So, this one will be fun. Usually, in the offseason, there are a lot of lists ranking the top players in the NHL. Whether that comes from fans or media, there is a lot of discussion about the elite of the elite players across the league. After the 2021 playoffs, I thought that I would take a shot at it myself. Let’s get right into my Top 20 Right-Wingers.
#20 Pavel Buchnevich
I think that the Rangers are very dumb to trade Buchnevich, and I think that he will certainly prove them wrong in St. Louis. Buchenvich has been great for the Rangers in each of the past two seasons, including putting up 48 points in 54 games in this past season. He’s a fantastic top 6 two-ay forward who showed up to the 2021 season with a hell of a shot. He’s been a fantastic playmaker and goal scorer for the Rangers, and that along with his elite penalty kill makes him a prime candidate to break out as a superstar on St. Louis, which I believe he can do.
#19 T.J. Oshie
T.J. Oshie has always been one of my favourite players, but I honestly believe that I may still be underrating him here. In Washington, Oshie has had a much less prominent role on the team compared to how he was used in St. Louis. However, his point totals have only gone up, and his impact has still been there. Oshie is an elite finisher who can still be a fantastic defender, and at age 34 he surprisingly hasn’t shown much of a decline whatsoever. In fact, Oshie may have just had one of, if not his best season in 2021. I think the said decline is coming, but I have no idea when that will happen, and I’m not sure if it’ll be anytime soon.
#18 Sam Reinhart
Since his rookie season, Reinhart has been underrated. I don’t know why, because he has never been on a winning Buffalo team and has consistently played some solid hockey for them. After an outstanding season in a miserable year for the Sabres, Reinhart will finally get his chance to play for a contending team in Florida next season. Sam Reinhart is a top 6 two-way forward who has a hell of a shot. Sounds a lot like Buchnevich huh? Reinhart hasn’t had the level of opportunity that Buchnevich has, and that’s the only reason why I have Reinhart above him.
#17 Anthony Mantha
Mantha is about to have a huge 21–22 season. Not necessarily a really good one, just an important one. Since the 18–19 season Mantha has been a very good player for the Red Wings, but his once elite potential ceiling has more stagnated. He’s still a great play driver, finisher, and defender, but I don’t know how much more he’s going to improve. In 14 games with the Capitals, Mantha put up just 8 points. If he doesn’t have a good season, I’m not sure if we’re going to see the same Mantha again. He’s only 26 years old, but the Capitals need him to be great now. We’ll see if he can do that next season.
#16 Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Tarasenko, once an elite, top player from the 14–15 season to the 18–19 season, but I’m not sure if he’ll ever be that massively elite player again. Tarasenko has massively struggled with injuries over the past couple of seasons. He has only played 34 of a possible 137 over the past two seasons, and now that he wants to be moved out of The Lou, I’m not sure if he’ll be the same player on another team. He’s still only 29, so it can certainly happen, but I don’t think he’ll ever get back there if he stays in St. Louis.
#15 Bryan Rust
I know I’m going to have to say this before every Penguins player, but no, this isn’t a biased choice. At least I don’t think so. I bet you didn’t know that Rust was a point a game player in the 19–20 season, did you? Yes, he benefits off of playing with Sid and Geno, but he is a dog on the ice. He has such a fantastic work ethic, and that mixed with his high hockey IQ, elite finishing and solid defensive play makes him the perfect player to play with top-tier talent. If Rust became a good enough playmaker I think that more people would give ehim the respect he deserves, but for now, I think that #15 is a perfect spot for Rust to land.
#14 Tyler Toffoli
In a more prominent role in his first season with the Canadiens, Toffoli proved himself to be an elite finisher with a 44 goal pace. He didn’t have nearly as strong of a playoff run with the Canadiens, and I think next season we’ll see if Toffoli can keep this up. If he performs anywhere near he did last season he’ll probably move up this list. At age 29, Toffoli just had his best season, and something tells me he’s going to be able to keep this up.
#13 Oliver Bjorkstrand
Oliver Bjorkstrand is very underrated, and I don’t know how much longer that’s going to be the case. He’s going to be on an awful Blue Jackets team for the next couple of seasons, and that may allow him to break out, but it also may diminish his talent. Bjorkstrand is a 25-year-old top 6 sniper who is fantastic on both sides of the ice. After getting 44 points in 56 games this past season, Bjorkstrand is all set up and ready to go to take the Blue Jackets forward core by the horns. I may be overrating him too soon, but either way, he certainly belongs on this list.
#12 Andrei Svechnikov
So, Svechnikov is good. Ever since coming into the league, Svechnikov has been one of the best offensive play drivers. He isn’t a good defender, but for some reason, he hasn’t exactly been the finisher that most people make him out to be. Over the past two seasons, Svech has averaged around a 29 and 22 goal pace. At just 21 years old, I can absolutely see him developing into the elite finisher a lot of people expected him to be when he was drafted in 2018. When he does, he’ll probably end up being much higher on this list.
#11 William Nylander
In his first season dramatic 2018 contract hold out, Nylander played like he didn’t care after he got his money. However, over the past 2 years, he has very much been an elite play driver that can hold his own defensively and has a solid shot. He’s one of the only players who has showed up for the Leafs in the playoffs over the past couple of seasons. I think he can certainly still improve as he is still just 25 years old, but I know for a fact that Nylander is a reliable top 6 winger, and I can’t wait for the Leafs' media to stop bashing their players for absolutely no reason.
#10 Brock Boeser
In the 19–20 season, Brock Boeser seemed to magically lose his elite finishing touch in the best season the Canucks had since he was drafted. He regained that this year without Elias Pettersson for the most part, and it gives you a lot of optimism going into the future. Boeser is a solid offensive play driver who isn’t as bad defensively as some people say he is, and that along with his nice powerplay knowledge as well as his great playmaking is what lands him at #10 for me.
#9 Brendan Gallagher
This may seem high, but I believe that Gallagher is very much deserving of this spot. Gallagher has been fantastic since his rookie season, and although his point totals don’t say it all, he has been elite for years. He’s been one of the best play drivers in the league since then, and with his gritty style of play, it seems like he’s one of the best power forwards in the NHL. He’s not the best finisher in the world, but he’s still an elite defender at the same time as all of his fantastic offensive ability.
#8 Joe Pavelski
For nearly his entire career, Joe Pavelski has been an underrated elite talent. This past season Pavelski became one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL while still being one of, if not the best player in front of the net in the entire league. His offensive ability mixed with his 36 goal pace, and his 51 points in 56 games land him at #9 for. Pavelski is a fantastic leader on and off of the ice, and if only he was a better playmaker I would have him with the elites of the elites on this list.
#7 Steven Stamkos
Now, Stamkos is the start of the break-off to the top-tier players on this list, which is crazy for it starting at #7. Stamkos, despite people wanting him, traded out of Tampa for whatever reason, has been an elite player for the past 12 seasons. Even after he had a lot of injury trouble, Stammer has been one of the most consistent top of the league goal scorers. Stamkos was not as good in this past season as he has shown that he can be, but he was still a great play driver with a hell of a shot that is possibly the best powerplay forward in the game. However, when factoring in all of his injury concerns and his inconsistent play last season, I can’t put him higher than #7.
#6 Patrick Kane
Despite Kane’s advanced analytics not being great for the 2021 season, I think that you can’t deny his continued greatness. Kane is still one of the best playmakers in the NHL, and despite him having one of his worst finishing seasons of his career, he still put up a 96 point, 22 goal pace. His handle of the puck still hasn’t gone away, but seeing any of his game start to decline at age 32 isn’t a good sign.
#5 Mitch Marner
This might be controversial, but for some reason, people just don’t see Marner as a superstar anymore because of one bad playoff series, but people seem to forget that he’s just 23 years old. Over the past 3 seasons, Marner has been one of the best playmakers in the league, and over the past two seasons has been an elite two-way forward who hasn’t been as bad at burying his chances as people think he has. He has been on a 93 and a 100 point pace over the past 2 seasons makes him an easy pick for #5.
#4 Mikko Rantanen
I was originally very hesitant about Mikko Rantanen, but after the season he just had, I can’t deny his greatness. He put up 30 goals and 66 goals in 52 games, which is a 47 goal 104 point pace. He’s a superstar away from MacKinnon, and he has proven to be an elite finisher and offensive play driver by the age of 24. Rantanen also just had his first elite defensive season, and that’s what ended up putting him over the top for me, and made me place him above Marner. He’s also a great powerplay player who is a big reason why the Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen line is one of the best lines in hockey.
#3 David Pastrnak
It was very difficult for me to put David Pastrnak at #3, but I think this is where he has to go, for now. The top 3 are on a completely different level than the rest of the list, and Pastrnak is a great place to start. In the 2021 season, David Pastrnak has 20 goals and 48 points in 48 games, which is underwhelming by Pasta’s standards. Since the 16–17 season, Pastrnak has been one of the best snipers in the league, and while he isn’t the best play driver, he is still good enough to use his franchise level finishing in an elite way. Pastrnak is still a great playmaker, and he isn’t that bad of a defender, but because of this lacklustre season, I can’t put him ahead of anyone in front of him. However, expect him to be a prime candidate for the #1 spot by the end of next season.
#2 Mark Stone
Mark Stone needs a Selke Trophy before it’s too late. He’s the best 2 way player in the NHL, and if the Golden Knights won the cup this past season he would probably be #1. He’s one of the best offensive drivers in the league with an unbelievable ability to use his stick in ways I didn’t think was possible, which helps him be one of the best defensive forwards in the league. He has been this elite since the Senators gave him a chance in the 14–15 season, except he has somehow improved immensely in the offensive zone. He’s also surprisingly a really good finisher, and with a 91 point pace in the 2021 season, Stone hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.
#1 Nikita Kucherov
Was there any doubt? After missing the entire season, maybe there was. But after coming back 100% somehow (wink) Kucherov had an unbelievable playoff run with 32 points in 23 games on the Lightnings way to win their 2nd straight Stanley Cup. Since the 16–17 season, Kucherov has been one of the best players in the NHL, and these two magical cup runs only further prove the point that he is the best Right-Winger in the game of hockey. He’s a proven 40 goal scorer who is also one of the best offensive drivers in the NHL. His playmaking is on another level to basically everyone else in the league.