His performance in the playoffs en route to the Stanley Cup wasn’t as dominant, but with 10 goals, he certainly didn’t disappear. He was on Hart, Selke and Lady Byng ballots this year, and has earned votes for them in previous years, except for the https://gambibet.org/ Hart. A very disappointing year by Tage Thompson’s standards didn’t stop voters by much on this one. After posting 47 goals and 94 points two seasons ago, Thompson, along with most of the other Sabres players, took a big step back in production.

Prospects #100-91

• He isn’t the biggest defenseman (just under 6-feet) but he competes hard and defends well as a result of his energy and skating.
• Since being selected 23rd overall in the 2022 Draft, Jimmy Snuggerud has proven to be an excellent choice for the St. Louis Blues.
• Defensemen accounted for 28 of 100 spots, while nine goalies made the top 100 (and only one in the top 25).
• He’s difficult to play against mostly because of his mobility and large frame rather than because of his smarts, though he has shown some promise on breakout passes after separating an attacking forward from the puck.
• Not only has the Swede improved immensely on defense, but he hit 100 points last year, potting 39 goals and adding 63 assists.
• He led the Giants in points per game during his draft year and was among the top scorers in the WHL at large before suffering an injury at the 2023 WJC with Slovakia.
• Don’t get me wrong, 52 points in 67 games is nothing to sneeze at, but if the Boston defender wants to shake his underrated status, he’ll have to put up more on the score sheet.
• He has a really well-rounded tool kit as a 6-foot-1 center who skates well, has excellent skill with the puck and can create chances at will in the USHL.

If you’re wondering why goalies weren’t included in this ranking, that’s because we have a separate article for that position. Doughty’s leadership, experiences, and impact on every game make him a valuable asset, and he is still one of the top two-way defensemen in the game. He hasn’t had a true long-term partner for the majority of his career, and having an anchor on his pair could help propel his game even further. This site is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with these schools or teams. Modern hockey emerged in England in the mid-19th century and was developed at private schools (like Eton) throughout the country.

• India and the Netherlands, in the men’s and women’s competitions, respectively, have been tremendously successful at the Olympic Games.
• A towering defender at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, William Wallinder was drafted 32nd overall in 2020.
• Kasper then made the move to the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins last season, and while the transition wasn’t the smoothest, his play and production picked up significantly in the new year.
• With 81 playoff points over his last three seasons, Draisaitl is not only one of the best playoff producers in the NHL but one of the best in history.
• Like Reinhart, a big breakout year from Hyman in terms of goal-scoring shot him up this list pretty high.

Mattias Ekholm D Edmonton Oilers

It marked his sixth straight year topping the list, having overtaken Sidney Crosby in 2017 after the Penguins star had a seven-year run at No. 1. By his own standards, it was a bit of a down year last season in both goals and points, which is saying something of its own considering he was seventh in points and 14th in goals league-wide. In its early form, field hockey was played on natural grass, but the heavy turf made the game slower. Speed, technical skills and fun are the main characteristics of hockey—an exciting and dynamic sport that requires endurance and great coordination. A hockey match consists of four periods of 15 minutes for a total match time of 60 minutes. Hockey takes its name from the French word “hocquet”, meaning a shepherd’s crook in reference to the curved shape of a hockey stick.

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With many awards finalists and proven playoff performers in the mix this spring, who comes out on top? We start with a player who scored more goals this season than anyone in the past 30 years. The Robin to McDavid’s Batman, Draisaitl is a world-class talent who would be the best player on 30 other teams. The German center finished with 52 goals and a career-high 128 points last season, giving him now three years with at least 50 goals and four seasons with at least 100 points. Draisaitl is regarded as the best passer in the league, and rightfully so with his slick dishing ability.

MLB Teams

The Winnipeg Jets still chose Chaz Lucius 18th overall in the 2021 Draft despite him losing a lot of time in his draft year rehabbing a knee injury. His great playmaking ability and scoring potential were just too enticing to ignore. After playing for the University of Minnesota, the Manitoba Moose, Team USA at the WJC, and the Portland Winterhawks over the course of roughly 3 seasons, it was good for him to get some stability last year in the AHL. He was having a promising pro season until he got hurt and underwent season ending ankle surgery in January. Tough injury luck for the kid but I still see a ton of potential in his game and wouldn’t be shocked if he cracked the Jets’ opening night lineup next season.

Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars

The projection is tantalizing, but the reason people are hesitant about Geekie is that his skating is average at best. He will need to keep putting work into his ability to play at a fast pace but his length and skill combo should make him an effective middle-six player for Tampa Bay regardless. He also seems to have a knack for unleashing the full weight of that extra gear when it matters most. Perhaps it was because he began his NHL career in the post-season that Makar feels so at home in the grind of the playoffs. Just 25 years old, fresh off a career 21-goal, 90-point season, the question isn’t whether Makar can maintain his current level — it’s how much higher he’ll have raised it when all is said and done.

Lucas Raymond, Detroit Red Wings

Early returns have been good as Mesar has had back-to-back great showings at the World Juniors over the past 12 months and has already shown a ton of improvement in two seasons in the OHL. Few OHL defenders are capable of slowing him down in transition where his quick weight shifts and deceptive posture can be incredibly difficult to read. Mesar will be a fascinating player to watch in the AHL next season as he moves back to the pro level. That’s been the case from the very beginning, as he came back season after season with some skill tweaked, some ability enhanced.

Top 10 impact players in Stanley Cup Final

The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers both have plenty of star power, and those marquee names will go toe-to-toe for hockey’s ultimate prize. Back during the Oilers’ dynasty in the 1980s, those Wayne Gretzky clubs had the great Paul Coffey. There’s a clear path for Celebrini to become an excellent first-line center in the NHL and the San Jose Sharks are counting the days until he can show what he’s made of at their training camp in a few short days.

Matthew Savoie, C, Edmonton Oilers

All of the concerns about Jakob Chychrun’s ability to stay healthy were put to bed last season when he played his first full season, playing in all 82 games. He did tie his career-high in points, but with a significant amount more games played than any other season, the Senators were hoping for a bit more out of him than that. Not only did he not have the offensive output they were hoping for, but his defensive game wasn’t as strong in Ottawa either. This will be a good skating team and they will play with aggression because they still have plenty of skill, but I’d hope that it isn’t as much of a defensive rollercoaster as it has been at times given the experience.

Oil Kings’ Alex Worthington Playing Well After Taking Over Starting Spot

As great as the Oilers are on offense, they do need to play some defense to win the Stanley Cup. Since joining Edmonton ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, Ekholm has provided some much needed stability on defense, and he has elevated his game in these playoffs. In his 321 minutes of ice time at five-on-five, the Oilers have controlled 57.2% of the expected goals and outscored opponents 19-11, per Natural Stat Trick. Those numbers are even more eye-popping when you consider Ekholm is tasked with slowing down the opposition’s top forwards. It’s probably safe to assume that Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe will get a heavy dose of Ekholm in this series. Artyom Levshunov has an incredibly exciting toolkit as a big, right-handed defender who skates incredibly well.

NHL Rank: Top-100 player predictions for the 2023-24 season

A towering defender at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, William Wallinder was drafted 32nd overall in 2020. He’s extremely mobile and has a smooth skating stride and a very strong puck carrier. He has put in a lot of work on his defensive game to round out his strengths, but his offensive instincts are what will make him a very good option for the Detroit Red Wings on defense. Wallinder was one of the best young players in Sweden last season and has made the switch to North America this year with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The transition hasn’t been the smoothest and the offensive production hasn’t really arrived yet, but his size and skating sure have, making him a solid defensive player from the jump. Jagger Firkus had a phenomenal final season at the junior level, leading the entire CHL in scoring (goals and points), and being named MVP of the WHL and CHL.

Boston College Men’s Hockey Announces Captains For 2024-25 Season

• While Bedard scores by shooting a wrister as hard as possible, trying to punch a hole through the goalie, Michkov will outsmart the defense and score by finding holes in coverage.
• Lamoureux looks like a future NHLer to me at this point, though his offensive play at the pro level will likely decide his ultimate ceiling.
• I’d really love to see him against pros full-time next season, hopefully in the KHL.
• He is a fantastic complimentary piece to any of the top three centers the LA Kings have, and his versatile playstyle allows him to be deployed in nearly any situation.
• He has the tools to be a top-6 forward, but his offensive game will need to continue to grow if he wants to reach that level of play in the NHL.
• He missed 22 games last year with injury, but still managed to finish top-10 in defensemen scoring (66 points) and one of only two blue liners to put up a point-per-game (1.10).
• They landed some great prospects with each pick, but my favorite of the bunch, Jiri Kulich, was the last one they selected at 28th overall.

He missed most of his freshman season at the University of Michigan due to injury, but had an excellent sophomore year last season and is set to go pro this Fall. Sam Rinzel was drafted 25th overall by the Blackhawks back in 2022, largely for the massive potential he brings to the table. As a 6-foot-4, right-shot defender, Rinzel has the basic tools that all NHL teams look for.

• An elusive skater with incredible hands to match, Huston is the definition of a puck, moving defenseman with elite offensive abilities.
• He has become an important part of the Carolina Hurricanes’ top-six, and has been an excellent playoff performer for the team, who has struggled to score in the postseason over the last few years.
• Shane Wright’s biggest obstacle since being drafted has been the NHL/CHL agreement but he was granted an exception last year so he could compete in the AHL despite not being officially eligible.
• His offensive game is impressive for a defender of his size and his skating makes him even more intriguing as an NHL prospect.
• This is a more veteran team than what Michigan is used to and I think they will benefit from it.
• He’s got the size, skating, shot, and skill to be an impactful player in all areas of a hockey game and I will be a massive Danielson apologist until he’s a full time NHLer in the near future.
• His defensive game has looked significantly improved over the years and I think his offensive totals would have earned him a bit more attention this season if he hadn’t dealt with consecutive finger and back injuries.

There’s been plenty of discourse surrounding the Maple Leafs’ “Core Four.” Over the last two seasons, including playoffs, you can certainly argue Nylander has been the most consistent out of the quartet. He enters this season with one year left on his contract with the Leafs, and it could be Nylander’s final season in Toronto. The defenseman has been a steady member of the Dallas blue line for years, but it wasn’t until last season that Heiskanen significantly produced on the score sheet. The two-way sensation is among the league’s best defenders at 24 years old, he’s only getting better. Matthews regressed a tad last season, going from 60 goals to 40 and 106 points to 85. But the Maple Leafs superstar still has the best release in the league, making him dangerous at all angles in the offensive zone.

It’s what he did in the half-decade after that, when his Penguins era seemed to have run its course, the captain turning trade chatter into back-to-back Stanley Cups, and back-to-back Conn Smythe trophies. And over the past two campaigns, it’s what Crosby’s done again, putting up a pair of 90-point seasons — and the third-best goal-scoring effort of his career — as he approaches his 40s. He’s upped the ante even more of late, growing into peak form over the past two seasons with a pair of 100-point campaigns and 97 goals over that span, too. In that two-year stretch, only two wingers in the league have managed to outscore Rantanen, and only one’s managed to rack up more goals than the Colorado stalwart. Now, entering the final year of his contract, all eyes will be on whether the Avs and the veteran Finn can agree on a deal that keeps him in Denver long-term. There is a legitimate argument to have Auston Matthews as high as number two on this list.

Rutger McGroarty is in an exciting position after being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. After clearly wanting out of Winnipeg, he becomes the best prospect and rookie for the Penguins by a mile. But there will be a lot of high expectations on a young player who is expected to slot into the Penguins’ top six. He shines in the offensive zone with his goal-scoring and playmaking ability, being able to handle the puck with the likes of his elite teammates. Look for him to have a lot of opportunities this season, as Pittsburgh will be in an interesting position not only this season but for years to come.

Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

It is hard to improve on the season MacKinnon had, but he has found a way to do so in each of the past four seasons. Though he already has a Stanley Cup on his resume, he will certainly be looking to get back into contention for another Cup this season. In four of his six years in the NHL, he has earned Norris Trophy votes, and while he hasn’t finished higher than seventh in voting, there is a strong chance he can be higher this season. Dobson is one of the most valuable players on the club, and as they look to do a slight retool and make some changes to their team, Dobson is one of the few cornerstones they will build around. On a team that specializes in team defense, having a defenseman reach the 70-point mark is quite impressive. On top of that, Noah Dobson led the Islanders defense in scoring by a significant margin of over 40 points.

Leon Draisaitl, F, Edmonton Oilers

The combination of speed, hands and stick handling makes him an offensive catalyst and he maintains offensive zone possession extremely well. Savoie has excellent vision to spot a lane to engage or find his teammates with a perfectly executed pass and he’s a dynamic skater as well. He got his first taste of pro hockey last Fall and was one of the best players in the WHL last year in his final year of junior play. Stian Solberg is a big, physical defender who skates well for his size and made a big splash as a top player for Norway at the recent Men’s World Championship.

Had Timo Meier been able to stay healthy, he would have kept his good momentum going and had been able to raise his point totals and finish around points. On top of being a reliable 60-point player, Meier also brings physicality and defensive responsibility. He can complement the top centers on the Devils very well, and back to the physicality, is one of the only top players to bring a good amount of hits to the table. Age catches up to players, and with Evgeni Malkin being 38 years old, 67 points is still quite impressive. Last season, he posted the lowest points-per-game pace of his career and has noticeably slowed down from the player he once was, but he is still a great second-line center. Morgan Rielly had a strong offensive season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and while he isn’t known for his shut-down abilities, he was fine on the defensive side.

He was among the best defensemen in the league when healthy, but to continue climbing this list, he needs to show he can do it over a full season. He is a very strong two-way defenseman and is neck-and-neck with Alex Pietrangelo for the true top defender for the Vegas Golden Knights. A career-high in goals and points led Travis Konecny to a big eight-year extension, and his importance to the team is very clearly on display.