Top 100 NHL Players for 2024-25 NHL News, Analysis & More

Considering how off the map his numbers were compared to previous years, Ullmark is a prime candidate for regression, but he’s still a solid option in the crease. The Rangers’ acquisition of Zibanejad a few years ago from the Senators continues to age like fine wine. The New York center is an elite driver on offense and has a wicked shot that helps put pucks in the back of the net.

Matthew Savoie, C, Edmonton Oilers

• This sort of feels like a classic late-stage-coach season where Notre Dame will mostly struggle and everyone is counting down the days until there is fresh blood taking over who can inject new life into the program.
• The No. 1 pick from 2017 has always been touted as a responsible, two-way center that excels in the faceoff dot.
• Only Hunter Hady or Will Felicio could be in the lineup as a skater as an undrafted freshman.
• He is a force on offense but don’t let that fool you, he is a hard-working defender who makes a lot of stops despite his 5-foot-11 frame.
• Mateychuk’s production and confidence have only grown since his draft year and he’s been absolutely torching the WHL since then, and should find himself in the NHL next season with the Blue Jackets.
• Entering the series, Reinhart leads the team with eight goals, including netting the overtime winner in Game 4 against the New York Rangers when the Panthers desperately needed a win.
• One of the best shorthanded players in the league, while also having good offensive numbers and playing a physical, gritty game, Brad Marchand is the heartbeat of the Boston Bruins.
• He potted exactly 37 goals for the second consecutive season, and followed up a 78-point regular season with 24 playoff points in 19 contests.
• There are still some issues he’ll need to smooth out a bit, mainly in his decision making which can lead to turnovers under pressure and weak lackadaisical defensive positioning.

And if it is more solid in the DZ, I feel much more comfortable about the goaltending situation. I never like not having a proven commodity, but there are real reasons for optimism for both Cameron Korpi and Logan Stein. Hard to imagine at least one of them doesn’t succeed enough to at least give Michigan average goaltending. If they’re a solid defensive team and have a robust and deep offense, average goaltending should get this team into the NCAA Tournament.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Edmonton Oilers

In a year where seemingly every star for the Avalanche was hurt at some point, Rantanen played a major role in keeping the team afloat. The Finnish power forward had his first 50-goal, 100-point season, leading Colorado with 55 goals and 105 points. Rantanen finished sixth in MVP voting — and I don’t think that did his performance enough justice. In the age of up-and-coming stars taking over the league, the 36-year-old Penguins captain remains one of the most consistent performers at both ends of the ice. After missing the playoffs for his first time since his rookie season, expect a motivated Pittsburgh star center this year.

WHL Cup Team Alberta U16 Male Roster

He shows great speed, edges, and confidence in his movement when attacking off the rush and he always has the opposition on their heels trying to predict his next move. Morrow has produced a ton of offense in the NCAA, but his defensive game has really developed well with the University of Massachusetts, turning him into a much more well-rounded player. There is a good argument for Jaccob Slavin in the conversation of the best pure defensive player in the NHL. His defensive impacts are impeccable, and he has started to elevate his offensive game lately as well.

Footer

If there was an award for the best defensive defenseman, Slavin would likely take the cake. The Hurricanes defender is an elite shutdown option on the Carolina blue line, anchoring one of the best defensive units in the league. Don’t expect Slavin to score many points, as he’s too busy keeping the puck out of his own net.

Nate Danielson, C, Detroit Red Wings

He dominated that level this season, but we’ve seen him do that already so it’s no surprise. I’d really love to see him against pros full-time next season, hopefully in the KHL. The reason people are so high on Eiserman, is that he scored 72 goals in 69 games last season for the NTDP. While he may not be the most reliable player when it comes to play driving or defensive results, he is an incredibly reliable goal scorer and projects to be a 30+ goal scorer in the NHL someday. Pair him with your best playmaking center and watch him do the hardest thing there is in hockey, score goals.

Why Iran attacked Israel and the potential consequences

He is great at finding open space off the puck and he rewards teammates for passing to him by charging the middle of the ice or ripping a puck mid-stride. Öhgren’s ability to out-work opponents stands out, even at the pro level, and should continue in the AHL next season. David Goyette is finally starting to earn some of the attention that I think he has deserved all along. He’s an excellent skater who doesn’t quit on the play which helps him win a lot of puck battles and races to pucks.

Brennan Othmann, LW, New York Rangers

He’s an athletic winger who can beat goalies with his hard shot or by crashing the net and scoring in tight. He doesn’t project to be much of a factor defensively, but his shot and playmaking are his best tools and they could make him a great NHL player someday. Tanner Molendyk was one of the best skaters in the 2023 draft, with excellent edgework and speed. Molendyk’s edgework makes him incredibly mobile in all directions, capable of acting on new information at a moment’s notice. He isn’t the biggest defenseman (just under 6-feet) but he competes hard and defends well as a result of his energy and skating.

Jason Robertson, LW, Dallas Stars

With a near-point-per-game pace over his three years with the club, he has become their first-line center and has been strong defensively. There is still a bit more to hope for out of Eichel, but after his injuries and struggles, some time to get back on his feet was earned, and he is still an elite center. After scoring over 40 points in each of his first two seasons, defenseman Evan Bouchard had a monster year posting 82 points. The high-end Oilers forwards make offense a bit easier for all of their teammates, but that shouldn’t take away from how great Bouchard was. Not only did he finish fourth in defensive scoring last season, he finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting, and had good defensive numbers while playing 23 minutes per game.

Prospects #20-11

In terms of clutch players, Tkachuk certainly fits the bill, and he’s one that could end up being a thorn in the Oilers’ side throughout the series. Sam Reinhart might be Florida’s most dangerous offensive option to put the puck in the net. Entering the series, Reinhart leads the team with eight goals, including netting the overtime winner in Game 4 against the New York Rangers when the Panthers desperately needed a win. The Panthers forward also had a career-high 57 goals during the regular season, so he’s a threat to score when he’s within earshot of the puck.

It is hard to improve on the season MacKinnon had, but he has found a way to do so in each of the past four seasons. Though he already has a Stanley Cup on his resume, he will certainly be looking to get back into contention for another Cup this season. In four of his six years in the NHL, he has earned Norris Trophy votes, and while he hasn’t finished higher than seventh in voting, there is a strong chance he can be higher this season. Dobson is one of the most valuable players on the club, and as they look to do a slight retool and make some changes to their team, Dobson is one of the few cornerstones they will build around. On a team that specializes in team defense, having a defenseman reach the 70-point mark is quite impressive. On top of that, Noah Dobson led the Islanders defense in scoring by a significant margin of over 40 points.

The Philadelphia Eagles Have a Jalen Hurts Problem

The 12th overall pick in the 2022 QMJHL Draft was excellent in the USHL as a rookie, and was able to improve on those numbers significantly in his draft season. Boisvert is a big center (6-foot-2) with tons of skill with the puck and above average skating. He looks like a pro and has a ton of qualities, including a really dangerous shot, that make me confident he’ll find a role in the middle-six forward group of an NHL team someday.

• There is a legitimate argument to have Auston Matthews as high as number two on this list.
• He has a good contract, plays important minutes, and has a strong presence in the game.
• Captain Aleksander Barkov and defenseman Gustav Forsling will be asked to contain McDavid as much as possible while Matthew Tkachuk leads a punishing forecheck for the Panthers in the offensive zone.
• Had Timo Meier been able to stay healthy, he would have kept his good momentum going and had been able to raise his point totals and finish around points.
• His six goals put him in a tie for the lead at his position in 2024, while his 21 assists rank second out of all skaters.
• He didn’t last very long and didn’t leave the biggest impact, but he’s still just 19 so every bit of pro experience and guidance he soaked up in those weeks was time well spent.
• In a year where seemingly every star for the Avalanche was hurt at some point, Rantanen played a major role in keeping the team afloat.

After being selected eighth overall by the Red Wings back in the 2022 Draft, Marco Kasper returned to Sweden as a top-six center for Rögle BK (SHL) at age 18. It quickly became clear that he had more offense to give and all he needed was the opportunity to show it off. Without further ado, here is our ranking of the top 100 NHL prospects as well as a few honourable mentions. Nikita Kucherov – who came in at No. 8 last year – appears to be the only member of the Lightning with a chance to remain in the top 10. Centre Brayden Point checked in at No. 17 Thursday, improving his ranking from No. 26 a year ago.

• Without further ado, here is our ranking of the top 100 NHL prospects as well as a few honourable mentions.
• Having a strong top-six, like Caufield, will help Raymond take an even bigger step this season.
• India has won eight gold medals, including six consecutive between 1928 and 1956 – scoring 197 goals and conceding just eight in the process!
• Jiricek is really great at scanning the play off puck and he persists through pressure quite well so I think he will be able to cut down on the over-the-top risks in time.
• Oliver Moore was the best skater from the 2023 draft class with blazing speed and excellent agility.
• Tkachuk currently leads the Panthers in points (19) during the Stanley Cup Playoffs with five goals and a team-high 14 assists.
• His first NCAA mirrored that closely, with an increased defensive responsibility as the year wore on.

• Perreault scored at an absurd rate in his draft year, with 132 points in 63 games, setting the single-season record in the NTDP, surpassing players like Matthews, Hughes, and Clayton Keller.
• His transition game, defensive play, and wicked wrist shot make him an all around threat at the junior level already.
• He lit the lamp 42 times last season, passing Wayne Gretzky for the most 40-goal season in NHL history with 13.
• Ultimately, a lack of elite traits holds him back a little but Hage certainly has a chance to be a top-six forward in the NHL.
• He posted 66 points in 67 games in the regular season before contributing 26 points in 20 games in his first playoff run, culminating in a Stanley Cup win.

His offensive game is impressive for a defender of his size and his skating makes him even more intriguing as an NHL prospect. Yakemchuk has a rocket of a shot, scoring 19 goals last season, something that makes him a true goal scoring threat from the point. He challenges opposing players one-on-one like a forward, constantly setting himself up for these incredible dekes. The problem is, he doesn’t succeed 100% of the time and can put himself in tough positions to recover defensively.

McDavid can take over games and has fared well against even the toughest defensive matchups through the first three rounds. The Panthers will throw the kitchen sink at him, but McDavid is just operating on another level right now. Draisaitl could be the No. 1 guy on many teams around the NHL, but in Edmonton he has Connor McDavid as a teammate. Draisaitl gives the Oilers a truly elite finisher, both at five-on-five and on the power play. After notching 41 goals in the regular season, he has 10 goals this postseason, which is second in the NHL and would be first on the Panthers. What makes Draisaitl so key in this series is that, although he’s earned a reputation as a prolific goal-scorer, he’s no pushover in the physicality department.

‘He’s a special player’: Can Erik Karlsson deliver another Stanley Cup to the Penguins?357dGreg Wyshynski

His red-hot start in the Finnish Liiga in his draft year had NHL scouts salivating at his goal scoring potential, and while he ultimately cooled off quite significantly, that potential hasn’t disappeared. Kemell had some inconsistent play in the Liiga since, but has largely been effective in the AHL in parts of two seasons there. I’m still a big believer in his shot and skill, which are strong enough to give him a chance to become a top-six https://gambibet.org/ winger in Nashville. Owen Beck is an incredibly reliable and versatile two-way centerman who has increased his stock considerably ever since being selected in the 2022 NHL Draft at the beginning of the second round. He is smart, skates well, wins faceoffs, back-checks hard, and has already begun to grow into more of his offensive potential. Beck is going to be a player that coaches love because he works hard and has tons of skill.

Because the boring vets can be found on the waiver wire at any time unless you play in a 32-team league. Aleksander Barkov is arguably one of the Panthers’ biggest threats on both ends of the ice. After all, Barkov won the Selke Trophy this season as the best defensive forward in the NHL. As harassing as Barkov can be on the defensive end, he’s just as dangerous when he’s got the puck on his stick.

He is still a bit of a raw prospect at this point, which means there’s a lot of room for growth. Levshunov was a poor defender in the USHL when he first arrived, but finished that season as a strong two-way player. His first NCAA mirrored that closely, with an increased defensive responsibility as the year wore on. It looks like Levshunov is set to make the jump to the pros next season, and while his defensive game may not be great right off the bat, he’s shown himself to be a quick study.

His playmaking and shot aren’t exceptional, but they’re both good enough to be reasonably effective in the NHL someday. Sam Dickinson is a big two-way defender with a tool kit that NHL General Managers dream of. He’s a 6-foot-3 defender who defends well, has shown flashes of great puck skills, and competes incredibly hard. Dickinson skates well for his size which bodes well for his NHL projection, though he will need to put in some work for his offensive game to be worthy of power play minutes in the NHL someday.

He is the best player they have, one of the longest-tenured players with the Utah/Coyotes team, and provides great leadership. Keller has been scoring nearly a point per game over three seasons, during which time the Coyotes have struggled a lot. He has proven himself as one of the top-scoring wingers in the league and is starting to get recognition for it. They lost last year’s #2 goalscorer Ryan Kirwan to the transfer portal (ASU), and #3 goalscorer Jacques Bouquot graduated. PSU rolls over Aiden Fink, Matt DiMarsico, and Reese Laubach, all of whom were freshmen last year and they seem like a solid group to build a team around.

Matthews earned a majority of the second-place votes last year to finish ahead of Cale Makar, who was the top defenceman at No. 3. Matthews, though, is likely to see a slide down the list after finishing with 40 goals and 85 points in 76 games last season. With his game-breaking play every night, McDavid pulls himself closer and closer to the top of the list of all-time greats with each game he plays. The thing keeping him below the rest of the players ahead of him is likely the team success aspect. Matthews hasn’t found success in the playoffs yet, while three of the four ahead of him have won the Stanley Cup and the other one was the Conn Smythe winner on a losing team.

What makes Mikko Rantanen so indomitable, so uncontainable, is the sheer breadth of his skillset. It’s not just that he can walk in, square up, and wire pucks past the league’s best like it’s nothing. It’s not only that he can just as easily play facilitator to one of the all-world teammates buzzing around him. It’s not just the size and strength, the six-foot-four, 215-pound frame that makes him a chore to push off the puck. Nor is it the way he makes up for a lack of top-end speed with a deceptive grace that lets him fly right by the opposition all the same. It’s all of it, all together, the versatility that’s turned him into the stuff of defender’s nightmares.

A towering defender at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, William Wallinder was drafted 32nd overall in 2020. He’s extremely mobile and has a smooth skating stride and a very strong puck carrier. He has put in a lot of work on his defensive game to round out his strengths, but his offensive instincts are what will make him a very good option for the Detroit Red Wings on defense. Wallinder was one of the best young players in Sweden last season and has made the switch to North America this year with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The transition hasn’t been the smoothest and the offensive production hasn’t really arrived yet, but his size and skating sure have, making him a solid defensive player from the jump. Jagger Firkus had a phenomenal final season at the junior level, leading the entire CHL in scoring (goals and points), and being named MVP of the WHL and CHL.

Joshua Roy has proven just about everyone wrong ever since he was drafted 150th overall in the 2021 Draft. He became one of the best goalscorers in the entire CHL in his final seasons there and was excellent for Team Canada at the World Juniors, winning two Gold medals. Roy is incredibly competitive, responsible defensively, and protects the puck extremely well. He has shown that he only gets better when the games get important, which is an invaluable attribute to have as someone who projects as a top-nine winger in the NHL. There was a time when Joakim Kemell was seen as the second-best prospect in the 2022 Draft.

He’s headed to the University of North Dakota this Fall, a program that has a long track record of developing solid NHL talent. Grizzled veteran scorers who are more consistent and don’t make the mistakes that 18/19-year-old future NHLers do is a very valid way to win in college hockey. The Badgers were an excellent goal prevention outfit this season and that’s what you have to have alongside that forward corps.

Although he isn’t the generational type of prospect Connor Bedard is, he still has all the makings of a quality player and core peace for the San Jose Sharks. He was the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award and had a draft-year production similar to that of Jack Eichel and Adam Fantilli. He will automatically be a top-six center for the Sharks and show many fans his dynamic two-way ability with the potential to become a franchise player. Arturs Silovs made an incredible debut in the NHL playoffs last season after being called up to relieve the injured Thatcher, Demko and Casey Smith in the playoffs for the Vancouver Canucks.

• There are still several things that need to be addressed before he reaches that level, mainly his hockey sense and decision making, but he’s already come a long way and I expect he’ll make it.
• I liked what I saw from Willander in the NCAA last season, and I think he’s going to be a very talented two-way defender for the Canucks.
• Draisaitl trails only McDavid for the most points in the playoffs with 28 in 18 games.
• With a healthy forward group for the Devils, Bratt will have better players surrounding him all season, and could very well hit the 90-point mark, or even higher this season.
• He is great at finding open space off the puck and he rewards teammates for passing to him by charging the middle of the ice or ripping a puck mid-stride.

Tkachuk may be the face of the franchise, but Barkov is the engine that runs the machine. He leads the playoffs with 31 points heading into the Stanley Cup Final and has recorded at least one point in 14 of the 18 postseason contests in 2024. McDavid is undoubtedly one of the frontrunners for the Conn Smythe entering the Stanley Cup Final. The Sporting News ranks the top 10 players participating in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Matthews impresses every season, but this one was arguably his best all-around performance, and that should bode well for Toronto’s playoff prospects.

He led the team in those categories and was second in shots while playing less than 20 minutes per night. He is a very good winger with physical elements to his game, making him a versatile option for deployment. The problem for Notre Dame is that their roster of skaters has degraded significantly, no longer able to prevent themselves from getting caved in and totally unable to score goals. The Irish have hung around .500 because they had a great goalie but now that goalie, Ryan Bischel, has moved on. They do have two seemingly competent replacement options, Owen Say (good numbers at Mercyhurst) and Nicholas Kempf (USNTDP goalie/4th round pick) and I generally trust that ND will have good goaltending. Not sure, and any decline from that caliber could seriously tank this team further with no obvious improvement in their scoring talent.

He can jump up in the rush to provide offense, he can find breakout passes into the neutral zone, and he is exceptional with his stick defensively, either breaking up plays or blocking passing lanes. Forsling has four goals and 11 points in these playoffs, more than both Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, two of his teammates considered to be extra offensive-minded. The Finnish center played an integral part in Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, leading all players in faceoff wins. His 78 points in 68 games in the regular season marked the third consecutive point-per-game season and fourth in the last five. Marner has always been dynamic on offense, but over the last couple of seasons, the winger has developed into a legitimate defensive threat. For the first time in his career, the Maple Leafs star was a finalist for the Selke, finishing third in voting behind Patrice Bergeron and Nico Hischier.

Augustine’s return gives MSU a high floor, because they can project to get very solid goaltending most nights from one of the more talented NHL goalie prospects in the world. Augustine was a huge piece of MSU’s success as I was not terribly high on the defense they played in front of him and returning the netminder is a coup. Losing Levshunov, who signed with the Blackhawks after being drafted (may spend the year in the AHL), was a big blow and will be the big challenge for Nightingale’s staff.