In the lead-up to the 2022 World Junior Championship, we're looking back at the 25 best players to wear the Canadian jersey at the tournament. Rather than evaluating entire careers, these rankings are based solely on performances during the world juniors. We'll reveal five players each day, culminating with the best of the best Dec. 25.
Denis won a gold medal with Team Canada in consecutive years, though he took a back seat to Jose Theodore in 1996. He still played in two games and registered a .962 save percentage, but his time to shine came in '97.
That squad wasn't the favorite entering the tournament and lacked the star power Canadians have since grown accustomed to, but Denis stood tall. He hung tough in a 3-2 victory against a dangerous Russian team in the semifinals and pitched a 35-save shutout against the United States the following night to lead Canada to a fifth straight world junior title. Denis was named goaltender of the tournament for his exploits.
24. Marty Murray (1994, 1995)
GP
G
A
14
7
12
Murray helped Canada win back-to-back gold medals in 1994 and '95, and he was stellar in his second stint with the junior team. Murray was named the latter tournament's best forward after tying teammate Jason Allison for the overall points lead with 15 over seven games.
He also ranked second among all skaters in goals after producing a goal and three assists across seven contests in the previous year. Murray is tied for sixth on Canada's all-time world junior points list.
23. Marc-Andre Fleury (2003, 2004)
MARJA AIRIO / AFP / Getty
Record
GAA
SV%
8-2-0
1.69
.924
Fleury was unable to get his hands on a gold medal in his two world juniors but still nabbed back-to-back silvers in 2003 and '04. Despite the heartbreak of coming up just short in both years, Fleury's legacy at the tournament is remembered to this day.
In his first go, he led Canada to the championship game with his stellar play before falling 3-2 to Russia. Despite the loss, Fleury was named top goaltender and tournament MVP. The Pittsburgh Penguins then loaned the prized No. 1 pick to Canada the following year, and he once again led the team to the finals. However, his mistake in the dying minutes against the U.S. cost his country the gold.
With the game tied 3-3 and time winding down, Fleury left his net to play a loose puck. His clearing attempt hit teammate Braydon Coburn and bounced back into his own net. The Americans held on to win 4-3. Despite the blunder and two failures to capture gold, Fleury remains one of the best goalies to suit up for Canada at the world juniors.
22. Devon Levi (2021)
Record
GAA
SV%
6-1-0
0.75
.964
Levi and Canada's 2021 outfit looked impenetrable for the majority of last year's tournament. The 19-year-old netminder started all the games and posted three shutouts, two of which came in the quarters and semis.
His numbers were undeniably great, but he and his compatriots ultimately fell short, stumbling to a 2-0 loss to the U.S. in the gold-medal game. It's safe to say Levi would be higher on our list if Canada had clinched the championship.
21. Shayne Corson (1985, 1986)
GP
G
A
14
9
10
Corson was a key supporting member on Canada's gold-medal winning squad in 1985 but was truly a man among boys in '86, sharing the tournament lead in both goals (seven) and points (14) while wearing the "C." Canada was unable to repeat in '86 but did bring home silver due in large part to Corson's efforts.
Familiarity may have played a part in Corson's dominant performance in '86. The tournament took place at a brand new Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, where Corson played his junior hockey with the OHL's Hamilton Steelhawks.
"It's one of the greatest moments I've had in my hockey career for sure," Corson told the Hamilton Spectator in 2014. "I would put the world juniors right up there with anything in my career."
The tournament wasn't as popular in the '80s as it is now, but Corson almost certainly would've been a fan favorite today due to his punishing style of play and offensive touch.
"When Goalies Were Weird" is a six-part narrative podcast about 1990s-era NHL goalies. In the '90s, the position was undergoing a revolution in style and substance, as the butterfly goalie replaced the stand-up while advancements in equipment technology helped usher in a modernized, more athletic playing style. The old guard's quirks and the new guard's innovations melded together to produce an era of pure chaos in the blue paint.
Curtis Joseph was the loveable workhorse among 1990s-era goalies. He was a down-to-earth star who thrived in hectic, pressure-filled playing environments. After an improbable rise through the ranks, "Cujo" manned the crease in 19 NHL seasons for six teams, most notably the Blues, Oilers, and Maple Leafs. This is his story.
To hear the full Curtis Joseph episode, click here to listen on:
(Note: This excerpt has been lightly edited for clarity and length.)
Curtis Joseph possessed an internal index of tape jobs. As in, he could instantly recognize an opposing puck carrier solely by his stick tape color and the pattern in which the stick was taped.
This was part of Joseph's charm as the ultimate thinking man's goalie.
And it helps explain how he developed his awkward puck-moving technique.
Joseph caught with his left hand but struggled to handle the puck in a normal fashion with a left-handed stick. So, one day he decided to start moving the puck on his backhand. After hundreds of reps in practice, he had polished it enough for game use. From there, he showcased the unique technique fairly often.
Actually, that may be underselling it: Joseph learned to backhand the puck to the red line like nobody's business.
It was efficient and smooth. He resembled a football quarterback.
Or, as former Toronto Maple Leafs teammate Mike Johnson remembers it, Joseph was a puck-moving "maestro."
"We'd be five-on-five or killing a penalty and somebody would dump it in, and Cuj would stop the puck behind the net, and you'd see him flip his hand over so his catcher would be on the knob and his blocker would be down by the middle of the stick, and he'd get ready to do a big scooper," Johnson said, laughing at the memory.
"And he could drop them out at center, just so perfectly. We would joke that we'd be having a forward-line meeting out at the red line waiting for him to drop one in our breadbasket for a breakaway."
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
Strategizing was a joy for Joseph. He would talk shop for hours on end with teammates, most notably St. Louis Blues star Brendan Shanahan and Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan.
Former Leafs defenseman Cory Cross recalls several in-depth conversations.
On a two-on-one, Joseph once said to the 6-foot-5 Cross, "Why don't you go down early to force the shooter to try to pass over you?"
This went against conventional wisdom. Typically, a goalie prefers to focus on the shooter while the D-man takes care of the second attacker.
With shot-blocking, Joseph liked when his teammates stood up straight and squeezed their arms against their body. In Joseph's mind, this reduced the number of funny bounces off equipment and also allowed him to concentrate on covering certain parts of the net.
Forward Dean McAmmond was around for the entirety of Joseph's three-year tenure with the Edmonton Oilers. McAmmond says a major takeaway from their time together is a piece of advice Joseph dished out during a quiet moment in practice.
"One time I came down on him, and he was giving me all glove hand," McAmmond recalled. "After I shot there, he just moved over and made the save. It was like, 'What's this guy doing?!' Like, he's not squaring up. He's just cheating, right? And I remember him saying to me, 'Well if you ain't cheatin', ya ain't tryin'.'
"And that's one phrase I actually used with my players when I was a coach. Cuj wasn't a cheater off the ice, but on the ice, you try to get any advantage."
Johnson, who also played with Joseph in Arizona for one season, can relate to McAmmond. Joseph may have been on the back nine of his career when the two crossed paths in the desert in 2005-06, but the goalie certainly wasn't afraid to instruct or teach.
"He was maybe not quite the only, but certainly the most prominent goalie willing to talk about scoring in practice," Johnson said. "He would talk about how I'm doing or how I'm shooting and what he's seeing, and maybe, 'Try this,' or 'Think about that.' Or, 'Goalies struggle with this.' And, 'This is a trickier one β¦'
"He wasn't just worried about his job of stopping pucks, doing his own thing in practice. He would talk to you, work it through with you, and break it down from a goalie's perspective."
To hear the full Curtis Joseph episode, click here to listen on:
This is the sixth edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2021-22 season. Check back for updated rankings every second Monday during the regular season.
In this edition, we identify one holiday gift each team could use for the rest of the season or in the future.
π A map. Just in case Tampa Bay ever runs into some trouble finding a way to win.
3. Washington Capitals (18-6-7)
Previous rank: 6th
π A better power play. The Capitals had the third-best success rate with the man advantage last season and typically have a dangerous power play featuring Alex Ovechkin and Co. Ovi's been fantastic in 2021-22, but he's done most of his damage at five-on-five. Washington ranks near the bottom of the league on the man advantage.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs (20-8-2)
Previous rank: 5th
π A new shutdown pairing. Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl haven't been able to keep their opponents in check. Muzzin has lost a half-step, and Holl has regressed to a third-pairing blue-liner - at best. The Leafs either need to acquire a legitimate top-four defenseman to help Muzzin or pray one emerges internally.
5. New York Rangers (19-7-4)
Norm Hall / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 2nd
π Pucks. So Chris Kreider can keep banging them in the net. The veteran forward is up to 18 tallies on the season, good for fourth in the NHL.
6. Minnesota Wild (19-8-2)
Previous rank: 3rd
π Respect. The Wild are a great team, but they don't seem to get the national attention they deserve. Players like Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, and Marcus Foligno are criminally underrated.
7. Florida Panthers (18-7-4)
Previous rank: 1st
π More comfort on the road.The Panthers are 14-3-0 in their home barn this season, but they've won only four of 12 games away from FLA Live Arena, albeit with four of those eight losses coming after regulation. Still, whatever they can do to improve in hostile territory would transform them from a good team into a great one.
8. Colorado Avalanche (17-8-2)
Previous rank: 11th
π First-aid kit. The rash of injuries the Avalanche have been dealt this season is hard to fathom. A restock of supplies for the club's infirmary is likely necessary.
9. Vegas Golden Knights (20-11-0)
Previous rank: 14th
π A healthy Jack Eichel. The Golden Knights' prized trade acquisition said early in December he could do everything but take contact after undergoing disc replacement surgery in November. If and when Eichel is ready to make his Vegas debut, the club will finally have the elite No. 1 center the club has coveted for years.
10. Pittsburgh Penguins (17-8-5)
Joe Sargent / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 18th
π A productive Evgeni Malkin when he's back. Speaking of injured superstar pivots, Malkin appears somewhat close to rejoining the Penguins for game action. The 35-year-old's play declined last season, though he was also limited with injury. If Pittsburgh gets a rejuvenated version of the Russian playmaker upon his return, look out.
11. Nashville Predators (19-10-1)
Previous rank: 19th
π An improved penalty kill. The Predators are a fairly balanced club and one of the hottest in the NHL. However, the penalty kill could use some help. The team came into Sunday ranking 21st with a success rate of only 79.4% when shorthanded.
12. Anaheim Ducks (17-9-6)
Previous rank: 12th
π A spotlight for Troy Terry. We're past the point of Terry's breakout year being a fluke, and he deserves to be seen. The Ducks forward is putting up sensational numbers and is a huge reason the club is in the thick of the playoff race in the Pacific Division.
13. St. Louis Blues (17-9-5)
Previous rank: 17th
π Possession prowess. The Blues' performance this season has been commendable considering the players they've been without at various times. However, St. Louis is still a subpar possession team, having posted expected goals for and scoring chances for percentages under 50% at five-on-five in 2021-22.
14. Calgary Flames (15-7-6)
Previous rank: 4th
π Rest. The Flames got decimated by a COVID-19 outbreak, and the hockey world should be hoping they can return fully healthy as soon as possible.
15. Edmonton Oilers (18-11-0)
Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Previous rank: 9th
π A new lower body for Mike Smith. Edmonton's 39-year-old netminder hasn't played since Oct. 19 due to a lower-body injury, and his absence has been felt. Mikko Koskinen has been too inconsistent and Stuart Skinner is too inexperienced to trust. If the Oilers can't trade for a reliable goalie, their only hope is for Smith to get healthy.
16. Boston Bruins (14-10-2)
Previous rank: 13th
π Better puck luck. The Bruins entered Sunday's action leading the NHL in five-on-five xGF% at 55.84. But their goals for percentage was only 49.43, which ranks 17th. So they're driving possession but aren't scoring at a favorable clip aside from on the power play. Boston's 52.08 scoring chances for percentage shows the team's luck should start evening out.
17. Vancouver Canucks (14-15-2)
Previous rank: 29th
π Whatever Bruce Boudreau wants. The veteran coach has rejuvenated his new club after a bleak couple of months. He's reeled off six consecutive wins since being hired and may be more popular than Santa Claus in Vancouver right now.
18. Los Angeles Kings (14-11-5)
Previous rank: 21st
π Bubble wrap for the defense. Drew Doughty has already missed significant time, Sean Walker is out for the year, and now Alex Edler is out long term. The Kings can't afford to lose any more blue-liners.
19. Dallas Stars (14-12-2)
Previous rank: 10th
π A new accelerator for Tyler Seguin. The Stars' highest-paid player is struggling to get back up to speed in his first full season after undergoing a hip arthroscopy and labral repair in November 2020 and a knee scope one month later. For Dallas to have any chance, Seguin needs to find another gear.
20. Winnipeg Jets (14-11-5)
Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 15th
π A new whiteboard for Dave Lowry. The Jets are starting anew after Paul Maurice's stunning resignation. The team will need the interim bench boss to draw up a fresh defensive game plan in order to turn around a mediocre start to the season.
21. San Jose Sharks (15-14-1)
Previous rank: 20th
π A bidding war for Tomas Hertl. The Sharks center is a pending UFA, making him a popular candidate to be moved at the deadline. Getting a massive haul for Hertl could help expedite San Jose's retool.
22. Detroit Red Wings (15-13-3)
Previous rank: 16th
π A vaccine for Tyler Bertuzzi. The Red Wings wingeris the only NHL player who hasn't received his COVID-19 jab yet.
23. Philadelphia Flyers (12-12-5)
Previous rank: 26th
π An answer. It seems like every time the Flyers solve a problem with their roster, a new one arises. Perhaps ol' St. Nick can find some room in his sleigh for whatever's been ailing the Flyers for the past two seasons.
24. Chicago Blackhawks (11-15-4)
Previous rank: 24th
π More goals. The Blackhawks boast two of the NHL's best snipers in Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, and that duo has combined for 35% of Chicago's markers in 2021-22. This team has more to improve than just its offense, but it entered Sunday ranked fourth-last in goals for per game.
25. Columbus Blue Jackets (14-13-1)
Kirk Irwin / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Previous rank: 22nd
π Better defense and goaltending. Unlike the Blackhawks, the Blue Jackets surprisingly came into Sunday with a top-10 offense. Where Columbus really needs help is in its own end. The club entered the final day of the weekend having surrendered the most shots per game in the NHL while possessing one of the league's worst goals-against rates.
26. Seattle Kraken (10-17-3)
Previous rank: 23rd
π Last year's Philipp Grubauer or Chris Driedger. Goaltending looked to be a position of strength for Seattle. Instead, the Kraken rank 32nd in the NHL with an .875 all-situations save percentage.
27. Ottawa Senators (9-17-2)
Previous rank: 28th
π New ownership. It's hard to have any sort of confidence in this franchise as long as Eugene Melnyk is steering the ship.
28. New York Islanders (8-12-6)
Previous rank: 32nd
π A new scent for UBS Arena. The Islanders are just 2-5-3 in their new barn. Perhaps it's lacking the aroma of beer and cigarettes, which made Nassau Coliseum feel like home.
29. New Jersey Devils (10-15-5)
Previous rank: 25th
π A new alternate jersey. The "Jersey" jersey belongs on the naughty list.
30. Buffalo Sabres (10-15-5)
Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 27th
π More building blocks. The Sabres have potential franchise cornerstones Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Dahlin, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, with Peyton Krebs in the system, too. But they could use even more young talent to enhance the rebuild. There's no Jack Eichel or Taylor Hall to dangle anymore, but Buffalo should try to turn some of its pending UFAs into picks.
31. Montreal Canadiens (7-21-3)
Previous rank: 31st
π Lottery luck. Montreal's season is practically over. The only thing giving Habs fans hope is the potential of drafting first overall for the first time since 1980. The Canadiens haven't had a legitimate first-line center this century, but Shane Wright would fill a long overdue need.
32. Arizona Coyotes (6-21-2)
Previous rank: 30th
π A permanent home. The arena situation hanging over the Coyotes is highly concerning, and until it's resolved, relocation rumors will run rampant for the league's last-place team.
"When Goalies Were Weird" is a six-part narrative podcast about 1990s-era NHL goalies. In the '90s, the position was undergoing a revolution in style and substance, as the butterfly goalie replaced the stand-up while advancements in equipment technology helped usher in a modernized, more athletic playing style. The old guard's quirks and the new guard's innovations melded together to produce an era of pure chaos in the blue paint.
Eddie "The Eagle" Belfour was the dogged perfectionist, a tireless competitor whose intensity was unrivaled. Belfour, who played for five NHL teams, most notably Chicago, Dallas, and Toronto, meticulously prepared for games. He was a warrior on the ice and a wild card off it. This is his story.
To hear the full Ed Belfour episode, click here to listen on:
(Note: This excerpt has been lightly edited for clarity and length.)
Determination was one of Ed Belfour's staples.
Coaches never had to worry about his fitness levels or daily commitment.
The Dallas Stars equipment staff even transported a piece of luggage across the continent called the "Eddie Trunk." Inside were stretching straps, bungee cords, free weights - they packed whatever the goalie needed to be his best.
Belfour, who played 60 or more games in a single NHL season nine times, gravitated towards anything that might aid his conditioning or flexibility, such as pilates and yoga, two workouts that had yet to fully infiltrate pro sports.
Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Mike Hudson vividly recalls Belfour diligently going about his business - fueling his body with nutrients, for example - in an era in which some guys were still smoking cigarettes.
"I'll never forget one time in the minors, he thought that if he could train for one or two years that he could become the boxing champion of the world," Hudson said.
"He really did think that, if he just had the time - you know, he needed to get in shape and learn and do it all - he could become the champion of the world at his weight, or whatever weight he was going to be," Hudson added. "I laughed at him when he said it, but after playing with him for a number of years, you start thinking, 'Well, it could be true ...'"
Focus On Sport / Getty Images
Between the pipes, Belfour started off in a low and wide stance. He relied on his boundless energy and ability to read the play. He was excellent at playing the angles and would also challenge shooters to shoot for his five-hole but snap it shut in a millisecond.
As a youngster, he had admired Tony Esposito, a pioneer of the butterfly, and the style eventually appeared in his game in the form of what was labeled a "half-butterfly."
But Belfour's calling card wasn't anything technical. It was instead his next-level competitiveness, which ex-Toronto Maple Leafs goalie coach Steve McKichan witnessed on more than a handful of occasions.
Case in point, one morning during the 2004-05 lockout, Belfour decided to join McKichan's dryland training group near London, Ontario, for a 45-minute race around the track behind the arena. The group was mostly elite 14- and 15-year-old athletes, plus Belfour, who was 40.
You can probably guess who took the race as a legitimate challenge.
"About five minutes left to go, he's getting beat by this kid named Michael McCarthy," McKichan said. "Ed's an ugly man, as you know, and he got about 12% uglier and caught this little bugger with about 10 meters to go and beat him. In a meaningless race, with nothing on the line, with his Hall of Fame credentials already secured.
"He stumbles over to me, pukes on the ground near my shoes. He's got puke hanging out of his mouth, and he looks up at me with that soft-spoken voice he has. He goes, 'That kid will never beat me.' And he's brought that story up every other phone call I have with him. He goes, 'What's that Michael McCarthy doing? Do you remember me kicking his ass?'
"So, that right there tells you all you need to know about him: He has to kick your ass in something - for a Stanley Cup or something meaningless - and he remembers it, and it's burned in his brain that he beat you."
To hear the full Ed Belfour episode, click here to listen on:
'When Goalies Were Weird' is a six-part narrative podcast about 1990s-era NHL goalies. In the '90s, the position was undergoing a revolution in style and substance, as the butterfly goalie replaced the stand-up while advancements in equipment technology helped usher in a modernized, more athletic playing style. The old guard's quirks and the new guard's innovations melded together to produce an era of pure chaos in the blue paint.
Dominik Hasek will go down as one of the greatest goalies of all-time and the most unusual. Few could have predicted the 199th selection in the 1983 NHL Draft from Pardubice, Czechoslovakia, would end up a hockey rock star in Buffalo and a six-time Vezina Trophy winner. This is his story.
To hear the full Dominik Hasek episode, click here to listen on:
(Note: This excerpt has been lightly edited for clarity and length.)
The Dominator.
Hasek has one of those impeccable nicknames, right up there with "The Great One" for Wayne Gretzky, "The Rocket" for Maurice Richard, and "Mr. Hockey" for Gordie Howe.
What's been lost in time is that it took a few tries before the hockey world landed on "The Dominator." Former Blackhawks coach Mike Keenan called him "Dr. Dom" for a bit in Chicago. Broadcasters loved labelling him "Gumby." And, briefly in the early '90s, he was known as "The Count."
Yes, "The Count." Like Count Dracula.
"We're going on a road trip, and we're getting on the plane, and he had an overcoat. He did not put his arms through the overcoat. He buttoned the very top and, (like) back in medieval times, it looked like a cape," said Mitch Korn, Hasek's former goalie coach with the Sabres. "And one of the guys nicknamed him The Count."
"He did not like that," Korn added. "And it hung around until he got good. And when he got good, it disappeared in a hurry, replaced by The Dominator."
That anecdote describes Hasek to a tee.
In hockey's monolithic culture, he was a pretty weird dude, somebody who didn't fit neatly into one box. Unprompted, multiple teammates used "different bird" to describe Hasek's personality, with one hinting there were Hasek-isms not appropriate for public consumption.
That's not to say Hasek wasn't well-liked or well-respected. He was a good teammate, a leader by example, and, let's face it, his talent alone granted him instant credibility.
What made him stand out, though, was this interesting combination of high intelligence and aloofness. As former Sabres captain Michael Peca put it, there was a lot going on between the ears.
"You know, I think his brain operates at such a high speed; he just seems very intense all the time," Peca said.
"So when he engages with you one on one, or if it's in a crowd - or whatever it is - it seems like he's talking fast, and he seems almost spastic, like the mad scientist type of thing. Like his head is shaking around, even though it's not. I think it's just because his brain is working so fast and his mouth is trying to keep up."
It was common to find Hasek in his own world on the team plane.
He would be buried in a book or engrossed in a game of electronic chess instead of playing cards with the group. Korn recalls Hasek would often beat the computer, because, like in the crease, he always aimed to be a few steps ahead of the opponent.
I can't help but think of that famous Zach Galifianakis GIF cut from the casino scene in "The Hangover."
By all accounts, that's Hasek. He was process-driven, detail-oriented, and ever-curious.
When SportsCenter highlights were on in the Sabres dressing room, for instance, Hasek didn't necessarily care about who won or lost on Monday Night Football. He was fascinated by the strategy and thought process behind the NFL quarterback's play calling.
This fanatical mindset bled into his intermission routine, which included some fingernail maintenance.
"He came in between periods and it was like a shift worker on his break," said former Sabres backup goalie Steve Shields. "Dom would come in, put his stuff down, he would pick up his clippers from his bag.
"He would just sit there and his mind would just go to another place. We wouldn't really talk about the game. He would just settle into his routine, and then with a minute to go, he'd be like, 'OK, OK, let's go, guys,' and we'd go back out there. I think that's just what, for him, worked."
To hear the full Dominik Hasek episode, click here to listen on:
This is the fourth edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2020-21 season. Check back for updated rankings every second Monday during the regular season.
In this edition, we examine each team's biggest cause for concern so far this season.
1. Carolina Hurricanes (14-2-0)
Previous rank: 2
Things are going nearly perfectly for the Hurricanes, who pace the NHL in points while sitting top 10 in all the important categories. Any complaint about Carolina's start is nitpicking - but pricey offer sheet target Jesperi Kotkaniemi only has four points through 16 games.
2. Florida Panthers (13-2-3)
Previous rank: 1
There's not much to complain about for Panthers fans. The team currently leads the Atlantic Division, and though captain Aleksander Barkov is on the sidelines, his injury isn't as serious as it could have been. Perhaps the most concerning trend for Florida is an expected goals for rate (53.6%) that's significantly lower than its actual goals for rate (65.3%) at five-on-five.
3. Washington Capitals (11-3-5)
Previous rank: 15
The Capitals can't seem to find a win beyond regulation. They haven't even participated in a shootout yet this season since their opponents always burn them in overtime; Washington has five OT losses already.
4. Edmonton Oilers (13-4-0)
Previous rank: 3
It's no secret the Oilers dominate on the power play, scoring at a bonkers 39.6% clip. But they've given up the seventh-most goals (39) in the league at five-on-five, toiling in the basement in that regard alongside the likes of the Seattle Kraken, Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, and Montreal Canadiens.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs (13-6-1)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Previous rank: 11
Goaltender Jack Campbell has had a heavy workload early in the season, appearing in 16 of the Maple Leafs' 20 games. Toronto acquired Petr Mrazek during the summer in hopes of finally having a formidable tandem between the pipes, but the oft-injured goalie has made just two starts this season. If he can't stay healthy, Campbell could run out of gas quickly.
6. Calgary Flames (11-3-5)
Previous rank: 4
With 15 goals and two assists in 19 games, Andrew Mangiapane deserves to be celebrated amid his unbelievable start to the season. But the concern for the Flamesis the 25-year-old's equally unbelievable 31.3 shooting percentage. Sustaining such a rate over the course of the campaign seems highly unlikely.
7. Tampa Bay Lightning (10-4-3)
Previous rank: 8
The Lightning could be without injured stars Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point for the foreseeable future. The club has predictably been one of the league's top teams early in the season, but things have the potential to go downhill fast if injuries keep piling up.
8. New York Rangers (11-4-3)
Previous rank: 14
Goaltender Igor Shesterkin has bailed the Rangers out quite frequently this season, and they'd likely be in a far worse position without him manning the crease. New York has given up the third-most scoring chances against (462) and sixth-most high-danger scoring chances against (168) at five-on-five this season.
9. Boston Bruins (9-6-0)
Previous rank: 13
Linus Ullmark hasn't lived up to the four-year, $20-million contract he signed this past summer. Replacing Tuukka Rask was never going to be easy, but a .908 save percentage won't cut it for a Bruins team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
10. Anaheim Ducks (10-5-3)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
It's hard to point out anything worrisome about a team playing far above expectations and enjoying success for the first time in years. The only alarming thing so far is that some haven't accepted the Ducks might be for real.
Previous rank: 23
11. Minnesota Wild (11-6-1)
Previous rank: 7
The Wild have been known for their strong defensive game over the years, but the club seems to be struggling in that regard this season. Minnesota has allowed four goals or more in nine of 18 games.
12. Winnipeg Jets (9-4-4)
Previous rank: 9
Two combined goals from franchise cornerstones Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele is as surprising as it is concerning for the Jets. Both players need to start finding the back of the net.
13. Colorado Avalanche (8-5-1)
Previous rank: 20
Casualties continue to mount for the Avalanche, who recently added Bowen Byram and J.T. Compher to their seemingly never-ending injury list. Colorado has proved its mettle during a four-game win https://cmsadmin.thescore.com/admin/newsroom/#/articles/2200477streak, but icing a shorthanded roster night in and night out takes its toll.
14. St. Louis Blues (9-6-2)
Previous rank: 5
Brandon Saad was one of the Blues' top offseason additions, but his underlying numbers don't look great so far. He has the fourth-worst Corsi For rating among forwards at five-on-five (48.77) and the second-worst expected goals for percentage (39.71).
15. Vegas Golden Knights (11-7-0)
David Becker / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 17
The Golden Knights are missing some incredibly talented personnel, but a 12.2% power-play conversion rate is horrendous for any NHL unit.
16. Philadelphia Flyers (8-5-3)
Previous rank: 6
The Flyers tried to revamp their defense during the offseason and made a big splash by bringing in Ryan Ellis. But he's only appeared in four games this season, and the nagging injury that's kept him sidelined for longer than anticipated could remain an issue throughout the year.
17. New Jersey Devils (8-5-3)
Previous rank: 18
The Devils are proving to be a scrappy bunch this season, but those leaked alternate jerseys are a major cause for concern.
18. Pittsburgh Penguins (7-6-4)
Previous rank: 19
The Penguins' season has been fraught with injuries and COVID-19 concerns. But with dominant shutouts in its past two contests, things look to be back on track for Pittsburgh. Now the team just has to hope everybody can stay on the ice.
19. Los Angeles Kings (8-7-3)
Previous rank: 24
The Kings must tighten up on special teams to make a charge up the standings this season. Despite a solid start, Los Angeles ranks bottom 10 in both power-play (15.9%) and penalty-kill (77.8%) efficiency.
20. Nashville Predators (9-7-1)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Previous rank: 21
The Predators aren't generating many quality opportunities, ranking 31st in the league with 115 high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five.
21. Columbus Blue Jackets (9-6-0)
Previous rank: 12
The Blue Jackets routinely give up too much in the defensive zone, surrendering the fourth-most shots against per game (33.9) while ranking 24th in even-strength shot attempts per 60 minutes (58.4).
22. New York Islanders (5-8-2)
Previous rank: 10
The Islanders have struggled to score and own the NHL's third-lowest shot total in all situations(449).The result is a minus-15 goal differential. Riding a six-game losing streak, New York needs to figure things out quickly.
23. Dallas Stars (7-7-2)
Previous rank: 27
The Stars can't seem to find reliable goal-scorers this season. Tyler Seguin and Roope Hintz lead the team with a modest five tallies apiece.
24. Buffalo Sabres (7-8-2)
Previous rank: 22
The Sabres have lost eight of their last 10 games after their hot start to the year. Buffalo looks to have come back down to earth, which means the team's faithful should be concerned about the rest of the season.
25. Detroit Red Wings (8-9-3)
Steve Babineau / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 25
The Red Wings are getting outstanding results from their top players and young guns. Having to choose between Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider in the Calder Trophy race should have some voters concerned already.
26. San Jose Sharks (8-8-1)
Previous rank: 16
Evander Kane is set to finish serving his suspension at the end of November, so the Sharks must soon address his future with the team. It remains unclear if he'll return to San Jose, but he has three years left on his contract.
27. Chicago Blackhawks (6-10-2)
Previous rank: 31
No one expected Jonathan Toews to light the league on fire after missing all of last season for medical reasons, but the Blackhawks captain is goalless through 18 games. The once-dominant two-way force is also a minus-7 on the year.
28. Montreal Canadiens (5-13-2)
Previous rank: 30
Cole Caufield looked like he regained some confidence during his six-game AHL stint, but did the Canadiens call him back up too quickly? In what's looking like a lost season, the club should prioritize his development; Montreal can't afford to squander yet another blue-chip prospect.
29. Ottawa Senators (4-10-1)
Previous rank: 29
How long will it take the Senators to shake off the rust following their COVID-19 layoff? Ottawa dug itself an early hole with poor results to start the season and now faces an even steeper climb due to circumstances beyond its control.
30. Vancouver Canucks (6-11-2)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Previous rank: 26
Other than netminder Thatcher Demko, everything about the Canucks is cause for concern at this point. Vancouver is the not-so-proud owner of the worst penalty kill in the league, stumbling along at a 62.3% success rate.
31. Seattle Kraken (5-12-1)
Previous rank: 28
Philipp Grubauer has to be better. There's not much the Kraken can do when their No. 1 option in the crease hasan .882 save percentage, a league-worst minus-11.3 goals saved above average, and minus-14.3 goals saved above expected at all strengths through 15 appearances.
32. Arizona Coyotes (4-13-2)
Previous rank: 32
There were virtually no expectations for success this season, but the Coyotes sorely lack an entertainment factor. There are solid hockey fans in Arizona, and they deserve something better than this team. Not even Jakob Chychrun is providing much pop, posting five points in 19 games.
'When Goalies Were Weird' is a new hockey podcast from theScore.
Starting Nov. 22, the six-part series dives into the lives and careers of some of the most fascinating characters in NHL history. Each episode tells the story of one great and unforgettable 1990s-era goalie, including Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy, Ron Hextall, Ed Belfour, Curtis Joseph, and more.
This is the third edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2020-21 season. Check back for updated rankings every second Monday during the regular season.
In this edition, we pick one word to describe each team's start to the season.
1. Florida Panthers (10-0-1)
Previous rank: 1
Convincing: Often overshadowed by other talented stalwarts in the Atlantic Division, the Panthers are demanding the league's attention as a true Stanley Cup contender. The true exclamation point on their season thus far was when they dominated the previously undefeated Carolina Hurricanes. The Panthers are on the offensive.
2. Carolina Hurricanes (9-1-0)
Previous rank: 4
Surging: No, this isn't just because of their classic post-victory Storm Surge. What the Hurricanes have accomplished in the early goings is the sheer definition of "surging." They're a powerful force that's ripped through each of their opponents thus far, except for one. The Panthers are the only reason the Canes aren't No. 1 on this list.
3. Edmonton Oilers (9-1-0)
Previous rank: 2
Thrilling: The Oilers are easily the NHL's most watchable team this season, as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to create magic on a nightly basis. The pair finally seems to have a dynamic supporting cast with the likes of Jesse Puljujarvi and Zach Hyman pulling their own weight, and every game is a must-see.
4. Calgary Flames (7-1-3)
Previous rank: 15
Redemption: The Flames stumbled to a horribly disappointing 26-27-3 record in the realigned North Division last season after making the playoffs the previous campaign. Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Jacob Markstrom, who currently leads the league with four shutouts, seem hell-bent on making sure they don't fall flat again this season.
5. St. Louis Blues (7-2-1)
Scott Rovak / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 3
Flashback: After sputtering in back-to-back playoff appearances since winning the 2019 Stanley Cup, the Blues appear to be back. Craig Berube's group looks as deep as ever, ranking in the top 10 in both goals for and goals against in the early stages of the season.
6. Philadelphia Flyers (6-2-2)
Previous rank: 16
Promising: The Flyers can't endure another season with poor goaltending. So far, so good. Carter Hart and Martin Jones have posted .926 and .950 save percentages, respectively, through 10 games, playing a large role in Philly's hot start.
7. Minnesota Wild (8-3-0)
Previous rank: 7
Tenacious: The Wild love having the puck. They lead the league in several key possession and offensive statistics at five-on-five, controlling the majority of the shot attempts for (55.3%) and expected goals for (58.3%). They're fourth in the NHL in scoring chances for (54.9%) and third in high-danger chances for (56.5%). Minnesota's real tough.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning (6-3-2)
Previous rank: 10
Recharging: Winning back-to-back Stanley Cup championships is tiring. The Lightning haven't gotten off to a dominant start, which is understandable since they lost their entire third line in the offseason and Nikita Kucherov is on the shelf again thanks to another injury. The Bolts are slowly finding their game, but they'll truly be put to the test as clashes against the Hurricanes and Panthers await them this week.
9. Winnipeg Jets (6-3-2)
Previous rank: 19
Precarious: The Jets are collecting wins but are doing so in an unsustainable manner. Winnipeg ranks 24th in five-on-five expected goals at 47.07%, but the team is third with a 9.42 shooting percentage. That can't last forever. If the concerning trends persist while Connor Hellebuyck struggles uncharacteristically, regression could hit hard.
10. New York Islanders (5-3-2)
Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 12
Steady: What else can you expect from this group? The Islanders started a tad slow, but they refused to panic and have since heated up. To no one's surprise, the Isles have allowed the fewest goals thus far.
11. Toronto Maple Leafs (7-4-1)
Previous rank: 22
Huh?: What exactly are the 2021-22 Maple Leafs? They were shoddy throughout the first week and a half of the season and the sky almost fell in Toronto after an abysmal four-game losing streak. The Leafs have turned things around since then, dispatching the Lightning and the Boston Bruins en route to a five-game winning streak. Time will eventually uncover the true face of this Toronto team.
12. Columbus Blue Jackets (7-3-0)
Previous rank: 14
Comeback: This has been an unexpected statement start for new head coach Brad Larsen's Blue Jackets. His scrappy squad has won a league-leading four games in which it's trailed after the second period. Speaking of comebacks, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins has been outstanding, putting up a sparkling .940 save percentage and a 1.98 goals against average in six games. These Jackets have a lot of fight.
13. Boston Bruins (5-4-0)
Previous rank: 8
Drought: One wouldn't expect a team that boasts a forward group deservedly nicknamed the "Perfection Line" to have the third-least goals for (24) in the league, but here we are. The Bruins' stunted production isn't for lack of trying, though. They have the NHL's second-highest expected goals for rate (56.6%), and they top the league in shots for percentage (56.2%) at five-on-five. They're mostly just handcuffed by a lackluster shooting percentage (5.14%).
14. New York Rangers (6-3-3)
Previous rank: 11
Underwhelming: The Rangers were expected to take a significant step toward contention after wholesale offseason changes, but the blueprint hasn't gelled just yet. Adam Fox is outscoring all of New York's big-ticket forwards, and the club sits 28th with a 45.27% expected goals rate.
15. Washington Capitals (5-2-4)
Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Previous rank: 5
Incomplete: Nicklas Backstrom started the season on injured reserve, and he's since been joined by T.J. Oshie and Anthony Mantha. Until the high-powered Capitals are operating at full strength, it's tough to judge the state of the perennial Cup contenders.
16. San Jose Sharks (6-4-1)
Previous rank: 9
Invigorated: Multiple key Sharks have stated chemistry within the locker room has drastically improved this season, and it's shown during San Jose's nice start. Hardly anybody expected this club to be competitive this year, and it'll be interesting to see how long a rejuvenated Sharks squad can keep it up.
17. Vegas Golden Knights (6-6-0)
Previous rank: 24
Overreliance: The Golden Knights are grappling with mass injuries to their forward group, but their defense just has to be better. Goaltender Robin Lehner is working overtime to cover up mistakes and has faced the most amount of high-danger chances at all strengths (104) in the league. Despite that fact, he's second in goals saved above expected (8.94) in all situations. Lehner needs better support from blue-line leaders like Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo.
18. New Jersey Devils (5-3-2)
Previous rank: 17
Snakebitten: New Jersey is posting quality underlying numbers so far, owning 50.69% of shot attempts, 52.75% of scoring chances, and 55.05% expected goals. However, the Devils have a 6.35% conversion rate at five-on-five, which ranks 28th.
19. Pittsburgh Penguins (4-3-3)
Previous rank: 6
Exhausted: After fending off wave after wave of injuries and COVID-19 issues, the Penguins are hanging on by a thread. They've shown resiliency in the face of adversity, but that adversity is starting to catch up to them. Pittsburgh will need some consistency and better luck to find continued success.
20. Colorado Avalanche (4-5-1)
Michael Martin / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: 20
Wounded: The Avalanche haven't been at full strength for a single game this season. On the bright side, only Cale Makar remains sidelined. Colorado will look to get back to its dominant ways once he returns.
21. Nashville Predators (6-5-1)
Previous rank: 27
Overdue: The Predators' highest-paid forwards - namely Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen - are finally producing like they used to. That'll have to continue for Nashville to make any noise in the playoff race.
22. Buffalo Sabres (5-4-2)
Previous rank: 18
Relief: The Jack Eichel era in Buffalo is finally over, and a new chapter officially begins. The Sabres own an extremely impressive prospect pool and have a great group of young talent, too. With a slew of draft picks in the coming draft, Sabres fans hopefully won't have to suffer for much longer.
23. Anaheim Ducks (6-4-3)
Previous rank: 26
Floating: Ducks typically have two primary functions, and this Anaheim team certainly isn't flying up the standings any time soon.
24. Los Angeles Kings (5-5-1)
Previous rank: 28
Persevering: The Kings have been without defensemen Drew Doughty and Sean Walker since Oct. 25. In the four games since they lost the two vital blue-liners, the Kings have gone 4-1-0. Eating up Doughty and Walker's minutes is a tall order, but Los Angeles has held it together so far.
25. Detroit Red Wings (6-5-2)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Previous rank: 23
Optimism: It's been a rough few years for Red Wings fans, but it finally looks like everything is coming together. Top prospects like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond appear to be developing into true studs, and the team looks as close to returning to being a contender as it has in a long time.
26. Vancouver Canucks (5-6-1)
Previous rank: 21
Stuck: The Canucks have a lot of players making great individual efforts. J.T. Miller is playing at over a point-per-game pace, Conor Garland has been a fantastic fit, Oliver Ekman-Larsson is off to a strong start, and Thatcher Demko has been an absolute stud. But with some of its stars like Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser struggling to produce, Vancouver just can't put it all together. The Canucks aren't good, they're not bad, they're just stuck.
27. Dallas Stars (4-5-2)
Previous rank: 13
Misfiring: The Stars have plenty of potency in their lineup yet rank 31st in goals. They're too deep for this to last forever, but it's been a frustrating start for Dallas' offense.
28. Seattle Kraken (4-7-1)
Previous rank: 29
New: Duh. As the league's newest team, the Kraken are working on piecing it all together. They aren't clicking yet, and they're struggling to start games, having given up the second-most goals (14) in the first period. Seattle also has the NHL's worst power play, firing at just a 7.9% success rate. The lack of cohesion may be because the Kraken don't know each other well enough yet.
29. Ottawa Senators (3-7-1)
Previous rank: 25
Ouch: This entry is two-fold. First, it hurts to play the Senators, given they lead the league with 342 hits through 11 games. Second, Ottawa's fan base is in a different kind of pain watching its club stumble out of the gate in a season that was supposed to be a step forward.
30. Montreal Canadiens (3-10-0)
Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Previous rank: 30
Disappointing: Nobody expected the Canadiens to be one of the league's top teams this season, but not many pegged them to be as terrible as they've been. Nothing seems to be clicking, as the team owns an abysmal 66% penalty kill alongside a measly 13.6 power-play success rate.
31. Chicago Blackhawks (2-9-2)
Previous rank: 32
Disturbing: The Blackhawks' on-ice product is bad, but what's happening within the organization at large is distressing. The integrity of the team's veteran leadership is rightfully under a microscope following TSN's moving interview with Kyle Beach, and the Blackhawks currently have the same number of interim tags (coach Derek King and general manager Kyle Davidson) as they do wins. A lot needs to change for this club to regain any semblance of respect.
32. Arizona Coyotes (1-10-1)
Previous rank: 31
Disaster: The Coyotes finally won a game, but they're still really bad. We expected that, but Arizona is taking uncompetitive to new levels this season. The team has barely put up a fight in the majority of its 10 regulation losses, giving up 48 goals over 12 games for a terrible goal differential of -29. It's bad, man. It's real bad.
Leading up to the start of the 2021-22 season, theScore is counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by our NHL editors. Injuries affecting players entering the season have been taken into consideration.
Editor's note: After Mitch Marnerβs disappearing act in the playoffs, and after what Tom Wilson did to Artemi Panarin, we erroneously left them off our top 100 list. We deeply regret the error, but this is Marner and Panarin's fault. And Wilson's, too, actually.
20. Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers
Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / Getty
There's no doubt Huberdeau is a wizard. The Panthers' all-time leading scorer potted 61 points last season to lead Florida for a second consecutive campaign. He was also the team's second-most utilized forward in 2020-21.
19. Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Aho can fill the net and make plays better than almost anyone his age. The 24-year-old franchise cornerstone buried 38 goals over 68 games in 2019-20. He followed it up with 24 goals across 56 contests last season, which translates to a 35-goal pace across 82 games.
18. Adam Fox, New York Rangers
A lot of people predicted Fox to have a great sophomore season after an impressive rookie campaign with the Rangers, but not many penciled him in to win the Norris Trophy. Fox possesses an incredible two-way game and can contribute at an elite level on both ends of the ice.
17. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Ovechkin has been a top-10 lock on this list for his entire career, but his all-around impact has begun to diminish. That said, he's still as dangerous as ever in the o-zone, and some poor defensive metrics aren't going to prevent us from rating the greatest goal scorer of his generation among the league's best.
16. David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
Pastrnak is coming off a bit of a down year by his standards. However, he remains one of the game's most lethal shooters and likely has another Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy coming his way in the future.
15. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
John Russell / National Hockey League / Getty
The 2020 Norris Trophy winner didn't match his 0.94 points-per-game average from the 2019-20 season, but he still led the Predators last campaign with 33 points over 48 contests. Josi also bared the brunt of the workload, topping Nashville with over 24 minutes of ice time per game.
14. Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
The myth that Rantanen is merely a product of Nathan MacKinnon's prowess has long been debunked, but the Finnish winger ascended to new heights in 2021. Rantanen needed only 52 contests to reach the 30-goal plateau (a 47-goal pace over 82 games), and he ranked among the NHL's top five in both goals and points last season.
13. Brad Marchand, Bruins
Marchand's transformation into one of the league's most elite players has been incredible to watch. Since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, the Bruins star ranks third in the NHL in points (426) behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. He's also one of the league's best penalty killers, he drives play at an incredible pace, and he can still get under his opponents' skin with ease.
12. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Another year, another top-10 finish in league scoring for Kane. The Blackhawks' veteran star remains one of the NHL's most prolific producers, and it's hard to imagine him ever slowing down.
11. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Point proved the naysayers wrong this past season, producing a stellar campaign despite not having Nikita Kucherov on his wing. He's also shown in the postseason what a big-game player he is, potting 28 goals over his last 46 playoff contests.
10. Aleksander Barkov, Panthers
Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Barkov cracks the top 10 on this list after winning the 2021 Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward. The 26-year-old led all Panthers forwards in average ice time last season. He also finished in the top 10 in the NHL in scoring for the first time with 26 goals. Barkov is the definition of a dual-threat.
9. Cale Makar, Avalanche
Makar was more deserving of the Norris Trophy, but he'll win the award in the future as he's nearly peerless at his position. The gifted Avalanche blue-liner led all qualified defensemen with exactly one point per game over 44 contests in 2021. He would've been the favorite for the Norris had he not missed 12 games due to injury.
8. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
Vasilevskiy is tracking to become one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history. He just led the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup victories, has been a Vezina Trophy finalist in each of the last four years, and has topped the league in wins for four straight seasons now. He's only 27 years old and should continue to rack up the accolades as he plays behind a stacked Tampa Bay team.
7. Victor Hedman, Lightning
Hedman posted some shoddy defensive underlying numbers last season, but his reputation as the league's most dominant defender speaks for itself. The Lightning stalwart has been a Norris Trophy finalist in each of the last five seasons, winning the award once. He's also captured a Conn Smythe, two Stanley Cups, and averaged 0.83 points per game across 346 regular-season contests over that time.
6. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Sid is no longer a kid - he's 34 - but he remains one of the game's elite players. There's a fair argument that the No. 6 spot on this list is too low for someone of his ilk. Crosby puts up points, but it's his intangibles and 200-foot game that still make him one of the best.
5. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty
Draisaitl is one of the two main reasons the Art Ross and Hart Trophies have rarely traveled outside of Edmonton in recent years. The 25-year-old had the second-most points in the league last season with 84 over 56 games. He was also the NHL's third-most utilized forward, averaging over 22 minutes a game. He's unstoppable.
4. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthews cemented himself as the NHL's pre-eminent scorer in 2021, capturing the "Rocket" Richard Trophy with 41 goals across 52 games after falling one goal short of the league leaders in 2019-20. Even more impressively, the Leafs sniper paced the league while playing most of last season with a wrist issue.
3. Nikita Kucherov, Lightning
After sitting out all of last season due to a hip injury, Kucherov returned for the playoffs and absolutely tore it up with 32 points over 23 games. His 1.36 points-per-game pace across the last three seasons is second to only McDavid, and he's one of the only players in the league who has a legitimate shot at challenging the Oilers superstar for the Art Ross Trophy.
2. Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
There aren't many hockey fans left who wouldn't consider MacKinnon as the league's second-best player. The Avalanche superstar has been an offensive force for four straight seasons, and it's only a matter of time until he starts adding some hardware to his resume.
1. Connor McDavid, Oilers
Is this really even a debate? McDavid posted an absurd 105 points over 56 games last season. That's 21 more points than the next player and 36 better than someone not on his team. The Oilers captain also made huge strides defensively last season. What will he do for an encore in 2021-22?
Leading up to the start of the 2021-22 season, theScore is counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by our NHL editors. Injuries affecting players entering the season have been taken into consideration. We'll reveal 20 players every day until the top 20 is unveiled Oct. 11.
There's uncertainty surrounding Price's status after he voluntarily took part in the player assistance program just before the start of the campaign, but the 34-year-old will always be a force to be reckoned with. Price carried the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final last year following a lackluster regular season that saw him author a .901 save percentage in the North Division.
39. Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas Golden Knights
Pietrangelo's production fell last campaign, but he did miss 14 games due to injury. Despite that, the Golden Knights' veteran defenseman ranked 13th in the NHL in average ice time while posting favorable underlying numbers, proving he remains among the league's most reliable rearguards.
38. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
Kopitar continues to quietly truck along as one of the NHL's best players, hitting the 1,000 point mark last season. The Kings star has shown no signs of slowing down at the age of 34, and with ultra-defensive Philip Danault's arrival in L.A., Kopitar could find himself with even more offensive opportunities this year.
37. Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers
Zibanejad can be a streaky producer, but when he's on, he's nearly unstoppable. The Rangers' top pivot ranks fifth among all centers with 95 goals since the 2018-19 campaign - trailing four players universally considered the best at the position and that you'll see later on this list.
36. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Heiskanen is one of the most naturally gifted skaters in the entire league - his stride is truly effortless. The Stars blue-liner has already mastered the defensive side of the puck, but don't be surprised if he reaches new offensive heights this season.
35. Marc-Andre Fleury, Chicago Blackhawks
Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Fleury unexpectedly finds himself on a new team in 2021-22 after Vegas shipped him out. But no matter where he is, the 36-year-old is still the reigning Vezina Trophy winner and will certainly help the Blackhawks take the next step.
34. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Malkin used to be much higher on this list, but injuries have limited him significantly of late, and his offensive output for the Penguins has declined even when he's been healthy. The 35-year-old will miss at least the first two months of this campaign following knee surgery, but he's still worthy of the top 40 for now.
33. Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
With Zdeno Chara's and Torey Krug's departures last offseason, all the pressure was on McAvoy to step into their shoes and become the Bruins' top defenseman. The 23-year-old absolutely lived up to the hype, turning in the best campaign of his career and proving he has what it takes to be the team's No. 1 for years to come.
32. Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
Year in and year out, Couturier is one of the league's most dominant two-way centers. The Flyers were wise to ink him to an eight-year extension this past offseason.
31. Dougie Hamilton, New Jersey Devils
Hamilton was worth the dough. Over the last two campaigns, he ranks fifth among NHL defensemen in points per game - all while posting exceptionally advanced metrics at both ends of the ice.
30. Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty
Now that Pettersson has re-signed with the Canucks, he's going to come back with a vengeance after being limited to just 26 contests last season. The 22-year-old is the face of the franchise and is an absolute menace when healthy.
29. Shea Theodore, Golden Knights
Theodore doesn't play as much as Pietrangelo, but he's better than his fellow Golden Knights defenseman. Theodore tied for seventh among rearguards in points last campaign while authoring excellent underlying numbers and averaging a career-high 22:33 of ice time.
28. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets
Centering the Jets' top line alongside a pair of fantastic wingers, Scheifele has firmly established himself as one of the best pivots in the league. Scheifele ranks 12th in the NHL with 423 points since 2015 as he consistently plays over a point-per-game pace.
27. Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild
What does Kaprizov have in store for his encore season? The Wild's offensive catalyst dazzled in his rookie campaign, greatly exceeding long-awaited expectations and rapidly establishing himself as one of the league's most dynamic talents.
26. Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
Barzal's career-high 85 points came during his rookie season with the Islanders - before head coach Barry Trotz arrived in Long Island. While Trotz's system is fantastic for team success, it's clearly shackled Barzal's offensive ceiling. On a squad with better linemates that encourages offense, the slick center could be a 100-point player.
25. Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres
Patrick McDermott / National Hockey League / Getty
Eichel's future with the Sabres is a question mark, as is his physical condition for this campaign. What's not a mystery is what the 24-year-old can accomplish when he is healthy. Before 2021, Eichel was a top offensive talent and led Buffalo in scoring for four straight seasons.
24. Patrice Bergeron, Bruins
Most NHL players start declining when they turn 30, but Bergeron remarkably remains one of the league's absolute best two-way players at the age of 36. Boston's ever-dependable pivot still more than capably centers one of the best lines in hockey while effectively patrolling both ends of the ice.
23. Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
It's no secret that Hellebuyck is one of the NHL's best goalies, but what's most impressive is that he's done so well while playing behind a disastrous blue line in Winnipeg the past few years. The Jets brought in Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt to bolster their defense this year, which is scary for anybody trying to score on Hellebuyck.
22. Ryan O'Reilly, St. Louis Blues
O'Reilly is a prototypical franchise cornerstone that somehow seems to elevate his play with each passing year. The 30-year-old set a new career best with 0.96 points per game last campaign while maintaining dominant even-strength possession numbers. There's nothing the Blues captain doesn't bring to the table.
21. Mark Stone, Golden Knights
Stone is, without a doubt, the best defensive winger in the game. He's finished in the top five in Selke Trophy voting each of the last three seasons, with only centers ranking ahead of him. What Stone lacks in speed, he makes up for with intelligence, will, and outstanding stick handling. He also produced at a career-best 90-point pace (over 82 games) this past campaign.
