NHL Rank: Counting down from 50 to 1 for 2022-23

The apical 100 NHL players for the 2022-23 play are hard to rank, fixed the unthinkable extent of endowment astatine astir each position.

To make our yearly ranking of the NHL's apical 100 players, we asked an ESPN sheet of much than 50 hockey experts to complaint players based connected however bully they volition beryllium successful the 2022-23 play compared to their peers.

The Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche were tied for the astir players successful the apical 100 with six, on with the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vancouver Canucks. Only 3 teams failed to spot a subordinate successful the apical 100 -- and the Arizona Coyotes are not 1 of the three.

Emphasis was placed solely connected expectations for the upcoming play and predicting imaginable greatness, alternatively than past performance, vocation résumé oregon positional value. Hence, semipermanent injuries to players, specified arsenic the season-ending country for Robin Lehner of the Vegas Golden Knights, were taken into consideration.

There whitethorn beryllium nary greater denotation of the NHL's extent than the information that the halfway presumption -- the root of the league's prima powerfulness for decades -- accounted for lone 7 spots successful the apical 20. Centers bash encompass 4 slots successful the apical 7 players, however.

After counting down from 100-51, present we contiguous the apical 50, including a important alteration from past season's apical three:

50. Mathew Barzal, C, New York Islanders

2021-22 rank: 18
Age: 25

Barzal earned an eight-year declaration hold from the Islanders based connected past show -- arsenic the team's perennial starring scorer -- and aboriginal returns. The halfway is eyeing an improved antiaircraft crippled to complement his violative abilities arsenic an elite playmaker successful New York's system. --Kristen Shilton

49. Thatcher Demko, G, Vancouver Canucks

2021-22 rank: 41
Age: 26

Demko showed past play helium was much than susceptible of handling the demands of being a No. 1 by starting 61 games and winning 33 times. --Ryan S. Clark

48. Dylan Larkin, C, Detroit Red Wings

2021-22 rank: 96
Age: 26

Blazing velocity and 30-goal discourtesy specify this 26-year-old guardant for Detroit. --Greg Wyshynski

47. Patrik Laine, RW, Columbus Blue Jackets

2021-22 rank: 100
Age: 24

Laine remains 1 of the NHL's elite goal-scoring threats, posting his highest goals per 60 minutes mean (1.5) since his rookie play successful 2021-22. --Greg Wyshynski

46. Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets

2021-22 rank: 28
Age: 29

As much teams determination to tandems, Hellebuyck continues to beryllium 1 of those fewer goalies who tin play much than 60 games and inactive springiness his squad a accidental to triumph each game. --Ryan S. Clark

45. Andrei Svechnikov, RW, Carolina Hurricanes

2021-22 rank: 48
Age: 22

Svechnikov deed the 30 extremity people for the archetypal clip past season, galore of them without the payment of a lacrosse move. --Greg Wyshynski

44. Jack Hughes, C, New Jersey Devils

2021-22 rank: 44
Age: 21

The 56 points helium scored past play were much than his archetypal 2 seasons combined. Could this beryllium the twelvemonth that Hughes climbs adjacent higher? --Ryan S. Clark

43. Brad Marchand, LW, Boston Bruins

2021-22 rank: 9
Age: 34

He's the subordinate everyone loves to hate. And that lone seems to substance Marchand's fire. The 34-year-old led Boston with 80 points past season, and eclipsed the 30-goal people for the 5th clip successful 7 seasons. Deep into his career, Marchand remains 1 of the NHL's elite near wingers -- and the Bruins volition consciousness his lack profoundly to commencement the 2022-23 campaign, arsenic the seasoned continues recovering from offseason hep surgery. --Ryan S. Clark

42. Mark Stone, RW, Vegas Golden Knights

2021-22 rank: 23
Age: 30

Stone, who played conscionable 37 games past season, could reply each those questions astir his backmost with different 20-plus extremity run and suffocating two-way performances. --Ryan S. Clark

41. Jacob Markstrom, G, Calgary Flames

2021-22 rank: 58
Age: 32

While his postseason was rather porous, Markstrom led each goalies with 9 shutouts successful finishing 2nd for the Vezina past season. --Greg Wyshynski

40. Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks

2021-22 rank: 22
Age: 33

Chicago whitethorn beryllium taking steps back, but Kane isn't. The close winger is simply a reliable violative unit for the Blackhawks and proved it again past play with a 92-point campaign. What happens this twelvemonth without Alex DeBrincat by his side, though? Kane volition beryllium speedy to beryllium helium tin emergence supra losing a coveted linemate. The bigger question is if he'll inactive beryllium doing it successful Chicago? --Kristen Shilton

39. Zach Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets

2021-22 rank: 86
Age: 25

Werenski stepped extracurricular the shadiness of Seth Jones and posted his champion violative play (48 points successful 68 games) portion logging his highest mean crystal clip (25:40). --Greg Wyshynski

38. Moritz Seider, D, Detroit Red Wings

2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 21

The antheral they telephone "Mo" won the Calder Trophy past play aft scoring 50 points successful 82 games and averaging the second-highest crystal clip for a rookie defenseman successful the past decennary (23:02). --Greg Wyshynski

37. Robert Thomas, C, St. Louis Blues

2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 23

Everyone fixates connected the 77, points but the two-way crippled is what makes the 22-year-old a more, well-rounded threat. --Ryan S. Clark

36. Alex DeBrincat, LW, Ottawa Senators

2021-22 rank: 76
Age: 24

DeBrincat has scored the ninth-most goals (160) since coming into the NHL successful 2017-18. He is different crushed wherefore truthful galore eyes volition beryllium connected the Sens this season. --Ryan S. Clark

35. Kyle Connor, LW, Winnipeg Jets

2021-22 rank: 31
Age: 25

Scoring 47 goals and 93 points past play made it hard for anyone to disregard Connor's spot among the game's astir unsafe scorers. --Ryan S. Clark

34. Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins

2021-22 rank: 21
Age: 24

The Bruins' top-pairing defenseman is the full bundle -- a large skater with bully instincts, carnal and an fantabulous puck-mover with an elite archetypal pass. McAvoy's worth whitethorn beryllium felt astir successful however good Boston survives - oregon doesn't - the commencement of this play without him arsenic helium recovers from offseason enarthrosis surgery. --Kristen Shilton

33. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets

2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 29

Gaudreau utilized past play to punctual the NHL helium is 1 of the game's astir unsafe wingers. He volition look to bash the aforesaid present that helium is successful Columbus aft 8 years successful Calgary. --Ryan S. Clark

32. Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks

2021-22 rank: 16
Age: 23

Pettersson deed career-highs successful goals (32) and points (68) past twelvemonth and is committing to an improved antiaircraft game, which includes being stronger connected the puck and adding immoderate physicality. That's the balanced attack the Canucks request from their apical center. --Kristen Shilton

31. Brady Tkachuk, LW, Ottawa Senators

2021-22 rank: 50
Age: 23

He's a 30-goal scorer who appears to beryllium connected the brink of perchance much for a Senators squad that looks similar it could beryllium a superior occupation this season. --Ryan S. Clark

30. Jason Robertson, LW, Dallas Stars

2021-22 rank: 99
Age: 23

Robertson took a promising rookie run and went disconnected for 40 goals successful his 2nd afloat season. He's inactive young, but he's already averaging astir a afloat constituent per crippled successful his career. --Ryan S. Clark

29. Juuse Saros, G, Nashville Predators

2021-22 rank: 72
Age: 27

Saros was already important to the Predators. But his worth was astir immeasurable successful 2021-22 erstwhile helium went from being portion of a tandem to a near-nightly fixture with a league-high 67 starts. --Ryan S. Clark

28. Miro Heiskanen, D, Dallas Stars

2021-22 rank: 26
Age: 23

Heiskanen mightiness not people a ton of points similar immoderate of his contemporaries connected the bluish line. But his two-way prowess means helium tin beryllium trusted successful practically each concern passim an full game. --Ryan S. Clark

27. Filip Forsberg, LW, Nashville Predators

2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 28

Getting his archetypal 40-goal, 40-assist play elevated his spot among the game's premier near wingers. And helium did that successful conscionable 69 games. --Ryan S. Clark

26. Brayden Point, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

2021-22 rank: 19
Age: 26

Five consecutive 20-goal seasons and helium is simply a reliable two-way halfway who tin play successful each situations. Again, determination is simply a crushed wherefore Tampa Bay continues to stay successful contention. --Ryan S. Clark

25. Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights

2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 26

Everyone has seen what a afloat steadfast Eichel tin accomplish. Now it is simply a substance of seeing what helium tin bash connected a squad with heavier expectations for a afloat season. --Ryan S. Clark

24. Mikko Rantanen, RW, Colorado Avalanche

2021-22 rank: 12
Age: 26

Rantanen mightiness not person attraction similar MacKinnon and Makar, but helium finds himself successful the moving for the NHL's apical close winger due to the fact that helium is simply a menace to people astatine slightest 30 goals and person 50 assists. Is this the twelvemonth helium gets the elusive 100-point campaign? --Ryan S. Clark

23. Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers

2021-22 rank: 8
Age: 24

Already a Norris winner, Fox is 1 of the players astatine the vanguard of the young, puck-moving defenseman question that is making a people successful the NHL. Fox is much than conscionable discourtesy and helium is besides idiosyncratic who tin beryllium trusted successful each situation, having averaged astir 24 minutes of crystal clip past season. --Ryan S. Clark

22. Sebastian Aho, C, Carolina Hurricanes

2021-22 rank: 29
Age: 25

Is it the six consecutive 20-goal seasons? The continued violative growth? Or the accordant antiaircraft contributions? Regardless, it makes Aho 1 of the NHL's much implicit centers. --Ryan S. Clark

21. David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins

2021-22 rank: 25
Age: 26

If Pastrnak tin sidestep immoderate distraction implicit his yet-to-be-finalized declaration extension, past the Bruins' apical goal-scorer should beryllium successful enactment for different awesome season. Pastrnak paced Boston successful goals past twelvemonth (40) and averaged implicit a point-per-game with 77 successful 72 games. David Krejci being backmost successful Boston should help, too. --Kristen Shilton

20. Steven Stamkos, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

2021-22 rank: 55
Age: 32

Remember those discussions astir however overmuch Stamkos has left? Well, his effect was posting his archetypal 100-point play portion finishing tied for the league pb with 11 game-winning goals. --Ryan S. Clark

19. Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Florida Panthers

2021-22 rank: 49
Age: 24

His 104-point play a twelvemonth agone was the nonstop fig helium had successful his erstwhile 2 seasons combined. So however volition it each enactment present that he's successful Florida? --Ryan S. Clark

18. Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers

2021-22 rank: 13
Age: 30

There are times erstwhile it feels similar helium tin people astatine a moment's notice. But what makes him arguably much lethal is the information that McDavid and Patrick Kane are the lone players with much assists since Panarin debuted successful the 2015-16 season. --Ryan S. Clark

17. Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals

2021-22 rank: 15
Age: 37

The Great 8 produced different 50-goal run past play -- the ninth of his vocation -- and volition proceed to pursuit Wayne Gretzky's all-time people of 894 goals scored (Ovechkin enters 2022-23 with 780). It'll beryllium fascinating to ticker however Ovechkin tin set his crippled to support that blistering scoring pace. Even astatine 37 years old, helium has showed nary signs of slowing down. --Kristen Shilton

16. Mika Zibanejad, C, New York Rangers

2021-22 rank: 30
Age: 29

Zibanejad scored a career-high 81 points portion showing helium could beryllium trusted successful each concern imaginable for the Rangers. --Ryan S. Clark

15. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, Calgary Flames

2021-22 rank: 42
Age: 29

Huberdeau cemented his presumption arsenic 1 of the game's champion creators with a league-high 85 assists successful 2021-22. Only McDavid has much assists since the 2018-19 season. --Ryan S. Clark

14. Roman Josi, D, Nashville Predators

2021-22 rank: 24
Age: 32

He scored 96 points, played successful each concern and was connected the crystal for astir fractional the game. There is simply a crushed helium finished a adjacent 2nd to Makar for the Norris. --Ryan S. Clark

13. Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins

2021-22 rank: 11
Age: 35

Even astatine property 35, Crosby's inactive got it. The Penguins' set person and eventual pupil stayed steadfast and deed elite numbers past play (31 goals and 84 points successful 69 games) and there's boundless imaginable for Pittsburgh's apical enactment erstwhile Crosby is centering Jake Guentzel and Rickard Rakell. The team's halfway is intact for different run, and it'll beryllium Crosby's elite two-way play and unparalleled committedness to excellence driving the bus. --Kristen Shilton

12. Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs

2021-22 rank: 14
Age: 25

Marner is coming disconnected a vocation twelvemonth successful 2021-22 (35 goals and 97 points successful 72 games) that highlighted however the Leafs' guardant has matured his wide game. The winger (mostly) rode shotgun with Auston Matthews connected Toronto's apical enactment and projects to bash truthful again, wherever Marner's elite playmaking quality volition beryllium connected afloat display. --Kristen Shilton

11. Igor Shesterkin, G, New York Rangers

2021-22 rank: 32
Age: 26

Meet the antheral who looks to overtake Vasilveskiy arsenic the NHL's apical goaltender. Shesterkin is the reigning Vezina victor who could usage this play to instrumentality the Rangers farther, assertion different Vezina and potenitally locomotion distant with the Hart excessively (where helium finished 3rd past season). --Ryan S. Clark

10. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning

2021-22 rank: 10
Age: 28

Vasilevskiy continues to support his presumption arsenic the No. 1 goaltender successful the crippled for a reason. But determination is contention for that title. Still, helium has 5 consecutive seasons of much than 30 regular-season wins and is 1 of the cardinal reasons wherefore Tampa remains a perennial contender. --Ryan S. Clark

9. Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers

2021-22 rank: 4
Age: 27

Barkov has agelong been the modular prime for "NHL's astir underrated player" and that needs to stop. Florida's skipper tin enactment connected a session immoderate night. He tallied 39 goals and 88 points successful 67 games past play portion remaining 1 of the league's astir consistently ascendant antiaircraft forwards. Barkov's accomplishment lets him bash it each with ease, from creating discourtesy to blocking shots to lifting sticks and getting pucks back. Nothing "underrated" astir it. --Kristen Shilton

8. Victor Hedman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning

2021-22 rank: 7
Age: 31

Hedman seemingly gets amended with age. Tampa Bay's blue-line stalwart does it all: a perennial Norris Trophy finalist who's arsenic dependable and accordant with his antiaircraft details arsenic helium is astatine producing offense. Hedman has utilized that booming changeable from the constituent to people 45 oregon much points successful 7 consecutive seasons. The Lightning's antiaircraft unit mightiness change, but Hedman is the accordant anchor holding the radical together. --Kristen Shilton

7. Kirill Kaprizov, LW, Minnesota Wild

2021-22 rank: 20
Age: 25

Scoring 27 goals and averaging astir a constituent per crippled arsenic a rookie acceptable the stage. Scoring 47 goals and 108 points the pursuing play has allowed Kaprizov to ascent the rankings portion mounting a superior Hart Trophy challenge. --Ryan S. Clark

6. Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers

2021-22 rank: 6
Age: 27

The Oilers' (other) apical guardant has been an violative stalwart for years -- with and without that McDavid feline by his broadside -- but Draisaitl has evolved into much than conscionable a regular 100-plus constituent producer. Since winning the Hart Trophy successful 2020, Draisaitl has emerged arsenic an upper-tier antiaircraft center, trustworthy successful each situations and arsenic effectual connected the punishment termination arsenic the powerfulness play. And his gutsy show playing wounded passim the playoffs past outpouring showed his committedness to guiding these Oilers backmost to contender status. --Kristen Shilton

5. Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning

2021-22 rank: 17
Age: 29

Let's accidental helium plays a afloat 82-game play past year. Kucherov would person been connected gait to people 120 points and decorativeness 3 points shy of the scoring lead. Yeah, he's beauteous good. --Ryan S. Clark

4. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche

2021-22 rank: 2
Age: 27

Even MacKinnon admitted helium needed clip to find his way. Once helium did, helium turned into an NHL superstar who is 1 of the reasons wherefore the Avs could parlay their corporate occurrence beyond conscionable 1 Stanley Cup. --Ryan S. Clark

3. Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

2021-22 rank: 3
Age: 25

Matthews deed the 60-goal people past season, joining an elite radical of conscionable 9 NHL players who've accomplished that feat successful the past 30 years. And Matthews' 106 points successful 73 games enactment him connected par with Alex Ovechkin arsenic the lone progressive subordinate to spell for 60-plus goals and 100-plus points successful a play (Ovechkin did it successful 2007-08). What volition Toronto's top-line halfway bash for an encore? Matthews' unmatched merchandise makes his changeable dangerous, and that 6-foot-3 framework cuts an imposing fig connected the ice. Is determination immoderate bounds to his imaginable from here? --Kristen Shilton

2. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche

2021-22 rank: 5
Age: 23

There hasn't been a Hart Trophy-winning defenseman successful the NHL since Chris Pronger successful 2000. Makar, entering his 4th pro season, could realistically beryllium next. He earned a Norris Trophy past outpouring for his 28-goal, 86-point regular season, and followed that by winning Conn Smythe honors for a 29-point effort during Colorado's Stanley Cup run. Makar, 23, is an elite skater with fantabulous violative quality that complements a dependable antiaircraft game. He's a menace everywhere, connected each shift, with an uncanny quality to marque the contention look silly. --Kristen Shilton

1. Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

2021-22 rank: 1
Age: 25

McDavid's play can't beryllium adequately described. But it simply can't beryllium missed. "He's the astir breathtaking feline to ticker successful the league," Washington goaltender Darcy Kuemper said. "Whenever [Edmonton] is on, it's benignant of much-watch TV." Case successful point: McDavid scored a chapeau instrumentality successful Edmonton's play opener to seal a comeback triumph implicit Vancouver. Because, of course. Oilers' manager Jay Woodcroft calls McDavid "otherworldly," and that astir sums up what McDavid accomplished past season, hitting 44 goals and 123 points successful 80 games. That's a 1.54 points-per-game pace. Edmonton's skipper has a much well-rounded crippled than ever, which drives his accumulation and leaves small doubt, nighttime successful and nighttime out, astir who is the champion subordinate successful the league. --Kristen Shilton

Honorable mentions

Frederik Andersen, G, Carolina Hurricanes
Jesper Bratt, LW, New Jersey Devils
Brent Burns, D, Carolina Hurricanes
Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Winnipeg Jets
Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Minnesota Wild
Roope Hintz, C, Dallas Stars
Nico Hischier, C, New Jersey Devils
John Klingberg, D, Anaheim Ducks
Darcy Kuemper, G, Colorado Avalanche
Anders Lee, LW, New York Islanders
Elvis Merzlikins, G, Columbus Blue Jackets
Max Pacioretty, LW, Carolina Hurricanes
Tyler Seguin, C, Dallas Stars
Nick Suzuki, C, Montreal Canadiens
Shea Theodore, D, Vegas Golden Knights