NHL Rank: Top-100 player predictions for the 2023-24 season

Last season was a positive one for Lambert who looked like a top young player in the AHL. The past two years, however, have been a different story as Bystedt continues to show more offensive skill which he is then rewarded for with a larger role on the team which then leads to more offensive production. Bystedt played eight AHL games last Spring with the San Jose Barracuda and looked excellent.

• Frank Nazar is a great center prospect who was drafted 13th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft despite being 5-foot-9.
• The Senators didn’t have a strong group overall, but with three high-end left-handed defensemen, with preference going to the two home-grown ones, he was the odd man out and played on the third pair with more limited time.
• He is one of the most underrated players in the game and has a huge impact on the team each night.
• And if it is more solid in the DZ, I feel much more comfortable about the goaltending situation.
• Ullmark’s play was a big reason the Bruins broke the regular-season records for most points and wins last year.

Draft busts for 2024-25

He was loaned to a different KHL club this year where he had to prove himself once again. Khusnutdinov joined the Wild for a stretch at the end of the season, playing his first 16 NHL games, scoring four points. Connor McDavid, known for his breathtaking speed and impeccable puck-handling abilities, remains a standout. His ability to change the course of a game single-handedly makes him one of the most electrifying players to watch. Nathan MacKinnon, with his powerful skating and scoring prowess, consistently shows why he is one of the league’s top forwards, leading his team with intensity and precision.

• This series pits the best player in the game against the best team in the game, meaning whoever comes out to lift Lord Stanley will have won a ferocious battle.
• 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.
• He was the lone reason the Lightning made the playoffs last season, and with some movement in the Lightning lineup, Kucherov could benefit from the moves made this offseason in Tampa Bay.
• 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.
• Not only did he not have the offensive output they were hoping for, but his defensive game wasn’t as strong in Ottawa either.

Brennan Othmann, LW, New York Rangers

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.

Connor McDavid, F, Edmonton Oilers

• It won’t be long before he debuts in Boston, and I think his skating will make him stand out at the NHL level from day-one.
• With many awards finalists and proven playoff performers in the mix this spring, who comes out on top?
• In the half-decade since, he’s collected the second-most points in the league from the blue line, Roman Josi earning a pair more, albeit in far more games.
• 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.
• Calum Ritchie has great puck skills and sometimes it looks like he’s glued the puck to his stick while carving through defenders or when he’s on a breakaway.

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 https://gambibet.org/ 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.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Detroit Red Wings

From Michigan Tech they snagged a pair of touted forwards, 1st Team All-CCHA Ryland Mosley and 2023 CCHA Rookie of the Year Kyle Kukkonen. India and the Netherlands, in the men’s and women’s competitions, respectively, have been tremendously successful at the Olympic Games. India has won eight gold medals, including six consecutive between 1928 and 1956 – scoring 197 goals and conceding just eight in the process! The Netherlands has won nine total medals at the Games, including four golds (with their most recent one coming at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games).

Roope Hintz, F, Dallas Stars

• You’ll see some rookies who aren’t even guaranteed to make their teams ranked higher than them.
• Denton Mateychuk is a dynamic offensive defenseman who excels with the puck and can control the play from the point.
• Rutger McGroarty is a true power forward, strong and determined enough to win pucks with great playmaking skills that allow him to make smart plays with the puck once he wins it.
• Matthews, though, is likely to see a slide down the list after finishing with 40 goals and 85 points in 76 games last season.
• Dahlin is only going to get better, and as he improves, so will the Sabres’ success.
• His superb skating allows him to break down opposing defenses before making his move and charging to the middle or making a clever pass to an open teammate.
• 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.
• Clarke will likely never be the best defensive defender, but the amount of offense he provides will make that an afterthought for most of his NHL career.

I was eager to see how Matthew Wood would adjust to the college game after he dominated the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) two years ago, leading the league in goals and points as a 16-year-old. His freshman results were extremely positive with Wood being one of the top rookie point scorers and one of the top scorers on his team despite being the youngest player in all of men’s NCAA hockey during his draft year. He could use a bit more speed (who couldn’t), but he has shown that his timing and puck protection skills are strong enough for him to succeed in college. The Seattle Kraken are putting in work trying to build a high-end prospect pool from scratch, and drafting Jani Nyman in the second round of the 2022 Draft was a big step in the right direction. Nyman is a big Finnish winger with the size and strength to compete against men in Liiga (the top Finnish pro league) without looking out of place.

Ivan Miroshnichenko, LW, Washington Capitals

Unlike the Stars defender, we are still waiting to see McAvoy break out offensively. Don’t get me wrong, 52 points in 67 games is nothing to sneeze at, but if the Boston defender wants to shake his underrated status, he’ll have to put up more on the score sheet. The 2021 Norris Trophy winner finished second in Norris voting in 2023, losing to Erik Karlsson for the honor. I’d expect Fox gets at least one more nod for defenseman of the year before his career is over.

Goals Against Average

He has emerged into a 40+ goal and 90+ point center on the Lightning since taking over the top-line role from Steven Stamkos. Not only can he produce, but he has also received votes for the Lady Byng and Selke Trophies throughout his young career. Like Reinhart, a big breakout year from Hyman in terms of goal-scoring shot him up this list pretty high. Now that he has 90 goals and 160 points over the past two seasons, he has proven that he is a perfect fit with the big names on the Oilers like McDavid and Draisaitl, and compliments their game very well. After a very long and successful career with the Lightning, Steven Stamkos has moved on and joined the Predators. He was one of the best goal-scorers for the last decade and a half, one of the best leaders in the game, and still brings a ton of offense every night.

Prospects #20-11

The New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning lead the charge with six players each in the top 100, while the Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers failed to get anyone on our list. Positionally, centers continue to dominate, with 34 of 100 slots and six of the top 10. Defensemen accounted for 28 of 100 spots, while nine goalies made the top 100 (and only one in the top 25). As for the wings, left wings win this round, with 18 in the top 100 compared to 11 right wings. Ullmark’s play was a big reason the Bruins broke the regular-season records for most points and wins last year. The Boston goaltender was sensational in net, leading the league in wins (48), GAA (1.89) and SV% (.938) en route to his first Vezina win.

The Best NHL Players Of 2024, Ranked

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. On top of being a reliable 60-point player, Meier also brings physicality and defensive responsibility. He can complement the top centers on the Devils very well, and back to the physicality, is one of the only top players to bring a good amount of hits to the table. Age catches up to players, and with Evgeni Malkin being 38 years old, 67 points is still quite impressive. Last season, he posted the lowest points-per-game pace of his career and has noticeably slowed down from the player he once was, but he is still a great second-line center. Morgan Rielly had a strong offensive season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and while he isn’t known for his shut-down abilities, he was fine on the defensive side.

The NHL’s Top 100 Prospects – Preseason Rankings

Three of those have been game-winners, which put him a tie for second in the league. Hyman is proving the regular season was no fluke, and he could end up a strong argument for the Conn Smythe. The Stars center can flat-out fly up and down the ice, making him one of the most exciting players to watch. 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.

Roope Hintz, C, Stars

Edstrom didn’t have the strongest showing at last year’s World Juniors but he’s eligible to return next year where I expect him to be one of the better players in the whole tourney. After being sent to Nasvhille in the Yaroslav Askarov trade, I think Edstrom can realistically project into the Pred’s third-line center slot in due time. Gabe Perrault looks like someone who could be a power play specialist at the next level with great skill and smarts in the offensive zone.

As great as the Oilers are on offense, they do need to play some defense to win the Stanley Cup. Since joining Edmonton ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, Ekholm has provided some much needed stability on defense, and he has elevated his game in these playoffs. In his 321 minutes of ice time at five-on-five, the Oilers have controlled 57.2% of the expected goals and outscored opponents 19-11, per Natural Stat Trick. Those numbers are even more eye-popping when you consider Ekholm is tasked with slowing down the opposition’s top forwards. It’s probably safe to assume that Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe will get a heavy dose of Ekholm in this series. Artyom Levshunov has an incredibly exciting toolkit as a big, right-handed defender who skates incredibly well.

The Winnipeg Jets still chose Chaz Lucius 18th overall in the 2021 Draft despite him losing a lot of time in his draft year rehabbing a knee injury. His great playmaking ability and scoring potential were just too enticing to ignore. After playing for the University of Minnesota, the Manitoba Moose, Team USA at the WJC, and the Portland Winterhawks over the course of roughly 3 seasons, it was good for him to get some stability last year in the AHL. He was having a promising pro season until he got hurt and underwent season ending ankle surgery in January. Tough injury luck for the kid but I still see a ton of potential in his game and wouldn’t be shocked if he cracked the Jets’ opening night lineup next season.

He was so good, in fact, that he has made the choice to enter the NCAA early, playing as a 17-year-old for Boston University last season. His play in the NCAA was wildly impressive, with him already establishing himself as the best player in all of college hockey. Celebrini’s performance for Team Canada at the 2024 World Juniors was borderline dominant, and he was their best player in the entire tournament despite being a double-underager. His first-touch passing has improved, making him a more dangerous puck carrier in his own end, and his defensive decision making has made him a serious threat on defense. Lamoureux looks like a future NHLer to me at this point, though his offensive play at the pro level will likely decide his ultimate ceiling. Thankfully, his treatment and recovery have been going well and he returned to play the following season.

Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers

Östlund is also a skilled puck handler with the speed and agility to make plays happen both on and off the puck. He works hard in all phases of the game and could become a great middle-six center if all goes well in his development. After being selected 10th overall in the 2022 CHL Import Draft by the Vancouver Giants, Samuel Honzek has done nothing but impress in his two seasons in North America.

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.

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). Smith had a phenomenal season in the NCAA last year, and is set to join a San Jose Sharks team in great need of high end talent. The young trio of Macklin Celebrini, William Eklund, and Smith will give Sharks fans a really great view at the bright future the team is building, especially at forward. With Celebrini looking like the team’s future 1C, Smith will get the chance to feast on easier competition on the second line which I think will benefit him greatly. Next, select your favourite teams and leagues and we’ll show you their latest news and scores in the My Favourites section of the home page.

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.

After ranking sixth last year, Victor Hedman tumbled down the list to No. 23 this year. Hedman’s Tampa Bay Lightning teammate Andrei Vasilevskiy also tumbled out of the top 10, checking in at No. 19 after placing seventh last year. Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey.

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.