NHL Top Players: Nos. 30-21

NHL Network is getting ready for this season by ranking the top 50 players in the League right now. Researchers, producers and on-air personalities compiled their list, and players 30-21 were revealed on Wednesday in the seventh of a nine-part series. Here is the list:

30. J.T. Miller, C, Vancouver Canucks

Miller, 31, comes off his first 100-point season in the NHL (103; 37 goals, 66 assists in 81 games). He was the sixth player in 40 years and second last season (Artemi Panarin) to get his first 100-point season at age 31 or older (Erik Karlsson, 2022-23; Steven Stamkos, 2021-22; Martin St. Louis, 2006-07; Daniel Alfredsson; 2005-06). Miller helped the Canucks win 50 games and advance to the playoffs for the second time since 2014-15. He had 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 13 postseason games. He has recorded at least 32 goals and 82 points each of the past three seasons.

29. William Nylander, F, Toronto Maple Leafs

Nylander scored 40 goals for the second straight season while setting his career high with 98 points. He led the Maple Leafs with 35 power-play points and was second in power-play goals (11) behind Auston Matthews (18). The 28-year-old right wing had his highest ice time per game in his career (19:55) and also led Toronto with three goals in four playoff games. Nylander has recorded at least 34 goals and 80 points in each of the past three seasons while missing only one game over that span.

28. Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks

Pettersson signed an eight-year contract with the Canucks on March 2, 2024, to avoid restricted free agency. He had 89 points (34 goals, 55 assists) in 82 games and won more than 50 percent of his face-offs (50.8 percent) for the first time in his NHL career. Pettersson's career-best 10 game-winning goals led Vancouver and tied Daniel Sedin for third-most in a season in team history. His 125 hits were also a career high and more than he had in the three previous seasons combined. The 25-year-old has scored at least 32 goals in three straight seasons.

27. Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers

Fox finished sixth among defensemen with 73 points (17 goals, 56 assists) in 72 games last season and was tied for fourth with 33 power-play points while averaging 23:27 of ice time per game. The 26-year-old led Rangers defensemen with 137 shots on goal and five game-winning goals, was second on the team with a plus-21 rating behind Ryan Lindgren (plus-22) and third with 123 blocked shots. Fox finished fourth in Norris voting last season and is a two-time finalist, having won the award in 2020-21.

26. Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins

McAvoy had 47 points (12 goals, 35 assists) and led Boston with 24:51 of average ice time in 74 games last season. The 26-year-old also set NHL career highs in hits (159) and blocked shots (159), averaged 3:19 in power-play time and 2:13 in short-handed time per game, one of 11 players in the NHL with at least 3:00 of power-play and 2:00 short-handed time per game.

25. Kirill Kaprizov, F, Minnesota Wild

Kaprizov led the Wild with 96 points (46 goals, 50 assists) in 75 games last season, averaging a career-high 21:35 of ice time per game. He also had bests in power-play goals (19) and points (41). The 27-year-old left wing set a Minnesota record with 47 goals in 2021-22 and is the first player in team history with three straight 40-goal seasons. Kaprizov's 133 goals the past three seasons are tied with Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche for fifth most in the League during that span.

24. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning

Vasilevskiy, who was the No. 1-ranked goalie on this list each of the past five years, won 30 games last season, the seventh straight time he's won at least that many. He was 30-20-2 with a 2.90 GAA, .900 save percentage and two shutouts in 52 games after being sidelined for the first 20 games of the season because of offseason back surgery. The 30-year-old won the Vezina in 2019 and has finished in the top five in voting in five of the past seven seasons. He leads the NHL with 286 wins since 2015-16. Vasilevskiy helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons, playing every minute in the 2020 and 2021 playoffs. He was 16-7 with a 1.90 GAA, .937 save percentage and five shutouts in 23 games to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2021.

23. Jason Robertson, F, Dallas Stars

Despite being down 29 points from his 2022-23 totals, Robertson still led Dallas with 80 points and 51 assists last season, averaging 18:19 of ice time in 82 games. He also led them in power-play points (28), shots on goal (231) and was tied for second with four game-winning goals, The 25-year-old right wing also tied for the Stars lead with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to help them reach the Western Conference Final. In his NHL career, Robertson is averaging 1.08 points per game (314 points in 292 games).

22. Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner, Hellebuyck went 37-19-4 with a 2.39 GAA, .921 save percentage and five shutouts in 60 games last season. He ranked second in the NHL in wins behind Colorado’s Alexander Georgiev (38). Among goalies to play at least 25 games, he was second in save percentage (Anthony Stolarz, Panthers, .925) and fourth in GAA. He also made the second-most saves overall (1,656), behind Juuse Saros (1,672) of the Nashville Predators. Hellebuyck won the William M. Jennings Trophy, presented annually to the goalie(s) who play a minimum of 25 games for the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. Winnipeg allowed an NHL-low 199 goals (including shootout-deciding goals) and finished second in the Central Division (52-24-6). The 31-year-old also won the Vezina in 2020 and has been a finalist four times in the past seven seasons.

21. Gustav Forsling, D, Florida Panthers

The 28-year-old was one of the most surprising players in the NHL last season. He had 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 79 games while leading the NHL with a plus-56 rating during the regular season. Forsling was second on the Panthers in ice time per game (22:09), leading them with 3:25 of short-handed ice time per game and was third on the team with a 58.3 SAT percentage. In the playoffs, he had 13 points (four goals, nine assists) and a plus-nine rating, helping to keep some of the top scorers in the League in check on the way to winning the Stanley Cup.