Top 100 NHL players: 70-51
Leading up to the start of the 2024-25 season, theScore is counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by our NHL editors. We'll reveal players every day until the top 10 are unveiled Oct. 6.
100-71 | 70-51 | 50-31 | 30-11 | 10-1
2023-24 rank: 58
At 37 years old, Kopitar's game was supposed to have fallen off by now. Just don't tell him that. The Slovenian tallied 26 goals and 70 points last season, the first time he's had back-to-back 70-point campaigns in over a decade. Oh, and he remains an elite defensive center, having finished fifth in Selke Trophy voting the past two years.
2023-24 rank: 45
Marchand kept doing his thing in 2023-24, hitting the 60-point mark for the ninth straight campaign. The Boston Bruins captain had less help this time around without Patrice Bergeron by his side, but he still recorded 29 goals - eight more than his output one year prior. Marchand also appeared in all 82 games for the first time since 2013-14, but his health might be a question mark after undergoing three offseason surgeries.
2023-24 rank: 44
Zibanejad took a tumble in this year's rankings thanks to a sizeable dip in his 2023-24 production. The New York Rangers center managed to drive possession (although barely, with a 50.07 expected goals-for percentage at five-on-five) on a team that didn't do so as a whole, so he's still an impact player despite the decreases in his conventional numbers.
2023-24 rank: 85
Verhaeghe has produced 73- and 72-point seasons over the past two years and has added 18 playoff goals over that span. He's not Florida's best or most important player, but the Panthers wouldn't have reached back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals without him.
2023-24 rank: 14
Karlsson drops 52 spots from last year after his point total fell from 101 in his 2022-23 Norris Trophy-winning campaign to 56 in 2023-24. Pittsburgh's abysmal power play played a part, but Karlsson deserves some blame as the quarterback of the top unit. However, he's still undoubtedly one of the game's best offensive defensemen, and his offensive exploits far outweigh any defensive deficiencies.
2023-24 rank: 65
Doughty lands in the exact same spot in our top 100 list, but we won't see him for a while to begin the new campaign. A fractured ankle sustained in the preseason has Doughty out month-to-month, a brutal blow to a Los Angeles Kings team that leans heavily on his veteran leadership. Doughty has been an absolute workhorse when available, ranking at or near the top of the league's time-on-ice charts.
2023-24 rank: 66
Barzal successfully rebounded from his injury-riddled 2022-23 campaign, registering a career-high 23 goals while hitting the 80-point mark for the first time since his excellent rookie season in 2017-18. The New York Islanders will undoubtedly be relying on Barzal to carry their offense again this campaign, potentially setting the stage for his biggest season yet.
2023-24 rank: 22
Thompson disappointed by his standards last season with 29 tallies and 27 helpers over 71 contests after racking up 47 goals and 47 assists across 78 games in 2022-23. But the Buffalo Sabres power forward suffered a broken wrist early last campaign and appeared to be playing through it when he returned. Thompson did post nearly a point per game (27 in 28) down the stretch, so the 6-foot-6, 220-pound first-line center is primed to rebound this season.
2023-24 rank: 75
Bratt was the lone New Jersey Devils star to avoid injury last season, and he led the club with a career-high 83 points. He's sneakily one of the game's top playmakers and could see his stats skyrocket again in 2024-25 with a full supporting cast.
2023-24 rank: 37
Stutzle failed to replicate his breakout 90-point 2022-23 season, but he remains one of the game's young, electrifying talents. Even though he's just 22 years old, the Senators are counting on Stutzle to become a more complete player and help Ottawa snap its seven-year playoff drought.
2023-24 rank: 64
Theodore is flying a bit under the radar after an abbreviated 47-game campaign. The Vegas Golden Knights blue-liner scored at a 73-point pace to rank seventh among defensemen in points per contest. He's a candidate to don Canada's colors at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
2023-24 rank: 20
Sorokin ended up losing the starting job to Semyon Varlamov down the stretch in 2023-24, posting a 25-19-12 record and .909 save percentage while ranking 18th in goals saved above average (10.28). The 29-year-old can reclaim his mantle as one of the league's top goalies with a bounce-back campaign. However, expectations will undoubtedly be higher as he's entering the first season of an eight-year, $66-million extension.
2023-24 rank: 39
Hamilton is healthy again after playing just 20 games due to injury in 2023-24. If the preseason is any indication, the Devils' No. 1 defenseman looks like his pre-injury self. Hamilton produces at a high clip offensively while being defensively sound and logging big minutes. He's a rock on the back end, and his revamped New Jersey squad will rely greatly on his contributions.
2023-24 rank: 47
Keller has put up great numbers over his career on some lousy Coyotes teams. With some more support around him in Utah, he's a strong candidate to break into the next echelon of players. The 26-year-old has 225 points in 227 games over the past three seasons.
2023-24 rank: 42
Hischier battled injuries and had a bit of a down year in 2023-24, as most Devils players did. Though his defensive metrics tailed off, Hischier plays a sound two-way game and remains a legitimate Selke Trophy contender.
2023-24 rank: 32
Stone is an elite defensive winger whose scoring is very underrated. He's also been available for barely half of a season in each of the last few years due to injuries. It's been three campaigns since Stone was a Selke Trophy contender, and his limited availability caused him to drop down in the Top 100. Still, Stone remains an impact forward who's a takeaway artist and a fiery presence when he's actually on the ice.
2023-24 rank: 55
It's a shame that a knee injury interrupted Connor's stellar 2023-24 campaign because he was an absolute machine. The Winnipeg Jets sniper recorded 34 goals despite appearing in just 65 contests, which translates to 43 tallies over a full 82-game campaign. Connor had 17 goals in 26 outings before getting hurt, which was good for around a 54-goal pace.
2023-24 rank: 50
Larkin's 2023-24 season was diminished by injuries, but he still authored the best goals-per-game (0.49) and points-per-game (1.01) figures of his nine-year career, along with a personal-best 55.4% faceoff win rate. The Detroit Red Wings captain was on pace for a 40-goal season, and he's topped 30 four times. Larkin has become a true model of consistency.
2023-24 rank: 30
Vasilevskiy posted career lows across the board last season, but his pedigree as a two-time Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner still holds enough weight for him to place respectably on our list. He needs a bounce-back campaign to reclaim his spot as arguably the league's best netminder, though.
2023-24 rank: 46
Stamkos reached the 40-goal mark for the seventh time in 2023-24. He's just 10 goals outside of the top 25 on the all-time list and 45 shy of joining the 600-goal club. But how productive will Stamkos be at 34 years old without Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point? Time will tell.
(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)