best hockey players 2024

It’s what he did in the half-decade after that, when his Penguins era seemed to have run its course, the captain turning trade chatter into back-to-back Stanley Cups, and back-to-back Conn Smythe trophies. And over the past two campaigns, it’s what Crosby’s done again, putting up a pair of 90-point seasons — and the third-best goal-scoring effort of his career — as he approaches his 40s. He’s upped the ante even more of late, growing into peak form over the past two seasons with a pair of 100-point campaigns and 97 goals over that span, too. In that two-year stretch, only two wingers in the league have managed to outscore Rantanen, and only one’s managed to rack up more goals than the Colorado stalwart. Now, entering the final year of his contract, all eyes will be on whether the Avs and the veteran Finn can agree on a deal that keeps him in Denver long-term. There is a legitimate argument to have Auston Matthews as high as number two on this list.

Oil Kings’ Alex Worthington Playing Well After Taking Over Starting Spot

They landed some great prospects with each pick, but my favorite of the bunch, Jiri Kulich, was the last one they selected at 28th overall. Kulich burst onto the scene at the U18 World Junior Championship just before the 2022 Draft where he scored nine goals in just six games. He is great at finding soft spots in defensive coverage and setting up for a rocket of a one-timer. Trevor Connelly is a skilled winger with dynamic skating and a high-effort two way game. His hands are really quick and he plays with a ton of deception which made him one of the most dangerous offensive players in the entire USHL last season. He was a clear first round talent with some top-six potential, but the off-ice noise is loud enough still that his ultimate NHL potential is a bit up in the air.

Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers

Snuggerud is a responsible defensive player which is impressive for a winger with so much offensive potential. Tom Willander is a high end skater, which allows him to carry the puck out of his own zone and lets him take some risks offensively while still recovering quickly enough on the back-check. His skating is so strong and his motor runs high enough that even in games where he’s quiet offensively, he still provides a ton of value on the defensive end. 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. After a solid showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in the summer of 2022, Quentin Musty was considered by many to be the best U.S. born prospect in this draft class. After an up and down draft year, Musty has silenced many doubts after he tore up the OHL last season.

  • The top of the Oilers’ lineup, headlined by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, is as loaded as they come.
  • His play in the NCAA was wildly impressive, with him already establishing himself as the best player in all of college hockey.
  • He was on Hart, Selke and Lady Byng ballots this year, and has earned votes for them in previous years, except for the Hart.
  • A pure goal scorer by definition, he could easily notch 25 to 30 goals this season, playing in Dallas’s top-six forward group and their power play.
  • He can break up plays, make a brilliant break-out pass, carry the puck on his own, and work wonders in the offensive zone.
  • He is consistently scoring 40+ goals, and on a relatively weak offensive group on the Wild, all of the offense runs through him.
  • He has been a consistent 60-point player who plays with a ton of speed and can be good defensively, but he never gets the high-end minutes he seems to deserve and often doesn’t get top power play unit time.

Trevor Connelly, LW, Vegas Golden Knights

Also adding to the case file was that they seduced Matthew Wood, a former 1st round pick who has been a very strong collegiate performer, to transfer from UConn. With Snuggerud, Wood, and Oliver Moore up front, the Gophers boast three first round picks who have the ability to form what could be the conference’s best scoring line. Draisaitl trails only McDavid for the most points in the playoffs with 28 in 18 games. His 10 goals are tied for second out of all skaters, and his 14 power-play points rank first.

  • He was drafted to be a two-way center with a strong shot and he’s not far from being just that in the NHL.
  • He lit the lamp 42 times last season, passing Wayne Gretzky for the most 40-goal season in NHL history with 13.
  • The roots of the game stretch back to antiquity, as records show an early form of the sport practised 4,000 years ago in Egypt, with variations played in what is now Ethiopia (1000 BC) and Iran (2000 BC).
  • Since signing with the Ottawa Senators, he has been a fantastic addition to the top six and as a quality leader in the locker room.
  • Levshunov was a poor defender in the USHL when he first arrived, but finished that season as a strong two-way player.
  • Goyette was one of the best players in the OHL last season and I think he has a chance to be an excellent pro player next season with the Firebirds in the AHL.
  • He plays well in all situations, including dominating on the power play and shutting things down on the penalty kill.

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While some will look just at the point total and question if he he reaches the level of a strong first-line center, his defensive impacts are his biggest strength. Since being acquired by the Colorado Avalanche, Devon Toews has developed into an excellent defenseman to support all of the superstars on the team. He has had impressive point totals, and incredible defending, and has earned Norris Trophy votes in three straight seasons before last season.

25 Boston College Men’s Hockey Player Profile: Brady Berard

I do think he’s a solid defender when he’s properly engaged, cutting off passes and angling opponents toward the boards. Parekh is a remarkable talent, with Quinn Hughes-like offensive upside if things go well, but the defensive end is in need of some real work. He’s talented enough and looked strong enough defensively in the Memorial Cup  that I think he’ll figure it out in the NHL though, if given enough time. Shane Wright’s biggest obstacle since being drafted has been the NHL/CHL agreement but he was granted an exception last year so he could compete in the AHL despite not being officially eligible.

Leon Draisaitl, C, Oilers

Zach Werenski is one of the more underrated defensemen in the NHL, and his play on the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have struggled a lot over the past few seasons, has been great. Stephen Halliday led OSU in scoring in each of the last two years and he has now signed a contract with the Ottawa Senators. His goals are second to only Verhaeghe on the Panthers, his 65 shots on goal trail just Tkachuk on the team, and his 9.9 expected goals rank second to Hyman out of all postseason players. Reinhart was the OT hero in Game 4 for the Panthers against the Rangers, showing an element of clutchness to his game. Sam Reinhart finished with 57 goals in the regular season, ensuring his payday this summer to be a massive one. The Panthers winger was a dominant scorer in the past, but he’s taken it to the next level in 2024.

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He brings great offensive skills and has some of the best possession metrics on his team last season. Playing with some more high-end forwards on the Predators will likely see his goal total drop to closer to 30 goals, but he will be in a great position to set personal point-total records. Sanderson will likely jump higher on this list over the next few years, and he has decent offense with 70 points in his first two years, but his skating and defending are his best assets.

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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 https://gambibet.org/mobile/ 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.

Alex DeBrincat, LW, Detroit Red Wings

As the team pushed closer to making the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons, Larkin was injured and the team fell apart in his absence. Larkin has scored at a point-per-game pace over the last three seasons and has been a very strong defensive presence for the Red Wings over that span as well. On top of being offensively strong, Kempe had excellent possession numbers and played very well defensively. Dustin Wolf has officially taken the reins as the starting goaltender for the Calgary Flames after Jacob Markstrom left this past off-season. He may be an undersized goalie, but his athleticism and positioning make him the best rookie goalie in the National Hockey League. He’s going to face a lot of shots and a lot of adversity, especially on a poor Calgary team.

He was among the best defensemen in the league when healthy, but to continue climbing this list, he needs to show he can do it over a full season. He is a very strong two-way defenseman and is neck-and-neck with Alex Pietrangelo for the true top defender for the Vegas Golden Knights. A career-high in goals and points led Travis Konecny to a big eight-year extension, and his importance to the team is very clearly on display.

Owen Power, D, Buffalo Sabres

best hockey players 2024

The Red Wings haven’t given Edvinsson a chance to stick in the NHL just yet but he’s really close to breaking through and I can’t imagine him spending longer in the AHL than the NHL next season. Detroit’s log-jam on the left side of defense has slowed his NHL trajectory a little, but I think letting him become a near dominant force in the AHL was a good call. Cutter Gauthier was the player whose draft stock rose the most following the 2022 NHL Draft Combine where NHL scouts and general managers were impressed by his maturity, physical strength. He showed that he was committed to becoming a pro center, but that won’t likely be asked of him now in Anaheim where he’ll likely flank one of Leo Carlsson or Mason McTavish.

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Gavin Brindley is a 5-foot-9 forward who was excellent in the NCAA as an 18-year-old freshman in his draft year. Brindley’s combination of speed and effort will make him a very flexible player who can fill in whatever role is needed of him, which has earned him lots of ice time. He is a coach’s dream as a player with great skills on both sides of the puck and a never-quit mentality. Brindley was phenomenal at the 2024 World Juniors where he was often one of the best and hardest working American players each and every game. It’s impressive to see teenaged players competing at the professional level against grown men, even just for a couple of games.

Zach Hyman, Edmonton Oilers

Once viewed as a questionable pick in the 2020 NHL draft, Shakir Mukhamadullin’s stock has consistently risen ever since. He possesses great physical qualities, but his game was very raw and needed to be refined. At 6-foot-4, 194 pounds, he’s extremely mobile and has a very smooth stride in transition, not to mention he can make a strong breakout pass to start a play. Mukhamadullin joined the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL last year and has been an excellent two-way player, one who looks more than capable of cracking the Sharks’ lineup very soon.

Highest-paid NHL players by salary cap hit

He joined Sweden again for this past World Juniors as well, and was named the tournament’s top defender thanks to some timely goals in the knockout rounds. 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. The Buffalo Sabres were lucky enough to have three selections in the first round of the 2022 Draft, picks nine, 16, and 28.

best hockey players 2024

Prospects #80-71

Carson Rehkopf is a well-rounded forward with the size, skating, skill, and shot of an NHL player. Rehkopf scored nearly 60 goals in the OHL last season (58 through regular and postseason play), proving that his 30+ goal draft year was no fluke. His power and ability to play both on the wing and at center are intriguing as well, though I expect he’ll be a winger in Seattle, especially given their many talented centers. Rehkopf’s goalscoring is high-end, and his speed makes him a dangerous threat in transition.

However, other nations – such as Argentina, Germany, Spain, France and reigning Olympic men’s champion Belgium – have now made their way into the top international rankings, making the sport truly global. Athletes use a hook-shaped stick, with which they drive, control, and hit a hard ball. Except for goalkeepers, players are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands or feet. Over the next four to seven games, key players on both sides of this matchup will make big plays to determine the NHL’s next champion. Former NHL winger Justin Williams was referred to as “Mr. Game 7” due to his ability to come through in the clutch. Dating back to last season, the Florida winger has displayed a knack for scoring in key moments and is a key reason for a number of Panthers wins.

Matthews has also greatly improved defensively and in the faceoff dot, forming into an all-around star for Toronto. With the graduation of guys like Leo Carlsson, Adam Fantilli, and Connor Bedard, Matvei Michov is clearly at least a top-three best prospect in the NHL with an incredible ability to manipulate opposing defenses. He has a great shot, but more often than not he scores goals because he slipped his defender and managed to find the space and time necessary to score a goal. While Bedard scores by shooting a wrister as hard as possible, trying to punch a hole through the goalie, Michkov will outsmart the defense and score by finding holes in coverage. Will Smith is an incredibly shifty playmaker who can create high danger plays at will (pun intended) by threading passes through traffic, stickhandling around pressure, or taking a shot of his own.

Reinhart, who is in line for a big payday this summer, is someone that Edmonton’s defense will need to keep track of at all times during this series. Tkachuk leads the Panthers in points with 19 in 17 contests, which is good for sixth among all players. His 14 assists are tied for fourth in the league, and his six power-play helpers slot him in the same spot. When the Florida winger is on the ice, his team is the one generating the chances, as he carries a +14 goal differential.

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.

His consistency, effort, speed, and skill make him a coach’s dream even though he may not have the dynamic offensive qualities of some of his peers. Lambert’s skating ability is elite and gives him a standout skill that will translate to the NHL someday. He also has great puck skills and can make great passes or dekes while at his remarkable top speed.

With major changes looming over the Leafs’ roster, Rielly is one of the few that can be marked safe. He has a good contract, plays important minutes, and has a strong presence in the game. Forward James Hagens topped off the rankings at No. 1, followed by forwards Ryan Leonard at No. 2 and Gabe Perreault at No. 3. Hockey season comes back into full swing, and there are already a ton of fun storylines to follow this year.

The 24-year-old is coming off a second consecutive 40-goal campaign, finishing with over 100 points for the first time in his career. Along with Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski, the smooth-skating winger forms the most dominant forward trio in hockey. He combines size and aggression with slick skill, showcasing some of the best hands in the league while not being afraid to muck things up. After he was acquired by the Panthers last summer, he emerged as the face of the franchise, posting his second consecutive 100-point season. Tkachuk’s clutch run in the playoffs was the cherry on top of a sensational first season in Florida.

The Russian dynamo is the easy favorite behind Macklin Celebrini to be in contention for the Calder trophy. He has the opportunity and the skill set from his playing time in Russia to become a dominant rookie in his first season in the national hockey league. He may be the most skilled rookie in this class, but he already has the IQ and game sense to play at the highest level. He will automatically become one of the Philadelphia Flyers’ best players, and it won’t even be close. His talent alone can help elevate the ceiling of the Philadelphia Flyers this season. After a 54-goal regular season, Hyman is out to 14 goals in 18 contests this postseason — a jaw-dropping 0.77 goals per game rate.

best hockey players 2024

The top of the Oilers’ lineup, headlined by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, is as loaded as they come. Edmonton has no problem lighting up the scoreboard with so much high-end skill on the ice, but players like Mattias Ekholm give the lineup some balance on the back end too. Bobrovsky was a large reason why the Panthers made its Stanley Cup Final run last season, but, like the team, he ran out of gas against the Golden Knights. The Panthers have limited opponents to 24.4 shots per game, but the Oilers average 28.8. The Panthers are known for their structured systems that make scoring a pain, but at the end of the day, you need an elite goaltender as the last line of defense. Florida’s netminder is 12-5 this postseason with a 2.20 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage, and one shutout.

The combination of his skating, shot, and quick hands makes him a really fun offensive weapon. He is agile enough that I expect he’ll be very successful on zone entries in the NHL some day, giving the Blackhawks a chance to control play in the offensive zone every time he touches the puck. He produced solid offense as a freshman in the NCAA last season, but only time will tell if he can handle a top-six workload in the NHL or if he’ll be better suited as a third-line center. Dalibor Dvorsky was very impressive in his draft year against men, playing in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-tier Swedish professional league. He has made the move to North America and absolutely schooled the OHL last season with the Sudbury Wolves.

HE has built great chemistry with most of the high-end wingers on the team, making him easy to build around. Despite missing time with an injury last season, Andrei Svechnikov showed just how important he is to the lineup when he returned. With his 52 points, he had a pretty average regular season by his standard, but once the playoffs hit, he was scoring a point per game and making an impact every night. Since signing with the Ottawa Senators, he has been a fantastic addition to the top six and as a quality leader in the locker room. He transitioned from center to the wing as he got older, but he still plays a strong defensive game and has good offensive numbers.

Solberg doesn’t project to have a ton of NHL offense, but he can make a solid first pass and his mobility will help carry him to the next level. He wins tons of pucks with his stick and body, closing gaps confidently while defending in transition. Solberg has the potential to be a meaningful top-four defender in the NHL, complementing the offensive tilt of many of the Ducks’ young defenders. Liam Öhgren is a “jack of all trades, master of none” type of player who will excel in the NHL one day as a complementary winger. He is one of the hardest-working players on the ice every time he plays, and he can do just about anything asked of him. Öhgren has a great shot, good hands, legit playmaking skill, and the skating ability to put all those skills together.

  • He is a high-end winger who has one of the best shots in the game, and when fitted with strong linemates and good chemistry, he thrives as an impactful player.
  • His goal-scoring ability is unmatched in today’s league, and on top of that, he was a nominee for the Frank J. Selke Trophy last season as well.
  • The LA Kings have built their defensive structure around him for well over a decade, and he is still a crucial part of their team.
  • His greatest strength is his shot which looks like a quality NHL tool though his skill with the puck is noteworthy as well.
  • Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Hughes and Jason Robertson continue to lead a youth movement in the league, while superstar Connor McDavid continues to wow audiences with his video game-like production.
  • These athletes continue to amaze with their speed, agility, and strategic play, cementing their status as fan favorites and role models for aspiring hockey stars.

Many point to his ice time with McDavid as the reason, but it is clear that he is an elite talent in his own regard. With 81 playoff points over his last three seasons, Draisaitl is not only one of the best playoff producers in the NHL but one of the best in history. In the same season he was named captain of the Canucks, he had the best season of his career which ended by taking home the Norris Trophy. Hughes has been among the best defensemen in the league since breaking in, and with a previously established elite offensive game, the development in his defensive play over the last five years has been outstanding.

Cristall managed to increase his scoring pace last season in the WHL, scoring 111 points in 62 games making him the league’s fifth leading scorer. He draws tons of attention in the offensive zone and is great at making smart plays under pressure to help open teammates up, making their jobs much easier. Only time will tell if his game will translate to the pro level given his 5-foot-10 frame, but I like his hands and tenacity enough that I think he’s got a great chance. Carter Yakemchuk has an enviable physical makeup as a right-shot defender who already measures at 6-foot-2, 194 pounds and he has produced a ton of offense for the Calgary Hitmen.

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