NHL, also known as National Hockey League, is one of the most popular and profitable professional sports leagues in the United States of America and Canada. National Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league.
Thirty-two teams play in the NHL, of which twenty-five are based in the United States of America, and the remaining seven are based in Canada. The NHL league and its competing sports clubs have a century-long history.
In its long history, the league has witnessed many legendary players. This article tries to compile the ten best NHL players currently playing in the league. These rankings are based on the information provided by NHL itself.
Following are the top ten players in National Hockey League:
10. Alex Ovechkin: Washington Capitals
Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin, popularly known as ‘Ovi’ or ‘The Great Eight’, is the NHL team Washington Capitals captain. He is a Russian national and a professional ice hockey player. He plays in the left-wing position for Washington Capitals. He is also one of the leading goal-scorers in the league.
source - Wikipedia
He holds the record for the most goals any active ice hockey player scored. With 819 total goals, he has an overall second rank for most goals scored by an individual player. He also holds the record for the most seasons, scoring fifty or more goals.
9. Aleksander Barkov: Florida Panthers
Aleksander Aleksandrovich "Sasha" Barkov is the captain of the Florida Panthers team competing in the NHL. He is a Finnish national and a professional ice hockey player. He plays in the center position for the Florida Panthers.
He was among the youngest players drafted for the National Hockey League. He was also the youngest Finnish player from the Finland team in the Ice Hockey World Junior Championship.
8. Victor Hedman: Tampa Bay Lightning
Victor Erik Olof Hedman is a thirty-two-year-old Swedish national. He is a professional ice hockey player and the alternate captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning team competing in the National Hockey League. Victor Hedman is considered to be one of the greatest defensemen to play in the National Hockey League.
Hedman was shortlisted five times for the James Norris Memorial Trophy award, which is awarded to the best overall-performing defense player of the season. Victor Hedman won the Norris Trophy in the 2017-18 season of the NHL. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy in the 2019-20 season, which is awarded to the most valuable player of the season.
7. Sidney Crosby: Pittsburgh Penguins
Sidney Patrick Crosby, popularly known as ‘Sid the Kid’, is the NHL team Pittsburgh Penguins captain. He is a Canadian national and a professional ice hockey player. He plays in the center position for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is also dubbed ‘The Next One’ due to his performance and popularity.
He is considered to be one of the greatest hockey players. Sidney Crosby has won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh Penguins three times in the years 2009, 2016, and 2017. Sidney also won the Conn Smythe Trophy for his outstanding performance in the years 2016 and 2017.
He is also ranked second among the active players for the most number of goals scored. He also holds the record for most assists by an individual player.
6. Andrei Vasilevskiy: Tampa Bay Lightning
Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy, popularly known as ‘Big Cat’ or ‘Vasy’, is the goaltender of the NHL team Tampa Bay Lightning. He is a Russian national and a professional ice hockey player. He is also considered one of the best goaltenders in the National Hockey League.
Andrei Vasilevskiy has won the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay Lightning two times in the consecutive years of 2020 and 2021. Vasilevskiy also won the Conn Smythe Trophy for his outstanding performance in the 2021 playoffs. Andrei Vasilevskiy also won the Vezina Trophy for the NHL season of 2018-19.
5. Leon Draisaitl: Edmonton Oilers
Leon Tim Draisaitl is the alternate captain for the National Hockey League team Edmonton Oilers. He is a German national and a professional ice hockey player. He plays in the center position for the Edmonton Oilers.
source - Wikipedia
Leon Draisaitl won the Art Ross Trophy in the National Hockey League season of 2019-20 for being the leading player for most points scored in the season. Besides being awarded the Art Ross Trophy, Leon Draisaitl also won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award.
He is also the only German player in National Hockey League to be awarded the Art Ross Trophy.
4. Nathan MacKinnon: Colorado Avalanche
Nathan Raymond MacKinnon is the alternate captain of the NHL team Colorado Avalanche. He is a Canadian national and a professional ice hockey player. He plays in the center position for the Colorado Avalanche. He was the top pick for the Colorado Avalanche in the National Hockey League Entry Draft of 2013.
He also played a major role in the NHL playoffs of 2021-22 and ensured that his team, Colorado Avalanche, won the Stanley Cup. MacKinnon has also played a pivotal role in the World Championships for the Canadian team. He has won one silver and one gold medal for the Canadian team in the World Championships.
3. Auston Matthews: Toronto Maple Leafs
Auston Taylour Matthews is the alternate captain of the National Hockey League team Toronto Maple Leafs. He is an American national and a professional ice hockey player. He plays in the center position for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was the top pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League Entry Draft of 2016
In the National Hockey League Season of 2021-22, Auston Matthews was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award for his outstanding performance. He was also awarded the Rocket Richard Trophy for reaching the 60-goal mark for the first time.
2. Cale Makar: Colorado Avalanche
Cale Douglas Makar is a Canadian National and a professional ice hockey player. He plays in the defense position for the NHL team Colorado Avalanche. He is a rising star among the rookies and was the fourth overall pick for the Colorado Avalanche.
He was named the Rookie of the year and won the Calder Memorial Trophy in the National Hockey League season of 2019-20.
Cale Makar also won the Norris Trophy and the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL season of 2021-22.
1. Connor McDavid: Edmonton Oilers
Connor Andrew McDavid is the captain of the NHL team Edmonton Oilers. He is a Canadian national and a professional ice hockey player. He plays in the center position for Edmonton Oilers. He is also one of the leading scorers for the last two seasons with 123 points (44 goals and 79 assists) in the last NHL season of 2021-22.
source - Wikipedia
McDavid is also the youngest professional ice hockey player to win the Art Ross Trophy in the NHL season of 2016-17.
Connor McDavid was also awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award for his outstanding performance in the league.
Where to Watch NHL Matches?
It isn't easy to see every game played by any professional ice hockey team, as broadcast rights are sold to different broadcasters for different leagues and tournaments.
This is especially true in the case of the National Hockey League. With its broadcasting rights split between different platforms in multiple countries, it can become a little difficult sometimes.
But in today’s technology-driven world, watching games online is simple and easier.
One such website is Streameast. You can easily watch live games from anywhere in the world in HD quality and free of cost. Click here to watch the latest matches of all teams in the National Hockey League.
