Everyone loves a good rivalry. Whether it is between teams or players, the stakes are raised when a fierce rivalry hits the ice. Do these players hate each other? Sometimes. There are times where a rivalry can spill over into something more. But most of the time rivalries are built on respect and a mutual admiration for the other player. A lot of times they can be built between divisional rivals, playoff matchups, or even two players that have been drafted together. Comparisons are inevitable, and sometimes these players feed off of these comparisons to raise their game to another level. Let’s take a look at some of the best player feuds in the NHL!
Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin
Ever since both players were drafted first overall in 2005 and 2004 respectively, they’ve been pitted against each other by the media and NHL fans. In another rarity, both players have spent their entire careers with the same teams, making it extra special every time the Penguins and Capitals square off. We’ve seen classic playoff series and we’ve seen both players raise a Stanley Cup.
Both Crosby and Ovechkin are first ballot hall of famers and Ovechkin could potentially be the all-time leading goal scorer when all is said and done. The two have both stated that while they aren’t best friends, there is a mutual respect both on and off the ice. As two of the faces of the league, the Crosby-Ovechkin era of the NHL is starting to come to a close. It will no doubt go down in history as one of the greatest rivalries we’ve ever seen.
Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux
Does it get any better than Gretzky and Lemieux? Arguably the two best players to ever lace them up, the two legends dominated the league during the 80’s and 90’s. While NHL fans have always been left to wonder about Lemieux’s full potential due to a series of injuries and a year off due to non-hodgkins lymphoma, it’s probably a good bet that he wouldn’t have caught Gretzky’s all time point total.
The two rarely played against each other due to Lemieux spending his entire career in Pittsburgh and Gretzky playing most of his time in the Western Conference. But when they teamed up for Team Canada at the 1987 Canada Cup, Lemieux described it as the best time of his career. The two had a natural chemistry with each other, and teamed for several important goals.
Sean Avery and Martin Brodeur
Those of us who are old enough to remember the super pest, Sean Avery, will likely chuckle when we think of his brief playoff feud with New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur. In the playoff series between the Rangers and the Devils in 2008, the Blueshirts did everything they could to rattle the hall of fame goalie. This included Sean Avery taking things into his own hands. During a power play, rather than screening Brodeur in the traditional fashion, Avery turned around to meet Brodeur face to face. He then started to wave his stick in Brodeur’s face trying to obstruct his view.
Apparently it worked, as the Rangers managed to win the series 4-1. Broduer was noticeably bothered by it, and refused to shake Avery’s hand after the series was over. The NHL did implement a rule that is now known as the ‘Sean Avery Rule’ where players cannot wave their sticks in the faces of goaltenders. Although it’s been fourteen years since the infamous game, Brodeur and Avery remain bitter rivals, and I think it’s safe to say neither of them send each other Christmas cards.
Kris Draper and Claude Lemieux
There have been few team rivalries that were as bitter as the great rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche of the late 90’s. Not only were both teams at the top of the Western Conference, but both were stacked with future hall of fame players. Their games were highlighted by bench clearing brawls and even goalie fights between the likes of Patrick Roy and Mike Vernon. But no hit defined this rivalry more than the dirty check from behind from Claude Lemieux on Kris Draper.
The hit came in Game 6 of the 1996 Western Conference finals, a series that the Avs would go on to win en route to a Stanley Cup victory over the Florida Panthers. Draper suffered a broken jaw, a broken nose, and a fractured orbital bone. The next year, Draper’s teammate Darren McCarty took matters into his own hands and pounded on Lemieux in the infamous turtling incident. The hit remains one of the dirtiest in league history, and even now, there’s a little extra spice when Colorado and Detroit face off against each other.
Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews
Is this the next greatest rivalry in the NHL? The modern day Gretzky and Lemieux, McDavid and Matthews have also been dominating the league since they entered it. It also makes it extra special for Canadian hockey fans since McDavid plays for the Oilers and Matthews plays for the Leafs. The only problem? The two are actually good friends off the ice. Toronto and Edmonton also barely play against each other since they are in different conferences, but it’s not out of the question to one day see them face off in a Stanley Cup finals.
The all-Canadian division that was put into place during the COVID-19 bubble was our best opportunity to see McDavid and Matthews playing against each other. But for now, the rivalry just hasn’t reached the same level as Crosby and Ovechkin. The two have trained together in the off season and have been learning from each other too, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the league. Until we see a playoff matchup between the two, this rivalry will likely be more of a Gretzky and Lemieux type relationship. Still, they can expect to be compared to each other for the rest of their careers and at least as hockey fans, we know the future of the league is in good hands!
