The Sports Outsider

SO’s Top 100 NHL Players Heading Into 2026-27

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The dog days of the NHL offseason have arrived, so let’s have some fun and begin our top 100 player rankings heading into the 2026-27 season. Our top 25 goaltenders will be done in a separate article!

It’s never easy to make these kinds of lists, especially when factoring in different positions. That being said, we’ve done our best to rank the top 100 based on a combination of past play and production, along with some slight forecasting of what we anticipate seeing next season.

Before we dive in, let’s start with players who just missed the cut, because there are plenty of other names who were in serious consideration.

Forwards: Drake Batherson, Jordan Kyrou, Matthew Knies, Vincent Trocheck, Sam Bennett, Nazem Kadri, Trevor Zegras, Nick Schmaltz, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos.

Defensemen: Noah Hanifin, Darren Raddysh, John Carlson, Thomas Chabot, Colton Parayko, Vince Dunn, Filip Hronek, JJ Moser.

And some young studs we believe could break out into true stardom very soon and become regulars on a list like this for years to come: Dylan Holloway, Luke Hughes, Ivan Demidov, Will Smith, Beckett Sennecke, Zach Benson, and Gavin McKenna.

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Let the countdown begin!

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100. FLA: Aaron Ekblad

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 FLA 72 4 22 26 -5 97 84 103
2024-25 FLA 56 3 30 33 +11 106 90 64

Two-time Stanley Cup champion Aaron Ekblad kicks off our list. The 2014 first overall pick has had a roller-coaster ride of a career, but he’s always found ways to be effective. Ekblad began as a more offensive defenseman, but in recent years has focused on a shutdown, physical role that made him a key cog in the Panthers’ back-to-back championships. He and Gustav Forsling will continue to be a pain to play against as Florida gets back to form next season.

99. UTA: MacKenzie Weegar

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 UTA/CGY 79 4 24 28 -33 154 167 173
2024-25 CGY 81 8 39 47 +18 184 223 192

Following Ekblad is his former teammate, MacKenzie Weegar, now of the Utah Mammoth. We love what Weegar brings to the table as an all-around defenseman who fills up every stat on the sheet. Points, shots, hits, blocks, he does it all and can be used in any situation, whether it’s on the power play, penalty kill, or late in games. It was a mess for him in Calgary last season, but a fresh start in Utah should continue to give him new life moving forward.

98. WSH: Alex Tuch

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 BUF 79 33 33 66 +24 195 82 90
2024-25 BUF 82 36 31 67 +16 196 73 113

This offseason’s top UFA forward and new Washington Capital Alex Tuch. After five great years in Buffalo, Tuch heads to the nation’s capital and joins one of the deepest forward groups in hockey. That should only benefit the 6-foot-4, 219-pound winger, who combines that size with tremendous speed and skill. He’s great at 5-on-5 and on the penalty kill. Surprisingly, the power play isn’t a huge area of strength for Tuch, though it doesn’t seem to matter that much.

97. CAR: Nikolaj Ehlers

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CAR 82 26 45 71 +8 207 21 24
2024-25 WPG 69 24 39 63 +14 174 38 33

Stanley Cup champion Nikolaj Ehlers. The decision to join the Carolina Hurricanes couldn’t have worked out any better for Ehlers, who racked up a career-high 71 points before producing at a point-per-game clip in the playoffs en route to winning it all. He’s always been so dynamic — speed, skill, hockey IQ — it’s just a matter of staying healthy and getting more opportunity. That all lined up in Carolina, and the fit already feels perfect.

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96. UTA: Mikhail Sergachev

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 UTA 78 10 49 59 +2 159 38 125
2024-25 UTA 77 15 38 53 -8 132 61 140

Onto another Mammoth defenseman in Mikhail Sergachev. Sergachev’s game has changed a bit since heading to Utah, but he’s proven very capable of adapting to a larger role with more responsibility. That’s shown with back-to-back seasons of 10-plus goals and 50-plus points. He understandably hasn’t been as physical since breaking his leg in 2024, though that’s not as necessary given how much he’s relied upon to provide offense and log big minutes.

95. DAL: Thomas Harley

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DAL 70 6 30 36 +3 113 39 148
2024-25 DAL 78 16 34 50 +32 171 33 110

Thomas Harley continues our bunch on the blue line at No. 95. The hockey world was high on Harley after back-to-back 47- and 50-point seasons, scoring 15-plus goals in each, and a strong performance after being thrust into the 4 Nations. Last season didn’t go as well, though he once again stepped up on the biggest stage while playing for Canada at the Olympics. He almost became a Columbus Blue Jacket this summer, so we’ll see how that affects him, if at all.

94. PHI: Travis Sanheim

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 PHI 81 11 26 37 +12 95 46 152
2024-25 PHI 82 8 22 30 -6 139 84 170

Travis Sanheim has always been a good defenseman, but in recent years, he’s gotten to put that on display for the hockey world to see. Sanheim has stepped up and looked very good representing Canada at the Olympics, Four Nations, and World Championships, while also having a strong postseason for the Philadelphia Flyers. He was tasked with matching up against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins’ top line and did as good a job as you could ask for.

You’re doing something right if you’re getting under No. 87’s skin like this.

93. MTL: Juraj Slafkovsky

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 MTL 82 30 43 73 +9 180 105 78
2024-25 MTL 79 18 33 51 +4 133 194 62

Juraj Slafkovsky’s development has been awesome so far. After looking totally lost as a rookie, Slafkovsky has taken major steps forward every year since, culminating in a 30-goal, 73-point 2025-26 campaign. He’s a true power forward who is a perfect complement to Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on the Canadiens’ top line. Montreal taking him first overall in 2022 doesn’t look too bad now, does it?

92. CAR: Andrei Svechnikov

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CAR 79 31 39 70 +1 203 148 16
2024-25 CAR 72 20 28 48 -8 180 148 22

Another Stanley Cup champion, Andrei Svechnikov. He wasn’t necessarily a catalyst in the Hurricanes’ playoff run, but he’s an important piece of the puzzle and a premier power forward in the NHL. A 69-point season in 2021-22 had Svechnikov looking as if he was about to become a true star, and while injuries and inconsistent play at times haven’t allowed that to happen, he remains a productive top-line winger. Still only 26 years old, too.

91. MTL: Noah Dobson

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 MTL 80 12 35 47 +5 158 62 188
2024-25 NYI 71 10 29 39 -16 196 57 126

An injury right before the playoffs put a damper on what was otherwise a pretty good first season as a Montreal Canadien for Noah Dobson. He tied for 12th among defensemen in even-strength points while taking a role on PP2 behind Lane Hutson. He’s a great puck mover who possesses a cannon of a shot from the point and can defend when he puts his mind to it. Dobson should only get better as he gets more comfortable with his new squad.

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90. SEA: Brandon Montour

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 SEA 64 11 21 32 -21 174 75 78
2024-25 SEA 81 18 23 41 -22 231 84 100

Brandon Montour is one of our guys. We doubt very many people would include him in a top 100 list, but that’s not stopping us. Montour is a rover who can honestly do it all. He breaks the puck out with ease, gets up in the rush, quarterbacks the power play, has a shot that can beat goalies, and plays with a ton of jam. He loves to get under his opponents’ skin. One of the more underrated players in the game, in our opinion.

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89. UTA: Logan Cooley

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 UTA 54 24 19 43 +3 102 54 27
2024-25 UTA 75 25 40 65 +1 158 63 32

One of the few guys you could consider taking over Slafkovsky atop the 2022 draft class is Logan Cooley. This kid is immensely talented and just scratching the surface of his potential. Not many have the skill to do this.

An injury unfortunately put a halt to a blazing-hot start to his 2025-26 season, when he was clipping close to a point per game. His production should only continue to climb though. Don’t think Cooley is just a perimeter player either — he’s shown a willingness to battle and not back down from anyone.

88. CBJ: Adam Fantilli

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CBJ 82 24 35 59 -13 214 139 51
2024-25 CBJ 82 31 23 54 +4 191 113 56

Now onto the third-overall pick from the 2023 draft, Adam Fantilli. Like Cooley, Fantilli is one of the best young players in the game who’s just getting started. His offensive abilities — wicked release, speed, and playmaking — stand out, and he’s just starting to round into a solid two-way center as well. We love how hard Fantilli plays, using his size to lay the body and muck it up. He’s got future captain material in him.

87. NYR: Mika Zibanejad

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NYR 81 34 44 78 -20 215 105 50
2024-25 NYR 82 20 42 62 -22 183 44 46

Mika Zibanejad has drawn a lot of flak in recent years, so it was nice to see him bounce back offensively in 2025-26. The longtime New York Ranger may not be that true 1C anymore like he was in his prime, but he’s still a weapon on the man advantage, possessing one of the best one-timers in the league. He also proved this year that he hasn’t lost the ability to drive play. Zibanejad’s demise was overexaggerated. Still a 30-plus-goal, 70-plus-point player.

86. NYI: Bo Horvat

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NYI 68 31 26 57 +8 226 51 38
2024-25 NYI 81 28 29 57 -4 243 100 40

Moving over to Long Island, we’ve got Bo Horvat. You always know what you’re going to get from Horvat, and that’s a great thing. He’s responsible, reliable, and consistent — exactly what earned him a spot on Team Canada, where he had a very good showing. Along with his shot and faceoff prowess, Horvat has sneaky speed that can catch defenders off guard. He’s fit in perfectly on the Islanders as a plug-and-play 1C who can be used in all areas of the game.

85. FLA: Brad Marchand

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 FLA 52 27 27 54 -16 138 36 16
2024-25 BOS/FLA 71 23 28 51 -7 194 81 34

Did you know Brad Marchand was on pace for 42 goals and 85 points over a full season last year? And he did it at age 37 with Barkov and Tkachuk out of the lineup. Marchand isn’t the perrenial top-five-to-10 winger he used to be, but a new opportunity in Florida has rejuvenated him. Barring a major fall-off, he should be in for another close-to-point-per-game campaign and likely another impactful postseason as the Panthers look to reclaim their crown.

84. WSH: Alex Ovechkin

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 WSH 82 32 32 64 -5 244 134 16
2024-25 WSH 65 44 29 73 +15 237 110 13

The greatest goal scorer in NHL history, Alex Ovechkin, still deserves his respect.

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We can’t lie, it wasn’t pretty at times last year, but Ovi still managed to score 32 goals despite a shockingly low PPG total of just five. That number should come back up in 2026-27, and the additions of Tuch and Kyrou only add more skill around him in Washington. Like Lionel Messi, he’ll glide around almost unnoticeable all game before ripping one into the back of the net.

83. PIT: Evgeni Malkin

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 PIT 56 19 42 61 +13 148 24 17
2024-25 PIT 68 16 34 50 -24 125 32 48

Our run of veterans continues with Evgeni Malkin at No. 83. Geno bounced back to his usual point-per-game numbers in 2025-26, and a midseason move to the wing appeared to be just what the doctor ordered. While he’ll soon be 40, Malkin still possesses the elite skill and hockey IQ he’s always had. Not to mention, that signature gallop when he really gets moving out there. He and Sidney Crosby are still driving the bus in Pittsburgh all these years later.

82. DAL: Roope Hintz

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DAL 53 15 29 44 +16 126 60 18
2024-25 DAL 76 28 39 67 +18 160 53 46

How much of a difference would Roope Hintz have made in the Dallas Stars’ first-round series against the Minnesota Wild? His absence loomed large, especially as they struggled to score at even strength, something he certainly can do. You can’t teach Hintz’s combination of size, speed, and skill. His two-way play is just the cherry on top. As long as he’s healthy, he’s a very solid mid-to-low-end 1C in this league who doesn’t get talked about enough.

81. COL: Devon Toews

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 COL 68 3 21 24 +37 115 26 83
2024-25 COL 76 10 34 44 +30 138 40 103

Devon Toews wraps up Nos. 90-81. Cale Makar’s steady defense partner remains just that in Colorado and for Team Canada. His offensive production was down last season, but that’s not his calling card anyway. Toews is a smooth-skating, shutdown defenseman whose stick is a puck magnet. The best plus-minus (+186) in the NHL by far over the last five seasons? Toews. Some don’t love the stat, but it’s telling when you consistently rank that highly in it.

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80. CAR: K’Andre Miller

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CAR 72 8 29 37 +7 123 101 79
2024-25 NYR 74 7 20 27 0 110 107 110

We weren’t super high on the Hurricanes trading for K’Andre Miller last summer, but boy, were we wrong. Miller’s raw talent and abilities came out in full force in Carolina. He had a solid regular season but took his game to another level in the playoffs, looking like a legitimate star defenseman. A 6’5″, 210-pound smooth skater with skill whose defensive game reached new heights in the Hurricanes’ system. What a move by Eric Tulsky to land Miller.

79. NYR: JT Miller

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NYR 68 17 36 53 -30 144 123 34
2024-25 NYR/VAN 72 22 48 70 -6 137 168 50

From one Miller to another, now JT Miller. Year one as captain of the New York Rangers was a disaster; there’s no way around it. Even with that, Miller has the 16th most points of anyone in the NHL over the last five seasons, and we still believe he’s got more game left in him. The 33-year-old always plays hard, is great in the faceoff circle, and we know he can produce offensively. A bounce-back second season leading the Rangers is in order.

78. VAN: Elias Pettersson

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 VAN 74 15 36 51 -30 132 67 108
2024-25 VAN 64 15 30 45 -10 109 74 77

Fitting that Elias Pettersson follows his former Canucks teammate Miller in our rankings. Pettersson’s falloff has been baffling, and while some have completely given up on him, understandably so, we just can’t quite yet. This guy was a borderline top-10-to-15 player in hockey just entering his prime a few years ago. He’s still only 27; that talent hasn’t all of a sudden disappeared.

What Pettersson desperately needs is a change of scenery, and we hope he gets it sooner rather than later.

77. WSH: Jakob Chychrun

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 WSH 80 26 34 60 +20 221 58 114
2024-25 WSH 74 20 27 47 +17 179 59 87

Jakob Chychrun is an absolute stud. Back-to-back 20-plus-goal seasons from the blue line, including 26 in 2025-26… elite stuff. Chychrun has one of the best shots of any defenseman in hockey, and it shows in the numbers. After flashing his skill set in Arizona and Ottawa, he’s found a home in Washington as a tremendous fit on the Capitals. The departure of John Carlson means even more responsibility for Chychrun now, and we believe he can handle it.

76. FLA: Gustav Forsling

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 FLA 80 2 26 28 -5 112 52 98
2024-25 FLA 80 10 20 31 +4 195 83 89

Don’t forget about Gustav Forsling. The Florida Panthers were somewhat off the map this year given all of their injuries and missing the playoffs, but they’re still full of stars, and Forsling is one of them. He’s been one of the best shutdown defensemen in the world since going to Florida and has sneaky-good offensive abilities as well. You don’t see many players frustrate Connor McDavid the way Forsling has at times in their Stanley Cup Final matchups

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75. FLA: Seth Jones

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 FLA 52 7 25 32 -3 88 47 61
2024-25 CHI/FLA 63 9 27 36 -24 129 96 109

Seth Jones follows up his fellow Panther Forsling at No. 75. Jones is another polarizing player who’s had a very up-and-down career. Since coming to Florida, however, he’s looked like the do-it-all workhorse defenseman that had him drafted fourth overall in 2013. Jones was phenomenal during the Panthers’ 2025-26 Cup run, logging massive minutes, shutting down the opposition’s best players, and chipping in offensively. He took over Game 7 in Toronto.

Let’s not forget he was selected for Team USA before getting injured last year and likely would’ve played a key role as one of just three RHD chosen.

74. PHI: Travis Konecny

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 PHI 77 27 41 68 +14 168 108 38
2024-25 PHI 82 24 52 76 -17 188 94 42

Onto Travis Konecny at No. 74. Things haven’t always been great for the Philadelphia Flyers in recent years, but one constant has been Konecny. Four straight 60-plus-point seasons, with three of them being 68 or more. The 5’10”, 192-pound winger plays bigger than his size and is a pest out there. Combine that snarl with his offensive skill set and you’ve got a player any team would love to have. Konecny embodies what it means to be a Philadelphia Flyer.

73. CAR: Seth Jarvis

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CAR 71 32 34 66 +6 224 81 27
2024-25 CAR 73 32 35 67 +12 204 93 51

The fourth Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricane already to crack our list is Seth Jarvis. The 24-year-old is a coach’s dream who can be relied upon to do just about anything. He’s been an impact player from the moment he stepped into the league and is now a consistent 30-plus-goal, 65-to-70-point producer while also being one of the better defensive wingers in the game. If Jarvis’ offensive upside increases even slightly, he’ll continue to rise up the ranks.

72. UTA: Dylan Guenther

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 UTA 79 40 33 73 +7 242 66 28
2024-25 UTA 70 27 33 60 -4 204 53 42

Dylan Guenther is one of the best young goal scorers in hockey. Actually, he’s just one of the best goal scorers in hockey, period. Forty goals in his age-22 season confirmed that, but if you’ve seen his shot, you didn’t need the numbers to tell you. Guenther has a quick, accurate release that he’s able to get off no matter the pass.

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Don’t be surprised if he hits the 50-goal mark as early as next season. With that shot it’s bound to happen sooner than later.

71. ANA: Cutter Gauthier

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 ANA 76 41 28 69 -2 285 64 20
2024-25 ANA 82 20 24 44 +8 190 68 51

Another one of the best young goal scorers in hockey, Cutter Gauthier. One better than Guenther, Gauthier racked up 41 goals in his age-21/22 campaign. The Anaheim Ducks continue to reap the rewards of trading for him two years ago. Gauthier is immensely skilled and just as good a playmaker as he is a goal scorer. He clearly took it upon himself to shoot more in 2025-26, though… 285 shots on goal says it all. Anaheim needs to get him signed long term.

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70. CBJ: Kirill Marchenko

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CBJ 76 27 40 67 +7 218 61 40
2024-25 CBJ 79 31 43 74 +29 207 55 38

Starting the top 70 is Columbus Blue Jackets — not for much longer? — winger Kirill Marchenko. There’s a reason so many fanbases are clamoring for their team to trade for Marchenko: he’s elite and only getting better. The goal-scoring numbers popped right upon enetering the league, and he’s since added the playmaking ability to round into a true top-line winger. Close to point-per-game production in Columbus could result in even better numbers elsewhere.

69. LAK: Kevin Fiala

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 LAK 56 18 22 40 -11 147 39 24
2024-25 LAK 81 35 25 60 -7 244 63 22

Can’t wait to see Kevin Fiala back in action. Watching him go down late in Switzerland’s loss to Team Canada at the Olympics was heartbreaking and subsequently a massive blow to the Los Angeles Kings. Fiala is so dynamic, and his skill set completely changes the complexion of the Kings’ offense when healthy. He and Artemi Panarin could be a dangerous duo, and we expect point-per-game numbers from Fiala upon his return from injury in 2026-27.

68. NYI: Mathew Barzal

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NYI 81 19 53 72 +10 184 29 50
2024-25 NYI 30 6 14 20 +10 78 24 24

With the talent Mathew Barzal has, he should be much higher on these kinds of lists. The production has yet to meet the levels of his 85-point rookie campaign, but year one with Matthew Schaefer was more like it, and it should only continue to get better. Barzal is one of the fastest skaters in the world, with so much skill and playmaking ability. He doesn’t shoot the puck enough, and even with that, is always a close-to-point-per-game player on a low-octane Islanders offense.

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67. WSH: Tom Wilson

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 WSH 72 30 32 62 +15 153 179 53
2024-25 WSH 81 33 32 65 +20 169 233 71

Tom Wilson is the definition of a player everyone hates to play against but would love to have on their team. Once known as a dirty bottom-six goon, Wilson has worked his way into becoming a 30-goal, 60-point first-line power forward and the heart and soul of the Washington Capitals. His combination of size, speed, and power intimidates opponents in more ways than one, and of course, he’s never afraid to stir the pot every once in a while.

It’s been impressive to see the player Wilson has developed into in recent years.

66. EDM: Zach Hyman

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 EDM 58 31 21 52 +13 159 56 18
2024-25 EDM 73 27 17 44 +9 210 59 24

Zach Hyman is another guy you hate to have to face but would love to have on your side. The veteran winger is one of the hardest-working players in the league and does far more than just tap in Connor McDavid’s passes. In fact, McDavid’s production went to another level upon his winger’s return from injury last season. Hyman wins every puck battle, finishes his chances, has underrated speed, and is physical when you need it. Truly a dream linemate.

65. MIN: Brock Faber

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 MIN 80 15 36 51 +18 173 33 148
2024-25 MIN 78 10 19 29 -2 124 36 115

2025-26 was quite the year for Brock Faber. A career-high 51 points, getting Quinn Hughes thrown next to him on defense partway through the season, and playing a huge role en route to winning an Olympic gold medal. He and Hughes are as good of a pairing as you’re going to find, and that’s not just Faber tagging along for the ride. He is a workhorse who can handle any situation or workload and be effective. Defense is his calling card, but don’t sleep on the offensive abilities either. And this only the start… Faber turns 24 in August.

64. VGK: Shea Theodore

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 VGK 70 10 29 39 +19 130 2 87
2024-25 VGK 67 7 50 57 +18 128 6 82

How can you not love to watch Shea Theodore play? He’s blossomed into a true star defenseman in Vegas. Very few players are as smooth as Theodore, who skates and moves the puck effortlessly all over the ice. He was solid in limited minutes for Team Canada and clipped at nearly a point per game during the Golden Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. He’s not physical at all and has had injury troubles, but the skill set he provides outweighs any of those concerns.

63. LAK: Adrian Kempe

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 LAK 81 36 37 73 +14 226 127 39
2024-25 LAK 81 35 38 73 +22 237 100 36

The second LA Kings winger to fall in our 70-61 range is Adrian Kempe. One of the more underrated, consistent players in the game. He’s scored 35-plus goals in four of the last five seasons, and a not-too-shabby 28 in the other. Even more importantly, Kempe is a big-game player, taking his goal scoring and point production to another level come playoff time. He combines his size, skill, and speed with a nasty edge, which is why he’s so effective at that time of year.

62. NJD: Jesper Bratt

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NJD 82 22 49 71 -11 178 74 24
2024-25 NJD 81 21 67 88 +5 180 96 42

From a sixth-round pick to a star winger, what a story Jesper Bratt has been. Last year wasn’t his best, but a torrid finish saw him surpass the 70-point mark for the fifth straight season. Consistent, elite production. He and Jack Hughes’ chemistry is lethal, and all we need is a fully healthy season from the latter to see both rack up huge totals. Bratt’s got the speed, skill, hands, and hockey IQ that make him great, and for a smaller winger, he isn’t afraid of the dirty areas.

Not many are better in the shootout or on a breakaway than Bratt.

61. TBL: Victor Hedman

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 TBL 33 1 16 17 -1 50 19 44
2024-25 TBL 79 15 51 66 +18 181 39 133

Victor Hedman was hard to rank after a tough year on and off the ice, but we can’t forget about just him. Perennial top-five Norris Trophy-contending defenseman? Not anymore, but still one of the better blueliners in the game. Hedman put up double-digit goals and 65-plus points in three of his previous four seasons before 2025-26, so this hasn’t been some rapid decline. He remains a calm, steady presence offensively and defensively in Tampa Bay, and they missed that in Round 1 against Montreal.

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60. ANA: Jackson LaCombe

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 ANA 82 10 48 58 -2 157 74 128
2024-25 ANA 75 14 29 43 0 134 69 129

If you didn’t know how good Jackson LaCombe was before, then you certainly do now after this postseason. He did it all for the Ducks, which included handling the task of defending the world’s best player throughout the series.

What an incredible play that was. His skating, stickwork, and hockey IQ gave McDavid and the Oilers fits. Some questioned Anaheim handing him an 8×9 contract before the season, but he quickly proved he was worth the investment, and it will probably look like a value in the years to come.

59. PIT: Erik Karlsson

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 PIT 75 15 51 66 +8 176 20 64
2024-25 PIT 82 11 42 53 -24 191 29 94

Erik Karlsson is still that guy. Year one under new HC Dan Muse brought out vintage EK65, and that was one of the biggest reasons the Penguins were back in the playoffs for the first time since 2021-22. Karlsson is still that same dynamic, elite offensive defenseman who can make plays very few others can. Even into his mid-thirties, Karlsson flies around the ice, creates magic on the blue line, has tremendous vision, and can pick corners with ease.

I mean, how lovely is that?

58. DAL: Wyatt Johnston

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DAL 82 45 41 86 -5 206 56 55
2024-25 DAL 82 33 38 71 +2 202 45 47

We all knew Wyatt Johnston was a great young player, but in year four, he took the jump into being a true star. A 45-goal, 86-point season at 22 years old says it all. There was nobody even close to as productive on the man advantage as Johnston in 2025-26, proving to be elite in the bumper spot. His quick release is deadly from there, and he was one of Dallas’ lone sources of offense in the postseason. Johnston will be in the top 50 by this time next year, no doubt.

57. NJD: Nico Hischier

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NJD 82 28 38 66 -6 211 58 62
2024-25 NJD 75 35 34 69 +9 187 44 60

Nico Hischier slides in at number 57. Hischier can fly under the radar, quietly going about his business of close-to-PPG production and tremendous two-way play. He is the heartbeat and leader of the New Jersey Devils, providing value in all facets of the game. They should be thrilled to have him locked down at $11.7 million moving forward. When Hughes is healthy, there aren’t many better one-two punches down the middle than he and Hischier.

56. DET: Dylan Larkin

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DET 74 34 33 67 +3 229 46 33
2024-25 DET 82 30 40 70 -16 234 44 33

Detroit Red Wings captain — for now — Dylan Larkin. Where will he be come the start of next season? Who knows, but that team will certainly benefit from having him. Larkin wants to play meaningful hockey, and you can understand why after watching him at the Four Nations and Olympics. Larkin was one of Team USA’s all-around best players and a leader on a team full of stars. The NHL numbers aren’t too shabby either: five straight 30-plus-goal seasons.

55. COL: Martin Necas

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 COL 78 38 62 100 +47 206 85 26
2024-25 CR/COL 79 27 56 83 +5 194 62 23

We’ve been notably lower than many on Martin Necas in the past, but he deserves some credit for what he’s done since arriving in Colorado. Necas has always had the speed that stands out the moment you watch him. Our question was whether he could put it all together and consistently make plays with the puck to keep up with MacKinnon, Makar and company. A 38-goal, 100-point season would say he can. Being traded to the Avalanche has been the perfect fit for Necas, and he’s taken full advantage of it.

54. DET: Alex DeBrincat

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DET 82 41 44 85 +8 287 38 39
2024-25 DET 82 39 31 70 -13 244 33 38

Alex DeBrincat is one of our favorite wingers in the game.

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If you want a durable, consistent sniper with point-per-game upside, then you’re not going to find many better options than DeBrincat. He’s missed just five games in his nine-year NHL career to date, and that’s not because he’s avoiding the hard areas — DeBrincat plays much bigger than his 5’8″ frame. Combine that with an elite release, quick hands and underrated playmaking abilities, and you get a plug-and-play star winger.

53. DET: Lucas Raymond

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DET 80 25 51 76 +1 173 43 29
2024-25 DET 82 27 53 80 -15 192 42 34

And we stay in Detroit for Lucas Raymond. Raymond, DeBrincat, and Larkin are all similarly talented high-end players, but we believe the 24-year-old is the leader of the pack and just getting started. Raymond is so dangerous with the puck on his stick, possessing the skills and creativity to generate offense at any given moment. He’s hovered around point-per-game production over the last three seasons, and we still haven’t seen his true upside as he enters his prime.

52. NSH: Filip Forsberg

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NSH 82 40 35 75 -2 246 124 52
2024-25 NSH 82 31 45 76 -27 281 151 52

Filip Forsberg has somehow become underrated. The struggles of the Predators have put Nashville on the peripheral in recent years, but Forsberg is still doing his thing. In fact, he’s produced two of his better individual seasons over that span. Forsberg is your prototypical goal-scoring power forward who also has the hands and skating ability to make highlight-reel plays. He does it all for the Predators offensively and isn’t slowing down at all.

51. MTL: Cole Caufield

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 MTL 81 51 37 88 +29 258 50 21
2024-25 MTL 82 37 33 70 +9 240 66 31

At number 51 comes 51-goal scorer Cole Caufield. What a year it was for Caufield, becoming a member of the 50-goal club as a catalyst on a Montreal Canadiens team that made a run to the ECF. Everyone knew he had it in him to be one of the best goal scorers in the league, but it was time to truly put up the numbers to show it, and he did just that. This surely won’t be the only time Caufield hits 50 either, so get used to seeing him and the Canadiens in the spotlight moving forward.

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50. ANA: Leo Carlsson

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 ANA 70 29 38 67 +4 193 14 29
2024-25 ANA 76 20 25 45 -5 114 24 36

The $18 million man Leo Carlsson narrowly cracks the top 50 in our rankings. Is he worth $18 million right now? Probably not, but Carlsson has quickly established himself as the face of the franchise in Anaheim, and it won’t take long for him to live up to the contract if he continues on this trajectory. Carlsson truly broke out in Year 3 with a tremendous regular and postseason. He’s got it all to be a 1C for the next 15 years — big, fast, skilled and responsible on both sides of the puck.

49. UTA: Clayton Keller

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 UTA 82 26 62 88 +21 225 8 32
2024-25 UTA 81 30 60 90 -12 218 11 30

There may not be a more quietly productive player in the NHL right now than Clayton Keller. That’s understandable given he’s been in Arizona and now Utah, but someone has to give him his flowers. Keller has the 12th most points of anyone in the league over the last four seasons and is just entering the true prime of his career. He’s got so much pure skill and has the puck on a string when he gets it in the offensive zone. One more step forward and Keller could be a 100-point player.

48. TBL: Jake Guentzel

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 TBL 81 38 50 88 +13 220 39 41
2024-25 TBL 80 41 39 80 +18 217 28 52

Jake Guentzel is so good. He really is, and it hurts us to not have him any higher on this list, but there’s just too many good players in the league right now. As we always say, it’s never all that flashy with Guentzel, but he gets the job done and produces no matter the circumstances. A career-high 88 points in 2025-26 was followed by another very productive postseason where he took his game to another level. Guentzel has a knack for scoring goals and an underrated skillset that translates to production at all times of the year.

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47. FLA: Brady Tkachuk

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 OTT 60 22 37 59 +4 221 162 19
2024-25 OTT 72 29 26 55 0 296 228 33

Florida Panther Brady Tkachuk cracks the top 50. Seeing him get traded to go play with his brother Matthew was shocking, but at the same time just feels right. An already loaded, chippy Panthers team just added one of the toughest skill players in the game. The last two years in Ottawa weren’t Tkachuk’s best, but now in Florida with so much talent around him, we expect Brady to return to being a point-producing wrecking ball causing havoc every night.

46. BOS: Charlie McAvoy

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 BOS 69 11 50 61 +13 111 79 129
2024-25 BOS 50 7 16 23 0 98 89 81

Charlie McAvoy clocks in at number 46. McAvoy quietly had the most productive season of his NHL career in 2025-26 while snagging a Gold Medal with Team USA along the way. The hard-hitting blueliner is often known for just that, his physicality and strong defensive play, though he’s proven capable of handling the offensive side of the game just as well. He may not have the upside of those ahead of him, but you know exactly what McAvoy is, and that’s a do-it-all No. 1 defenseman.

45. WPG: Josh Morrissey

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 WPG 77 14 41 55 +6 146 36 118
2024-25 WPG 80 14 48 62 +17 172 49 113

It was another very good year for Josh Morrissey. That’s four straight elite seasons as Morrissey has taken his game to new levels from 2022-23 onward. Rick Bowness urged him to be more aggressive offensively, and he hasn’t looked back since. Morrissey does it all on the back end for the Jets, quarterbacking the power play, starting and joining the rush, and handling a massive 24+ minute workload. Team Canada certainly missed him after he got injured at the Olympics.

44. OTT: Tim Stutzle

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 OTT 80 34 49 83 +7 194 126 44
2024-25 OTT 82 24 55 79 0 162 130 45

No more Tkachuk, the Ottawa Senators are Tim Stutzle’s team up front now. The numbers, while still very good, have slipped a touch since a 90-point 2022-23 campaign, and if the Senators want to be a true contender, they’ll need that version of Stutzle moving forward. He’s immensely talented, so that’s not an issue. If Stutzle can be aggressive and focus on scoring goals, he’ll get back to that level and possibly better, because the playmaking will always be there.

Will never forget this ridiculous pass he made as a rookie.

43. CHI: Connor Bedard

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CHI 69 30 45 75 -18 226 31 27
2024-25 CHI 82 23 44 67 -36 195 47 37

One of the more debated and scrutinized players in the game, Connor Bedard. Expectations were through the roof for this kid entering the NHL, and so far it’s been just good, not great. Last year, however, we saw plenty of greatness before injury derailed his season, and those glimpses have us believing that the superstar everyone projected is still in Bedard. He’s already got one of the best shots in the world, quick hands, elite hockey IQ and the work ethic to build on his strength and skating.

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He’ll be higher on this list next year. The question is how high can he climb?

42. STL: Robert Thomas

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 STL 64 25 39 64 +22 102 10 40
2024-25 STL 70 21 60 81 +20 145 13 48

Robert Thomas is one of the most underrated players in hockey. That’s going to happen playing in St. Louis, but we’re surely not going to underrate him. There’s a reason the Blues wanted a haul for him in any trade, and also a reason why they kept him. Thomas is a 1C, and one of the better 1Cs in the league at that. His playmaking ability is second to none, and he’s also got a sneaky great shot.

It’s not easy to beat Connor Hellebuyck clean like that from anywhere. Factor in that he’s also very responsible defensively and you’ve got the full package.

41. TBL: Brayden Point

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 TBL 63 18 32 50 +12 129 8 23
2024-25 TBL 77 42 40 82 +17 189 26 45

The 2025-26 season was not your typical year from Brayden Point. After three straight 40+ goal, over point-per-game seasons, Point endured an up-and-down, injury-riddled campaign where he was especially quiet in the playoffs. He is 30 years old now, so some have wondered if he’s on the downswing. We’re not quite of that belief after one bad year, and expect him to return to form next season. A fully healthy Point is still one of the fastest, most dynamic forwards in hockey.

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40. WPG: Kyle Connor

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 WPG 82 39 53 92 -2 274 36 19
2024-25 WPG 82 41 56 97 +17 267 21 46

A third career 90+ point season sees Kyle Connor land in our top 40. Everyone knows Connor is an elite winger, but he’s shown not just the upside but the consistency of being close to a 100-point player in three of the last five seasons. He’s one of the game’s best goal scorers thanks to his quick release and accuracy. Don’t sleep on his playmaking ability either. The defensive side of the game isn’t his strong suit, which has resulted in a limited role on Team USA, but the offensive ability is high-end.

39. NSH: Roman Josi

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NSH 68 13 42 55 -15 181 24 101
2024-25 NSH 53 9 29 38 -26 150 42 95

Roman Josi is still a stud number-one defenseman. The struggles of the Predators and injuries have spoiled his last two seasons, but when healthy, Josi remains a horse on the back end. He just may not be the point-per-game-producing, do-it-all Norris Trophy candidate anymore. That said, he’s still the quarterback of the offense in Nashville, and they go as he does. Josi’s MVP performance at the Worlds (five goals, seven assists, +15 in 10 games) en route to a silver medal proved he’s got tons of game left in him.

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38. VGK: Mark Stone

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 VGK 60 28 45 73 +26 130 31 47
2024-25 VGK 66 19 48 67 +22 131 32 42

It may not always be pretty, but Mark Stone is an amazing hockey player. His 1.217 points per game ranked 11th best of anyone in the NHL last year. The skating has never been a strength, so even into his mid-thirties, Stone is extremely effective because of his elite hockey IQ and Selke-level two-way play. Stone’s 73 points in 2025-26 were a career high, which underscores his struggles to stay healthy, particularly in recent years. Those injury concerns are all that holds him back from being even higher on this list.

37. BUF: Tage Thompson

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 BUF 81 40 41 81 -6 272 85 48
2024-25 BUF 76 44 28 72 -2 242 70 31

Tage Thompson slots in at number 37. A second straight 40-goal season and third in four years proved that his down 2023-24 was a one-off. Thompson is one of the best goal scorers in the game and the offensive catalyst in Buffalo. He moves so well and is so skilled and smooth for a 6-foot-6, 220-pound beast with a rocket of a shot. Thompson doesn’t always use his size the way you’d want him to, but when he does, he’s almost impossible to contain.

36. CAR: Jaccob Slavin

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CAR 39 1 7 8 +8 63 6 54
2024-25 CAR 80 6 21 27 +16 110 21 136

The best defensive defenseman in hockey, Jaccob Slavin. Despite having his worst regular season of his career, which was riddled by injury, Slavin once again locked it down in the biggest games of 2025-26. He was the defensive stalwart in Team USA’s Olympic gold-medal run and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup-winning run. Slavin is almost impossible to beat, seemingly getting a stick or body on everything.

He truly does this kind of stuff all the time. There is nobody else like him in today’s NHL.

35. LAK: Artemi Panarin

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NYR/LAK 78 28 56 84 -7 224 11 16
2024-25 NYR 80 37 52 89 -9 237 18 11

Artemi Panarin is a professional point producer. No matter where he’s been, Panarin has racked up numbers with ease, and that continued even on what was a pathetic LA Kings offense. Only five players have more points over the last five seasons: McDavid, MacKinnon, Kucherov, Draisaitl, and Pastrnak. Quite the company. Panarin is so fun to watch and truly has the puck on a string when he gets it. The playmaking and pure skill are second to none, and we don’t foresee a fall-off anytime soon, even though he’s about to be 35.

34. WPG: Mark Scheifele

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 WPG 82 36 67 103 0 175 32 47
2024-25 WPG 82 39 48 87 +12 181 73 60

Did you know Mark Scheifele had 103 points this season? A career-best season after putting up a career-best 87 points the year prior. Scheifele has been one of the least talked-about productive players over the last decade, having clipped at a point per game in eight of those 10 seasons. Scheifele is a weapon on the power play and at even strength, with a tremendous shot and underrated hockey IQ and passing ability. He and Connor are the offensive engines in Winnipeg, and their chemistry is something special.

33. FLA: Sam Reinhart

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 FLA 64 29 32 61 -18 166 59 40
2024-25 FLA 79 39 42 81 +6 213 103 62

At number 33, we’ve got Sam Reinhart. Consistent, productive, reliable, skilled, and a big-game player — that’s Reinhart. Two-time Stanley Cup champion, four goals in a Cup-clinching game, four 30+ goal seasons, a 57-goal campaign, and Selke Trophy votes most years… quite the resume. The move from Buffalo to Florida was everything Reinhart needed to meet his potential as a former second-overall pick. He and Aleksander Barkov are the best two-way duo in hockey.

32. MIN: Matt Boldy

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 MIN 76 42 43 85 +18 254 60 58
2024-25 MIN 82 27 46 73 +1 271 52 69

The Matt Boldy breakout happened in 2025-26. Not that his first four NHL seasons weren’t very good, but last year he took the leap to being great with 42 goals and 43 assists for 85 points. He was also great in the playoffs and for Team USA at the Olympics, which included a beautiful goal in the gold medal game against Canada. Everyone knew Boldy had the ability, but his production and playoff performances left a little bit more to be desired. He answered all of that this season and cemented himself as a top-tier winger.

31. CAR: Sebastian Aho

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CAR 79 27 53 80 +11 195 63 23
2024-25 CAR 79 29 45 74 +7 207 59 30

The sixth and final Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricane in our top 100 is Sebastian Aho.

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We’ve had a lot of players on this list who give you consistent elite production every year, and Aho is another one of those. He’s been over a point per game in five of the last eight seasons, with the other three all being 0.89 PPG or better. While these playoffs weren’t his best, he reached the double-digit point mark for an eighth straight postseason on a championship team. Aho is just a talented, hard-working, responsible 1C. You can see why Rod Brind’Amour loves him.

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30. TBL: Brandon Hagel

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 TBL 71 36 38 74 +34 214 42 38
2024-25 TBL 82 35 55 90 +33 228 59 60

Brandon Hagel is a star, and we love everything about his game. It was on full display this postseason against Montreal. Hagel was used in all situations, scoring goals, making plays, laying hits, fighting, and firing up his teammates and the crowd. He combines the energy and pest element with an extremely underrated skillset that has produced back-to-back 35+ goal, point-per-game seasons.

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On a team full of superstars, it’s Hagel who is the straw that stirs the drink in Tampa Bay.

29. DET: Moritz Seider

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DET 82 10 50 60 +15 187 128 180
2024-25 DET 82 8 38 46 -5 162 212 181

Moritz Seider’s game took another big jump in 2025-26. Had the Detroit Red Wings not flamed out in the new year, he very well could have been in the running for the Norris Trophy, which he still came fifth in voting for. Seider continued to do it all as a physical workhorse on the blue line while adding to his offensive production with a career-high 10 goals and 60 points. His floor is very high because he impacts so many areas of the game, but if the offense can increase even more, the upside would be massive.

28. OTT: Jake Sanderson

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 OTT 67 14 40 54 +16 147 29 128
2024-25 OTT 80 11 46 57 -14 195 38 163

The Ottawa Senators continue to reap the rewards of their 2020 draft class. It’s Stutzle’s team up front, but Jake Sanderson is who drives the bus for the Sens. Sanderson makes the game look so easy with his smooth skating, puck-moving ability, and stamina to go for days. His offensive output per game has been on the rise in all four of his NHL seasons, and it shouldn’t be a surprise to see it climb again in year five. $8.05 million for the next six years with the rising cap could be the best contract in hockey.

27. NYI: Matthew Schaefer

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NYI 82 23 36 59 +13 222 40 111

Very rarely would we have a guy this high after his rookie season, but Matthew Schaefer is different. After an injury cut his draft year well short, it was hard to know what exactly to expect from the 2025 first overall pick. Schaefer showed the NHL very quickly that it was showtime. Speed, skill, shot, stamina, hockey IQ, work ethic, and personality — he already has it all at just 18 years old.

Schaefer has single-handedly changed the trajectory of the New York Islanders.

26. MTL: Lane Hutson

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 MTL 82 12 66 78 +36 124 31 137
2024-25 MTL 82 6 60 66 -2 91 40 123

Our run of superstars on the blue line continues with Lane Hutson. To be an effective defenseman at 5’9″, 162 pounds, you have to be special, and Hutson is absolutely special. He’s a jitterbug who dances with the puck almost Quinn Hughes-esque. Hutson’s offensive abilities — insane hockey IQ, passing, skating — are what make the highlights, but it’s his work ethic and underrated defensive game that round him into one of the best in the world. At just 22 years old, we still don’t even know how high his ceiling could be.

25. EDM: Evan Bouchard

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 EDM 82 21 74 95 +25 221 29 101
2024-25 EDM 82 14 53 67 +14 235 31 108

Evan Bouchard may just be the most polarizing player in hockey. By far the most productive defenseman in the NHL this season and the second-most of any blueliner over the last three years behind only Cale Makar. And that’s without mentioning the posteason.

Despite that, many love to attribute his production to playing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, while pointing out his occasional defensive gaffes. No matter who you play with, you don’t luck into 95 points as a defenseman, and those mishaps are few and far between. Bouchard is an offensive weapon, and people just need to accept it.

24. TOR: William Nylander

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 TOR 65 30 49 79 -14 156 13 26
2024-25 TOR 82 45 39 84 +10 253 14 27

One of the lone positives this season for the Toronto Maple Leafs was the production of William Nylander. No matter who he was playing with or whether he was grinding through an injury himself, Nylander was all over the scoresheet and paced for a career-best 100-point full campaign. When dialed in and on his game, Nylander’s pure skillset truly can match up with just about anyone in the league. It’s just about finding that consistency to do it on a nightly basis.

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23. DAL: Jason Robertson

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DAL 82 45 51 96 +22 294 48 34
2024-25 DAL 82 35 45 80 +10 211 60 45

After two “underwhelming” seasons, Jason Robertson returned to peak form in 2025-26. It’s hard to be upset about 80 points, but it was good to see Robertson bounce back to superstar level with 45 goals and 96 points this year. His hands, hockey IQ, quick release, and accuracy make him an elite goal-scoring and playmaking threat, and that was on full display. Another big year in 2026-27 and he’ll break the bank on a new contract. It’s crazy to remember that Robertson didn’t even make Team USA.

22. NYR: Adam Fox

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NYR 55 9 44 53 +5 91 24 74
2024-25 NYR 74 10 51 61 +9 135 40 108

It seems as if a lot of people have lost belief in Adam Fox. While the last two seasons weren’t his best, injury played a huge part in that, and even at that, he was still close to a point per game. The struggles of the Rangers haven’t helped either. Fox still possesses all of the tools that won him a Norris Trophy and had him considered a consensus top-five defenseman in the league. His poise with the puck, ability to get shots through, and quarterback the offense from the point are elite, and at 5’11”, he defends much better than people think.

21. MTL: Nick Suzuki

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 MTL 82 29 72 101 +37 183 62 62
2024-25 MTL 82 30 59 89 +19 172 63 71

What a player Nick Suzuki has become. Seven straight years of major improvements, culminating in a 101-point regular season before leading the Montreal Canadiens on a run to the ECF. A few years ago, we never would have thought Suzuki had this type of ceiling. He’s always been a very strong and dependable two-way center, but his offensive abilities have continued to reach new heights, and with all of the talent around him in Montreal, the production should continue to pop.

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20. DAL: Miro Heiskanen

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DAL 77 9 54 63 +9 148 21 132
2024-25 DAL 50 5 20 25 +7 108 17 85

Back to Dallas we go for Miro Heiskanen. He’s not as flashy as some of the other top defensemen around the league, but boy is Heiskanen good. One of the smoothest skaters in the world, he combines high-end offensive abilities with equally high-end defensive play. Heiskanen’s skating and stickwork make him a nightmare to match up against, and you’re never going to escape him because he can handle massive minutes. With offensive production in the 60-70-point range, Heiskanen should get deserved Norris consideration.

19. VGK: Mitch Marner

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 VGK 81 24 56 80 +17 165 24 46
2024-25 TOR 81 27 75 102 +18 173 49 40

Mitch Marner shut up the critics in year one as a Vegas Golden Knight. It took some time for the longtime Toronto Maple Leaf to find his fit, and the regular-season numbers were lower than usual as a result, but his postseason was spectacular. Seemingly every night, Marner was making highlight-reel plays, and had Vegas won the Cup, he was a shoo-in for the Conn Smythe.

That is something you try in beer league, not the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Marner’s skillset — vision, hockey IQ, creativity and defensive play — has always been that of a superstar, and it finally all translated.

18. BUF: Rasmus Dahlin

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 BUF 77 19 55 74 +18 194 67 79
2024-25 BUF 73 17 51 68 +11 200 101 98

After 14 years, the Buffalo Sabres returned to the postseason, and Rasmus Dahlin was a catalyst in that. The tremendous play and point production have been there for years, but in 2025-26 he thrived in his second year as captain. Dahlin leads by example on the ice and took it upon himself to get Buffalo back on the map. His skillset has developed into exactly what you thought it would be as the first-overall pick in 2018. The cherry on top is that players around the league seem to hate playing against him. From Malkin to Hagel to Marchand to Matthews, Dahlin has gotten under a lot of stars’ skin.

17. FLA: Matthew Tkachuk

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 FLA 31 13 21 34 -6 88 29 7
2024-25 FLA 52 22 35 57 -3 156 84 12

He’s missed almost a full season of action over the last two years, but that shouldn’t have people forgetting about Matthew Tkachuk. It’s been incredible to see how he’s changed the DNA of the Florida Panthers immediately upon arriving. Three Finals appearances, two championships and better-than-point-per-game production in four years down South so far. There’s nobody in the league who better combines the silky hands in and around the net and elite hockey IQ with the ability to drag his team into the fight and get under opponents’ skin. There’s a reason he wins so much.

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16. PIT: Sidney Crosby

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 PIT 68 29 45 74 0 160 60 30
2024-25 PIT 80 33 58 91 -20 227 67 39

39 years old and still going strong. It honestly feels weird putting Sidney Crosby this low on any list, but the 15 players ahead of him simply possess a higher upside in 2026. Twenty-one straight seasons of over a point-per-game production — nobody else has been able to do it. Crosby’s drive and work to stay in tremendous shape have helped his longevity, allowing him to remain one of the best in the world into his late thirties. The speed and upside aren’t what they were in his prime, but Crosby is still a consistent superstar, and when he’s on his game, can be as dominant as anybody in the world.

15. NJD: Jack Hughes

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 NJD 61 27 50 77 0 228 4 32
2024-25 NJD 62 27 43 70 +12 229 7 29

If there’s any player who possesses the upside and ability to jump from outside of the top 10 on our list into the top seven, it’s Jack Hughes. The Golden Goal scorer is dynamic whenever he’s on the ice, but the problem has, of course, been the time out of action. Hughes has no trouble clipping along at over a point per game — from the Olympics onward, he was the second-most productive player in hockey. His speed, skill and creativity are things you can’t teach. If Hughes can just stay healthy, 100-point seasons will come with ease.

14. DAL: Mikko Rantanen

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 DAL 64 22 55 77 0 139 48 30
2024-25 COL/CAR/DAL 82 32 56 88 +13 212 48 44

It’s been a chaotic few years for Mikko Rantanen, but he’s all settled in Dallas now and leading the charge offensively. For anyone who thought he was a product of MacKinnon and Makar, Rantanen proved he’s the same guy without them by knocking his old team out with a legendary first-round performance in 2025. This season was derailed by an injury, but when healthy, Rantanen produced points with ease as he has for years. A 6’4″, 228-pound power forward with hands, playmaking ability and a cannon of a shot. That’s why he’s called Moose.

13. TOR: Auston Matthews

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 TOR 60 27 26 53 -4 227 42 81
2024-25 TOR 67 33 45 78 +11 261 45 89

There may not be a superstar under more pressure this upcoming season than Auston Matthews. His 33 goals in 2024-25 were attributed to injuries, and rightfully so, and while you could say the same for 2025-26, he’s starting to lose the benefit of the doubt. Matthews was never right to the eye test at all last year, and it showed in his career-low numbers. That said, he’s just 28 years old, and when healthy, there’s nobody better at ripping pucks past goalies.

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With Gavin McKenna and Darren Raddysh now in the fold, there’s no reason Matthews can’t get back to 40-plus goals at a minimum.

12. CBJ: Zach Werenski

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 CBJ 75 22 59 81 +7 260 30 94
2024-25 CBJ 81 23 59 82 +12 298 19 131

Norris Trophy winner and Columbus Blue Jacket — for now — Zach Werenski comes in at number 12. Before 2024-25, Werenski was undoubtedly a star defenseman, but over the last two years, he’s taken the leap into superstar territory and is pushing into the conversation behind the likes of Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar. Twenty-plus goals and 80-plus points from the blue line on the Blue Jackets is so impressive. The offense in Columbus runs through Werenski, who roams around the offensive zone with ease and has a knack for getting pucks through, in turn creating danger and goals.

11. VGK: Jack Eichel

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 VGK 74 27 63 90 +23 260 35 40
2024-25 VGK 77 28 66 94 +32 233 22 55

Jack Eichel just misses out on our top 10. What a year it was for Eichel: another great regular season, an Olympic Gold Medal, and coming two wins away from a second Stanley Cup. He’s always been known more so for his offensive abilities as one of the smoothest, most skilled players in hockey, but recently he’s started to get more love for his two-way game, and that was on full display this year. Not to mention one of the sneakily great shots in the NHL when he uses it.

All Eichel needs is to play an 82-game regular season, and he’ll surely hit the 100-point mark for the first time in his career.

10-1:

10. FLA: Aleksander Barkov

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2024-25 FLA 67 20 51 71 +1 149 87 54
2023-24 FLA 73 23 57 80 +33 193 104 50

Despite missing the entirety of the 2025-26 season, Aleksander Barkov still deserves the respect of being ranked a top-10 player in the sport. Nobody plays a better two-way game than Barkov, and he’s been rewarded for it with major team and individual success. Back-to-back Stanley Cups plus three Selke Trophies, and it very well could have been more without voter fatigue. Not to mention, he’s ticked over a point per game in six of the last seven seasons. Matthew Tkachuk has said Barkov is one of the most skilled players he’s ever seen, and it’s hard to argue with him.

9. MIN: Kirill Kaprizov

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 MIN 78 45 44 89 +10 269 27 52
2024-25 MIN 41 25 31 56 +19 145 16 17

Kirill The Thrill Kaprizov cracks our top 10 as the game’s best left winger. Where would the Minnesota Wild be without nabbing him in the fifth round back in 2015? Kaprizov has been a superstar from the moment he entered the NHL. He’s scored 40+ goals in four of six seasons, and in the other two, he was well on pace to do it before injury and COVID. The creativity in the way Kaprizov skates and makes plays is special, and he’s one of our favorite players to watch in the league as a result.

A lot of people questioned giving him $17 million, but if you watch Kaprizov enough, you know he’s well worth it.

8. BOS: David Pastrnak

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 BOS 77 29 71 100 +4 261 86 32
2024-25 BOS 82 43 63 106 0 319 58 24

Dare we say David Pastrnak is slightly underrated? Four consecutive 100-point seasons, and he’s not just potting goals on the one-timer on the power play. Pastrnak makes everyone around him better. Morgan Geekie, Pavel Zacha, Marat Khusnutdinov, you name it. The goal scoring was down in 2025-26 compared to his usual 40+, yet he still hit triple digits and got the Boston Bruins back into the playoffs. Pastrnak is a true franchise cornerstone with a flair for the dramatic in the biggest games and moments.

7. SJS: Macklin Celebrini

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 SJS 82 45 70 115 +8 287 53 53
2024-25 SJS 70 25 38 63 -31 236 37 53

What a start to a career it’s been for Macklin Celebrini. He was the consensus first-overall pick in 2024, but wasn’t hyped up to the level of a Crosby, McDavid, or even Bedard, though he should have been. The kid has single-handedly changed the trajectory of the San Jose Sharks as a teenager and is literally just getting started. He became the third-youngest player in history to hit 100 points, and he blew by it. It’s rare that a Sidney Crosby comparison is warranted, but with Celebrini it is. He’s a dog on a bone with generational skill.

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6. MIN: Quinn Hughes

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 MIN/VAN 74 7 69 76 -4 187 7 87
2024-25 VAN 68 16 60 76 +2 192 13 67

Minnesota Wild defenseman—for now—Quinn Hughes slides in at six. His future will be the No. 1 storyline in hockey entering 2026-27, but you can be assured it won’t affect his play in the slightest. Hughes is a machine who seemingly just continues to get better, closing the gap on Cale Makar more than anyone could have imagined. Some might even say he’s better, and there’s a very valid argument for that. The ability to roam around the ice, make plays, control games, and handle massive minutes is something few have ever had.

5. COL: Cale Makar

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 COL 75 20 59 79 +32 199 35 118
2024-25 COL 80 30 62 92 +28 246 51 128

The NHL’s newest highest-paid player, and deservedly so. Cale Makar is the best defenseman in the world and just one of the best players in the world, period. A lock for 20+ goals and point-per-game production from the blue line is almost unheard of, but Makar goes about it like clockwork. He’s got a McDavid-esque skill set, yet on the blue line, as one of the smoothest and fastest skaters in the world with the hands, shot, passing, and everything else to go with it.

Can anyone else make stopping McDavid flying down the ice in a 1-on-1 look easier than that?

4. TBL: Nikita Kucherov

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 TBL 76 44 86 130 +43 231 36 29
2024-25 TBL 78 37 84 121 +22 265 33 23

There is nobody who makes the game of hockey look easier than Nikita Kucherov, and it’s beautiful to watch. The most productive player in the world over the last three seasons? Kucherov. Two Stanley Cups, two Harts, three Art Ross Trophies, and six 100+ point campaigns… and he’s still only 33 years old. If anything, his numbers have gotten better with age as his otherworldly, crafty skill set just dissects opponents. He is the best power-play player in the world and can make any play you want with his hands, vision, and shot. Kucherov is making a case for the best Russian of all time.

3. EDM: Leon Draisaitl

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 EDM 65 35 62 97 +13 186 34 15
2024-25 EDM 71 52 54 106 +32 240 23 27

The Leon Draisaitl disrespect needs to stop. Anyone ranking him outside of the top five players, let alone forwards or centers, must just not like him. There is no valid argument that five other players in the world are better than this guy. He’s not just running shotgun to McDavid. In fact, like Malkin would without Crosby, Draisaitl elevates his game to higher levels when his captain is out. We’ve talked about some great power forwards on this list, but Draisaitl tops them all. He’s an absolute horse out there, and it translates to massive numbers at all times of the year.

2. COL: Nathan MacKinnon

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 COL 80 53 74 127 +57 350 64 35
2024-25 COL 79 32 84 116 +25 320 38 58

Nathan MacKinnon was the only real threat to McDavid for the No. 1 spot. At times in recent years, the question for that mantle has been legit, and that’s because of just how amazing MacKinnon has been. After somehow not reaching 100 points in a season until Year 10, he’s crushed the mark in four straight campaigns, and that streak probably won’t end anytime soon. He’s got the speed of a McDavid, the power of a prime Crosby, and the fire to win unlike anybody else.

1. EDM: Connor McDavid

Season Team GP G A PTS +/- SOG HITS BLKS
2025-26 EDM 82 48 90 138 +17 306 40 30
2024-25 EDM 67 26 74 100 +20 196 40 18

The world’s best player is, of course, none other than Connor McDavid. Numbers, eye test, analytics, and everything… it all points to 97 in Edmonton without question. He’s hit the 100-point mark in nine of his 11 NHL seasons, and in one of the two he missed it, he was well on his way with 97 in 64 games. The production is absolutely staggering, and not just in the regular season—the playoffs too, where he’s done just about everything for the Oilers. He’ll need a Stanley Cup to cement his legacy as one of, if not the, greatest players of all time, but he just might already have the claim as the most talented to ever play.

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