2023-10-07 04:00:00
Colleague Yvon Pedneault had gotten into the habit, year following year, of devoting himself to the monk’s work of putting together the list of the 50 best players in the NHL. Following his death, which occurred too quickly during the summer, I have the immense honor of taking up his torch. Hoping to live up to this Hall of Famer.
Happy season!
50. Cole Caufield
Photo Martin Chevalier
Able to place the puck in a mouse hole, the American is the Canadian’s most electrifying player. If he manages to avoid injuries, we can think that he will score at least 40 goals. This is what he would have done last season if he had not missed the last 36 games of the schedule.
49. Erik Karlsson
He has a lot of shortcomings defensively, but it’s hard to miss the first defender to score at least 100 points in 31 years. A new chapter in his career opens in Pittsburgh. It will be interesting to see how he fits into an already offensive lineup.
48. Sebastian Aho
The emergence of Martin Necas has eased his burden somewhat. But he is still the heart of the Hurricanes. This is why GM Don Waddell signed him to an eight-year contract extension.
47. Johnny Gaudreau
His 74 points last winter are closer to reality than his 115 points the previous season. That doesn’t stop her from always having a gift for spotting her Blue Jackets teammates or finishing a sequence near the opposing net.
46. Alex Ovechkin
Photo Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP
If he continues at the same pace, Ovechkin will become the greatest scorer in NHL history at the end of the 2024-2025 campaign. His shot is devastating. Even though everyone knows he will start, the Capitals captain still manages to beat goalies more than 40 times per season.
45. Nico Hischier
It took him a few seasons, but the Devils’ 24-year-old Swiss seems to have gotten the hang of it in terms of production. His nomination as best defensive striker proved that he also knows how to get involved defensively. He is well served by his speed and quick wit.
44. Connor Hellebuyck
After being at the center of trade rumors, Hellebuyck will begin the season in Winnipeg. A relief for the Jets given that they are mainly banking on him. He got 64 starts in 2022-23. A peak in the NHL.
43. Hair in Saros
Despite a rather decimated Predators lineup, he maintained an interesting efficiency rate at .919. At 5’11”, he is the exception to the rule that one must be at least 6’2″ to achieve success in the NHL. His agility makes up for his size.
42. Victor Hedman
The Swede experienced an appreciable drop in production last winter. Like his teammates, we can wonder if the weight of the long playoff runs hasn’t fallen on him. We will have the answer this fall.
41. Jake Oettinger
Photo Steph Chambers/Getty Images/AFP
The NHL’s next star goaltender. He might be to the Stars what Vasilevskiy is to the Lightning. At 6’5″ and 220 lbs, he doesn’t leave much of an opening in front of the net. In addition, he has excellent reflexes. And his movements are precise.
40. Charlie McAvoy
The day is not far away when he will be a serious candidate for the Norris Trophy. He is disarmingly stable on the Bruins blue line. He is also skilled with the puck and in distributing it.
39. Jack Eichel
He has long been criticized for his deficient defensive commitment. Bruce Cassidy managed to instill some notions in him, which made him a more complete and useful player for the Golden Knights. In addition, his offensive game did not seem to suffer.
38. Steven Stamkos
A determined and fiery attacker, he has an incisive skating style. It has slowed down in terms of production. However, he is always present when the stakes are high. An important cog in the Lightning’s massive attack.
37. Miro Heiskanen
He is starting to make a name for himself among the best backs on the circuit. He collected almost half of his points (34 out of 73) on the power play. It was a breakout season for the skilled skater who had never scored more than 36 points in a season.
36. Anze Kopitar
Photo Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images/AFP
He is an example of reliability both in terms of attendance at matches and defensively. He is still dominant in the faceoff circle and his size makes it difficult for the opponent. He still has more than respectable skating.
35. Mika Zibanejad
He is poison on the power play with the Rangers. Last season, he hit the target 20 times in such situations. He has an exceptional offensive flair and does not fear heavy traffic. He is also responsible defensively.
34. Roope Hintz
Another solid scorer with an imposing size in the Stars camp. His skating is surprising for his size. He doesn’t shoot at the net often, but when he does, his success rate (20.1%) is well above average.
33. Aleksander Barkov
He is still a master in the art of defensive play. He is still the one that Paul Maurice will designate for important faceoffs, in numerical inferiority and when the stakes of the match are tight. His offensive touch with the Panthers should not be overlooked either.
32. Quinn Hughes
Photo Zac BonDurant/Getty Images/AFP
The new captain of the Canucks dominated the circuit defenders with 34 points scored on the power play. Once once more, he risks feeling very alone on the Canucks blue line.
31. Kirill Kaprizov
The Wild’s offense rests largely on his shoulders. In three NHL campaigns, he reached the 40 mark on two occasions. He arrived ripe for the Bettman circuit following three productive seasons in Moscow, in the KHL.
30. Clayton Keller
It will be interesting to see what Logan Cooley will be able to do with the Coyotes. Because, for the moment, Keller is the only one who stands out from the group. His offensive instincts are undeniable. Just like his skating and his skills.
29. Artemi Panarin
Obviously, he did not suffer from the departure of Ryan Strome. With Vincent Trocheck as the main center, the Russian had another season of at least 90 points with the Rangers. He is well served by his vision, anticipation and quick hands.
28. Josh Morrissey
With 76 points, he more than doubled the most productive season of his career. We can wonder if this outbreak does not have a link with the arrival of Rick Bowness behind the Jets bench. Once once more, the position of number one defenseman for the Jets will go to him.
27. Dylan Larkin
Photo Brett Carlsen/Getty Images/AFP
The Red Wings’ reconstruction is slow, but they can count on their captain to lead the way. Larkin is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL. Alex DeBrincat will undoubtedly benefit from his passing skills.
26. Roman Josi
He experienced a slight slowdown following having a 96-point season. It must be said that he saw his season punctuated by injuries. In addition, the Preds do not necessarily have the attack capable of making the most of the Swiss’ passing talents.
25. Connor Bedard
Photo Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
As with McDavid and Crosby before him, he is very smart who can predict the speed of his adaptation to the NHL. At least the Blackhawks made sure to support him with quality veterans. Both offensively and ethically.
24. Tim Stützle
The German gem has come out of its shell. It will be interesting to see the effect that the arrival of Vladimir Tarasenko will have on his production with the Sens. In fact, it is perhaps the Russian who will benefit from the qualities of his young center to return to the standards to which he has accustomed us.
23. Brady Tkachuk
He is the type of player a team dreams of building its culture around. He is intense and engaged in each of his presences. A born leader. No surprise that the Senators elected him captain at just 22 years old.
22. To David Pastr
Since his arrival in the NHL in 2014-2015, only McDavid and Brad Marchand have scored more winning goals than him. He should not suffer from the departure of Patrice Bergeron since, last season, he played more often with Pavel Zacha and David Krejci for the Bruins.
21. Brayden Point
Dynamo between Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, he is well served by his enthusiasm and his speed. He scored 20 goals last season on the power play. The bigger the stakes, the better, as evidenced by his nine winning goals.
20. Elias Pettersson
He finally became the center expected of him in Vancouver. He now has to prove that his 102 points were not the spark of a single season. The Canucks will still need him if they want to have a less boring winter.
19. Evgeni Malkin
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/AFP
Despite his 37 years, he is still as regular as a metronome. He maintains his ratio of one point per game every year. Injuries seem to be the only thing that can slow him down. Last year, he played a rare full season.
18. Rasmus Dahlin
The Sabers had a lot of hope in him when they selected him first overall in the 2018 draft. They are starting to see the dividends. Defensively, he doesn’t let it get to him. One-on-one confrontations are often to his advantage.
17. Igor Shesterkin
He is a goalkeeper with excellent technique. Agile, he is able to cover a lot of space and close corners. Behind a well-established team like the Rangers, he might reach the plateau of 40 victories.
16. Nikita Kucherov
Back healthy, he piled up points at an astonishing rate. In numerical superiority, thanks to greater space and reaction time, he is a real pain. His hard work is inversely proportional when the Lightning loses possession of the puck.
15. Andrei Vasilevskiy
The Lightning Wall. He experienced a rare drop in performance during the series once morest the Maple Leafs. A fatigue undoubtedly attributable to the three previous long journeys. We can expect to see it bounce back this fall.
14. Jason Robertson
Photo Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images/AFP
He attracted the spotlight with a harvest of 109 points. He’s not the most elegant skater, but he knows how to fight for advantageous positioning. Moreover, around the net, he rarely misses the opportunity to score (46 goals).
13. Sidney Crosby
The ultimate leader through his passion and work ethic. Even though he is getting older, he is the one around whom many GMs would build their team. He still has a touch in the opposing zone and always finds a way to get up on big occasions.
12. Mikko Rantanen
He exploded with a 55-goal, 105-point campaign. He’s the perfect complement for MacKinnon with the Avalanche: an imposing winger with a quick, heavy shot. Slowing him down or taking him out of the game is no small task.
11. Ilya Sorokin
The Vezina Trophy finalist came to America following a brilliant career with CSKA Moscow. His performances over the last two seasons prompted Lou Lamoriello to grant him an eight-year contract extension ($8.25 million/season).
10. Tage Thompson
Photo Bruce Bennett/Getty Images/AFP
Part of the Sabres’ success comes from this 6-foot-6 guy. After a few timid seasons, it took off two years ago. A difficult train to stop, he might very well reach 50 goals this winter.
9. Adam Fox
Winner of the Norris Trophy in 2021 and finalist last year, he has quickly risen among the best in his profession. He is the Rangers’ quarterback, the one through whom the reminders pass. He is the Rangers’ handyman.
8. Jack Hughes
He experienced some growth last winter, which allowed him to approach the plateau of 100 points (99). At just 22 years old, it’s arguable that he has yet to reach his potential. The future is bright for this elite Devils skater.
7. Auston Matthews
The most raw talent in the Queen City. His shot is lightning and his IQ in the opposing zone sets him apart from the crowd. However, as was the case for Alex Ovechkin, if he wishes to win the Stanley Cup, he will have to recognize the importance of the defensive aspect of the game.
6. Mitch Marner
He is the Maple Leafs’ most complete player. His contribution in attack is as important as the defensive missions assigned to him. He is the Leafs’ most used forward because of his contribution both on the massive attack and on the penalty kill.
5. Matthew Tkachuk
Photo Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP
The Flames did not recover from his departure, while the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup final. This proves the ascendancy he has over a team. A grinder capable of scoring goals and disturbing the opponent is not commonplace.
4. Leon Draisaitl
If McDavid is all regarding finesse, his accomplice is closer to a power attacker. He’s not the type to distribute hits, but taking the puck away from him is quite a challenge. He will score 50 goals once more this season.
3. Kale Makar
One of the purest talents in the NHL. Some compare his footprint to that of Bobby Orr. He is the model that young defenders want to follow. We wish him an injury-free season, having missed 22 games last year.
2. Nathan MacKinnon
A player with undeniable impact within his team. Despite the absence of Gabriel Landeskog, he continued to produce on a more than regular basis. He is also very aware of his defensive game.
1. Connor McDavid
Photo Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
It’s hard to miss the first player to reach the 150-point plateau in more than a quarter of a century. His explosion, speed and quick hands are the envy of every hockey player on the planet.
For the second time in three years, the leading position goes to Connor McDavid. How to do otherwise?
The Oilers captain flew through the NHL last winter. Although we find ourselves in an era where goaltenders have never been better, McDavid has accumulated astronomical statistics.
His 153 points are 25 more than his closest pursuer, teammate Leon Draisaitl. Equal strength, massive attack, numerical inferiority, he scored his 64 goals in every possible way.
Now, to solidify his reputation, he must lead the Oilers to the Promised Land. After reaching the Western Conference final in 2022, the representatives of the Alberta capital took a step back by suffering elimination in the second round.
The Avalanche rested
This is an accomplishment that Nathan MacKinnon, possibly the most complete player on the circuit, has already achieved. However, following winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, the Avalanche ran out of gas. MacKinnon and his teammates were surprised by the Seattle Kraken in the opening round.
A longer summer off might be beneficial for MacKinnon. In doing so, the Avalanche’s opponents will have to watch out because, although he missed 11 games, he crossed the 100-point plateau (111) for the first time in his career.
Cale Makar is another where the extended leave should have a positive impact on his contribution. For a second year in a row, he is the first fullback to appear on our list.
He is the portrait of the modern defender: agile, fast, practically playing the role of fourth attacker. All this, without forgetting his defensive responsibilities.
New faces
Since the circuit’s talent pool is constantly renewing itself, a few young guns have entered the rankings. This is the case of Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Hughes and Tage Thompson, who managed to climb into the top 10.
The arrival of Tkachuk greatly transformed the identity of the Panthers. He and Sergei Bobrosvky were the main architects of the Panthers’ presence in the final.
After getting close to 100 points, Hughes should continue to wreak havoc. Especially since the Devils will be taken seriously in the Metropolitan area.
Somewhat under the radar, Thompson has exploded over the past two seasons. Campaigns which convinced Kevyn Adams to grant him a seven-year contract which will bring him a total of $50 million.
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