Alex Ovechkin doesn't appear to be seriously hurt after his early exit from the Washington Capitals' final 2021-22 preseason game Friday.
The superstar forward is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, the club announced Sunday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Ovechkin departed midway through the first period of Washington's 5-3 win and didn't return after awkwardly hitting Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny. The Capitals said at the time that Ovechkin would be re-evaluated.
The 36-year-old signed a five-year contract extension with Washington in July. Earlier Friday, the Russian Olympic Committee named him to its team for next year's Beijing Olympics.
The Capitals will open their regular-season schedule when they host the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.
James Neal made a strong impression during his professional tryout with the St. Louis Blues, as he and the club agreed to a one-year deal worth $750,000 on Saturday.
The 34-year-old winger potted a team-high four goals in as many games with the Blues during the preseason. He scored five goals in 29 games with the Edmonton Oilers last season.
Neal scored 21 goals or more in each of his first 10 NHL seasons - notching a career high of 40 in 2011-12 - but he's declined steeply in recent years. The Oilers bought out the final two seasons of his previous contract in July.
Behold, your comprehensive list of the statuses of all 32 NHL head coaches, broken down into tiers, as we inch toward the 2021-22 campaign.
Newcomers
Here, we have all first-year coaches and ones who took over at some point last season. These guys are somewhat an exception to the list and presumably safe as can be, barring something truly unforeseen.
Andre Tourigny, Coyotes: It will be interesting to see how Tourigny, a highly successful skipper at the junior level, manages in his first year in the bigs. Considering the roster he's inherited, his hands are already full.
Brad Larsen, Blue Jackets: How will Columbus look in the post-Tortorella era? It's unlikely the Jackets reach the playoffs, but if Larsen can unlock Patrik Laine again, his first season will probably be viewed as a success.
Dominique Ducharme, Canadiens: He only has 38 regular-season games under his belt, but a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in his first half-year at the helm made a pretty strong first impression.
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Gerard Gallant, Rangers: Many believe New York hit a home run by bringing in Gallant. His job in Year 1 is to push the up-and-coming Rangers into the playoff mix.
Don Granato, Sabres: Buffalo looked better under Granato after he took control of last season's overall dismal showing, but there's still a long way to go for the coach to prove he's the guy to navigate a rebuild.
Darryl Sutter, Flames: It's a make-or-break year for the Flames, and the club's decision to put Sutter in charge will be front and center. Of everyone in this category, he's under the most pressure.
Dave Hakstol, Kraken: Hakstol is back in a head coaching role and has a blank canvas to make his mark on the NHL's newest franchise. Can he make Seattle competitive off the bat?
Not going anywhere
Here are the best of the best; mortal locks to stay put unless they decide to quit on their own terms.
John Cooper, Lightning: The NHL's longest-tenured coach is sitting on back-to-back Stanley Cups and a chance to lead Canada to a gold medal at the Olympics. He's as likely to be discarded as Nikita Kucherov.
Barry Trotz, Islanders: Trotz has the Isles on the cusp of a championship, and there's no coach better suited to his team's identity.
Comfortable via strong reputation
The next group includes coaches not quite in the top tier, but ones who have a long leash to work with based on successful tenures to this point.
Bruce Cassidy, Bruins: Since taking over in Boston, Cassidy is 194-82-41 with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final and a Jack Adams Award. The Bruins have been a force under his guidance and should be again this season.
Rod Brind'Amour, Hurricanes: If it weren't for Carolina's unpredictable ownership, Brind'Amour would be in the above tier. After all, he did just win the Jack Adams and sign a contract extension, but never say never when it comes to the Canes.
Joe Sargent / National Hockey League / Getty
Mike Sullivan, Penguins: Pittsburgh starts its season behind the eight ball with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin shelved, but there's no question the Pens trust Sullivan to keep them afloat until they're at full strength.
Paul Maurice, Jets: Maurice is fourth on the all-time games coached list and sixth in wins, so his reputation speaks for itself. Now that Winnipeg has reinforced its blue line, he has to be feeling pretty comfortable about his job.
Joel Quenneville, Panthers: Coach Q has three years left on his contract and is in charge of transforming Florida from a competitive team to a championship-caliber one. There are few better options out there for that task.
Probably safe
Here we have a mix of tenured and relatively new coaches. This group should feel safe right now, but pressure could begin to mount if things go south.
Jared Bednar, Avalanche: Colorado has mile-high expectations this season, and Bednar's track record suggests he's the man for the job. However, another first- or second-round exit next spring could put him on the chopping block.
Sheldon Keefe, Maple Leafs: Given all that's occurred since he took over from Mike Babcock, it's easy to forget that Keefe's entering his first full campaign as an NHL head coach. His recent two-year extension indicates he's in good standing, but no one in the Leafs organization is protected from the intense pressure.
Peter DeBoer, Golden Knights: Vegas is one of the NHL's powerhouses, and DeBoer has done nothing to show he's on thin ice. Then again, neither did Gallant in 2020.
Elsa / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Peter Laviolette, Capitals: Laviolette is only one year into his Capitals tenure and is one of the league's highest-paid coaches at $4.9 million per year. He must feel secure, but Washington's aging core doesn't have too many kicks at the can left. A wasted season wouldn't be taken lightly.
D.J. Smith, Senators: Ottawa clearly trusts Smith to lead the club forward, as he inked a two-year extension this offseason. But belief and progress are two different things, even though Smith does have some time on his side.
Rick Bowness, Stars: Dallas' 2020-21 campaign was a write-off due to injuries, essentially giving Bowness a pass for the club finishing outside the playoffs. He led the Stars to the Cup Final in the bubble and will need to bring them back into contention in the final year of his contract.
Todd McLellan, Kings: Los Angeles has acquired the pieces to begin its ascent back up the standings. McLellan will likely have a couple chances to return the club to the playoffs.
Make-or-break year
This group has a ton riding on the upcoming campaign. A playoff berth will go a long way for each of these coaches.
Travis Green, Canucks: Green's roster has been revamped, and he's recently been rewarded with a new contract. Still, missing the postseason could lead to significant changes in Vancouver.
Jeremy Colliton, Blackhawks: Chicago added a Vezina winner and a star defenseman, and it gets its captain back this season. Poor results after such positive change could leave the writing on the wall for Colliton in his first NHL gig.
Dean Evason, Wild: Evason has been successful since taking the reins in Minnesota but finds himself in the final year of his contract. Up against a full schedule and a top-heavy Central Division, he has his work cut out to prove he's the guy to lead the Wild to sustained success.
Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty
Dave Tippett, Oilers: Edmonton is poised to showcase its deepest offense of the Connor McDavid era in a weak Pacific Division, but question marks on the blue line and in goal make Tippett's situation a bit tenuous. Wasting another year of No. 97's prime won't be tolerated.
Craig Berube, Blues: He's in the final year of his contract and his club has fallen flat in back-to-back postseasons since winning the Stanley Cup. Results are a must for Berube this year as he aims for a new deal.
Alain Vigneault, Flyers: Vigneault has three years remaining on his contract but will need a bounce-back season to feel safe in Philly. Robin Lehner's allegations against the veteran coach's treatment of players didn't provide the best start to a crucial year.
Lindy Ruff, Devils: New Jersey needs to take a step forward this season. General manager Tom Fitzgerald ticked all the boxes in free agency, and it's up to Ruff to pull the strings and make it work.
In the pressure cooker
The next group is on the hot seat. None of these coaches have a particularly enviable roster at their disposal, but as they say, you can't fire players.
Dallas Eakins, Ducks: No one expects anything from Anaheim this season. This year could be a wash as Eakins finishes his contract before giving way to a new voice to lead the rebuild.
Jeff Blashill, Red Wings: Blashill is also on an expiring deal. Detroit has been uninspiring for years, and he'll have to make a noticeable impact this season to be re-upped in Hockeytown.
John Hynes, Predators: Nashville is seemingly staring a rebuild in the face. Underperforming, overpaid stars and a lack of depth have altered the Preds' outlook in recent years, and if this is the year it all unravels, Hynes will likely be the scapegoat.
Bob Boughner, Sharks: San Jose still possesses a decent amount of quality players but wasn't a playoff threat in the last two seasons. If Boughner can't rally his club to outperform its California rivals or Seattle, he'll probably be on his way out.
Max Domi will play far sooner than the Columbus Blue Jackets expected when he suits up for the team's preseason finale.
Domi is in the lineup against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night and will take part in his first 2021-22 exhibition game after undergoing surgery to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder in June.
#CBJ lineup for tonight’s preseason finale vs. #Pens:
Of note: Max Domi will make his preseason debut, yet another indication that he could be ready for season opener. pic.twitter.com/UOEZtOacgs
At the time of Domi's procedure, the Blue Jackets projected he'd need five-to-six months to recover, putting him on track to return by early November or December.
Columbus will open the regular season Thursday against one of Domi's former teams, the Arizona Coyotes. Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen hasn't confirmed Domi will play.
The 26-year-old forward struggled in his first season with Columbus, collecting nine goals and 15 assists over 54 games. The club acquired him from the Montreal Canadiens in a trade for winger Josh Anderson last October.
Gabriel Landeskog stood straight-faced, the room anxiously awaiting his remarks.
"You know what," he said softly into a microphone, pausing for dramatic effect. "I'm not leavin'. I'm not leavin'." He continued, yelling now. "I'm not f-----' leaving!"
The audience, which included Colorado Avalanche teammates Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen, and others, erupted in celebration.
"The show goes on! This is my home! They're going to need a f-----' wreckin' ball to take me out of here!"
OK, to be clear, Landeskog didn't actually say any of those things in real life.
However, his big-head avatar did in an amusing "The Wolf of Wall Street" parody video posted to his Instagram account in late July. Landeskog drummed up the idea while Lee Blair of Altitude TV, the Avalanche's local television rights holder, took care of the production. "It's such a great scene in the movie, and there was no better time to post it," Landeskog told theScore earlier this week.
One day before posting the video and hours from the opening of free agency, the 28-year-old Stockholm native agreed to an eight-year, $56-million contract extension with the only NHL club he's known. "Gabe is the heart and soul of this team," Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said in a press release announcing the deal, which will keep Landeskog in Denver until his mid-30s.
Drafted second overall in 2011, then named captain in the fall of 2012, Landeskog is entering his 11th NHL season and 10th with the "C." It's been a topsy-turvy decade within the Avs organization, a period characterized by extremes - high and low - that's also featured stretches of mediocrity.
So, why did Landeskog earn the captaincy so early into his career? How has he coped with the roller coaster? And what has he learned about leadership?
Be yourself
Landeskog was far from a mystery when he arrived in Denver for his first training camp. Not only had he developed into an NHL-ready power forward in the junior ranks as a member of the OHL's Kitchener Rangers, but he also was stunningly mature for his age.
At 16, he dug in and earned the highest mark in English class among the six or seven Rangers still in high school despite English being his second language. At 17, he was named captain - Kitchener's first of European descent - and the coaches felt it was a no-brainer.
Claus Andersen / Getty Images
The phrase "mature beyond his years" is used haphazardly in hockey circles, especially ahead of the NHL draft. With teenaged Landeskog, though, it was entirely accurate then and with the benefit of hindsight.
"He's a guy who's at the top end of the top end of those types of people," said Jeff Skinner, the Buffalo Sabres forward and one of Landeskog's teammates in Kitchener. "I think a lot of people - just in general, not even in sports - spend a bunch of time trying to figure out who they are. He seemed to have that figured out pretty early on."
That self-assuredness is a fundamental reason why the Avs felt comfortable giving Landeskog the "C" at the age of 19 years and 286 days, which, at the time, made him the youngest captain in NHL history. He was pulled into a meeting and informed of the decision by Milan Hejduk, the longtime Av who captained the squad in 2011-12, Landeskog's Calder Trophy-winning campaign. The news left Landeskog stunned, nervous, and humbled.
"Don't try to be anybody else. Just be yourself," Tony Landeskog, a former pro hockey player and captain in Sweden, told his son as the family processed the honor. "They chose you to be the captain for a reason. That's the only way to do this."
"For me," Landeskog said, "the most important thing was to just realize I wasn't going to be Joe Sakic or I wasn't going to be some of my childhood idols in Mats Sundin or Nicklas Lidstrom or (Henrik) Zetterberg or (Daniel) Alfredsson."
Landeskog's tenure began in awkward fashion thanks to the NHL lockout. He played 17 games in Sweden before returning to Denver for the shortened 2012-13 season, which turned out to be a nightmare for all involved. He accumulated just 17 points in 36 contests, and the Avs - who had relatively high expectations after overachieving the year prior - finished 29th out of 30 teams.
In one well-documented players-only meeting that season, Landeskog's voice shook as he addressed the group. He came to understand it's one thing to be 19 and playing a regular NHL shift, and it's another to carry the weight of a disappointing season around with you every day, wondering if this captaincy stuff is too much, too soon.
Michael Martin / Getty Images
Defenseman Shane O'Brien, then 29, noticed Landeskog had stopped going out with the guys after being handed the captaincy. That didn't jibe with the veteran. "I said, 'You be you. You be Gabriel Landeskog. Just because they put that 'C' on your chest doesn't mean you have to turn into some kind of different person,'" O'Brien said. "But we were losing. He took it personally. It was a long year for Landy, and looking back now, it probably made him a better captain. For that year, though, for a 19-year-old, 20-year-old kid, I felt for Landy."
Landeskog regained his composure and sense of self in short order. The uptight start to his tenure as captain proved to be a blip on the radar. Today, he feels as though he has a much stronger grasp on the "be yourself" aspect of effective leadership.
"That's something that I constantly think about," he said of his dad's advice. "It's about just trying to get back to who I am and who I want to be. That's what we all try to do. People see right through you if you try to be someone or something you're not."
Do your job
Bill Belichick, the legendary no-nonsense head coach of the NFL's New England Patriots, has a wonderfully succinct mantra: Do your job.
While he didn't mention Belichick as an influence or idol, Landeskog definitely buys into the same mentality. Be a professional by taking care of yourself - on the ice and off it - before putting time and energy into helping others.
"It sounds like you're contradicting the whole captaincy thing, but you have to do your job," said Landeskog, who's appeared in a combined 736 regular-season and playoff games. "That's your No. 1 priority. And you have to do your job to the best of your ability. You have to be ready to play. You can't be asking other guys to be doing things that you aren't able to do or aren't willing to do. And that, for me, has been all about working hard and sticking to my style."
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
For Landeskog, "do your job" involves being the connective tissue on arguably the NHL's top forward trio. His linemates, MacKinnon and Rantanen, are the offensive catalysts, the pace-pushing creatives. Landeskog, while extremely skilled too, relishes in a two-way, blue-collar role - short passes off the half-wall, puck retrievals, a thorny presence in front of the opposition's net, occasional faceoff duty, the odd fight, and the like.
He's 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, and a rare forward who's both extremely versatile and very consistent. "The accountability is there," former Avs goalie Devan Dubnyk said. "Because if a guy like that is going to go out there and walk the walk, everyone else has to do the same thing."
Jared Bednar, Colorado's bench boss since 2016-17, added: "It's become clear over the last few years that it's about winning, not just about being a good team and getting into the playoffs. As our team has progressed, I think Landy's been the guy pushing that forward and really trying to hold our team to a new standard."
Bednar made those remarks in May, shortly after Landeskog led the Avs to a dominating four-game sweep over the St. Louis Blues. In Game 1, he recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, fight) and finished the series with eight points. It was an example of how Landeskog's leadership is not just intellectual. He told reporters that a pre-series comment from Blues captain Ryan O'Reilly ("We're going to have some fun, we're going to beat them") provided him and the rest of the Avs with a little extra motivation.
Landeskog insists that setting standards is never a solitary pursuit.
"I've got a great group of guys in that locker room that help me out, whether that's Nate or (defenseman and longest-serving Av Erik Johnson) or Mikko or whoever it might be," he said proudly. "It's been a blast. We're all pulling the rope in the same direction."
Stay neutral
In contrast to his rowdy "The Wolf of Wall Street" avatar, Landeskog is not the rah-rah type. He's certainly not shy or quiet, or someone who leads solely by example, yet he isn't naturally as emotional or fiery as MacKinnon.
"When I was younger, I was trying to be more of a vocal guy, but I've realized as the years have gone along that that's not what it's all about," Landeskog said. "You don't have to be the loudest guy. It's a long season. It gets exhausting if that's not your personality."
Michael Martin / Getty Images
Landeskog is a cerebral hockey player, and in his personal life, he's a bit of a bookworm. Mind you, as a father of two kids under 2 years old, quietly unwinding has become difficult of late. When he does have leisure time, like during the NHL's COVID-19 hiatus in 2020, he tends to read about leadership and culture in and out of sports. He's a fan of written work by John Wooden, the legendary college basketball coach, and loved "It Takes What It Takes" by Trevor Moawad, quarterback Russell Wilson's late mental conditioning coach.
"Whether things are going well or aren't going well, you always have to get back to neutral and you should stay objective in that way to remember the task at hand," Landeskog said when asked for a takeaway from Moawad's book. "That's not maybe so much about leadership, specifically, but I think it relates as far as how I behave and how I act around the room or during games or during a tough stretch or during a good stretch of the season. To try to stay neutral as best as I can. And that's easier said than done."
Landeskog seeks out others for guidance and knowledge, including athletes, business owners, CEOs, and his parents. It could be through a book, documentary, or in-depth conversation. "I think it's important to be open and not think you have all the answers yourself," he said.
Peter Wallen, Landeskog's agent and the CEO of Alterno Global Management, has always admired his client's ability to take a step back from the chaos. For instance, after the Avs hit rock bottom in 2016-17 with a putrid 48 points in 82 games, the rumor mill was in overdrive. It seemed inevitable that a member of the core - Landeskog, center Matt Duchene, somebody else - was getting shipped out of town.
"Gabe and I were talking about it and I asked him, 'Hey, do you want to get traded or do you want to stay?'" Wallen said. "He said, 'If Sakic thinks it's better for the Avalanche if they trade me, I get that and it's not a problem. But if I can choose, I'd rather stay and be part of the solution than getting traded.' That's where he is. He doesn't shy away from a challenge, at all."
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
Sakic opted to send Duchene to the Ottawa Senators, but the rest of the core has, with a few exceptions, stayed intact. That said, even though the Avs have taken off since that dreadful '16-17 season, finishing 17th, 17th, third, and first in the league standings, playoff success remains elusive. The club has been bounced in the second round three years in a row; Colorado is a Cup contender that hasn't broken through.
In the modern NHL, reaching the top of the mountain can be an excruciating pursuit - until it's not. Just look at the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning, who for a half-decade were Cup contenders in the lead-up to their first title in 2019-20.
So, what's Landeskog's message to the squad heading into 2021-22?
"We're going in looking to establish ourselves again," he said. "That's what this league is: You have to establish yourself every single year. Play well every single year and give yourself a chance to get into the dance. There's a lot of hockey that needs to be played before then and, for us, we want to continue to build. We know how crucial home-ice advantage is in the playoffs and it's something that we're going to continue working on."
Read the room
Psychology Today defines emotional intelligence as "the ability to identify and manage one's own emotions, as well as the emotions of others." The emotionally intelligent "are able to shift gears and lighten mood, both internally and externally."
Daniel Briere played more than 1,000 NHL games spread across five franchises. He's shared the ice with a ton of people, including Landeskog for a season in 2014-15. Landeskog, Briere says, fits the description above.
"People assume that being a captain is grabbing people by their throats and throwing them against the wall when they don't do their job. It doesn't work that way," said Briere, a co-captain in Buffalo for three seasons. "Maybe, I don't know, it worked like that in the '60s or '70s, but nowadays it doesn't work that way. Emotional intelligence is, I think, a key in being able to understand other players, to rally them to be together."
Andy Devlin / Getty Images
Briere knew in an instant that Landeskog had the "it" factor. Guess who was the first person to approach Briere, then 36, when he walked into Colorado's dressing room? "He came directly to me, shook my hand, looked me in the eye, and said, 'Danny, welcome to the Colorado Avalanche.' I was so impressed by that," Briere said, emphasizing it's both a small thing and a big thing for a captain to be so on point with the intangibles of the role. "I was so impressed that a 21- or 22-year-old at the time felt strong enough to get up in front of everybody and come and welcome somebody new to the team."
Lightning defenseman Fredrik Claesson says reading the room is in his childhood friend's DNA. "Honestly, it's kind of scary. He's a born leader." Within the team bubble, it can go deeper than that, too. Teammates of all ages watch a captain's body language, looking for cues on how to act. For the most part, it's subconscious and unnoticed, yet it happens every day.
"He just knew when to turn it on and turn it off," Ben Fanelli, a junior teammate and close friend, said of Landeskog's social instincts. "He just had this ability, and still does today, to show his loving side and enjoyment for life but can also dial it in and flip the switch and get into action mode. I think that's one of his many gifts."
Landeskog admitted he can feel uncomfortable talking about his captaincy. "Ultimately, I'm not the one that's judging my leadership." Well, MacKinnon, the Avs' superstar, has lauded Landeskog on multiple occasions for being the "perfect captain."
And, luckily for MacKinnon and the Avs, Landeskog isn't f-----' leavin', either.
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.
Werenski has been an offensive threat ever since making his debut - he's tied for third in goals among NHL defensemen with 65, dating back to 2016. However, he'll be without Seth Jones in 2021-22 and will need to step up as the Blue Jackets' new No. 1.
59. Jeff Petry, Montreal Canadiens
Petry produced a career year offensively last campaign, ranking among the league leaders with 42 points in 55 games. The Canadiens blue-liner has been one of the NHL's most underrated players for years now, in addition to collecting at least 40 points in four consecutive seasons.
58. Jake Guentzel, Pittsburgh Penguins
Guentzel often doesn't get the respect he deserves, but that's part of the price you pay when you play alongside Sidney Crosby. The left-winger has played over a point-per-game pace over the last two campaigns with the Penguins and can score goals just as easily as he can dish assists.
57. Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
The younger Tkachuk brother is captain material for the up-and-coming Senators, contributing points, physicality, and intangibles each and every night. The young forward's only going to get more effective as he matures, and it's often hard to remember he's only 22.
56. Darnell Nurse, Edmonton Oilers
Nurse took major offensive strides last season, recording 16 goals and 20 assists in 56 contests. The 26-year-old could still stand to improve defensively, but as a strong skater standing at 6-foot-4, 221 pounds, he has all the physical capabilities to do so.
55. Thomas Chabot, Senators
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Over the past two campaigns, it's been Chabot and Drew Doughty leading all NHL defensemen in average ice time. The 24-year-old Sens star has a lot on his plate and has quietly risen to the challenge.
54. Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
The elder Tkachuk underwhelmed to an extent in 2021, but so did the Flames as a whole. Calgary's versatile pest continues to be one of the few players in the league that provide scoring and the ability to regularly get under opponents' skin.
53. John Carlson, Washington Capitals
Carlson was bound to regress a bit after the best season of his career in 2019-20, but he's still among the NHL's best when it comes to producing offense. Since 2017, the Capitals blue-liner ranks third at his position in goals (53) and first in points (257).
52. Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets
Ehlers enjoyed his breakout campaign with the Jets in 2021, managing 46 points in 47 games. At top speed, he's one of the fastest skaters in the league, and his deceptive skillset makes him a nightmare for opposing defenders.
51. William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
Nylander silenced just about all of his critics this past spring, carrying the Leafs' offense in the playoffs as Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner struggled while tallying five goals and three assists in seven contests.
50. Jakob Chychrun, Arizona Coyotes
Norm Hall / National Hockey League / Getty
Chychrun stunned the desert in the 2020-21 season. A strong skater with a big-time shot, the 23-year-old defenseman trailed only Phil Kessel with 41 points in 56 games while leading all Coyotes skaters in ice time. Chychrun's only going to get scarier over time.
49. Taylor Hall, Boston Bruins
What a difference a change of scenery made for Hall, the 2017-18 MVP who struggled mightily in his brief foray with the moribund Buffalo Sabres. The Bruins' skill undoubtedly helped Hall return to form, but he was also incredibly unlucky with the Sabres, and he remains one of the NHL's best left-wingers.
48. Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
Landeskog's decision to re-sign with the Avalanche this summer was a wise one. Passing up the option to play alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen would have been foolish, as the trio combine to make one of the league's best lines.
47. Max Pacioretty, Vegas Golden Knights
Pacioretty remains an elite play driver and lethal finisher as he approaches 33 years of age. The forward's presence on the Golden Knights' top line is a key reason why they're one of the NHL's best.
46. John Tavares, Maple Leafs
Tavares has begun to show modest signs of decline at age 31, but he's still undoubtedly a top-line caliber center. He produced at a near point-per-game rate last campaign despite a slow start.
45. Kyle Connor, Jets
Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / Getty
A perennial scoring threat, Connor has been among Winnipeg's top three in goals for the past four seasons. With 50 points in 56 matchups last campaign, the 24-year-old is one of the quietest stars in the league.
44. Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
Svechnikov has dropped plenty of jaws with his numerous lacrosse-style goals, but he's far more than a one-trick pony. The 21-year-old Hurricanes star is a consistent playmaker whose skill evokes that of a much older forward.
43. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
Stamkos is still one of the NHL's top stars as long as he can stay healthy. Since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, his 1.12 points per game ranks 10th in the league. The fact that Stamkos is arguably the Lightning's fifth-best player is simply unfair.
42. Alex DeBrincat, Chicago Blackhawks
All DeBrincat does is score. The winger's one of the lesser-known names on a Blackhawks team laden with veteran standouts, but he's the future of the franchise and has 50-goal potential.
41. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
Hughes still needs to refine his defensive game, but he's certainly one of the most exciting and dynamic blue-liners in the NHL. Oh, and he's just 21 years old.
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 hasn't been a lot to be excited about in Buffalo in recent years, but Reinhart always showed promise. The 25-year-old led the Sabres in scoring last season with 40 points and, in 2021-22, is primed to thrive with the Panthers.
79. Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders
Varlamov's numbers are buoyed by his team's defensive prowess, but the underlying figures show he remains one of the NHL's best goaltenders. The Islanders netminder ranked second in goals saved above average and 10th in goals saved above expected at five-on-five last season.
78. Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets
Wheeler's underlying numbers last season weren't great, but he still managed an impressive 46 points in 50 games. As long as the 35-year-old is firmly entrenched in the Jets' lethal top-six group, he should continue to contribute a ton on offense.
77. Ryan Pulock, Islanders
Pulock is far from prolific offensively, but all 32 NHL general managers would love him on their team. He's the rock of the Islanders' stingy defensive corps and routinely shuts down opponents' top lines.
76. Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
Giroux is aging like fine wine, and the move to the wing in recent years has allowed him to focus on his greatest strength - producing offense. His knack for winning faceoffs (career 55.5%) hasn't gone to waste, either, as he still takes draws regularly.
75. Philipp Grubauer, Seattle Kraken
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Grubauer is looking to take his new team to incredible heights the way Marc-Andre Fleury did for Vegas. The 29-year-old was a Vezina Trophy finalist last season after posting a .922 save percentage with the defensively sound Avalanche, but his underlying numbers weren't as strong as his fellow nominees.
74. John Klingberg, Dallas Stars
Klingberg is often overlooked in the discussion about the game's best defensemen, and he's occasionally even an afterthought on his own team because of Miro Heiskanen's emergence. But he's still a force, notching what would've been 56 points over an 82-game pace last season.
73. MacKenzie Weegar, Panthers
Weegar had his true coming out party with the Panthers last year, showing he has what it takes to be one of the NHL's top-tier defensemen. He ranked 12th among blue-liners with 36 points, 14th in hits (118), and 41st in blocks (83).
72. Robin Lehner, Vegas Golden Knights
Lehner has posted solid numbers for three consecutive seasons but the upcoming campaign will be key in determining his status among the league's elite goaltenders. He's taking the reins as the Golden Knights' No. 1 netminder. The pressure is on after the club traded away Fleury, the Vezina Trophy winner.
71. Morgan Rielly, Toronto Maple Leafs
Rielly isn't the most sound defender, but he uses his elite skating to drive offense at a high rate. He's just two years removed from a top-five Norris Trophy finish.
70. Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
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Slavin has led the Hurricanes' defense corps in ice time in each of the past five seasons. Despite his heavy workload, the 27-year-old is one of the most disciplined players in the league. He won the 2021 Lady Byng Trophy after taking just one penalty all season.
69. Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
Ekblad was having a career year before a serious injury ended his 2021 season. He was leading all NHL defensemen in goals at the time and is capable of replicating that level of play now that he's fully healthy.
68. Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
Boeser continues to be one of the league's more underrated players. He's now strung together four consecutive great seasons with the Canucks to kick off his NHL career with 210 points in 253 games. Playing alongside Elias Pettersson certainly helps, but Boeser's shot remains one of the best in the league.
67. Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche couldn't have been a better fit for Toews. The 27-year-old forms a dynamic top pair with Cale Makar and is fresh off setting career highs in goals, points, and average time on ice.
66. Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins
Letang is one of the most perennially underrated defensemen of his era. He's an absolute workhorse, logging at least 24 minutes per game for the last decade while earning seven top-10 Norris Trophy finishes in that time. He's getting older, but he remains a true No. 1 blue-liner.
65. Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals
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Backstrom is just as ageless as Alex Ovechkin is. The 33-year-old is essentially a lock to hit at least 70 points in an 82-game season and is set to surpass the 1,000-point mark in his 15th season with the Capitals.
64. Joe Pavelski, Stars
Speaking of ageless, Pavelski belongs in that category as well. The veteran forward racked up 25 goals and 26 assists while playing all 56 games for the Stars in 2021 before turning 37 in July.
63. Seth Jones, Chicago Blackhawks
Jones had a pretty terrible season last year but has otherwise been a legitimate Norris Trophy contender. The 27-year-old ditched Columbus and landed with the Blackhawks over the summer, so the change of scenery should help him find the spark in his game.
62. Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
It'll be strange to watch the Predators without Pekka Rinne in the fold, but Nashville's in good hands between the pipes thanks to Saros. The Finnish netminder essentially dragged his club to the postseason this past summer with a sterling .927 save percentage across 36 appearances.
61. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
Gaudreau takes a lot of heat in the Calgary market, but all he does is put up points - including 49 in 56 games last season. The 2011 fourth-round pick is as skilled of a playmaker as they come.
