The NHL in the 1990’s seemed like it was riding a crest that would take it beyond the status of a “niche sport” and into the mainstream.  The dynasties of the 1980’s were replaced by more parity in the league during the next ten years.

Expansion in the NHL saw hockey come to cities like San Jose, Tampa Bay, Anaheim and Florida. The NHL returned to Ottawa as the Senators were “reborn” and moving trucks were loaded in Winnipeg, Hartford, Minnesota and Quebec bringing the NHL to Phoenix, Carolina, Dallas and Denver, respectively.

The NHL also got itself a new commissioner in 1993, naming Gary Bettman to the post. He came from the NBA which was booming in its’ own right behind the star power of Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwan. What a great idea! Take one of the great NBA minds and bring him to the NHL to help sell the product on a national scale. What could go wrong there?!

Wayne Gretzky, arguably the greatest player to ever play the game, had taken his talents and mainstream appeal to Los Angeles once Edmonton couldn’t afford to pay him anymore. Mario Lemieux had taken over the scoring title, though he would also be replaced by his teammate Jaromir Jagr during the latter half of the decade.

Here’s a look at the top fantasy players of the 1990’s:

5. Joe Sakic: The center for the Colorado/Quebec franchise was synonymous for consistency and excellence throughout the decade. The captain of two Stanley Cups also was the fourth leading scorer of the decade with 352 goals, 565 assists and 917 points.

4. Brett Hull: The “Golden Brett” was the ultimate sniper during the 1990’s. With two of the best passers in NHL history feeding him, Hull lit the lamp 512 times during the decade. He added 384 assists for 896 points

3. Steve Yzerman: “The Captain” in Detroit brought an incredible scoring pace and Stanley Cup glory to Hockeytown as Detroit ended their 42-year title drought. Yzerman’s high scoring ways tapered to more of a team-oriented game, but he still managed to finish third in scoring for the decade with 363 goals and 555 assists for 918 points.

2. Adam Oates: With the exception of a certain player wearing number 99, Adam Oates might have been the best passer in NHL history. Blessed with great vision and superior hands, Oates helped Brett Hull take his game to the next level. His passing put him behind only Gretzky as the leader in assists for the decade with 693.

1a. Jaromir Jagr: He took over Lemieux’s mantle as the Art Ross king, and assumed leadership of the Penguins when Lemieux had to step away for health reasons. Though his mullet’s awesomeness was certainly iconic, there was no better player in the late 1990s than Jagr.

1. Wayne Gretzky: I always hate to put the same players in the same lists but it would be irresponsible to not acknowledge that Wayne Gretzky was the best player for over two decades in the NHL. Even with his career winding down in the late 1990s, Gretzky still had better vision on the ice than everyone else. His point totals for the decade (257 goals 753 assists and 1020 points) still dwarf everyone even though he turned 30 in 1991.