NHL Rank: Predicting the best players for 2022-23, from 100-51
-
ESPN staff
The top 100 NHL players for the 2022-23 season are difficult to rank, given the incredible depth of talent at almost every position.
To create our annual ranking of the NHL’s top 100 players, we asked an ESPN panel of more than 50 hockey experts to rate players based on how good they will be in the 2022-23 season compared to their peers.
The Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche were tied for the most players in the top 100 with six, along with the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vancouver Canucks. Only three teams failed to place a player in the top 100 — and the Arizona Coyotes are not one of the three.
Emphasis was placed solely on expectations for the upcoming season and predicting potential greatness, rather than past performance, career résumé or positional value. Hence, long-term injuries to players, such as the season-ending surgery for Robin Lehner of the Vegas Golden Knights, were taken into consideration.
There may be no greater indication of the NHL’s depth than the fact that the center position — the source of the league’s star power for decades — accounted for only seven spots in the top 20. Centers do encompass four slots in the top seven players, however.
Today we reveal Nos. 51 through 100 on the list. Tune in to “The Point” on Tuesday night for a reveal of the top players, which will be available online Wednesday morning.
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 31
Eight straight seasons of more than 20 goals is what makes Kane one of the league’s more consistent wingers. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 56
Age: 24
Chychrun is a high-end talent with great defensive details and offensive upside — when he’s healthy. Injuries have defined the blueliner’s past 12 months but shouldn’t distract from what he can offer at full strength. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 28
San Jose believes the dynamic Hertl will be their top-line center of the present — and future. He’s a skilled scorer, deft playmaker and can elevate teammates, all of which the Sharks need to see more of amid a slow start to this season. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: 95
Age: 28
Chicago went all-in on signing the talented Jones last offseason because of his potential to perform in all three phases. Jones is a strong passer, executes clean breakouts, and he throws his frame along the boards, all elements of a solidly well-rounded skater. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: 97
Age: 27
The Canucks’ captain is a versatile cog in the system, excellent on draws and handles a matchup role well. Horvat just had a career-best 31-goal season, and he will be channeling that offensive energy into this contract year. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: 35
Age: 32
Pietrangelo hit the 80-game mark for the first time in four seasons and gave a sense of stability at a time of questions for the Golden Knights. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 89
Age: 25
Chabot has a relentless motor, and he brings everything you’d want to the Senators’ blue-line group. Ottawa’s anchor regularly logs massive minutes while excelling in every on-ice scenario, proving that where Chabot goes, so go the Sens. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 35
The diminutive Norwegian was 13th among all right wings with a 0.85 points per game average over the past two seasons. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: 36
Age: 35
Letang had a career-best 68 points while averaging nearly 26 minutes en route finishing in the top 10 in Norris voting for the third time in four seasons. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 37
Age: 35
Several items led to the Kings’ resurgence, and Kopitar was among them by leading the team in scoring while playing in every situation. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 69
Age: 34
Giroux may no longer be the point-per-game player he was in his prime, but the 34-year-old remains a steady playmaking presence. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: 57
Age: 26
Nylander has matured into more than just a scoring threat. He’s willing to battle for pucks, create takeaways and breaks out quickly. He also has the wheels to wield a strong transition game. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 23
His regular-season efforts showed he can serve in a tandem, but the playoffs showed Oettinger has everything needed to be a No. 1 goaltender. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 24
Buffalo’s big center had a big breakout year that’s turned him into an emerging face of the franchise. Thompson’s got elite scoring ability, a killer shot and, as the Sabres discovered last season, the versatility to play important minutes down the middle. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 26
The Swedish sniper broke through in last season’s 35-goal turn. Kempe’s upping the ante already this year — three goals in three games — thanks to great chemistry with Anze Kopitar. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 20
Stutzle is already a power-play force for the Senators (26 of his 58 points last season). With Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat added to the Ottawa forward group, his even strength output should increase. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: 94
Age: 28
His puck-moving ability made a difference in Florida, and it is why Calgary looks like it has another weapon on its blue line. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 27
Tristan Jarry silenced critics of his disastrous 2021 postseason by establishing himself as a consistent, effective starter for the Penguins last season. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 27
When Sorokin starts, the Islanders know what kind of effort they’re getting. He had a quality starts percentage of .713 over his first two NHL seasons. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 31
The Blueshirts got a Broadway-esque star turn from Kreider in his 52-goal effort a season ago. Surprising? Maybe, but the veteran forward has followed it up by averaging a point per game early in the 2022-23 season. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: 52
Age: 32
Tavares’ game has evolved beyond just goal scoring. The Leafs’ captain is a proven playmaker who hit a decade-high in assists (49) last season that complemented his more finely tuned, 200-foot performances. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: 73
Age: 28
The longtime backbone of Toronto’s defense does it all while leading by example. Rielly’s an elite skater and puck mover used in every situation, where he’s capable of generating offense without sacrificing defensive responsibilities. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: 51
Age: 26
When Ekblad’s healthy, he’s a defenseman worthy of being in the Norris Trophy conversation, especially given his playmaking abilities (42 assists last season). –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 25
Terry’s 67-point season sets the expectation that he has found his footing within the Ducks’ long-term plans. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 27
Lindholm was an elite — if under-the-radar — two-way center before last season’s explosive 42-goal showing put him on the map. Former linemates Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk might be gone but Lindholm’s defensive savvy and scoring prowess continue to shine. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: 68
Age: 24
This season is Sergachev’s time to shine with Ryan McDonagh having been traded to Nashville. He’s the second best offensive defenseman on the Bolts behind Victor Hedman. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 28
Trouba is best known for thunderous hits, but he can chip in offensively at even strength too. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: 38
Age: 32
Doughty getting injured last season was a big loss for the Kings given he was on pace to set a career high in points. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 27
Age: 29
For all the talk in Winnipeg, Scheifele can calm those concerns by turning in another 20-goal season with the idea he could also threaten to score 30. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 93
Age: 30
Tarasenko had one of the NHL’s best “remember me?” seasons, reigniting his star with a 3.9 points per 60 minutes average. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: 67
Age: 25
Boeser is one of the better pure goal scorers on the Canucks, with 46 goals in 127 games over the past two seasons. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 28
Subtlety is Slavin’s game, yet the impact he has speaks rather loudly for the Hurricanes. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 22
Dahlin relishes playing big minutes on Buffalo’s top unit, where the 22-year-old has matured before the Sabres’ eyes. This season he’s adding more offense from the blue line already, too. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 38
All he did was score a career-high 81 points, play a responsible game and have two-way consistency … in his late 30s. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 78
Age: 26
Ehlers is lethal in transition, making him a must-watch playmaker off the rush. That skill and vision planted Ehlers on Winnipeg’s top line. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 27
He’s a two-way, 25-goal-scoring power forward who is 6-foot-4 and gives the Avs another dimension. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 53
Age: 32
While he never broke through to win the Norris, Carlson has been a consistent defenseman who banks points while running Ovechkin’s power play. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: 34
Age: 29
Even with fewer games, Hamilton fell a goal shy of what would have been an eighth-straight season of more than 10 goals during his first year in New Jersey. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 90
Age: 37
Nurse has averaged over 25 minutes of ice time per game the past two seasons, being tasked with playing against top competition. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: 43
Age: 29
Landeskog gives the Avalanche another 20-goal scorer who could possibly reach the 30-goal mark if not for injuries (he missed the start of the season with a lower-body injury). –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 21
The video-game moves (and moves that end up in video games) made him instantly famous, but Zegras has the skills to remain an NHL offensive force. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 28
Look at his defensive and offensive metrics and you will see why Toews is so valued in Denver. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 59
Age: 23
Canucks’ bench boss Bruce Boudreau says Hughes passes the puck as well as anyone he has coached. High praise for the 23-year-old, who already is ably anchoring Vancouver’s backend. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 26
Scoring 33 goals and 85 points did more than land Fiala a new contract. It places him under a spotlight as someone who could help make the Kings even more dangerous. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: 79
Age: 28
An underrated offensive force. His chemistry with Sidney Crosby is already on display this season following a second 40-goal campaign in 2021-22. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: 47
Age: 31
One of the NHL’s top two-way centers. He’s had at least 50 points in nine straight seasons and won over 58% of his faceoffs in seven straight seasons. –Greg Wyshynski
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 32
Kadri broke through to score 87 points and further raised already high expectations about doing the same now that he is with the Flames. –Ryan S. Clark
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 29
Miller has become a top center option for the Canucks, who recently signed the big forward to a seven-year extension. His 32 goals and 99 points last season were both personal bests. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: NR
Age: 24
Speed and skill drive Kyrou’s impressive offensive game. St. Louis gave him an eight-year extension following last season’s career totals (27 goals, 75 points in 74 games), cementing Kyrou as a face of the franchise. –Kristen Shilton
2021-22 rank: 33
Age: 37
The 37-year-old Bergeron has remained so consistent, the last time he was not top 3 in Selke voting was more than a decade ago. –Ryan S. Clark
MIAMI — Kyle Stowers hit a three-run homer and the Miami Marlins defeated the New York Yankees 7-3 on Sunday, completing their first-ever sweep of the Yankees in a series of three or more games.
The Marlins (55-55) reached .500 for the first time since April 15, when the team was 8-8. Since June 13, the Marlins are 30-14; that’s tied with the 2003 team for the most wins in a 44-game span in franchise history, according to ESPN Research.
The 2003 Marlins went on to beat the Yankees in the World Series in six games.
Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (5-5) pitched six innings of two-hit ball with seven strikeouts and one walk. His only blemish came against the first batter he faced. Trent Grisham drove Cabrera’s 98.1 mph four-seam fastball to right-center.
Miami rookie Jakob Marsee, who made his major league debut on Friday, was 2-for-4 and finished a single short of the cycle.
Stowers made it 6-1 when he connected on an 0-2 fastball from Brent Headrick, who entered in the fourth with two on after starter Luis Gil (0-1) was lifted 3⅓ innings into his season debut.
Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, struck out three and surrendered five runs and five hits while issuing four walks in his return from a high-grade lat strain. He threw 77 pitches.
Gil’s shaky debut comes at a rough point in the season for the Yankees, whose inconsistency has prompted a rash of criticism, the latest coming from former Yankees stars Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez on Fox’s pregame show Saturday night.
“They make way too many mistakes,” Jeter said. “Way too many mistakes, and you can’t get away with making that number of mistakes against great teams.”
Added Rodriguez: “Where’s the accountability?”
Boone addressed those criticisms before Sunday’s game, saying it comes with the territory of being the Yankees, but he added after the loss that it’s “gut-check” time for his club.
New York’s weekend series at Miami included the Yankees blowing a six-run lead in a wild 13-12 loss on Friday, before a 2-0 loss on Saturday.
The Yankees had a seven-game lead in the AL East in late May. By July 2, the lead was gone and the Yankees have been looking up at Toronto in the division ever since. The red-hot Boston Red Sox, who were more than 10 games behind the Yankees about two months ago, have overtaken their rival for the second spot in the AL East and AL wild-card lead.
“It’s getting late,” Boone said. “And it’s certainly not too late for us. I am confident that we’re going to get it together. But that’s all it is right now is, you know, it’s empty until we start doing it.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
SEATTLE — Julio Rodriguez homered to become the first player in major league history with 20 or more home runs and 20 or more stolen bases in each of his first four seasons, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 on Sunday.
Rodriguez hit a two-run shot in the third inning — his 100th career homer — and the slugging and speedy center fielder also added his 21st stolen base of the season after singling in the fifth inning.
Jorge Polanco added a solo shot in the second, and shortstop J.P. Crawford smacked a two-run blast in the fourth against Rangers starter Jacob deGrom (10-4), who became the fastest pitcher in major league history to reach 1,800 career strikeouts by games and innings Sunday.
The Rangers kept things close by pushing across three runs against Mariners starter Logan Evans (5-4), but tallied only one run against the Mariners bullpen before closer Andrés Muñoz locked down his 25th save of the season.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike