Top American players to watch in 2023-24 NHL season debated by NHL.com

This a golden age for the American hockey player.

The United States has produced dominant players at each position.

Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers, a finalist for the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player, Jack Hughes, who set the record for points in a season (99) for the New Jersey Devils, and Jason Robertson, who had 109 points for the Dallas Stars last season, lead the way up front.

Adam Fox of the New York Rangers, who won the Norris Trophy in 2021, Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks and Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins are among the elite American defensemen.

In goal, it is Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets and Jake Oettinger of Dallas Stars taking the torch from Jonathan Quick, now of the Rangers.

For fans of American hockey players, it is an embarrassment of riches.

As the birth of the United States is celebrated, we look at this wealth of talent and celebrate by asking several NHL.com staffers which American player they are most looking forward to watching in 2023-24.

Here, in alphabetical order, are the answers.

Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights

This is all about the encore for Eichel. The Vegas Golden Knights center was brilliant in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and easily could have won the Conn Smythe Trophy. Instead, Eichel helped his linemate, Jonathan Marchessault, win the trophy for the most valuable player of the playoffs. Eichel had 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 22 playoff games. He was effective all over the ice and probably did not get enough credit for how well he played defensively. He was as big of a reason for why Vegas won the Stanley Cup as anyone. What does he do for the encore? That's why Eichel is the American player I am most looking forward to watching this season. Eichel got the monkey off his back by just making the playoffs, and then he played the best he has played in the NHL. He's in the prime of his career, a superstar, and he should carry the confidence he played with in the playoffs into this season. Eichel had 66 points (27 goals, 39 assists) in 67 regular-season games. The pressure should be off him because Eichel delivered. Now he just has to keep doing it. There's no reason he can't. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils

What isn't there to like about the 22-year-old center, who's just scratching the surface after establishing NHL career-high totals with 43 goals, 56 assists and 99 points in 78 games in his fourth professional season. Hughes talked the talk and walked the walk by raising his level of intensity and work ethic for the Devils in their first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance in five seasons, leading New Jersey in goals (six) and points (11) in 12 postseason games. He even had 1.26 hits per 60 minutes after averaging 0.46 in the regular season. Hughes also finished second in the voting for the Lady Byng Trophy awarded to the player exhibiting sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability, which leads me to another great quality. Hughes, born in Orlando, Florida, has always been a quote machine with the media. When asked about being a finalist for the Lady Byng, in fact, he said, "I'm a good guy; I hold doors for ladies."-- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthews scored 40 goals in 74 games in 2022-23. That's remarkable considering he played through a hand injury that affected his ability to shoot. If he comes back healthy at age 26, what could he accomplish? He led the NHL in goals in 2020-21, when he scored 41 in 52 games, and did it again in 2021-22, when he scored 60 in 73 games and won the Hart Trophy. In 481 NHL games in seven seasons, he has scored 299 goals. He ranks first in goals per game (0.62) in NHL history among American players who have appeared in at least three games, ahead of Brett Hull (0.58) and Pat LaFontaine (0.54). Hull leads American NHLers with 741 goals. How long before Matthews catches him?-- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

Wow, do my colleagues love goals. A forward here, there a forward, nary another position to be found. I am here to give due to those that stop the forwards from giving goalies nightmares, the noble defensemen. None is better, in my opinion, than McAvoy. The 25-year-old does it all on the blue line. He is a true No. 1, drawing difficult assignments and delivering at each end of the ice without ever being noticed all that much. They say a defenseman has played well if he goes unnoticed. Well, McAvoy must play out of his head to be ignored for what he does on the ice. He should be in the Norris Trophy conversation because he can play the game any way it needs to be played. Hard along the boards and clearing pucks? Check. Physical in the open ice? Check. Transition? Check. Running the power play? Check. Walking the offensive blue line? Check. Playing run and gun? Check. Oh, and you want points? McAvoy had 52 (seven goals, 45 assists) in 67 games this season. A dozen players in the League had a better points-per game average than McAvoy (0.78) and I expect it to be less than a handful this season as his game -- and his responsibility -- continue to grow. --Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars

Robertson, who will turn 24 on July 22, has constantly improved his production since making his NHL debut in 2020-21. That season he had 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists). The next he had 79 points (41 goals, 38 assists) and last season he had career highs across the board, finishing sixth in the NHL with 109 points (46 goals, 63 assists). I want to see what's next. How does he top last season? How does he pick up where he left off in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when he started to find his goal-scoring touch against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final? Four of his seven postseason goals came in that round. Robertson is one of the most exciting American players in the League and the California native just keeps getting better. He may not be the captain but with his work on the ice and his great personality off it, he is the face of the Stars. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres

The forward is the focal point of the Sabres' exciting young core. Born in Phoenix, he was sixth in the NHL last season with 47 goals, and his 85 the past two seasons are 10th in the League. At 25, he's in the prime of his NHL career and certainly has talent around him, including forwards Alex Tuch, Jeff Skinner and Dylan Cozens, and top-end defensemen that can get him the puck in the right spots in Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin. The Sabres were one point away from ending their 12-season Stanley Cup Playoff drought; they'll need Thompson to have another big season for them to play past the second week of April. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators

His big brother Matthew was one of the biggest stories in the NHL last season, helping lead the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final. Brady was there to see it all, soaking in the playoff atmosphere in Florida and seeing first-hand what it takes to make a deep playoff run. There is no doubt he will be inspired by what his brother did last season and will build upon the NHL career highs in goals (35), assists (48) and points (83) he had last season. The Senators are building something special, and they and their 23-year-old captain are going to be fun to watch this season.-- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

Having just spent the past two months watching the wonder that is the Panthers forward day in and day out, I'm eager to see where he goes with his game this season. The 25-year-old, raised in St. Louis, was a finalist for the Hart Trophy and led his team -- despite many disbelievers -- to the Stanley Cup Final, where he fractured his sternum in Game 3 and his team ultimately fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5. Though it's unclear when he will return to the ice, and it's possible he could miss the start of the 2023-24 season, I'm betting he'll do all he can to get back as fast as possible. And when he gets there? Watch out. The motivated Tkachuk is coming off a 109- point season, where he scored 40 goals and had 69 assists and blossomed into one of the best and most fearsome players in the League. He's poised for yet another great season and, even more than that, he's just fun to watch. Because if the playoffs proved anything, you'd better watch until the final buzzer sounds when Tkachuk is involved. --Amalie Benjamin, staff writer