IIHF Centennial All-Star Team

The IIHF Centennial All-Star Team is an all-star team of hockey players from international ice hockey tournaments. The selection was organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation and named in 2008. The panel comprised 56 ice hockey experts from 16 countries representing a balance between North American and European countries, and included people who have worked in the game for an extended period and whose opinions are widely respected. One of the 56 votes represented the collective opinion of the staff of The Hockey News. Five of the six players (all except Sergei Makarov) are enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Canada, and were enshrined at the time of the list. Four of the players (Gretzky and Salming being the exceptions) played for CSKA Moscow.

Centennial All-Star Team
The players selected:
 * Goaltender: Vladislav Tretiak (Soviet Union) - 30 Votes.
 * First Defenceman: Vyacheslav Fetisov (Soviet Union) - 54 votes.
 * Second Defenceman: Börje Salming (Sweden) - 17 Votes.
 * First Winger: Valeri Kharlamov (Soviet Union) - 21 Votes.
 * Second Winger: Sergei Makarov (Soviet Union) - 18 Votes.
 * Centre: Wayne Gretzky (Canada) - 38 Votes.

Reviews
The reviews on the selection were mostly positive. The Hockey News, which participated in the selection, said that they are aware many Canadians might not like it there is only one player from Canada on the list, but admitted the selection was fair and much work was done to make it objective. Nevertheless, the National Post from Canada completely supported this selection and even said: "With Wayne Gretzky, four Soviets and a Swede on the Centennial All-Star Team, it's a great one". Gregory Sandstrom, a Canadian working at the Saint Petersburg State University at an article to The St. Petersburg Times admitted that the Russian domination on the list was fair. Sandstrom called Canada for revenge on Russia for that in the following Olympic Games, a goal the national team would accomplish with their gold medal victory in 2010.