Colleague Yvon Pedneault made it a habit to dedicate himself to the monk’s work year after year and compile the list of the 50 best players in the NHL. After his death, which occurred all too quickly over the summer, I have the great honor of taking up his torch. I hope to do this Hall of Famer justice.
Happy season!
50. Cole Caufield
Photo Martin Chevalier
The American is the Canadian’s most electrifying player and can put the puck in a mouse hole. If he manages to avoid injuries, we can expect him to score at least 40 goals. That’s what he would have done last season if he hadn’t missed the final 36 games of the schedule.
49. Erik Karlsson
Defensively, he has many deficiencies, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that he’s the first defenseman in 31 years to score at least 100 points. A new chapter in his career begins in Pittsburgh. It will be interesting to see how he fits into an already offensive lineup.
48. Sebastian Aho
The rise of Martin Necas has eased his burden somewhat. But he’s still the heart of the Hurricanes. For this reason, GM Don Waddell extended his contract by eight years.
47. Johnny Gaudreau
His 74 points last winter are closer to reality than his 115 points last season. However, that doesn’t stop her from always having the ability to spot her Blue Jackets teammates or finish a sequence near the opponent’s net.
46. Alex Ovechkin
Photo Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP
If he continues at the same pace, Ovechkin will be the leading scorer in NHL history at the end of the 2024-2025 season. His shot is devastating. Even though everyone knows he’ll be in the starting lineup, the Capitals captain still manages to beat goalies more than 40 times per season.
45. Nico Hischier
It took a few seasons, but the Devils’ 24-year-old Swiss seems to have gotten the hang of it in terms of performance. His nomination as the best defensive striker proved that he also knows how to commit to defense. His speed and quick wit serve him well.
44. Connor Hellebuyck
After being at the center of trade rumors, Hellebuyck will begin the season in Winnipeg. A relief for the Jets as they rely primarily on him. He made 64 starts in 2022-23. A highlight in the NHL.
43. Juuse Saros
Despite a somewhat depleted Predators lineup, he maintained an interesting .919 efficiency percentage. At 5’11”, he is the exception to the rule that you have to be at least 6’2″ to be successful in the NHL. His agility makes up for his size.
42. Victor Hedman
The Swede suffered a significant decline in production last winter. Like his teammates, we can wonder if the burden of long playoff runs isn’t on him. We’ll get the answer this fall.
41. Jake Oettinger
Photo Steph Chambers/Getty Images/AFP
The NHL’s next star goalie. He could be to the Stars what Vasilevskiy is to the Lightning. With a height of 1.95 meters and a weight of 100 kilograms, he leaves little room for maneuver in front of the net. He also has excellent reflexes. And his movements are precise.
40. Charlie McAvoy
The day is not far off when he will be a serious candidate for the Norris Trophy. He’s disarmingly stable on the Bruins’ blue line. He is also adept at handling the puck and distributing it.
39. Jack Eichel
He has long been criticized for his poor defensive performance. Bruce Cassidy managed to teach him some ideas that 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
He is a determined and fiery attacker and has an incisive running style. Production has slowed. However, he is always present when things are at stake. An important cog in the Lightning’s massive attack.
37. Miro Heiskanen
He’s starting to make a name for himself among the best backs in the game. He collected almost half of his points (34 of 73) in the power play. It was a breakthrough season for the veteran 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 games and in defense. 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 scored 20 times in such situations. He has exceptional offensive talent and is not afraid of heavy traffic. He is also responsible defensively.
34. Roope Hintz
Another solid scorer with impressive size in the Stars camp. His skating is surprising for his size. He doesn’t shoot the net often, but when he does, his success rate (20.1%) is well above average.
33. Alexander Barkov
He is still a master in the art of defensive play. He is still the one Paul Maurice will appoint for important face-offs, when outnumbered and when the stakes are tight. His offensive touch with the Panthers shouldn’t be overlooked either.
32. Quinn Hughes
Photo Zac BonDurant/Getty Images/AFP
The Canucks’ new captain dominated the circuit defense with 34 points scored on the power play. Once again, 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 seasons he reached the 40 mark twice. After three productive seasons in Moscow, in the KHL, he was ready for the Bettman circuit.
30. Clayton Keller
It will be interesting to see what Logan Cooley can do with the Coyotes. Because at 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
He obviously didn’t suffer from Ryan Strome’s departure. With Vincent Trocheck as the primary center, the Russian had another season with at least 90 points with the Rangers. His foresight, his anticipation and his quick hands benefit him.
28. Josh Morrissey
With 76 points, he more than doubled the most productive season of his career. We can wonder if this outbreak isn’t related to the arrival of Rick Bowness behind the Jets’ bench. Once again, the position of the Jets’ number one defender will fall to him.
27. Dylan Larkin
Photo Brett Carlsen/Getty Images/AFP
The Red Wings’ rebuild 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
After a 96-point season, he experienced a slight slowdown. It must be said that his season was marred by injuries. In addition, the Preds do not necessarily have the attack that is able to make optimal use of the Swiss’ passing skills.
25. Connor Bedard
Photo Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
Like McDavid and Crosby before him, he is a very smart player who can predict the speed of his adjustment to the NHL. At least the Blackhawks made sure he was backed up with quality veterans. Both offensively and ethically.
24. Tim Stützle
The German jewel has come out of its shell. It will be interesting to see what impact Vladimir Tarasenko’s arrival 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 wants to build its culture around. He is intense and committed in each of his performances. A born leader. No wonder the Senators voted him captain at just 22 years old.
22. David Pastrnak
Since arriving in the NHL in 2014-2015, only McDavid and Brad Marchand have scored more game-winning goals than him. He shouldn’t suffer from the departure of Patrice Bergeron, as he played more often for the Bruins last season with Pavel Zacha and David Krejci.
21. Brayden Point
Dynamo between Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, he is well served with his enthusiasm and speed. He scored 20 power play goals last season. The higher the stakes, the better, as his nine winning goals prove.
20. Elias Pettersson
In Vancouver he finally became the center of attention that was expected of him. He now has to prove that his 102 points were not the spark of a single season. The Canucks will continue to need him if they want to have a less boring winter.
19. Evgeny Malkin
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/AFP
Despite his 37 years, he is still as regular as a metronome. He maintains his rate of one point per game every year. Injuries seem to be the only thing that can slow him down. He played a rare full season last year.
18. Rasmus Dahlin
The Sabers had high hopes for him when they selected him first overall in the 2018 draft. You’re starting to see the benefits. Defensively, he doesn’t let it get to him. Individual confrontations are often beneficial for him.
17. Igor Shesterkin
He is a goalkeeper with excellent technique. It is maneuverable, can cover many spaces and close corners. Behind an established team like the Rangers, he could reach the 40-win plateau.
16. Nikita Kucherov
When he recovered, he picked up points surprisingly quickly. Due to its numerical superiority, thanks to its larger space and reaction time, it is a real pain in the ass. His hard work is inversely proportional when the Lightning lose the puck.
15. Andrei Vasilevskiy
The lightning wall. He experienced a rare dip in performance during the series against the Maple Leafs. A tiredness that is undoubtedly due to the three previous long journeys. We can expect it to bounce back in the fall.
14. Jason Robertson
Photo Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images/AFP
He attracted attention with a harvest of 109 points. He’s not the most elegant skater, but he knows how to fight for advantageous positioning. In addition, he rarely misses a scoring opportunity at the net (46 goals).
13. Sidney Crosby
The ultimate leader through his passion and work ethic. Even though he’s getting older, he’s the one that many GMs would build their team around. He still has the touch in the opponent’s zone and always finds a way to get up on big opportunities.
12. Mikko Rantanen
He shone with a season with 55 goals and 105 points. He’s the perfect complement to MacKinnon with the Avalanche: an imposing winger with a quick, heavy shot. Slowing him down or taking him out of the game is no easy task.
11. Ilya Sorokin
The Vezina Trophy finalist came to America after a brilliant career with CSKA Moscow. His performance over the last two seasons led Lou Lamoriello to give him an eight-year contract extension ($8.25 million/season).
10. Days Thompson
Photo Bruce Bennett/Getty Images/AFP
Part of the Sabers’ success is due to this 6-foot-2 guy. After a few hesitant seasons, things started two years ago. A difficult move to stop, he could well score 50 goals this winter.
9. Adam Fox
As a Norris Trophy winner in 2021 and a finalist last year, he has quickly become one of the best in his business. He’s the Rangers’ quarterback, the one the memories run over. He is the Rangers’ handyman.
8. Jack Hughes
Last winter he experienced some growth that allowed him to approach the 100 point plateau (99). One might think that at just 22 years old, he hasn’t yet reached his potential. The future is bright for this Devils elite skater.
7. Austin Matthews
The Queen City’s rawest talent. His shot is lightning fast and his IQ in the opponent’s zone sets him apart from the crowd. However, if he wants to win the Stanley Cup, he must, like Alex Ovechkin, 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 just as important as the defensive missions assigned to him. He is the Leafs’ most frequently used forward due to his contribution to both the massive offense and the penalty kill.
5. Matthew Tkachuk
Photo Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP
The Flames never recovered from his departure, while the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Final. This proves the superiority he has over a team. A grinder capable of scoring goals and disrupting the opposition is not commonplace.
4. Leon Draisaitl
If McDavid is all about finesse, his accomplice is more of a power attacker. He’s not the type to give shots, but taking the puck away from him is quite a challenge. He will score 50 goals again this season.
3. Cale Makar
One of the purest talents in the NHL. Some compare his footprint to that of Bobby Orr. He is the role model that young defenders want to follow. We wish him an injury-free season after missing 22 games last year.
2. Nathan MacKinnon
A player with undeniable importance for his team. Despite Gabriel Landeskog’s absence, he continued to produce regularly. He is also very aware of his defensive game.
1. Connor McDavid
Photo Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
It’s hard to miss the fact that he’s the first player in more than a quarter century to reach the 150-point plateau. His explosion, speed and quick hands are the envy of every hockey player on the planet.
For the second time in three years, the top spot goes to Connor McDavid. How can it be done differently?
The Oilers captain flew around the NHL last winter. Even though we are in a time where goaltenders have never been better, McDavid has racked up astronomical stats.
His 153 points are 25 more than his closest rival, teammate Leon Draisaitl. Equal strength, massive attack, outnumbered, he scored his 64 goals in every possible way.
To cement his reputation, he must now lead the Oilers to the promised land. After reaching the Western Conference finals in 2022, the representatives of Alberta’s capital backtracked and were eliminated in the second round.
The avalanche stopped
This is a feat that Nathan MacKinnon, possibly the most complete player in the world, has already achieved. However, after 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 vacation could be beneficial for MacKinnon. The Avalanche’s opponents will have to be careful because even though he missed 11 games, he surpassed the 100-point mark (111) for the first time in his career.
Cale Makar is another employee whose extended vacation is likely to have a positive impact on his contribution. For the second year in a row, he is the first full-back to appear on our list.
He is the image of the modern defender: agile, fast, practical in the role of fourth attacker. All this without forgetting his defensive duties.
New faces
As the circuit’s talent pool continues to renew, some young talents have made their way into the rankings. This is the case of Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Hughes and Tage Thompson, who managed to break into the top 10.
Tkachuk’s arrival significantly changed the Panthers’ identity. He and Sergei Bobrosvky were the main architects of the Panthers’ appearance in the final.
After reaching nearly 100 points, Hughes should continue to wreak havoc. Especially since the Devils are taken seriously in the metropolitan area.
Somewhat under the radar, Thompson has exploded over the last two seasons. Campaigns that convinced Kevyn Adams to give him a seven-year contract that would pay him a total of $50 million.