On top of that, he has a Norris Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy, and has been a Norris Trophy finalist in each of the past four seasons. Sidney Crosby is without a doubt one of the greatest players in NHL history, and even at 37 years old, he is a top 10 player in the league. He has been consistently in the conversation for the Hart Trophy, Selke Strophy, and many other awards. His offense has barely fallen off over the past decade, and his defensive game has arguably gotten better. There is certainly an argument for him to be even higher on this list than number 10.

Connor McDavid, F, Edmonton Oilers

Matthews earned a majority of the second-place votes last year to finish ahead of Cale Makar, who was the top defenceman at No. 3. Matthews, though, is likely to see a slide down the list after finishing with 40 goals and 85 points in 76 games last season. With his game-breaking play every night, McDavid pulls himself closer and closer to https://gambibet.org/ the top of the list of all-time greats with each game he plays. The thing keeping him below the rest of the players ahead of him is likely the team success aspect. Matthews hasn’t found success in the playoffs yet, while three of the four ahead of him have won the Stanley Cup and the other one was the Conn Smythe winner on a losing team.

Goals Against Average

Levshunov has a very projectable game, with the size, skating, and offense to be a great NHL defender. He plays with a ton of confidence, which can be a bit of a double-edged sword at times. Levshunov’s offensive game is dynamic, with his smooth skating serving as the catalyst for each thing he does well.

• The Winnipeg goaltender was in trade rumors this offseason after the two sides could not come together to a contract extension, but he’s still their starting goaltender entering this year.
• The combination of speed, hands and stick handling makes him an offensive catalyst and he maintains offensive zone possession extremely well.
• Players like these two don’t come around often, and where Brady thrives is in the physicality department.
• Stephen Halliday led OSU in scoring in each of the last two years and he has now signed a contract with the Ottawa Senators.
• At the end of the day, Zach Hyman is proving to be an elite goal scorer for the Oilers and a picture-perfect winger to play with the two superstars.
• As harassing as Barkov can be on the defensive end, he’s just as dangerous when he’s got the puck on his stick.
• Liam Greentree is a big winger who looks like he could be a great all-round player in the NHL someday if he can make some improvements to his speed and acceleration.

Sam Reinhart, F, Florida Panthers

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

While some will look just at the point total and question if he he reaches the level of a strong first-line center, his defensive impacts are his biggest strength. Since being acquired by the Colorado Avalanche, Devon Toews has developed into an excellent defenseman to support all of the superstars on the team. He has had impressive point totals, and incredible defending, and has earned Norris Trophy votes in three straight seasons before last season.

Ryan Leonard, LW/C, Washington Capitals

He’s strong in breakout/entry situations, has some clever stretch passes in his toolkit, and walks the blueline with confidence. Ryan Leonard is a high energy winger who never takes his foot off the gas in terms of both speed and effort. He uses his speed and skill to blow by defenders in the neutral zone and pressure in-zone defenders who struggle to anticipate his next move.

24 Fantasy hockey top 250 player rankings

• He will likely provide a ton of value off the rush in the NHL someday as his speed and ability to make smart passes while manipulating defenders’ skates allows him to create tons of scoring chances.
• Edstrom isn’t the flashiest player offensively, but he skates well for his size and wins tons of battles, clearing the way for his linemates to produce more offense.
• Forsling has four goals and 11 points in these playoffs, more than both Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, two of his teammates considered to be extra offensive-minded.
• Mesar will be a fascinating player to watch in the AHL next season as he moves back to the pro level.
• Not only did he finish fourth in defensive scoring last season, he finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting, and had good defensive numbers while playing 23 minutes per game.
• Hard to imagine at least one of them doesn’t succeed enough to at least give Michigan average goaltending.
• He is surrounded by a ton of veteran talent that will put him in the best position to succeed while also being on an incredibly talented roster that could go deep into the playoffs.
• Columbus already has Adam Fantilli as their 1C of the future, and adding Lindstrom who could conceivably fill the 2C spot will be a huge answer for the team’s future.

The 24-year-old is coming off a second consecutive 40-goal campaign, finishing with over 100 points for the first time in his career. Along with Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski, the smooth-skating winger forms the most dominant forward trio in hockey. He combines size and aggression with slick skill, showcasing some of the best hands in the league while not being afraid to muck things up. After he was acquired by the Panthers last summer, he emerged as the face of the franchise, posting his second consecutive 100-point season. Tkachuk’s clutch run in the playoffs was the cherry on top of a sensational first season in Florida.

Tim Stutzle, LW, Ottawa Senators

He has all the talent and the résumé to prove he can have a breakout year and become a core piece of the Flames’ future. Throughout Florida’s Stanley Cup run in 2023, Matthew Tkachuk constantly rose to the occasion, and nothing has changed this time around. Tkachuk currently leads the Panthers in points (19) during the Stanley Cup Playoffs with five goals and a team-high 14 assists. The veteran forward has thrived on the power-play throughout the postseason with a team-high six power-play assists thus far. Tkachuk plays with an ample amount of physicality, and will likely do his best to get under the skin of the opposition. He also has no problem making his living around the net on the offensive end of the ice.

The NHL’s Top 100 Prospects – Preseason Rankings

Tkachuk may be the face of the franchise, but Barkov is the engine that runs the machine. He leads the playoffs with 31 points heading into the Stanley Cup Final and has recorded at least one point in 14 of the 18 postseason contests in 2024. McDavid is undoubtedly one of the frontrunners for the Conn Smythe entering the Stanley Cup Final. The Sporting News ranks the top 10 players participating in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Matthews impresses every season, but this one was arguably his best all-around performance, and that should bode well for Toronto’s playoff prospects.

Keys to the offseason: What’s next for Panthers and Oilers?101dRyan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton

Bichsel is physical and mean, and he had a great showing at the World Juniors two years ago for Switzerland where he looked like a man amongst boys. EJ Emery is a big, right-shot defender who moves well which means that he has a near perfect physical toolkit as most NHL teams are concerned. 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. Emery’s offensive game remains his biggest area for growth, with quite a few chances dying on his stick in the neutral zone. He performed incredibly well athletically at the NHL Draft combine, earning quite a bit of attention in the weeks leading up to his draft. In truth, you could drop the smooth-skating rearguard into any spot on the ice and he would excel.

Alex DeBrincat, Detroit Red Wings

Florida will no doubt try to lay the lumber on Edmonton’s stars, but Draisaitl has a unique knack for getting the puck in the net one way or another. Demidov isn’t quite at the same level as top 2023 Draft prospect Matvei Michkov, but he is a legit top-end talent who has clear top-line potential in the NHL. One thing he and Michkov have in common is a difficulty earning minutes in the KHL as a draft eligible player. Demidov sat out many games to start the year and played full time in the MHL for the rest of the season.

The No. 1 pick from 2017 has always been touted as a responsible, two-way center that excels in the faceoff dot. However, last season, the Devils captain proved he can get it done at both ends of the ice, hitting 31 goals and 80 points. The duo of Hischier and Hughes down the middle for New Jersey is flat-out terrifying.

Hyman has turned himself into a net-front menace, and that hasn’t changed in the playoffs, no matter how hard other teams have tried to neutralize him. Hyman leads all playoff performers with 14 goals, and the Panthers better have an answer for him in the low slot, especially when Edmonton is on the man advantage. Sergei Bobrovsky really thrived throughout the Panthers’ series win against the Rangers. Bobrosvsky yielded two or fewer goals in five of his six starts in that series and compiled a 2.00 goals-against-average even after surrendering five goals in Game 3 against New York. According to Money Puck, Bobrovsky has registered a .960 save percentage when facing unblocked shots throughout the postseason.

Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team. Part of the reason the Stars have materialized into legitimate Stanley Cup contenders in the Western Conference is due to Oettinger. The Dallas goaltender wasted no time adjusting to the NHL level when he made the jump from the NCAA in 2020. The 24-year-old is one of the most promising young goaltenders, coming off a season where he posted a 2.42 GAA and a .916 SV%. McDavid picked up all 20 first-place votes last season despite having finished second in Hart Trophy voting to Auston Matthews just a few months earlier.

• Nadeau’s game has translated well to the NCAA so far, scoring 46 points in 37 games played.
• One explanation is that Hastings’ coaching style is regarded as, shall we say, abrasive and perhaps players got tired of him as the year went along and those who didn’t fit his style exited in the offseason.
• A recent Ontario kids’ hockey game between seven and eight-year-olds was halted after parents and at least one coach started brawling in the stands.
• Ultimately, a lack of elite traits holds him back a little but Hage certainly has a chance to be a top-six forward in the NHL.
• His transition game, defensive play, and wicked wrist shot make him an all around threat at the junior level already.
• After a 54-goal regular season, Hyman is out to 14 goals in 18 contests this postseason — a jaw-dropping 0.77 goals per game rate.
• Demidov sat out many games to start the year and played full time in the MHL for the rest of the season.
• As a 6-foot-4, right-shot defender, Rinzel has the basic tools that all NHL teams look for.
• Sanderson will likely jump higher on this list over the next few years, and he has decent offense with 70 points in his first two years, but his skating and defending are his best assets.

Although he isn’t the generational type of prospect Connor Bedard is, he still has all the makings of a quality player and core peace for the San Jose Sharks. He was the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award and had a draft-year production similar to that of Jack Eichel and Adam Fantilli. He will automatically be a top-six center for the Sharks and show many fans his dynamic two-way ability with the potential to become a franchise player. Arturs Silovs made an incredible debut in the NHL playoffs last season after being called up to relieve the injured Thatcher, Demko and Casey Smith in the playoffs for the Vancouver Canucks.

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.

• After winning his second Art Ross Trophy, Nikita Kucherov is well deserving of a spot this high on the list.
• 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.
• David Reinbacher is a 6-foot-2 defender with a right-handed shot and great mobility who played lots of minutes in the National League (NL), Switzerland’s top professional men’s league, during his draft year.
• Beckett Sennecke is a big winger with very impressive puck skill that allows him to regularly deke through several layers of defense.
• Sandin Pellikka had a great showing for Sweden at the World Juniors in his draft year, improving his draft stock considerably.
• With 145 points over the last two seasons, being a strong defensive presence for the Jets, and earning a fifth- and seventh-place finish in Norris Trophy voting, he has really emerged as a true number-one defenseman.
• Despite the strong goaltending from Augustine, MSU gave up 117 goals last season which was quite a few (way more than Minnesota, Wisconsin, or ND) and a lot of that was attributable to icing a very young D.