Over the course of the past week, our team at Sportsnet revealed our NHL top 50 players list.
I can guarantee my colleagues and I were splitting hairs on players throughout the list-building process. It’s not an exact science after all. And it’s increasingly difficult not to have a bias towards a certain style of players in all positions.
The end result will certainly be debated, so I thought I might as well add fuel to the fire and present 10 more names that could have been included in the top 50 and will most certainly be included in future lists.
As you settle into your Saturday, here are 10 more names for consideration in the NHL top 50 list:
Jake Oettinger — Goalie — Dallas Stars
I’m already debating internally about how we didn’t include Oettinger on our list. The Dallas Stars are a Stanley Cup-contending outfit and have a true No. 1 puck stopper in Oettinger. He posted a 2.72 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage in 54 games. Oettinger is only 25 years young with plenty of career ahead of him.
Wyatt Johnston — Forward — Dallas Stars
I might as well keep it in “Big D” by recognizing Johnston as a no-doubt top 50 NHL player in the near future. Johnston is a complete player. He averaged exactly 17:00 TOI last season, was deployed in all situations, and finished plus-14 defensively. He’s turning into an elite goal scorer. Johnston scored 32 goals. Most impressive was the fact 26 of his tucks came at even strength.
Brock Faber — Defenceman — Minnesota Wild
Faber has been one of my favourite defence prospects for several years. His hockey sense is off the charts. He impacts the game positively in every zone. Faber averaged an incredible 24:58 TOI last season with the Wild. He’s only 21 years old but already looking like a 10-year veteran with the way he manages the game on and off the puck. He will someday be named captain of the Wild.
Robert Thomas — Forward — St. Louis Blues
The Blues bet on Thomas early in his NHL development and are reaping the rewards. Thomas is another complete player who’s used in all situations. Thomas can match up against top six forwards without losing pace offensively. In many ways, his game is similar to a player like Aleksander Barkov in Florida. Thomas averaged 21:00 TOI and ended last season with an impressive stat line (26 goals, 60 assists, plus-9). How fortunate are the Blues to have Thomas under contract for $8.125 million per year until the end of 2031!
Clayton Keller — Forward — Utah Hockey Club
Utah is on the verge of taking a significant step forward as a team and Keller is a dynamic forward who has flown under the radar a bit as Arizona was working through its distractions in the past. Keller is an electric player offensively. He’s been hovering around a point per game offensively for the past three seasons and could be on the verge of a 90-plus point year. Keller’s contract will age very well as he gains momentum and heads into the prime of his career. The 26-year-old is signed to a deal that only counts $7.15 million through 2027-28.
Tage Thompson — Forward — Buffalo Sabres
Thompson took a bit of a step back last year after posting impressive numbers the previous two seasons (68 and 94 points respectively). The bulk of his offence comes by way of goal-scoring. He’s an elite shooter from the weakside flank on the power play. Thompson will need to bounce back to form, after potting only 29 goals and 27 assists last year, but there’s no doubting his established upside. The Sabres will be relying on him to play to his identity and contribute timely offence are they continue to chase the playoff spot that has eluded them for an NHL record thirteen years.
Quinton Byfield — Forward — Los Angeles Kings
It takes power forwards, like defencemen, longer to develop at the NHL level and play to their identity. Byfield is on the cusp of taking his game to another level. He averaged only 16:29 TOI last season. All of his ice time came at even strength and the power play. Byfield contributed 20 goals and 35 assists offensively. I recognize the statistical category of plus/minus can be debated, but it’s still impressive that Byfield led the Kings forward group with a plus-19 rating.
Juraj Slafkovsky — Forward — Montreal Canadiens
“Slaf” took a huge step forward with his game last season. He contributed 20 goals and 30 assists and ended the year with 152 hits and 71 shot blocks. Slafkovsky is adjusting to how the NHL game is played and using his gigantic frame (six-foot-four, 229 pounds) to his advantage. He’s only 20 years young with an exciting future ahead of him. It’s only a matter of time before he eclipses the 30-goal threshold. The Habs have a bright future and big “Slaf” is a part of their core for years to come.
Devon Toews — Defenceman — Colorado Avalanche
Toews is 29 years old. I’m throwing a bit of a changeup including him on this list. But I truly believe Toews is part of the reason Cale Makar is comfortable playing the game the way he does. Makar is an all-world talent, but having a partner like Toews you can trust is a massive security blanket for Makar and the Avs as a team. Toews averaged 23:25 TOI last year and was deployed in all situations. He does everything very well. He contributed 12 goals and 38 assists and finished with plus-28 defensively. I see him playing at a high level for the next several years.
Josh Morrissey — Defenceman — Winnipeg Jets
I couldn’t end my piece without including Morrissey. The 28-year-old could have easily landed in the top 50. If not for Connor Hellebuyck, Morrissey would be the most valuable player on the Jets roster. He logged an average of 24:10 TOI last season and contributed 10 goals and 59 assists offensively. Morrissey matches up against top lines every shift, but he still managed a fantastic plus-34 rating defensively. He sneaks up on opponents physically and competes to the best of his ability every night.
Closing thoughts
I debated adding Steven Stamkos to this list. I suppose an argument could have been made for Alex Ovechkin as well. But the task given to our insiders at Sportsnet was to identify the top 50 players now and heading into the future.
Stamkos could go off and score 40 goals this year in Nashville. I guarantee he’s motivated to show he has lots left in the tank. Stamkos did produce 40 goals and 41 assists in his last year in a Lightning uniform after all. But half of his goals came on the power play and he finished minus-21 defensively. Stamkos will land in the Hockey Hall of Fame someday, but I didn’t see his game going to another level like the other names I presented on this list.
As far as “Ovie” goes, he too will land in the Hockey Hall of Fame someday, but his best years are behind him. He’s attempting to surpass Wayne Gretzky as the all-time leading goal scorer in NHL history and it could happen. But he’s going to have to maximize what’s left of his career to track down Gretzky’s record.
