NHL Top Players: Nos. 10-1

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 10-1 were revealed Sunday in the finale of a nine-part series. Here is the list:

10. Quinn Hughes, D, Vancouver Canucks

In his first season as captain of the Canucks, Hughes led NHL defensemen in points with 92 (17 goals, 75 assists) and primary power-play assists with 17 in 2023-24. Among defensemen, he had the most even-strength points (54), second-most power-play points (38) and was fourth in plus/minus (plus-38). The 24-year-old was tied for 10th in the NHL in ice time per game (24:41) and led the Canucks in SAT percentage (57.1 percent). He had nine games with at least three assists, something only two others at the position have done in a single season: Hall of Famers Bobby Orr (four times) and Ray Bourque (once).

9. Matthew Tkachuk, F, Florida Panthers

One season after he had 109 points (40 goals, 69 assists) in 79 games and was third in voting for the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player, Tkachuk continued to show why he's one of the best in the NHL. He had 88 points (26 goals, 62 assists) in 80 regular-season games last season to go along with 32 power-play points (six goals, 26 assists) while averaging 18:38 of ice time per game. The 26-year-old left wing helped Florida reach the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight season, tying Aleksander Barkov for the team lead with 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 24 games to help the Panthers win their first Cup championship.

8. Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers

Barkov became the first Finland-born NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup after playing a key role in a 2-1 victory against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the 2024 Final that gave the Panthers their first NHL championship. He had five points (two goals, three assists) in the series and 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 24 playoff games. The 29-year-old had 80 points (23 goals, 57 assists) in 73 regular-season games. He is Florida's all-time leader in games (737), goals (266), assists (445) and points (711).

7. Nikita Kucherov, F, Tampa Bay Lightning

Kucherov is the top-ranked wing on NHL Network’s list this year. He led the NHL with 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists) in 81 games, the highest point total of his 10-season NHL career and the most in Lightning history, surpassing the 128 points (41 goals, 87 assists) he had in 2018-19. The 31-year-old right wing won the Art Ross Trophy, given to the player with the most points in an NHL season, for the second time (also 2018-19). Kucherov and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (also 100 assists) were the first players to have 100 assists in a season since Wayne Gretzky had 122 for the Los Angeles Kings in 1990-91. Kucherov also led the NHL with 53 power-play points (13 goals, 40 assists). Since the start of the 2016-17 season, he ranks fourth in points (724) and second in assists (472) despite missing the entire 2020-21 season because of injury.

6. Igor Shesterkin, G, New York Rangers

Shesterkin is the highest ranked goalie on the list. The 28-year-old was 36-17-2 with a 2.58 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and four shutouts in 55 games last season, and was among the best players in the postseason, finishing with a 2.34 GAA and .927 save percentage in 16 games. Shesterkin leads the NHL with 109 wins over the past three seasons and is tied with Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets for second in shutouts with 13 in that span, behind Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders (15). He won the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL in 2022, when he also was a finalist for the Hart Trophy. Shesterkin is 135-59-17 with a 2.43 GAA, .921 save percentage and 15 shutouts in 213 regular-season games (208 starts).

5. Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers

Draisaitl ranked seventh in the NHL last season with 106 points (41 goals, 65 assists) in 81 games, then had 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 25 playoff games. The No. 3 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft has 850 points (347 goals, 503 assists) in 719 regular-season games and 108 points (41 goals, 67 assists) in 74 playoff games. The 28-year-old is second in the NHL in goals since the start of 2018-19 (272), behind Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (294), and second in points (643), behind teammate McDavid (726).

4. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche

Among defensemen last season, Makar finished second in points (90), goals (21) and assists (69), and was first in points per game (1.17), playing 77 games. The 25-year-old was also first at the position in power-play points (39; seven goals, 32 assists), tied for first with four short-handed points and third in shots on goal (231). Makar led the Avalanche and was ninth in the NHL with an average of 24:46 in ice time per game and was first for Colorado in blocked shots (148) and takeaways (70). The No. 4 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, Makar has been a finalist for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s best defenseman, each of the past four seasons and won the award in 2021-22, the same season he helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup and took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

3. Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

The 27-year-old scored 69 goals in 81 last season to become the first player with at least that many in one season since Mario Lemieux had 69 in 70 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1995-96. Matthews, who scored 60 goals in 73 games in 2021-22, is also the ninth player in NHL history with at least two 60-goal seasons, joining Mike Bossy (five), Gretzky (five), Phil Esposito (four), Lemieux (four), Brett Hull (three), Pavel Bure (two), Jari Kurri (two) and Steve Yzerman (two). The No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft leads the NHL in goals since he was drafted (368).

2. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche

The Hart Trophy winner last season, MacKinnon finished second in the NHL with 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games and also won the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players' Association. MacKinnon had a 35-game season-opening home point streak (77 points; 29 goals, 48 assists) last season, second-longest in NHL history behind Gretzky’s 40 with the Kings in 1988-89. The 29-year-old won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

1. Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

McDavid finished third in Hart voting behind MacKinnon and Kucherov. The Oilers captain was third in the NHL with 132 points (32 goals, 100 assists) in 76 games last season and led the League with 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) in 25 playoff games; only Gretzky (47 in 1985, 43 in 1988; both with Edmonton) and Lemieux (44 in 1991 with Pittsburgh) had more in one postseason. He became the sixth player on the losing team of the Final to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, and the first skater since Reggie Leach with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1976. The 27-year-old, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, leads the NHL in points (982 in 645 games) since entering the League in 2015-16.