This year in sports was defined by inspiring stories, historic achievements, and surreal events that not even Hollywood could script. We loved them all. With 2023 drawing to a close, theScore is looking back on 50 moments that resonated most with us over the past 12 months. Our five-part series, which counts down every Friday in December, continues below with moments 30-21.

30. Bellingham takes down Barca 💪

Jude Bellingham was already hailed as the second coming of Cristiano Ronaldo before he led Real Madrid to victory in his first Clasico. The English midfielder morphed into one of the best finishers in the world after joining the club from Borussia Dortmund. His 13 goals in his first 10 games - including various winning strikes - were two more than Ronaldo scored to start his iconic career in Madrid. But nothing compared to Bellingham's heroics against Madrid's bitter rivals, Barcelona. After scoring a spectacular equalizing goal from 30 yards out, the 20-year-old further endeared himself to fans with an opportunistic winner in the dying minutes. - Gordon Brunt

29. Etienne's Pyrrhic performance 🙃

Everyone loves a big fantasy football performance - unless you're on the wrong side of it. Imagine how Travis Etienne felt after posting one of the best games of his career while playing against himself in fantasy football. The running back exploded for 136 rushing yards, four receptions, 48 receiving yards, a pair of touchdowns, and a two-point conversion against the Bills in Week 5. His opponent surely appreciated the 30+ fantasy points, but Etienne was likely happier winning the game in real life on the back of his dominant outing. - Andrew Dixon

28. PGA TOUR, LIV Golf join forces 😱

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. After more than a year of legal battles, the PGA announced a surprise merger with Saudi Arabia's LIV Golf, shocking just about everyone. While LIV golfers like Phil Mickelson rejoiced, many PGA golfers found out about the merger through a leaked press release on social media, and members of Netflix's docuseries "Full Swing" found out on camera. Those who refused LIV Golf’s massive payouts were angered by the PGA's lack of loyalty, and Tiger Woods was "frustrated" with the lack of player involvement. The tours have until Dec. 31 to finalize the agreement but, regardless of the outcome, June 6 will go down in golf history as a day stranger than fiction. - Sarah Wallace

27. FDU stuns No. 1 Purdue 😲

Five years after No. 1 Virginia lost to No. 16 UMBC, New Jersey's Fairleigh Dickinson handed Purdue an opening-round loss in the same setup. The Knights had to win in the First Four to qualify, while the Boilermakers lost four games to end the regular season before winning the Big Ten title. FDU held off No. 1 Purdue with two clutch blocks in the final minute of play to advance the Knights to the second round. Meanwhile, No. 4 Virginia lost to No. 13 Furman, marking the second time in three years the Cavaliers lost in the first round. - Donald Higney

26. Aces breathe rarefied air ✨

The Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty were on a collision course to meet in the WNBA Finals all season long. Both teams were loaded with stars and dominated in the regular season to earn the top seeds in their respective conferences. The Aces took the first two games at home before the Liberty responded with a victory in Game 3. Las Vegas lost starting point guard Chelsea Gray and starting center Kiah Stokes to injuries before Game 4 but withstood their absences to claim a 70-69 victory. The win made them just the third repeat champion in WNBA history, and the first since 2002. - Josh Goldberg

25. José Ramírez decks Tim Anderson 🤜

It was a bad, bad year for Tim Anderson. The former batting champ struggled through injuries and underperformed in the most disappointing campaign of his career. But the worst night of his dreadful season came on Aug. 5 when he picked a fight with the wrong guy. The White Sox shortstop hurled his glove to the ground and put his dukes up after getting into a verbal dispute with Guardians slugger José Ramírez - which turned out to be a poor decision. Anderson hit the dirt like a ton of bricks after catching a wild overhand right from Ramírez. The fight led to a bench-clearing brawl and Eloy Jiménez even got stepped on as Anderson was sidelined recovering from embarrassment. - Bryan Mcwilliam

24. Nuggets, Jokic claim 1st title 🏔

For the fifth straight season, the NBA got a new champion. The Denver Nuggets won their first championship after taking down the Miami Heat in June. Nikola Jokic dominated the playoffs, averaging 30 points, 13.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game - elevating his game as the competition and stakes increased every round. Denver got a boost from Jamal Murray, who put up 26.1 points and 7.1 assists in the postseason as he played in his first campaign after an ACL tear. With this tandem, the Nuggets look to be a formidable championship contender for the foreseeable future. - Higney

23. Coco conquers US Open 🎾

Greatness was expected of Coco Gauff ever since she made her professional debut at 14 years old. But those expectations quickly became a burden, weighing her down even as she spent her high school years winning various 500- and 1,000-level tournaments. So when she came back from a set down against Aryna Sabalenka to win the US Open in September - clinching her first major title at the grand old age of 19 - Coco had a few things to say. "To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, you were really adding gas to it, and now I'm really burning so bright right now," she said as the 28,000 at Arthur Ashe Stadium erupted in support. Now it's no longer about whether Coco can win majors, but how many victories she'll collect. - Anthony Lopopolo

22. You come at the king ... 😤

LeBron proved that you can't count him out, even during his 20th NBA season. After then-Memphis Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks sent him numerous taunts and a hit in the groin, LeBron got his revenge. Leading by three points in overtime of Game 4 in their opening-round playoff series, the dueling players found themselves matched up - with LeBron driving past Brooks and drawing a timely foul to help put the lower-seeded Lakers up 3-1 in the series. In a cathartic moment, King James burst into emotion as the Lakers crowd went crazy. L.A. went on to win the series, while the Grizzlies declined to re-sign Brooks, allowing him to join the Houston Rockets. - Higney

21. Wild Bill's legendary parade speech 🤣

Warning: Video contains coarse language

There have been some incredible Stanley Cup parade speeches over the years, but Vegas Golden Knights forward William Karlsson gave one for the ages in June. The moment he took the mic shirtless and drenched in sweat, it was clear he was about to deliver an all-timer. It's two minutes of absolute gold: Karlsson initially censoring himself but dropping an actual F-bomb 22 seconds later. The Arizona Coyotes catching a stray. That poor woman trying in vain to get him to wrap it up with a tap on the back, the hand-across-the-throat gesture, a plea of "let's go," and finally dragging him across the stage. Perfection. - Josh Gold-Smith

Let us know what your favorite sports moments were in the comments!

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This year in sports was defined by inspiring stories, historic achievements, and surreal events that not even Hollywood could script. We loved them all. With 2023 drawing to a close, theScore is looking back on 50 moments that resonated most with us over the past 12 months. Our five-part series, which counts down every Friday in December, continues below with moments 40-31.

40. Ngannou rocks Fury's world 🥊

The first round went about as expected. The second was more competitive. But the third round is when everyone realized they had gotten it wrong. Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou hadn't just showed up to collect a huge paycheck in his boxing debut against lineal heavyweight champ Tyson Fury. He intended to - and could - win. Ngannou knocked Fury down with a left hand, nearly authoring an upset that would have rivaled Buster Douglas' 1990 win over Mike Tyson. Fury went on to win a split decision, but Ngannou being competitive in all 10 rounds - and winning the fight on one scorecard - is still one of the most impressive feats in combat sports. - Nick Baldwin

39. Angel Reese mimics Caitlin Clark 👋

The trash-talker got trash-talked. In the dying minutes of LSU's 102-85 victory over Iowa in the NCAA women's basketball title game, LSU's Angel Reese taunted Iowa's Caitlin Clark, making John Cena's famous "You can't see me" hand gesture, and pointing at her ring finger in light of her impending championship. The exchange went viral, with many condemning Reese, who is Black, for being unsportsmanlike, even though Clark, who is white, used the same gesture to widespread praise in the Elite Eight. Clark later said that Reese shouldn't have been criticized "at all," while Reese said there's "no bad blood" between the generational talents before the 2024 season. This was simply two stars going toe-to-toe and engaging in some healthy - and wildly entertaining - banter on the big stage. That's the good stuff. - Sarah Wallace

38. 'What's an isolation retreat?' 🤔

No NFL player stole headlines in the 2023 offseason as often - and as uniquely - as Aaron Rodgers. He left his future with the Packers open-ended in January after Green Bay failed to make the playoffs, and before deciding what was next for him, the four-time NFL MVP went on a "darkness retreat" seeking clarity to help with his decision-making. It worked, as he went from being "90%" retired to locked in on returning for a 19th NFL season. After leaving his multi-day isolation, Rodgers said he felt the Packers wanted a change at quarterback and decided to join the Jets, who acquired the veteran signal-caller in April in one of the biggest trades in league history. - Caio Miari

37. Club pro dunks ace at PGA Championship 🏌️

Southern California club professional Michael Block took the golfing world by storm in May at the PGA Championship when he shockingly made the cut. Block took things to another level on the weekend at Oak Hill, playing with Rory McIlroy in the final round and making an electrifying hole-in-one on the 15th hole. Block finished in a tie for 15th, earning an invitation into the field for the 2024 PGA Championship as well as a number of sponsor exemptions. Not bad for a 47-year-old father of two. - Josh Goldberg

36. Historic buzzer-beater for SDSU 🚨

A March Madness buzzer-beater is guaranteed to be memorable, but deciding a game between two Cinderella teams makes it a classic moment. San Diego State and Florida Atlantic, a pair of unlikely squads, battled it out for a spot in the title game. After being down seven points at the half, the Aztecs stormed back on a 16-4 run to keep the game close. SDSU forced an FAU miss with 10 seconds left and that allowed Aztecs guard Lamont Butler to drain a step-back mid-range shot at the buzzer, sending the program to its first appearance in the collegiate championship game. - Donald Higney

35. Jon Jones back with a bang 💥

One of the greatest fighters in MMA history, Jon Jones finally returned to the Octagon in March after three years away - and, boy, was it triumphant. There was a lot of doubt about whether he would be the same guy and how he would perform as a heavyweight. But in the end, it was as if Jones had never left. The former longtime UFC light heavyweight champion manhandled Ciryl Gane en route to a submission victory in just over two minutes at UFC 285, claiming the vacant heavyweight title and strengthening the argument he's the very best to ever do it. - Baldwin

34. Phenom Lopusanova steals the show 👶

If you thought Connor Bedard's run at the men's world juniors was phenomenal, meet 14-year-old Nela Lopusanova. The Slovakian wunderkind competed at the U18 Women's World Championship a week after Bedard and pulled off the first successful "Michigan" in a women's IIHF event, raising the puck on her stick's blade and lofting it lacrosse-style past the goalie. Lopusanova's idol, Patrick Kane, said she was "the best player on the ice" and there was "no chance" he attempted any of the moves she did when he was her age. Lopusanova finished atop the tournament field with nine goals and 12 points and was named tourney MVP despite her team's sixth-place finish. - Wallace

33. Jags entertain us, but not Al Michaels 😅

Al Michaels' lifeless call at the end of the chaotic Chargers-Jaguars wild-card game didn't illustrate what had just happened on the field: Riley Patterson drilled a 36-yard field goal to help Jacksonville stun the football world and win 31-30 after the Jaguars trailed by 27 at one point in the second quarter. It was the third-largest comeback in NFL postseason history. It was quite the night for Trevor Lawrence too, as the 2021 No. 1 overall pick - in his first NFL playoff start - tossed four touchdowns after opening the matchup with four first-half interceptions. - Miari

32. Luis Diaz's emotional goal 🫶

We all needed a bit of good news during the final months of the year. That was especially true for Liverpool winger Luis Diaz, whose parents were kidnapped in his native Colombia at gunpoint in late October. His mother was released within hours, but his father remained in the custody of a notorious rebel group for over a week before Diaz returned to the field. After Diaz's dramatic equalizing goal in his first game back for Liverpool - after which he revealed a message on his shirt calling for his father's freedom - there was an encouraging breakthrough in negotiations which quickly led to the elder Diaz's release. The two reunited in November. - Gordon Brunt

31. Harden blasts 'liar' Morey 👀

With five words, James Harden's once mutually beneficial relationship with Daryl Morey ended in divorce: "Daryl Morey is a liar," the three-time scoring champ said in August after the Philadelphia 76ers reportedly ended talks trying to fulfill his request for a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden's diatribe about the Sixers executive earned him a hefty $100,000 fine, although he eventually got what he wanted. It also ended a dramatic feud between the pair, who had changed the trajectory of each other's careers. Morey's Houston Rockets acquired Harden and helped him transform from a Sixth Man of the Year into an MVP, while Harden's performance helped validate Morey's basketball philosophy. What once appeared to be the most solid of bridges between player and executive crumbled. - Bryan Mcwilliam

Let us know what your favorite sports moments were in the comments!

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the fourth in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.

In this edition, we look at each team's biggest surprise so far this season.

1. New York Rangers (18-4-1)

Previous rank: 3

Jonathan Quick turns back the clock. Quick struggled mightily in 2022-23, culminating with the Los Angeles Kings trading the franchise icon in a cap dump. Nobody saw a .918 save percentage and 7-0-1 record coming for the 37-year-old upon arriving in New York. His re-emergence has taken some of the workload off Igor Shesterkin.

2. Boston Bruins (17-4-3)

Previous rank: 1

No. 1 in the Atlantic. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Bruins fan who didn't think Boston would take a step back after a record-setting 2022-23, especially without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci in the picture. But here are the Bruins atop their division again. It's business as usual.

3. Vegas Golden Knights (16-5-4)

Previous rank: 2

No Cup hangover. The Golden Knights haven't missed a beat since hoisting the Stanley Cup in June. Vegas rattled off seven straight wins to commence the campaign, and Adin Hill looks as dominant as he did in the postseason. If any team were expected to have a Cup hangover, you'd think it would be the club from Vegas.

4. Los Angeles Kings (14-4-3)

Previous rank: 5

Cam Talbot. The Kings have one of the deepest rosters in the NHL, but a massive question mark in net left many uneasy about Los Angeles' chances this season. Talbot has posted a .930 save percentage in 16 games, and his resurgent campaign has helped push the Kings into the top three in the league by points percentage.

5. Dallas Stars (14-5-3)

Previous rank: 8

Wyatt Johnston. The 20-year-old has never heard of a sophomore slump, apparently. He only knows a sophomore surge. Johnston ranks fourth on the Stars with 17 points and second with nine goals in 22 games. At the rate he's going, he'll smash his offensive output from his rookie year (24 tallies, 41 points in 82 games).

6. Vancouver Canucks (16-8-1)

Previous rank: 4

Just ... all of it. No, really, take your pick. Quinn Hughes' Norris Trophy-worthy season. Elias Pettersson's Hart Trophy-worthy season. Thatcher Demko's Vezina Trophy-worthy season. The list goes on and on. We all knew these guys were good, but they are rolling right now. And the Canucks are moving right along with them.

7. Colorado Avalanche (15-7-2)

Previous rank: 7

Alexandar Georgiev's swift decline. After starting the season with six consecutive victories, Colorado's No. 1 netminder has gone 7-6-1 with a .884 save percentage.

8. Carolina Hurricanes (14-8-1)

Previous rank: 11

Goaltending woes. Coming into the season, you couldn't find a team that was three goaltenders deep like the Hurricanes. Two months into the campaign, Frederik Andersen's out for the foreseeable future, while Pyotr Kochetkov and Antti Raanta sport abysmal sub-.890 save percentages.

9. Florida Panthers (14-8-2)

Previous rank: 6

Matthew Tkachuk's scoring struggles. After dominating the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the talented pest has struggled to find the back of the net through the first two months of the new season. He scored just four times in 24 contests and ended a lengthy 10-game goal drought with a tally Saturday.

10. Toronto Maple Leafs (12-6-4)

Previous rank: 10

Lack of regulation wins. The Maple Leafs finished with the third-most regulation victories in each of the past two seasons, so it's surprising that Sheldon Keefe's squad is having a hard time handling its business in 60 minutes this campaign. Toronto has just five regulation wins, tied with the Blackhawks and Kraken.

11. Detroit Red Wings (13-7-3)

Previous rank: 15

Patrick Kane pickup. GM Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings have shown they mean business by signing the coveted unrestricted free-agent winger. Detroit holds the third spot in the Atlantic Division and will have its eye on snapping a seven-year playoff drought.

12. Winnipeg Jets (13-8-2)

Previous rank: 9

Resilience. The Jets came out of a rumor-filled offseason with new life. Head coach Rick Bowness recently praised his team's tighter culture, and we're seeing exactly what he sees. The proof: Winnipeg went 9-2-2 during Bowness' month-long absence. That's cohesion, baby.

13. Washington Capitals (12-7-2)

Previous rank: 12

Alex Ovechkin's plummeting pursuit of Gretzky. If you were told during the preseason that the Capitals would be in a playoff spot come December, you'd likely anticipate Ovechkin being amid another remarkable goal-scoring campaign. But that isn't the case - his five goals in 21 games don't even have him on pace for 20 this season.

14. New Jersey Devils (11-10-1)

Previous rank: 16

Key injuries. The trio of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Dougie Hamilton missed a combined five games last season. However, they've already sat out 18 contests this campaign due to injuries. Hughes and Hischier are at least back in the lineup now, but Hamilton is out indefinitely. Ouch.

15. Tampa Bay Lightning (10-10-5)

Previous rank: 13

Goals against. The Bolts were expected to be in tough without Andrei Vasilevskiy to start the season, but nobody could have foreseen Tampa Bay ranking 31st with 93 goals against. No player on the Lightning is above zero in plus-minus this season.

16. Pittsburgh Penguins (11-10-2)

Previous rank: 17

Dismal power play. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel, Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang. A man advantage featuring that collection of players somehow ranks in the bottom five of the NHL. The Penguins need to start operating above a 10.9% clip on the power play and do it quickly.

17. Arizona Coyotes (12-9-2)

Previous rank: 21

Connor Ingram takes starting gig. After Karel Vejmelka played 50-plus games over each of his first two NHL seasons, everyone anticipated the Czech native would again be the guy for the Coyotes. Well, everyone except for Ingram. The 26-year-old has been superb with a .926 save percentage. As a result, Arizona is rewarding him.

18. New York Islanders (10-7-6)

Previous rank: 24

Poor penalty kill. Success while down a skater has been a hallmark of Islanders hockey in recent years, but New York's penalty kill ranks 31st at a paltry 72.6%.

19. Philadelphia Flyers (12-10-2)

Previous rank: 14

Underlying numbers. Expectations for the Flyers this season were universally microscopic. However, Philly is sneakily playing some quality hockey, ranking fifth in expected goal share (54%) and third in expected goals against per 60 minutes (2.33).

20. St. Louis Blues (12-10-1)

Previous rank: 18

Jordan Binnington. The Blues' oft-angered netminder looked to be at a major career crossroads after producing his worst season yet in 2022-23. He's rebounded nicely with a .910 clip and 3.6 goals saved above average this campaign.

21. Calgary Flames (10-11-3)

Previous rank: 25

Jonathan Huberdeau's struggles continue. After a 60-point drop in production upon Huberdeau's arrival in Calgary, a coaching change was hoped to rejuvenate the talented playmaker. But Ryan Huska hasn't managed to help Huberdeau find his form again, as the forward's scoring rate is even lower than a season ago. His minus-11 is also the worst on the team.

22. Nashville Predators (12-12-0)

Previous rank: 28

Juuse Saros. The backbone of the Predators hasn't been himself yet this season. After three consecutive campaigns earning Vezina Trophy votes, Saros is struggling to a .900 save percentage with minus-2.07 goals saved above average.

23. Edmonton Oilers (9-12-1)

Previous rank: 29

Connor Brown. To say everything about the Oilers' start would be low-hanging fruit, so we'll single out Brown. He was widely expected to be a key bargain signing and perhaps even ride shotgun to old junior teammate Connor McDavid, but he's managed a single assist in 16 games this season.

24. Minnesota Wild (8-10-4)

Previous rank: 27

Soap-opera start. There have been faulty goaltending performances, underperforming stars, a meeting with their very disappointed GM, a fired coach, and now a three-game winning streak under their new bench boss, John Hynes. The Wild aren't lacking for drama, but they are lacking victories.

25. Ottawa Senators (9-10-0)

Previous rank: 19

Not enough progress. This is supposed to be the season the Senators enter the playoff mix, but Ottawa finds itself facing an uphill battle past the schedule's quarter mark. Although the Sens hold several games in hand, they're eight points back of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

26. Buffalo Sabres (10-13-2)

Previous rank: 23

Devon Levi not the answer (yet). Expectations for Levi as a rookie netminder were astronomically high coming into the campaign. Many pegged him as the man to take over the Sabres' crease and lead Buffalo back to the playoffs. After nine games and a dismal .876 save percentage, a demotion to the AHL will hopefully help the 21-year-old find his game again.

27. Montreal Canadiens (10-11-3)

Previous rank: 26

Josh Anderson's cold spell. The speedy power forward has been a 20-goal threat when healthy for most of his career, but he's stuck on zero this season through 24 appearances. His shots per-game rate is also well below his lifetime average, sitting at 1.92 compared to 2.3.

28. Seattle Kraken (8-11-6)

Previous rank: 22

Sputtering offense. Thanks to a well-balanced approach, Seattle finished fourth in goals last season en route to its first-ever playoff berth. However, the Kraken currently own the 24th-ranked attack this campaign and have only four forwards with more than five goals.

29. Anaheim Ducks (10-14-0)

Previous rank: 20

Roller-coaster ride of a season. We thought the Ducks would be pretty bad, but their first two months of the campaign have been more up-and-down than expected. Anaheim was on a high with a six-game win streak before falling back down to earth with eight consecutive losses. Please stop, we're getting nauseous.

30. Columbus Blue Jackets (8-14-4)

Previous rank: 31

Johnny Gaudreau. Even though the Blue Jackets underwhelmed in the standings last season, Gaudreau still operated at just under a point per game. This season? An astonishingly low 13 points in 26 contests, a far cry from his near Hart Trophy form two seasons ago.

31. Chicago Blackhawks (7-16-0)

Previous rank: 30

Kevin Korchinski. Connor Bedard isn't the only rookie impressing in the Windy City. Korchinski isn't generating as many headlines, but the 19-year-old defenseman has racked up two goals and seven points in 23 games while averaging 19:27 of ice time per contest. Not bad for a guy who's never seen any AHL action.

32. San Jose Sharks (6-17-2)

Previous rank: 32

Modest turnaround. All hope appeared to be lost when the Sharks allowed 10 goals in back-to-back games to fall to 0-10-1, but San Jose is a respectable 6-7-1 since its nightmarish start.

(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This year in sports was defined by inspiring stories, historic achievements, and surreal events that not even Hollywood could script. We loved them all. With 2023 drawing to a close, theScore is looking back on 50 moments that resonated most with us over the past 12 months. Our five-part series, which counts down every Friday in December, kicks off below with moments 50-41.

50. Mahomes leads Chiefs to another Super Bowl 😎

Patrick Mahomes led a late game-winning drive to win his second Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LVII. The series opened with several methodical gains before Mahomes scrambled away from the Eagles' vaunted pass rush for a 26-yard gain to inside the red zone - on a sprained ankle suffered during the divisional round. After a short run and a pass for no gain, it looked like Philly might force Kansas City into kicking a field goal with just under two minutes remaining, but a holding penalty on James Bradberry let the Chiefs drain more clock and kick the game-winner with under 10 seconds left. - Andrew Dixon

49. Verstappen rewrites record books 🏎

Once Max Verstappen passed Ferrari's Carlos Sainz on the 15th lap of the Italian Grand Prix, there was no way the Dutchman would blow his shot at history with a 10th straight victory. Sebastian Vettel, who set the previous F1 record at nine consecutive wins, had already sent a quasi-congratulatory text to Verstappen before the festivities in Monza had even started. Verstappen decimated the competition, clinching a third consecutive drivers' championship with six races to spare and pulling off incredible maneuvers in the process. The 26-year-old took the checkered flag from ninth position in Miami and finished a whopping 22.3 seconds ahead of second-placed Sergio Perez in Spa, completing a stunning drive from sixth on the grid. - Anthony Lopopolo

48. The man who walked through fire 😳

Ryan Zunk, the tire changer for the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, caught fire while trying to change driver Sammy Smith's left rear tire during the NASCAR Xfinity Series finale. Zunk, who took just a few seconds to cool off before attempting to put the wheel back in place, suffered burns on his face and thighs but ultimately avoided major injury. His Herculean effort made a difference as Smith recuperated to finish in ninth place. - Lopopolo

47. Adesanya gets revenge on Pereira 👊

There were a lot of questions surrounding Israel Adesanya heading into 2023. He had just lost the UFC middleweight title in a dramatic, come-from-behind knockout loss to Alex Pereira. Did Adesanya ruin his potential for superstardom? In April, he answered all the questions and then some. "The Last Stylebender" finally got revenge against his boogeyman (Pereira had beaten him twice previously in kickboxing, too), flooring the Brazilian knockout artist with a right hand at UFC 287. It was one of the best knockouts of the year, and Adesanya's bow-and-arrow celebration will go down as one of the most memorable. - Nick Baldwin

46. Rahm captures Green Jacket ⛳️

Jon Rahm enjoyed a marvelous 2023 season on the PGA TOUR, racking up four wins. None were bigger than his triumph at Augusta National, as he earned his first career Masters victory and added a second major title after winning the U.S. Open in 2021. Rahm overcame a two-shot deficit in the final round, overtaking Brooks Koepka by firing a final-round 69 to finish 12-under. The 29-year-old's game was always a great fit for Augusta, accruing four top-10 finishes in his first five starts at the Masters. It often felt like a matter of time before a Green Jacket came his way, and Rahm made it a reality with an excellent week. - Josh Goldberg

45. Miraculous promotion for Wrexham 🤩

In any other dimension, Wrexham beating Boreham Wood for promotion to the fourth tier of English soccer would've registered as a mere footnote in the world of sports. Add celebrity actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney into the mix, and it's easy to understand why millions of people had suddenly become invested in the success of this once little-known Welsh club. Sponsored by the likes of TikTok and Expedia, Wrexham made headlines the world over - far beyond the reaches of this industrial town of just 65,000 - when they clinched their return to the professional ranks for the first time in 15 years. After going down a goal, Wrexham's star striker, Paul Mullin, scored twice en route to a dramatic victory at the Racehorse Ground that spawned a trademark pitch invasion. - Lopopolo

44. Diar DeRozan takes down Raptors 🗣

It started with a shriek. Then another. And another. One more time. And again. It was around that point when everyone watching the play-in tournament game between the Raptors and Bulls wondered who the heck was screaming like a maniac on every Toronto free throw. Well, it was Diar DeRozan, the 9-year-old daughter of Bulls star and former Raptors great DeMar. Toronto missed a whopping 18 free throws amid those shrieks, and Chicago beat the Raptors in Toronto by four before Diar flew back home and returned to school with her new celebrity status. - Alex Chippin

43. Knight goes off in gold-medal game 🎩

The United States women's hockey team was in a bit of a slump against its bitter rival from Canada entering the 2023 world championship. The Canadian women had beaten the Americans in consecutive gold-medal games at the worlds while also defeating the U.S. to earn gold at the 2022 Beijing Games. American stalwart Hilary Knight took over in the third period of the gold-medal game, scoring a pair of goals, including the game-winner, as the Americans defeated Canada 6-3 to win their first world championship gold since 2019. - Goldberg

42. Erin Matson: Player. Coach. Winner. 🏑

The journey from player to successful head coach - if it materializes at all - is, ordinarily, long and winding. Erin Matson is anything but ordinary. After leading North Carolina to four national championships in women's field hockey and being named the best collegiate player in the country on three occasions, a 22-year-old Matson, just 75 days removed from her final game, took over as UNC's coach. She proceeded to keep the dynasty rolling right along, capturing another title in her first season behind the bench to become the NCAA's youngest Division I head coach to win a championship. Not bad, kid. - Gianluca Nesci

41. Acuña authors historic 40-70 season 🤯

Ronald Acuña Jr. made history when he slid under the outstretched glove of Dansby Swanson to steal his 70th base of 2023 during a Sept. 27 game between the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs. With the swipe, the NL MVP became the first player ever in Major League Baseball to hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases in a single campaign. Acuña, who earlier in the year became the first 40-50 player, is just the second Braves player to ever steal 70 bags in a season, joining Otis Nixon in 1991 (72). - Bryan Mcwilliam

Let us know what your favorite sports moments were in the comments!

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the third in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.

In this edition, with Thanksgiving fast approaching in the United States, we look at one thing each team should be thankful for.

1. Boston Bruins (13-1-2)

Previous rank: 2nd

Jim Montgomery. Although the Bruins were written off in back-to-back offseasons, their head coach owns a sterling 78-13-7 record since taking over.

2. Vegas Golden Knights (13-4-2)

Previous rank: 1st

Electrolytes. The Golden Knights must've consumed many this offseason, because there have been no signs of a Stanley Cup hangover. The defending champs brought back mostly the same team and look plenty capable of repeating.

3. New York Rangers (12-2-1)

Previous rank: 4th

Artemi Panarin. The Rangers star expressed frustration after he registered just two points in seven playoff games last spring, but he's turned that disappointment into fuel. Panarin leads New York with 26 points in 15 games and he's yet to be held off the scoresheet this campaign.

4. Vancouver Canucks (12-5-1)

Previous rank: 6th

Quinn Hughes. Vancouver has no shortage of things to be thankful for early this season - three Canucks lead the league with 28 points, after all - but we'll focus on Hughes. The 24-year-old is putting together a strong case for the Hart and Norris Trophies in his first season as captain.

5. Los Angeles Kings (10-3-3)

Previous rank: 5th

Cam Talbot. The Kings have long sought an answer in goal, and their offseason addition is 9-3-1 with a .930 save percentage. Stability in the crease is a key reason Los Angeles has rocketed up the standings.

6. Florida Panthers (11-5-1)

Previous rank: 15th

Reinforcements. The Panthers weathered the storm without their top two defensemen for the first 16 games of the campaign. With Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour returning to the lineup earlier than expected on Friday, now they can really get down to business and perhaps give Boston a run for the Atlantic Division crown.

7. Colorado Avalanche (11-5-0)

Previous rank: 7th

The AJHL. Cale Makar broke yet another all-time mark among defensemen, this time becoming the fastest blue-liner to 200 career assists on Saturday. The Avalanche should be thankful Makar chose to bide his time in the AJHL on the NCAA path rather than play in the more traditional WHL. If he hadn't, there's a good chance he goes off the board before the Avalanche are on the clock to pick fourth overall in 2017.

8. Dallas Stars (11-4-1)

Previous rank: 3rd

The fountain of youth. The Stars are getting key contributions from their elder statesmen. Joe Pavelski (39) is tied for the team lead in points, while Matt Duchene (32), Tyler Seguin (31), and Jamie Benn (34) are all enjoying productive campaigns so far.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs (10-5-2)

Previous rank: 14th

William Nylander. The slick Swede is on a season-opening 17-game point streak and showing no signs of stopping. Though Maple Leafs fans ought to be thankful for his red-hot start, general manager Brad Treliving might not feel the same way: He's the one who has to negotiate Nylander's next deal.

10. Winnipeg Jets (10-5-2)

Previous rank: 13th

Kyle Connor. After a modest 31-goal 2022-23 campaign, Connor exploded out of the gates with 14 tallies in 17 games, including 11 at even strength. Winnipeg's top sniper has at least eight more goals than any of his teammates.

11. Carolina Hurricanes (10-7-0)

Previous rank: 9th

Goalie depth. Frederik Andersen is out indefinitely with a blood-clotting issue, and while neither Pyotr Kochetkov or Antti Raanta has played particularly well to this point, the Hurricanes should have confidence in the duo. Kochetkov impressed as a rookie last year and Raanta has a long track record of reliable play.

12. Washington Capitals (9-4-2)

Previous rank: 28th

Spencer Carbery. Hey, remember when the Capitals started the season 1-3-1? Washington has since won eight of its last 10 games under the direction of its fresh-faced head coach. The Caps needed to turn things around after missing the playoffs last season, and Carbery has helped them do just that.

13. Tampa Bay Lightning (8-6-4)

Previous rank: 11th

Andrei Vasilevskiy's approaching return. The Lightning have treaded water without the 2019 Vezina winner between the pipes, but Tampa must be thankful he can play again soon after Jonas Johansson and Matt Tomkins have combined for an .895 save percentage this season.

14. Philadelphia Flyers (10-7-1)

Previous rank: 21st

Torey Krug's no-trade clause. This may sound strange, but hear us out. The Flyers were reportedly set to deal defenseman Travis Sanheim to the Blues, but the deal got nixed because Krug wouldn't waive his no-trade clause to come the other way. It's a good thing for Philadelphia, because Sanheim, 27, is having a breakout year, leading the Flyers with 16 points in 18 games.

15. Detroit Red Wings (8-6-3)

Previous rank: 10th

Alex DeBrincat's home state. The arrival of DeBrincat has revamped the Red Wings' future. Even as Detroit's slowed since a torrid start, Steve Yzerman's move to bring a local star back home has paid dividends in no time.

16. New Jersey Devils (8-7-1)

Previous rank: 8th

Jack Hughes' contract. Hughes has 22 points in 11 games. He's also signed at an $8-million cap hit through 2030. There's no point in debates about the NHL's best value contract for another six-and-a-half years - it's Hughes until he inks his next deal.

17. Pittsburgh Penguins (9-8-0)

Previous rank: 18th

Sidney Crosby. This may be low-hanging fruit, but the Penguins captain is playing some of the best hockey of his career at age 36. He's on pace for a career high in goals and is the primary reason Pittsburgh is still in the mix.

18. St. Louis Blues (9-7-1)

Previous rank: 20th

Jordan Binnington's return to form. After two down seasons, the $24 million remaining on Binnington's contract looked like it would be an anchor on the Blues' cap. With his .922 save percentage in 12 games, St. Louis can worry about other areas as the team tries to return to the playoff picture.

19. Ottawa Senators (8-7-0)

Previous rank: 26th

Sweden. The Senators went 2-0-0 in the Global Series in Stockholm. If Ottawa begins to go on a run, that successful trip overseas - which was surely filled with plenty of team bonding - could be viewed as a turning point in their season.

20. Anaheim Ducks (9-9-0)

Previous rank: 19th

Progress. The Ducks didn't get their ninth win until Christmastime last season. The plan to turn things around in Anaheim appears to have a foundation.

21. Arizona Coyotes (8-7-2)

Previous rank: 23rd

Power-play success. Arizona sneakily boasts the NHL's fifth-ranked man advantage at 29.5%, boosting a squad that struggles to produce goals at five-on-five.

22. Seattle Kraken (7-8-4)

Previous rank: 27th

Winter Classic jerseys. The Kraken's presumed sweaters for the 2024 Winter Classic feature a good mix of the team's colors and a nod to the 1917 Stanley Cup champion Seattle Metropolitans. The Vegas Golden Knights' look, on the other hand? Yikes.

23. Buffalo Sabres (8-9-1)

Previous rank: 16th

Those sweet threads. It's been a deflating month and a half for the Sabres with Devon Levi's struggles and a handful of injuries, capped by Tage Thompson's recent absence, after a summer full of hope. At least the team hits the ice night in and night out with some of the nicest jerseys in the league.

24. New York Islanders (6-6-5)

Previous rank: 12th

Saturday's win. The Islanders snapped a seven-game losing skid with a win against the Calgary Flames last time out. Securing the victory - even if it did come in the shootout - prevents things from snowballing out of control and keeps them in the mix in a crowded Metropolitan Division.

25. Calgary Flames (6-8-3)

Previous rank: 29th

Rookie arrivals. There hasn't been much to cherish in Calgary so far this season, but freshmen Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil have provided a much-needed spark with eight and five points, respectively.

26. Montreal Canadiens (7-9-2)

Previous rank: 24th

Cole Caufield's surgeon. With a league-leading three overtime winners through his first 18 games of the campaign, the Canadiens star is clearly back to his sniping self after undergoing shoulder surgery in January. Build his doctor a statue.

27. Minnesota Wild (5-8-4)

Previous rank: 17th

An 82-game campaign. Although the usually consistent Wild are off to an ugly start, there's some good news: It's a long season. Minnesota's main issue has been goaltending, but Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury are bound to turn it around.

28. Nashville Predators (6-10-0)

Previous rank: 22nd

Ryan O'Reilly. It's always a bit scary when a team splurges in free agency, but the Predators appear to have landed O'Reilly at a more than favorable price. Every team in the league would love to have the former Conn Smythe winner at $4.5 million with the way he's started the year.

29. Edmonton Oilers (5-10-1)

Previous rank: 25th

A week of (relative) calm. The Oilers are 2-1 since changing head coaches, which has quelled the drama in Alberta's capital for the time being. We'll see how long that lasts.

30. Chicago Blackhawks (5-11-0)

Previous rank: 30th

Connor Bedard. The 2023 first overall pick has come exactly as advertised, and he's giving Blackhawks fans something exciting to watch as the losses pile up. The 18-year-old leads all rookies with nine goals and 15 points.

31. Columbus Blue Jackets (4-11-4)

Previous rank: 31st

The penalty kill. The Blue Jackets have a litany of problems, but they can stifle power plays. Columbus owns the league's fourth-ranked penalty kill with an 87.3% success rate. Earlier in the season, the Jackets went an outlandish nine games without surrendering a power-play goal.

32. San Jose Sharks (3-13-1)

Previous rank: 32nd

Avoiding another double-digit losing streak. The Sharks were riding high after winning their first two games of the campaign to bust an 11-game slump in early November. Then came three consecutive losses. Uh oh. Luckily, San Jose stopped the bleeding with a 5-1 win over the Blues on Thursday. Phew.

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the second in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.

In this edition, we look at the biggest cause for concern for each team thus far in the early part of the season.

1. Vegas Golden Knights (11-1-1)

Previous rank: 1

Health on defense. The Golden Knights have played a lot of hockey over the past year, and it's starting to show on the backend. Alex Pietrangelo, Nicolas Hague, and Zach Whitecloud have all missed time in the early going. On the ice, there's not much to be worried about in Vegas.

2. Boston Bruins (9-1-1)

Previous rank: 4

Another first-round exit. Its most recent regulation loss aside, Boston is off to an astounding start for the second season in a row. However, the 2022-23 Bruins had their dreams of a fairytale ending dashed by the Florida Panthers in the postseason. Beantown will be hoping for a better fate this spring.

3. Dallas Stars (7-2-1)

Previous rank: 3

Jason Robertson's scoring touch. The Stars are absolutely rolling early on, but their strongest offensive threat has only managed two goals through 10 games after back-to-back 40-goal campaigns. His shots per game are also down to 2.5 from 3.8 last season.

4. New York Rangers (8-2-1)

Previous rank: 8

Adam Fox's health. The Rangers, who currently sit atop the Metropolitan Division, are a fantastic team with incredible talent at all three position groups. Keeping that No. 1 spot will be difficult, though, with top rearguard Fox expected to miss a few weeks with a lower-body injury.

5. Los Angeles Kings (7-2-2)

Previous rank: 14

Their home record. This is nitpicking from a near-perfect start from the new-look Kings, but it's odd that Los Angeles is 1-2-2 on home ice this season.

6. Vancouver Canucks (8-2-1)

Previous rank: 12

When does the luck run out? The Canucks lead the NHL in five-on-five shooting percentage and are second in save percentage. That combines for a sky-high 108.7 PDO that'll come back down to earth before long.

7. Colorado Avalanche (7-3-0)

Previous rank: 2

Gabriel Landeskog's future. The Avalanche expressed cautious optimism that their captain might be ready for the 2024 playoffs, but general manager Chris MacFarland recently told ESPN's Emily Kaplan that the team is prioritizing Landeskog's long-term outlook. After undergoing a knee cartilage transplant, a setback could be detrimental to Landeskog's career.

8. New Jersey Devils (7-3-1)

Previous rank: 7

Life without Jack Hughes. Hughes has been must-see television with 20 points in only 10 games. After a scary fall into the boards Friday, the superstar will be shelved week-to-week. New Jersey's up-tempo brand of hockey may be difficult to maintain with one of the sport's most electrifying players missing.

9. Carolina Hurricanes (7-5-0)

Previous rank: 6

The trio of goaltenders. The Hurricanes looked set in the net coming into the season. Surely one of Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta, or Pyotr Kochetkov would take the reigns and have a big season, right? Carolina's survived despite all three having sub-.900 save percentages in the early going but will need one to break through sometime soon.

10. Detroit Red Wings (7-4-1)

Previous rank: 5

Ville Husso. He's being paid $4.75 million to be Detroit's starter but has been outplayed considerably by veteran backup James Reimer so far this season. In eight appearances, Husso owns a .896 save percentage and 3.37 goals against average.

11. Tampa Bay Lightning (5-3-3)

Previous rank: 13

Victor Hedman's defense. For the Lightning, the hope was that Hedman's rough defensive results a season ago were a single-year aberration. That doesn't appear to be the case in the early going. After -8.0 expected even-strength defensive goals above replacement last season, Hedman's -1.5 xEVD GAR puts him on pace for a career-low -11.2 in the statistic.

12. New York Islanders (5-2-3)

Previous rank: 10

Anders Lee. The Isles captain is logging top-line minutes but has only mustered a single goal and assist through 10 games. New York better hope it's not a sign of what's to come for the 33-year-old, who's signed through 2026 at $7 million per season.

13. Winnipeg Jets (5-4-2)

Previous rank: 23

Special teams. The Jets have looked good at five-on-five through 11 games but have major problems elsewhere. They own a paltry 14.3% power-play conversion rate (22nd) while operating at 69.2% on the penalty kill (29th).

14. Toronto Maple Leafs (5-4-2)

Previous rank: 9

Brad Treliving's newest additions. Boy, none of the new Maple Leafs GM's offseason moves have panned out. Tyler Bertuzzi has been demoted to the fourth line at times, Max Domi has yet to score a goal, John Klingberg has already drawn the ire of the fanbase, and aside from a few fights, Ryan Reaves isn't doing much of anything.

15. Florida Panthers (5-4-1)

Previous rank: 17

Sam Bennett's absence. The Panthers have gotten a mere 7:54 of ice time from the versatile pivot after he was injured in his delayed season debut. Bennett fills a huge role down the middle of the ice for Florida and is a key piece of the identity the club forged last postseason.

16. Buffalo Sabres (6-6-0)

Previous rank: 21

Devon Levi may not be ready. The hype around Levi was huge coming into the season, as the Sabres' playoff hopes rested on his shoulders. He's allowed four goals in three out of five starts and has just one game in which he's posted a save percentage above .900. The future is remarkably bright for the 21-year-old, but it may finally be too much, too soon for Levi.

17. Minnesota Wild (4-5-2)

Previous rank: 16

Was Filip Gustavsson a flash in the pan? Few goaltenders were as impressive as Gustavsson last season, who broke out with a .931 save percentage with the Wild. That hasn't translated early on this campaign. Gustavsson's .871 save percentage is last among the 25 netminders with at least seven games.

18. Pittsburgh Penguins (4-6-0)

Previous rank: 19

Tristan Jarry. New GM Kyle Dubas took a chance on the goaltender by signing him to a five-year, $26.875-million extension in the offseason, but it's not looking like a great bet right now. Jarry is 3-5-0 on the season with a .897 save percentage, and he's allowed minus-1.79 goals above average at all strengths.

19. Anaheim Ducks (7-4-0)

Previous rank: 31

No takers for John Gibson. The Ducks have exceeded all expectations so far this campaign, and rookie netminder Lukas Dostal is a massive part of that success. Gibson's future in Anaheim has long been called into question, but what if his hefty contract - four more years with a $6.4-million cap hit - proves too difficult for the Ducks to move?

20. St. Louis Blues (5-4-1)

Previous rank: 22

That power play. The Blues have been abysmal on the man advantage, boasting a league-worst success rate of 3.7% across a league-low 27 opportunities. St. Louis has just one power-play goal to its name (scored by Pavel Buchnevich on Oct. 24), and it's also allowed one shorthanded tally.

21. Philadelphia Flyers (5-6-1)

Previous rank: 20

Too good for a top pick, not good enough for the playoffs? The returns of Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson have made the Flyers a more formidable team this season. For a Philadelphia squad in the early stages of a proper rebuild, it may put them in the dreaded no man's land of the league standings.

22. Nashville Predators (5-6-0)

Previous rank: 24

Five-on-five goals. The Predators are creating quality looks, as evidenced by their 56.57% expected goals rate, but Nashville is struggling to convert. The team ranks 26th league-wide in goals per 60.

23. Arizona Coyotes (5-5-1)

Previous rank: 25

Barrett Hayton's production. The 23-year-old seemed poised for a big campaign after registering 43 points in his first full season, but he's been held off the scoresheet entirely in 2023-24 despite anchoring Arizona's top line and holding a spot on the first power-play unit.

24. Montreal Canadiens (5-4-2)

Previous rank: 28

The injury bug is back. Man, the Canadiens were decimated by injuries last season, and it doesn't seem like 2023-24 is bringing much relief. Kirby Dach has already been ruled out for the rest of the season, and David Savard isn't expected back until December. That's tough on a young, rebuilding squad.

25. Edmonton Oilers (2-7-1)

Previous rank: 15

What if the Oilers can't recover? Edmonton hasn't looked like a Stanley Cup contender at all this season. Yes, it's early, but we're almost a month into the campaign now. It's very likely that the Oilers will pull themselves out of this horrendous funk, but what if it's too late by the time they do?

26. Ottawa Senators (4-6-0)

Previous rank: 11

The outside noise is too much to overcome. The beginning of the Senators' campaign feels like a soap opera. First, Shane Pinto was suspended 41 games. Then, Ottawa was docked a first-round pick for its role in the botched Evgenii Dadonov trade. Next, GM Pierre Dorion resigned and new owner Michael Andlauer held a fiery press conference about it. That's not a great environment for on-ice success.

27. Seattle Kraken (4-6-2)

Previous rank: 27

Matty Beniers' production. The reigning Calder Trophy winner has racked up just four assists through the Kraken's first 12 games of the campaign, and he's also a team-worst minus-13. Seattle is going to need its No. 1 center to return to last season's form in order to climb the Pacific Division standings.

28. Washington Capitals (5-4-1)

Previous rank: 29

Nicklas Backstrom might be done. Backstrom's announcement Wednesday that he's stepping away from the team to address injury issues was a gut punch to a struggling Capitals team. After major hip surgery and a rough start this season, it looks increasingly likely that Backstrom could be done for good.

29. Calgary Flames (3-7-1)

Previous rank: 18

What if Jonathan Huberdeau is just like this now? With six points through his first 11 games, the 2023-24 version of Huberdeau is looking a lot like the one that underwhelmed during his first season with the Flames. Prior to Game 1, Huberdeau said Flames fans haven't seen the real him yet. For Calgary's sake, we hope that's still true.

30. Chicago Blackhawks (4-7-0)

Previous rank: 30

Taylor Hall's shoulder. The Blackhawks' sole goal this season was to insulate Connor Bedard as best as possible to help him become a superstar. Hall seemed like a perfect fit alongside the top pick, but a shoulder injury has twice forced him out of Chicago's lineup.

31. Columbus Blue Jackets (4-5-2)

Previous rank: 26

Johnny Gaudreau. The Blue Jackets' highest-paid player got himself benched during the team's loss to the Capitals on Saturday. He's got just one goal - an empty-netter - and five points in 11 games this season. Columbus will need a lot more out of its $68.25-million man moving forward.

32. San Jose Sharks (0-10-1)

Previous rank: 32

What if the Sharks surrender 10 goals again? In our last edition of these rankings, we worried that San Jose may never win a game this season. That holds true, but what if the Sharks give up 10 tallies for the third game in a row Tuesday against the Flyers? A ghastly thought.

(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the first in-season edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday.

In this edition, we offer an early overreaction based on each's teams performance thus far.

1. Vegas Golden Knights (6-0-0)

Previous rank: 2

The Golden Knights will remain undefeated. Sure, we could've said Vegas will repeat as Stanley Cup champions, but that would hardly be an overreaction given the team barely changed in the offseason. Instead, we'll predict that the Golden Knights go 82-0-0. Jackpot!

2. Colorado Avalanche (5-0-0)

Previous rank: 1

Logan O'Connor will break the single-season shorthanded goal record. Mario Lemieux's all-time record of 13 shorties in a campaign is in major jeopardy, as the Avalanche speedster has banked one in three consecutive games.

3. Boston Bruins (5-0-0)

Previous rank: 12

No Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, no problem. The Bruins' record through the season's first five games is better than it was last year, when they set new NHL records in wins and points. Who needs two franchise centers on your roster? Certainly not Beantown.

4. Dallas Stars (3-0-1)

Previous rank: 5

The Stars' power play will be outscored. It's been more of a man disadvantage for Dallas. The Stars have a negative goal differential at five-on-four after the Flyers potted three shorthanded tallies Saturday.

5. Detroit Red Wings (5-1-0)

Previous rank: 21

Alex DeBrincat will take the "Rocket." The Red Wings' marquee addition is off to a flying start with eight goals in six games. DeBrincat doesn't just have his sights on a return to 40-goal form, he's aiming even higher with his superb start.

6. Carolina Hurricanes (3-3-0)

Previous rank: 3

The Hurricanes will surrender the most goals in the NHL. Carolina has given up a league-worst 30 goals through its first six games, which is uncharacteristic of head coach Rod Brind'Amour's usually stingy squad. Who had that on their bingo card for 2023-24?

7. New Jersey Devils (2-1-1)

Previous rank: 4

Jack Hughes will win the Art Ross Trophy. Take several seats, Edmonton. Hughes has an outlandish 10 points in four games, meaning he's bound to become the first non-Oiler to win the NHL's scoring race since 2019. Forget his first 100-point season, Hughes is on pace for 205 points. We say he does it.

8. New York Rangers (3-2-0)

Previous rank: 8

Blake Wheeler will be bought out - again. It hasn't been a great start for the veteran winger on Broadway, as he's gone five games without a point and is logging only 12 minutes per contest. Wheeler will have to step up soon to prove he's still an NHL-caliber player.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs (3-2-0)

Previous rank: 7

The net belongs to Joseph Woll. This one might not be as hyperbolic as some of the other overreactions on this list, but man, Ilya Samsonov has been virtually unplayable through the early goings. In Woll, the Maple Leafs kind of have to trust.

10. New York Islanders (2-1-1)

Previous rank: 20

The Islanders will hit their way into a playoff berth. New York doesn't have too many stats that jump off the page early on, but they're finding ways to win while leading the league with 27.9 hits per 60. Battering and bruising their opponents early in the year will get the Isles to the postseason.

11. Ottawa Senators (3-2-0)

Previous rank: 17

Thomas Chabot is the Senators' third-best defenseman. Jake Sanderson and Jakob Chychrun are off to the races with six and five points respectively, while Chabot lags behind with only one assist in the early going. Both Sanderson and Chychrun have superior marks in shot attempts for, goals for percentage, and expected goal share too. The duo will usurp Chabot on the depth chart before long.

12. Vancouver Canucks (3-2-0)

Previous rank: 23

Quinn Hughes will win the Norris Trophy. Captain Hughes has hit a new level this season, dominating both ends of the ice early on against top competition. The Hughes family will be well-decorated at next year's NHL Awards show.

13. Tampa Bay Lightning (2-2-2)

Previous rank: 13

Victor Hedman finishes as a minus. Hedman's not finished a season as a minus since 2011-12 and is a remarkable plus-166 over the past 12 seasons. That changes this year with the veteran rearguard a dismal minus-2 through six games.

14. Los Angeles Kings (2-2-1)

Previous rank: 9

Kevin Fiala will lead the team in scoring - with no goals. Fiala is off to a fine start with seven points in five games, but he hasn't found the back of the net yet. That's alright, though, he's on pace for 115 helpers.

15. Edmonton Oilers (1-3-1)

Previous rank: 6

The Connor Brown signing is a bust. Brown has zero points in five contests, is a minus-4, and has only four shots on goal in an Oilers jersey. Brown and Connor McDavid have been outscored 3-0 in 17:13 together at five-on-five. (Ignore that Edmonton is up 25-8 in shot attempts and 12-6 in scoring chances during those minutes.) Ken Holland tried reigniting the Erie Otters duo, but it's a swing and a miss.

16. Minnesota Wild (2-2-1)

Previous rank: 16

Minnesota's plan between the pipes has failed. The Wild appeared to be set in the crease with a tandem of Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury, but neither netminder has been up to snuff this season.

17. Florida Panthers (2-3-0)

Previous rank: 10

Sergei Bobrovsky's magic is gone. The remarkable play from Bobrovsky that helped the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final has disappeared. He's fallen back down to earth, and Florida will need Spencer Knight to be ready for NHL duties in short order.

18. Calgary Flames (2-3-1)

Previous rank: 18

It's time for Dustin Wolf. Dan Vladar was shelled by the Red Wings on Sunday after squeaking out a win in his season debut against the Sabres. With an .842 save percentage, the Flames need to cut bait on Jacob Markstrom's backup and give NHL reps to the AHL's back-to-back Goaltender of the Year and 2023 MVP.

19. Pittsburgh Penguins (2-3-0)

Previous rank: 11

Last season wasn't a fluke. The 2022-23 Penguins were listless and marred by inconsistency, and it's looking like the same old story this season. Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang are doing all they can, but they can't play every minute of every game.

20. Philadelphia Flyers (3-1-1)

Previous rank: 31

The Flyers will make the playoffs. Forget last place in the Metropolitan Division, Philadelphia has its eye on bigger and better things. At this rate, the Flyers will force their way into the postseason picture for the first time since 2020.

21. Buffalo Sabres (2-3-0)

Previous rank: 15

Tage Thompson was a one-season wonder. After lighting the NHL up with 47 goals and 94 points last season, Thompson has a single tally through five appearances in 2023-24. He's gone from a dark-horse MVP candidate to the league's biggest disappointment in the span of two weeks.

22. St. Louis Blues (2-1-1)

Previous rank: 25

Jordan Binnington is winning the Vezina Trophy. Ilya Sorokin who? Out of all goalies to make at least three starts this season, Binnington ranks second with a .959 save percentage. He also paces all netminders with a stellar 5.16 goals saved above average at all strengths. Binnington is too busy making saves to get up to his usual antics.

23. Winnipeg Jets (2-3-0)

Previous rank: 19

Extending Connor Hellebuyck was a terrible idea. An .878 save percentage through four games? Yikes. The Jets should have traded him when they had the chance.

24. Nashville Predators (3-3-0)

Previous rank: 24

Roman Josi will lead all defensemen in shots. The Predators captain finished runner-up to Dougie Hamilton in shots on goal among defenders last season. He takes the top spot once again in 2023-24 with an early four-shot advantage over Evan Bouchard.

25. Arizona Coyotes (3-2-0)

Previous rank: 27

The Coyotes will hit 100 points for the second time ever. A strong start and a top-10 power play for Arizona has the league's most common punching bag looking like a threat in the Central Division. The Coyotes will certainly carry this early momentum into the postseason.

26. Columbus Blue Jackets (3-2-0)

Previous rank: 26

Kirill Marchenko flips the script. Marchenko had a hilariously lopsided goal-to-assist ratio as a rookie with 21 tallies and only four helpers. With no goals and three assists this season, the 23-year-old will balance his career totals by finishing the campaign with four goals and 21 assists.

27. Seattle Kraken (1-4-1)

Previous rank: 14

The Kraken are a lottery team again. Hopefully, Seattle fans cherished the club's playoff run this past spring because the Kraken and their 30th-ranked offense aren't going to sniff the postseason cutline.

28. Montreal Canadiens (1-2-1)

Previous rank: 28

The Canadiens set a new faceoff record. Through four games, Montreal paces the league with a 59.5% win rate on draws. With Nick Suzuki, Sean Monahan, and Jake Evans primarily on the dot, the Habs will surpass the 2012-13 Boston Bruins as the best faceoff team since the stat began being tracked in 1997-98.

29. Washington Capitals (1-2-1)

Previous rank: 22

Alex Ovechkin will never score again. We hate to be the ones to tell you this, but Ovi's bid to beat Wayne Gretzky for No. 1 on the NHL's all-time goals list is over. Kaput. Dead in the water. It's a shame, too, because Ovechkin was only 73 tallies away from passing the Great One.

30. Chicago Blackhawks (2-4-0)

Previous rank: 29

Corey Perry will be Chicago's leading scorer. There simply aren't any other high-profile Blackhawks players who could possibly overtake him.

31. Anaheim Ducks (1-4-0)

Previous rank: 30

Leo Carlsson was the right pick at No. 2. A goal in his debut sealed Carlsson as the correct decision to be drafted second overall over Adam Fantilli, who took until his fifth game to finally find the back of the net.

32. San Jose Sharks (0-4-1)

Previous rank: 32

The Sharks will remain winless. San Jose is the NHL's sole remaining team without a victory, and oh gosh, what if it stays that way? A long season in California is about to get even longer.

(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leading up to the start of the 2023-24 season, theScore is counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by our NHL editors.

100-71 | 70-51 | 50-31 | 30-11 | 10-1

Hughes' awaited breakout arrived in full force last season. He stayed healthy and annihilated even the loftiest of expectations going into the campaign.

The 22-year-old finished one point shy of 100 and was among the biggest reasons the Devils went from bottom five to top five in the league last season. We knew he could be among the NHL's best playmakers, but what truly surprised was his dominance as a shooter.

Not only did Hughes finish top 10 in goals with 43, but his 336 shots on goal ranked fifth and was more than double his previous career best. The sky's the limit for the electrifying center.

The "C" in Crosby stands for "consistency." The Pittsburgh Penguins captain is 18 seasons into his prolific NHL career and has never not been a point-per-game player, and last year was no different.

The Pens failed to make the playoffs in 2022-23 for the first time since Crosby's rookie season, but it was hardly the longtime captain's fault. Crosby paced his team with 93 points - 10 clear of the second place Evgeni Malkin - while appearing in all 82 games for the first time since 2017-18. The 36-year-old also led Pittsburgh in goals above replacement (15.8) and wins above replacement (2.7) by a wide margin.

The Penguins will be champing at the bit to return to postseason relevancy in 2023-24, and it's a safe bet that a highly motivated Crosby will lead the charge.

The Tampa Bay Lightning aren't the juggernaut they once were, but Kucherov remains one of the NHL's most gifted stars. The Russian winger racked up more assists last season than anyone except the No. 1 name on this list, and Kucherov's 113 points tied for third in the league. Most impressively, he averaged a career-high 20:08 in ice time, proving that even as he reaches the typical stage of a player's decline he's anything but a typical player.

Pastrnak may have waltzed to MVP honors last season if it weren't for some fellow named Connor McDavid, but the Bruins sniper had to settle for runner-up after a ridiculous 61-goal, 113-point outburst. Boston's unprecedented regular-season success may have overshadowed just how dominant Pastrnak was, as no other Bruins skater reached 30 goals or 70 points.

Perhaps most impressively, a league-leading 43 of Pastrnak's goals came at even strength. He also paced the NHL in game-winners (13) and shots (407) while averaging 19:34 per contest - a new personal high. Pastrnak has gone from an established star to one of the absolute best wingers around. The Bruins are facing some uncertainty heading into this season, but you can bank on him being their primary difference-maker.

Tkachuk cemented his status as one of the game's elite players with back-to-back 40-goal, 100-point seasons. But he truly put himself in the conversation for the world's second-best player this past postseason when he carried the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final with 11 goals (including three OT winners) and 13 assists in 20 playoff contests.

While skill alone would already make Tkachuk one of hockey's best, it's his tenacity, competitiveness, and in-your-face style of play that truly make him special. Tkachuk is one of the very few players on this list who are routinely willing to drop the gloves to stand up for teammates. That rare breed of skill and physicality makes him a unicorn in today's game.

Despite missing 22 games, Makar still finished as a Norris finalist for the third straight campaign.

That says all you need to know about the best defenseman in hockey. Makar logged a career-best 26:23 per appearance and was one of only two blue-liners to operate at over a point per game alongside Erik Karlsson. His 71.5 goals above replacement since coming into the league in 2019 are nearly 10 better than the next-best defenseman.

If Makar can stay healthy - he's missing time in the preseason already - it feels like the Norris is his to lose for the foreseeable future. His unbelievable blend of skating, skill, and shooting is unlike anything we've seen from a rearguard in years and makes him one the most exciting players in the game.

Matthews is coming off a down year by his standards but still posted 40 goals in 74 games despite being hampered by a nagging wrist injury and a career-worst 12.2 shooting percentage.

If the ailment is completely behind him, it wouldn't be surprising to see him rejoin the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy race in 2023-24. He won the hardware in back-to-back years prior to last season, highlighted by a 60-goal performance in 2021-22 that also earned him the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award as the league's most valuable player.

The 26-year-old has been one of the NHL's most consistent goal-scorers since his debut, and his 299 tallies since 2016-17 are the most in the league. Matthews will be the NHL's highest-paid player beginning in 2024-25, and he can start proving why he's worth that this season.

Draisaitl's elite play has long been unfairly downplayed because of his association with our No. 1 player, but the German center just keeps producing at an otherworldly level. He leads all NHLers in goals and all forwards in average ice time since 2018-19, ranking second in points over that span behind you-know-who. Some of that is due to Draisaitl's durability, as he's missed only four games over the last five seasons and just eight over the last seven. But that in itself is remarkable considering he's consistently among the forwards taking on the heaviest workloads.

MacKinnon was no worse than fifth on any of our seven ballots and came in second on three of them. The 28-year-old is fresh off registering a career-high 111 points in only 71 contests - good for the league's third-most points per game (1.56) - while pacing all his peers with 77 even-strength points. Few players can change a game like MacKinnon, and if it weren't for the one player ahead of him in our rankings, he could stake a serious claim as the world's best player.

Since his breakout 2017-18 campaign, MacKinnon is third among all players in points, and he's earned three Hart Trophy nominations, two All-Star selections, and a Cup along the way. He's got plenty of time to add to his hardware collection, and if he produces like this for a few more seasons, he very well might skate his way straight into the Hall of Fame.

While four different players received votes for No. 2 on this list, there was no doubt about No. 1. McDavid was our unanimous choice - and rightly so.

Matthews sparked some debate for best player in the game after winning the Hart Trophy with his 60-goal season in 2021-22, but McDavid put all that to bed with a historically great 64-goal, 153-point campaign. It marked the most goals in a season since Alex Ovechkin's 65 in 2007-08 and the most points since Mario Lemieux's 161 in 1995-96. Considering the quality of goaltending and competition in today's NHL, what McDavid did was nothing short of incredible.

The NHL hasn't seen a player with skating so superior to his counterparts since Bobby Orr. The things McDavid can do with the puck on his stick while at full speed may never be matched - ever. Today's fans should consider themselves lucky to watch him play. It's only a matter of time before McDavid carries the Edmonton Oilers to a Cup victory and puts an exclamation mark on his status as one of the all-time greats.

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the preseason edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday during the regular season.

In this edition, we look at how the teams stand following preseason play as we prepare to enter the season.

1. Colorado Avalanche

Offseason rank: 2

Is there anything more terrifying than a motivated Avalanche squad? Colorado tore through the league en route to the Cup in 2022, and after a disappointing first-round exit in the spring, the determination to prove doubters wrong is back. A lineup featuring as many as six new forwards gives a different flavor to this Avs team behind the elite trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar.

2. Vegas Golden Knights

Offseason rank: 1

Aside from Reilly Smith, the 2023-24 Golden Knights will be virtually the same team that just won the Stanley Cup. None of us has ever been an NHL general manager, but we would've done the exact same thing. There was no overthinking here: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

3. Carolina Hurricanes

Offseason rank: 3

The Hurricanes responded to a humiliating playoff sweep by signing the most coveted unrestricted free agent (Dmitry Orlov) and a versatile forward with top-line experience (Michael Bunting). The reigning Metropolitan Division champs also locked up their franchise player (Sebastian Aho) and brought back their veteran duo in goal. Carolina should be a powerhouse yet again, and young netminder Pyotr Kochetkov is still waiting for a prolonged shot if anything happens to Frederik Andersen or Antti Raanta.

4. New Jersey Devils

Offseason rank: 4

The Devils won't take anyone by surprise this year, but they look talented enough to squash any notions that last season's breakout was a fluke. New Jersey is stacked up front, solid on the blue line, and should be battling for home ice in the divisional playoff race.

5. Dallas Stars

Offseason rank: 6

The Stars' already deep forward group gained more depth with the savvy offseason addition of Matt Duchene. There are questions on the blue line behind Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell, so Dallas will count on progression from Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist. Having Jake Oettinger in net should help hide any defensive hiccups, though.

6. Edmonton Oilers

Offseason rank: 5

The Oilers were a wagon after the addition of Mattias Ekholm last season. Edmonton went 18-2-1 with the Swede in the lineup during the regular season and gave the eventual Cup champion Golden Knights their toughest test of the playoffs. As long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are around, the Oilers will be must-see TV.

7. Toronto Maple Leafs

Offseason rank: 7

Much to the chagrin of a portion of the Maple Leafs fanbase, Toronto's core forward group of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares is still intact. This time, it'll be bolstered by a snotty supporting cast of Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan Reaves, and Max Domi. Maybe "piss and vinegar" are the keys to advancing past the second round.

8. New York Rangers

Offseason rank: 8

The Rangers still have elite players in all three positional groups with Igor Shesterkin in goal, Adam Fox on defense, and the likes of Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and MIka Zibanejad up front. New York has some promising youth, too. The upstart Devils sent the Blueshirts packing in seven games last spring, but the team in the Big Apple still boasts plenty of talent and promise.

9. Los Angeles Kings

Offseason rank: 10

The Kings boast arguably the league's best center depth with a three-headed beast of Anze Kopitar, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Phillip Danault to anchor impressive talent on the wings. Goaltending will be the X-factor again for Los Angeles this year, but the playoffs should be a shoo-in with just league-average play between the pipes.

10. Florida Panthers

Offseason rank: 11

The Panthers are out to prove their miraculous Stanley Cup Final run was no fluke. But they'll be in tough without their two top defensemen in Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour until December. Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Co. will have to step their games up even further in order to weather the early-season storm.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins

Offseason rank: 12

Kyle Dubas made a significant impact on the Penguins' roster in short order. Pittsburgh's new president and general manager completely reformed the team's bottom six this summer and rounded out the top six by scooping up Reilly Smith from the Golden Knights. But the clear statement move of the offseason came when Dubas landed Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. With an injection of new faces, does this aging Penguins core have one last hurrah in them?

12. Boston Bruins

Offseason rank: 13

The 2023-24 Bruins won't be the same dominant force that just set single-season records in wins (65) and points (135). Boston lost its top two centers - Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci - this offseason and will rely on Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle to fill the void. They're surely hoping reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark doesn't regress too much.

13. Tampa Bay Lightning

Offseason rank: 9

The Lightning still have all their star skaters - namely Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, and Victor Hedman - but losing injured goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy for the first two months of the season will present a major challenge. The Bolts' core is also aging as only Point is under 30 among the quartet. Tampa Bay should still be competitive, but this squad's days as a truly elite group appear to be in the rearview mirror.

14. Seattle Kraken

Offseason rank: 14

The Kraken should be a factor in the Western Conference playoff picture again on the strength of their depth, but their goaltending will need to be better. Seattle reached the postseason in 2022-23 despite boasting two primary netminders with sub-.900 save percentages.

15. Buffalo Sabres

Offseason rank: 15

The Sabres are banking heavily on internal growth to snap the NHL's longest active playoff drought of 12 seasons. Buffalo only acquired Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson this offseason despite having loads of cap space and trade assets. That's underwhelming, to say the least. But after missing the playoffs by a point a year ago, this core is close.

16. Minnesota Wild

Offseason rank: 16

It was a quiet summer for the Wild. GM Bill Guerin's lone addition of note was Pat Maroon. However, business has picked up as of late with extensions for Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, and Marcus Foligno. Minnesota should comfortably compete for a postseason spot but will need internal growth from young guns such as Marco Rossi and Brock Faber to take another step.

17. Ottawa Senators

Offseason rank: 17

Is this the year the Senators get over the hump? Ottawa used an outlandish seven goaltenders in 2022-23. Joonas Korpisalo is hoping to stabilize things this season after signing a five-year, $20-million deal in July. The young Senators project to be an exciting team to watch, but they'll have their work cut out for them to make the playoffs in an incredibly competitive Atlantic Division.

18. Calgary Flames

Offseason rank: 22

The Flames' big front-office and coaching changes should allow them to reboot after disappointing in 2022-23. But the Pacific Division club also traded away leading scorer Tyler Toffoli for an underwhelming return. Calgary was among the league's best teams in terms of possession and shots on goal last season but needed to win more close games. This club will only rise in the standings if they can win those contests.

19. Winnipeg Jets

Offseason rank: 21

Winnipeg has a promising new look after trading Dubois and buying out Blake Wheeler. However, the Jets face immense pressure to perform this coming season as stars Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck play out the final year of their respective contracts. It could be now or never in Manitoba.

20. New York Islanders

Offseason rank: 18

The Islanders are perennially one of the NHL's least sexiest teams, yet they've made the playoffs four times in the last five years. A full season with Bo Horvat should help, but New York will need Ilya Sorokin to play out of his mind once again in order to have a fighting chance.

21. Detroit Red Wings

Offseason rank: 20

Can the Red Wings finally get back into contention for a playoff spot? GM Steve Yzerman again splashed the cash in free agency to bring in J.T. Compher, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Justin Holl, but the biggest moves of Detroit's offseason came via trade. The addition of Alex DeBrincat significantly upgrades the team's top six, while Jeff Petry should take some of the onus off Moritz Seider.

22. Washington Capitals

Offseason rank: 19

The Capitals were totaled by injuries last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14. Alex Ovechkin will be one motivated man this year, and that should scare 31 other NHL teams. The offensive-minded Spencer Carbery will look to right the ship in his first gig as a big-league head coach.

23. Vancouver Canucks

Offseason rank: 25

The Canucks added some depth players over the summer, but Vancouver's core group essentially remains the same. Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes have ascended to superstardom, and 39-goal scorer Andrei Kuzmenko has sworn off waffles. There's promise here, but the Canucks are still finding their way back to being a consistently competitive club.

24. Nashville Predators

Offseason rank: 24

Nashville is stuck between a full rebuild and a modest re-tool, but the Predators could climb this list throughout the year if Juuse Saros carries over last season's dominant form. The star netminder is good enough to win games single-handedly, and he's likely to save the Preds from being a bottom-feeder in the league standings.

25. St. Louis Blues

Offseason rank: 26

The Blues will look to bounce back after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18. Significant internal improvement will be required to get back to the postseason as Kevin Hayes was the only notable offseason addition. It all starts with Jordan Binnington, who was awful with a .894 save percentage last season.

26. Columbus Blue Jackets

Offseason rank: 23

Mike Babcock's hiring and firing are distractions from what should be a very fun Blue Jackets team. Adam Fantilli headlines a group of young up-and-comers, while Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov comprise a brand-new top-four pairing. Expectations remain low, but a bounce back from Elvis Merzlikins could see Columbus begin to surge back up the standings.

27. Arizona Coyotes

Offseason rank: 27

Fans who enjoy a little schadenfreude every now and then will probably have to look outside Arizona this season. No, really, the Coyotes actually added functioning players. Like, to help them win games. Crazy, right? They brought in the likes of Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba, but youngster Logan Cooley headlines the new guard. Let the next step of the rebuild begin.

28. Montreal Canadiens

Offseason rank: 28

The Canadiens won't be very good or very watchable this season, but at least they have Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Caufield was on pace for nearly 50 goals when he got hurt last season, while Suzuki made strides of his own donning the "C." The Habs still have a long way to go in their rebuild, but they do have some promising pieces.

29. Chicago Blackhawks

Offseason rank: 29

Chicago's upcoming campaign is, rightfully, all about Connor Bedard. The phenom's rookie season is one of the top storylines of the campaign, and hockey fans would be foolish to do anything but soak in as much as they can.

30. Anaheim Ducks

Offseason rank: 30

The good news is that restricted free agents Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale signed before opening night. The bad news? This roster still has no chance of competing in 2023-24. That may be a good thing in the long run, though, as another high draft pick would go a long way to boosting an already-loaded farm system.

31. Philadelphia Flyers

Offseason rank: 31

GM Daniel Briere started to make his mark on the Flyers' roster this summer by trading Kevin Hayes and Ivan Provorov. The return of Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson from injury is a nice boost for the fanbase, but the focus in Philadelphia will be on who does and doesn't get moved before the deadline.

32. San Jose Sharks

Offseason rank: 32

The Sharks were bad bad last season, and they don't even have Erik Karlsson anymore. The most interesting part of San Jose's 2023-24 campaign will be if general manager Mike Grier opts to trade Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Kevin Labanc, Anthony Duclair ... the list goes on and on. Keep an eye on those draft lottery odds.

(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leading up to the start of the 2023-24 season, theScore is counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by our NHL editors. We'll reveal players every day until the top 10 are unveiled Oct. 9.

100-71 | 70-51 | 50-31 | 30-11 | 10-1

Back surgery will keep Vasilevskiy on the shelf for the opening two months of the season. It marks the first time we've seen a chink in the armor of the 29-year-old since he took over the Lightning's starting role in 2016. We know what to expect from Vasilevskiy when he's in the net as a top-six Vezina finisher each of the past six seasons. But 2023-24 may be the time for Tampa Bay to start alleviating his workload.

Aho led the Carolina Hurricanes in goals (36) for the sixth straight campaign last season, and we fully expect him to make it seven. A cornerstone of the contending Canes, Aho already ranks fifth in franchise history in goals and points. He could've become an unrestricted free agent in 2024, but Carolina wisely signed the 26-year-old center to an eight-year, $78-million extension in July.

Shesterkin didn't equal his Vezina Trophy-winning performance of 2021-22 last season, but the New York Rangers goaltender still had a great campaign statistically. The Russian remains one of the NHL's best netminders, and while the Blueshirts aren't a perfect team, they rarely have to worry about the crease, thanks to Shesterkin's consistency.

Dahlin is meeting, and perhaps soon to be exceeding, the sky-high expectations placed upon him as the No. 1 overall pick in 2018. The 23-year-old is coming off his best season yet, with 73 points in 78 games while logging monster minutes and putting up stronger defensive metrics than ever before. Dahlin ranked seventh among all blue-liners in Evolving-Hockey's goals above replacement metric last season, showing he's well on his way to becoming the dominant two-way blue-liner he was advertised as.

Hedman has cracked the top 10 of this list in each of the last four years, but he falls out after an uncharacteristically poor campaign. He wasn't his usual dominant two-way self, and he only tallied nine goals and 40 assists in 76 games, resulting in his lowest point-per-game mark since 2015-16. Hedman turns 33 in December, and while it's possible this is the beginning of his decline, we refuse to rule out the all-time great from returning to the Norris Trophy conversation.

Marner still seeks his first 100-point season after finishing just one point short a year ago. The deft passer has added more of a shooting element to his game over the past two seasons, with consecutive 30-goal campaigns, and has established himself as a premiere two-way winger, earning his first Selke nomination last season. There's no denying Marner's status as one of the best right-wingers in hockey.

McAvoy's 2022-23 season debut was delayed due to injury, but the Boston Bruins' No. 1 defenseman posted seven goals and 45 assists in 67 matchups for the highest point-per-game rate (0.78) of his career while eating up just over 22 minutes of ice time per game. It feels as though the 25-year-old's time as a Norris Trophy finalist is right around the corner.

Josi is less than two seasons removed from racking up 96 points in 80 games, and the Nashville Predators defenseman produced 0.88 points per contest last season despite missing 15 due to injury. Josi is a perennial workhorse, averaging over 25 minutes of ice time since 2012-13. The 2019-20 Norris Trophy winner should continue to be a game-changer for the Preds, even at age 33.

Thompson has blossomed into one of the league's most electrifying talents, ranking in the top 25 among all skaters in points over the past two seasons (162). His emergence has galvanized the Sabres' upswing, and a 50-goal, 100-point season could be the next step for their top forward.

Five of our seven voters were on the same page with Eichel, ranking him between 22 and 24. The other two were split: One ranked him No. 8, while the other had him all the way down at 41. Regardless, Eichel hushed any critics about his play with a sensational postseason performance in which he led all playoff skaters with 20 assists and 26 points in 22 games en route to Vegas' Stanley Cup win.

If not for Linus Ullmark's remarkable season, Sorokin would likely be the reigning Vezina Trophy winner. The 28-year-old led the league with six shutouts, and a look at his advanced metrics shines an even brighter light on his campaign. Sorokin led the NHL with 51.4 goals saved above expected. He gets a ton of starts and ranks among the league's best in both traditional and advanced stats - that's why he's the No. 1 goaltender on this year's top 100 list.

Barkov, one of the NHL's best two-way forwards, provided stability in 2022-23 amid the Florida Panthers' roller-coaster campaign. He registered 23 goals and 78 points in 68 games - good for his third straight point-per-game season - while helping the Cats dictate play at five-on-five. The 28-year-old added 16 points in 21 playoff contests during Florida's miracle run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Heiskanen has been one of the league's most promising defensemen since debuting in 2018. The Dallas Stars blue-liner's commendable contributions had primarily been on the defensive end until he exploded for 73 points in 79 games last season. Heiskanen is now elite at both ends of the ice, and the Finnish rearguard is only 24 years old.

Point is an underrated but indispensable piece of the juggernaut Tampa Bay has built. The 27-year-old commands top-line duties down the middle with a strong two-way game and is fresh off a career year in which he posted 51 goals and 95 points. He's also one of the Bolts' most clutch players, with 44 career game-winning tallies to his credit, along with 82 points in 82 playoff games.

Kaprizov is exactly what the Wild franchise sorely lacked ever since Marian Gaborik departed in 2009: an electrifying, game-breaking player who can single-handedly drive an offense for a well-rounded, defensively stingy team. Since coming over to North America, Kaprizov ranks 12th in the NHL with 234 points in 203 games. At 26 years old, he's only getting better, too.

Robertson doesn't dazzle in the same way as the other elite forwards around him on this list; he's not even the primary puck carrier on his line. But all he's done since becoming an NHL regular in 2020 is put up points. One-third of arguably the most consistent line in hockey, the 24-year-old exploded to exceed 100 points for the first time last season and continues to inch closer to his maiden 50-goal campaign.

Karlsson is taking his talents to Pittsburgh after an incredible season that saw him post 101 points while skating in all 82 games for the first time since 2015-16. The reigning Norris Trophy winner pulled off those numbers on a struggling San Jose Sharks squad and became the first rearguard to hit the century mark since Brian Leetch in 1991-92.

Pettersson played all but two games last season, just like he did in 2021-22. But the Vancouver Canucks center collected seven more goals (39) and 27 more assists (63) than his previous campaign to top the 100-point mark for the first time in his career. Pettersson also tied teammate J.T. Miller for the league lead in shorthanded goals with five. The Swede - who'll turn 25 in November - has developed into a true superstar.

Fox's Norris Trophy hopes last season were dashed by Karlsson's historic offensive output, but the Rangers' top rearguard was one of the game's elite again in 2022-23. He earned a first-team All-Star selection for his 72 points while thriving in both power-play and shutdown roles. Fox is the complete package as a defender and ranks second among defensemen in points (193) and fourth in goals above replacement (40.8) over the past three campaigns.

Rantanen became more of a shooter in 2022-23, and it paid off. He fired 306 shots on net - 0.33 more per game than his previous career high - which resulted in a personal-best 55 goals, shattering his previous high of 36. Rantanen, who was ranked as high as seventh by one of our voters, was oh-so-close to making it three Avalanche players in the top 10 of our list.

(Analytics sources: Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.