Top 10 is too restrictive for how many greats there have been, and too tightly packed for anything other than a subjective ranking. Gretzky and Howe are the only ones that are significantly above the rest, at #1 and #2 respectively, not only for their performance, but for overall impact. Anyone else is open to debate.

Some players have an argument for stats, some for awards, some for legacy, achievements, etc. Some players are simply iconic. Personally I'd have Roy and Bourque pretty high.

We can go through all these hypotheticals and what-ifs, but the facts are that Gretzky produced significantly, and I mean significantly, more than any other player in NHL history. He is significantly, and I mean significantly, more decorated than any player in NHL history. His fame and arrival on the Kings made hockey so popular in the US that the NHL could expand to warm-weather states like Florida and California. Gretzky is greatest player to ever play hockey and is the greatest thing to ever happen to the NHL. There is a strong argument to be made that Gretzky is the greatest athlete (ignoring just hockey) of all time. There is absolutely no argument to be made as to whether or not he is the greatest hockey player of all time.

Yessir I meant pure goal scorers
Nice list forgot about bure

That is true there have been tons of elite superstars
That’s why we have top -100 lists lol
Roy has to be top -3 all time for goalies