.  Other two would be Mark Price and Jeff Hornacek
318011
Whns did the new era began? Right now, Ronaldino is the best player. Probably the best player of the past 15 years... Maradona´s prime came to an end in 1990. Messi is regarded, as many pthers, as the next big one... but Ronaldino is the best there is now!
592955
My favorite Pittsburgh Penguin goalie was definately Johan Hedberg. When he was in net it was fun to watch him! he was a good guy and i loved the name! Johan Hedberg, wooooo those were good times. The record doesnt speak volumes for him, but he was consistent and he had some amazing saves.
904942
News flash! The NHL is not the be all and end all of hockey. \n\nHasek also won Olympic gold in 1998. \nCzech League MVP--1987, 89 and 90\nCzech Goalie of the Year--5 yrs in a row (1986-90)\n13 different tournys he has played for the Czech Republic (or Czechoslovakia)\n\nAdd to this he really opened up the way for European golaies to play in the NHL in great numbers as prior to that only a few played over here in the NHL (i.e., Lindbergh, Astrom, Crha, etc.).\n\nPlus he was an innovator with his gumby style of netminding, stopping the puck with his mask or even dropping his stick to pick the puck up with his blocker...add to that his career save pct in the NHL is about .10 or more better than any other goalie. I mean, think about that...he's basically 10 percent or more better than any goalie of his era.\n\nAfter all this is a guy who took a very average Sabres team to the Final in 1999 which I'd rate his best NHL accomplishment even more than his Cup with Detroit or his MVP years.
476428
Steve Yserman. He took Scotty Bowman's advice and changed his game 180 degrees in order to win championships. And yet, he plays with a quiet dignity that even his opponants respect - case in point, the number 19 and the Candadian Olympic Team. \n\nIf you get a chance to watch him this year, do so. This is the final act in a solid career between stat's, leadership and citizenship that deserves almost instant Hall of Fame induction.
736721
The only reference I could find  was to James Cook, who won the Rick Kozuback Award in 2003 in the Central Hockey League.  I don't know if he is in professional hockey now, or where he might be found.\nThere is a sports writer for the Traverse City Egale named James Cook. This could be your guy:\njcook@record-eagle.com <jcook@record-eagle.com>
1180636
Yeah   I think Gus Hiddink was the best in previous two cups but this time it would certainly Jurgen Klinnsman , Sven Goran Errikson or Marco van Basten.\n\nPreferably Klinnsman