Matthews, McDavid headline third group named to NHL Quarter-Century Team
The third batch of superstars from the NHL’s Quarter-Century Team was revealed and it highlighted some of the biggest names from the modern era of the sport.
The third batch of superstars from the NHL’s Quarter-Century Team was revealed and it highlighted some of the biggest names from the modern era of the sport.
Joining the list of 25 definitive players of the last 25 years will be Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Cale Makar and Johnny Gaudreau, the league announced Saturday.
All the latest entrants debuted in the league after 2010.
Perhaps the player most touted to carry the mantle as the face of the league, McDavid has racked up accolades and filled up statsheets over his 10 seasons in the NHL. In 712 regular-season games, the 28-year-old has tallied 1,082 points (361 goals, 721 assists).
The Richmond Hill, Ont. native has three Hart Trophies, four Ted Lindsay Awards, five Art Ross Trophies and one “Rocket” Richard Trophy to his name. He also became only the sixth player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Award despite being on the losing side in the Stanley Cup Final.
Entering the league as the first-overall pick in 2016, the year after McDavid, Matthews has lived up to his top-end billing, picking up 727 career points (401 goals, 326 assists) over 629 games and has helped the Maple Leafs to the playoffs in every year he’s been on the team.
Past just the team’s success, Matthews has built up quite the trophy cabinet as well, winning the Calder Trophy in 2017, the Hart and Ted Lindsay in 2022 and has three “Rocket” Richard Trophies.
At 29 years old, MacKinnon only seems to be improving with age. The Cole Harbour, N.S. native finished with his third-straight 100-plus-point season, potting 32 goals and 84 assists for 116 points. Over 870 career regular-season games, he has 1,015 points (367 goals, 648 assists).
He helped the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup win in 2022, picking up 12 goals and 11 assists over 20 games. As for individual hardware, he has a Calder, a Hart, a Lady Byng Trophy and a Ted Lindsay Award to his name.
Joining his teammate MacKinnon, Makar has planted his flag as the league’s best blue-liner in recent years, finishing with 60+ assists the last two years. He has a Calder and a Norris Trophy to his name, along with a Conn Smythe trophy earned during Colorado’s Cup run.
Draisaitl, meanwhile, has been the perfect superstar alongside McDavid for much of their respective careers. The German powerhouse has picked up 956 points (399 goals, 557 assists) over 790 games and has a Hart, Art Ross and Ted Lindsay Award to show for it. He also earned the “Rocket” Richard this past season after scoring a league-leading 52 goals.
Lastly, Gaudreau was one of the players in the NHL most well-regarded by his peers over his 11-year career, routinely seeing his name pop up in Lady Byng Trophy conversations and eventually winning it in 2017. The star winger picked up 743 points over 763 games split between the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets. He tragically passed away in August 2024, but his legacy lives on through peers, fans, and the game of hockey.
The Quarter-Century Team honours the top 25 players of the last 25 years (2000-2025), voted on by hockey fans. The team reveal continues Sunday.
