Ranking the Top 25 NHL Players for the 2025-26 Season

Paul Connor
Host · Writer
The 2025-26 NHL regular season is in its very early stages. See who made our list of the league’s top 25 players in what should be another exciting campaign.
Note: All stats and information are courtesy of NHL.com and NHL Network.
25. Mark Scheifele
Position: Center | Team: Winnipeg Jets | Age: 32
Key Notes:
– Notched a career-high 87 points (39 G, 48 A) in 82 games last season, helping the Jets to the league’s best record (56-22-4).
– Franchise leader in points (814) and goals (343).
24. Miro Heiskanen
Position: Defenseman | Team: Dallas Stars | Age: 26
Key Notes:
– Has helped lead the Stars to the Western Conference Final in each of the past three seasons.
– Averaged 25.09 minutes per game last season, the sixth-most in the NHL.
– Just two seasons removed from a career-high 73 points in 79 games.
23. Kyle Connor
Position: Left Wing | Team: Winnipeg Jets | Age: 28
Key Notes:
– Ranked seventh in league scoring last season with a career-high 97 points (41 G, 56 A)
– One of only four players to score 25+goals in each of the last eight seasons.
22. Sam Reinhart
Position: Center | Team: Florida Panthers | Age: 29
Key Notes:
– Helped lead the Panthers to their second straight Stanley Cup championship, tallying 23 points in 21 games during Florida’s postseason run.
– Has scored at least 31 goals in four consecutive seasons, including a 57-goal campaign in 2023-24.
– Since 2021-22, Reinhart’s 160 goals are the eighth-most in the NHL during that span.
– Finished runner-up to teammate Aleksander Barkov last season in Selke Trophy voting for the league’s top defensive forward.
21. Victor Hedman
Positin: Defenseman | Team: Tampa Bay Lightning | Age: 34
Key Notes:
– Recorded 66 points (15 G, 51 A) in 79 games last season, his first as Lightning captain.
– Has notched 60+ points in three of the last four seasons.
– Tampa Bay’s all-time leader among defensemen in games (1,131), goals (171), assists (623), and points (794).
20. William Nylander
Position: Right Wing | Team: Toronto Maple Leafs | Age: 29
Key Notes:
– Scored a career-high 45 goals last season, his third straight 40+ goal campaign.
– Over the last three seasons, his 125 goals are tied for seventh in the NHL during that span.
– Has played all 82 games in each of the last three years.
19. Matthew Tkachuk
Position: Left Wing | Team: Florida Panthers | Age: 27
Key Notes
– Since arriving in Florida in 2022-23, Tkachuk has helped the Panthers reach three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, winning twice.
– One of only 11 players in NHL history with three straight 20-point playoff seasons.
– Is the only player with 300+ PTS and 300+ PIM over the last four seasons.
Injury Note: Tkachuk (groin) is expected to be out until December after undergoing surgery in August.
18. Zach Werenski
Position: Defenseman | Team: Columbus Blue Jackets | Age: 28
Key Notes:
– Record a career-high 82 points last season (23 G, 59 A), the second-most among defenseman.
– Led all players in TOI/Game last season (26:45).
– His 271 career assists are the most in Blue Jackets’ history.
17. Brayden Point
Position: Center | Team: Tampa Bay Lightning | Age: 29
Key Notes:
– Has scored 40+ goals in each of the last three seasons, including a 51-goal campaign in 2022-23.
– Ranked second in the league last year in power play goals (16).
– Proven playoff performer with 89 points in 92 career postseason games.
16. Mitch Marner
Position: Right Wing | Team: Vegas Golden Knights | Age: 28
Key Notes:
– Ranked fifth in league scoring last season with a career-high 102 points (27 G, 75 A)
– Has racked up 383 points in 302 games over the last three seasons.
15. Andrei Vasilevskiy
Position: Goaltender | Team: Tampa Bay Lightning | Age: 31
Key Notes:
– Posted a career-best 2.18 GAA last season en route to being named a Vezina Trophy finalist for the fifth time.
– One of only three goalies in NHL history to win 30+ games in eight consecutive seasons, alongside Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy.
Note: All stats and information in this article are courtesy of NHL.com and NHL Network.
14. Mikko Rantanen
Position: Right Wing | Team: Dallas Stars | Age: 28
Key Notes:
– Was top 15 in scoring last season (88 points) despite playing for three teams (Avalanche, Hurricanes, and Stars).
– Recorded 22 points in 18 games during last year’s playoffs.
– Since 2018, his 123 playoff points are the fourth-most during that span.
– Set an NHL record last postseason by recording a point in 13 consecutive team goals.
13. Kirill Kaprizov
Position: Left Wing | Team: Minnesota Wild | Age: 28
Key Notes:
– Was the NHL’s point leader through the first two months of last season (38 points in 23 games) before missing substantial time with a lower-body injury.
– Has scored 25+ goals in each of his first five seasons, including three 40+ goal campaigns.
– Has tallied 13 goals in 18 playoff games over the last three seasons.
12. Jack Eichel
Position: Center | Team: Vegas Golden Knights | Age: 28
Key Notes:
– Ranked eighth in scoring last season with a career-high 94 points (28 G, 66 A) in 77 games. He also notched career-highs in power play points (34) and +/- (33).
– Has tallied 228 points in 207 games over the last three seasons (1.10 PTS/G).
11. David Pastrnak
Position: Right Wing | Team: Boston Bruins | Age: 29
Key Notes:
– Recorded his third straight 100+ point campaign (106) last season.
– Since 2021-22, his 191 goals are the third most in the league, behind Auston Matthews and Leon Draisaitl.
– His 69 points from Jan. 1 to the end of the 2024-25 season were the most in the NHL during that span.
10. Connor Hellebuyck
Position: Goaltender | Team: Winnipeg Jets | Age: 32
Key Notes:
– Won both the Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy last season, becoming just the eighth goalie to do so.
– Has won the Vezina Trophy in each of the last two seasons.
– Has been a true workhorse, starting 60+ games in each of the last four years.
9. Quinn Hughes
Position: Defenseman | Team: Vancouver Canucks | Age: 25
Key Notes:
– Notched 76 points (16 G, 60 A) in 68 games last season — 1.12 points per game tied the highest mark of his seven-year career.
– Has recorded 60+ assists in each of the last four seasons, the first defenseman to do so since Hall of Famer Ray Bourque notched five straight from 1989-94.
– Holds the record for most career assists by a defenseman in franchise history (350).
8. Sidney Crosby
Position: Center | Team: Pittsburgh Penguins | Age: 38
Key Notes:
– Has averaged a point per game for an NHL-record 20 consecutive seasons.
– Ranks 9th all-time in career points (1,687).
– Will tie Steve Yzerman for the longest-tenured captain in NHL history (19 seasons).
7. Aleksander Barkov
Position: Center | Team: Florida Panthers | Age: 30
Key Notes:
– Captained the Panthers to their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship last season.
– One of only six players in NHL history to win 3+ Selke Trophies, including each of the past two seasons.
– Has recorded a faceoff win percentage of 53.0%+ in each of the last eight years.
Note: Barkov is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 regular season after undergoing knee surgery for an injury suffered in practice. His ranking is based on talent, not availability.
6. Auston Matthews
Position: Center | Team: Toronto Maple Leafs | Age: 28
Key Notes:
– Since entering the NHL in 2016-17, Matthews’s 401 goals are the most in the NHL during that span.
– Has scored 30+ goals in each of his first nine seasons, including two 60+ goal campaigns.
– One of only two players in Maple Leafs history with 400+ goals, joining Mats Sundin.
5. Nikita Kucherov
Position: Right Wing | Team: Tampa Bay Lightning | Age: 32
Key Notes:
– Won Art Ross Trophy in each of the last two seasons.
– Has recorded three consecutive 80+ assist seasons.
– Only player in Lightning franchise history with multiple 100+ point seasons (5).
4. Cale Makar
Position: Defenseman | Team: Colorado Avalanche | Age: 26
Key Notes:
– Won second career Norris Trophy last season (has been named a finalist for the award five straight years).
– Scored career-high 30 goals last season — first D-man to score 30+goals in a season since Mike Green in 2008-09.
– Third all-time in points per game by a defenseman in playoff history, behind Hall of Famers Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey.
3. Leon Draisaitl
Position: Center/Winger | Team: Edmonton Oilers | Age: 29
Key Notes:
– Reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner with 52 goals, his fourth career 50+ goal campaign and third in the past four years.
– Has recorded 100+ points in each of the last four seasons.
– Since 2014-15, his 162 power play points rank second in the NHL behind Alex Ovechkin (175).
2. Nathan MacKinnon
Position: Center | Team: Colorado Avalanche | Age: 30
Key Notes:
– Tied for the league lead with 84 assists last season.
– Has recorded 110+ points in each of the last three seasons.
– Led all players with four goals in the 4 Nations Face-Off en route to being named the Tournament’s MVP.
1. Connor McDavid
Position: Center | Team: Edmonton Oilers | Age: 28
Key Notes:
– Has tallied at least 100 points in each of the past five seasons, reaching 123 or more in three of them.
– 3x Hart Trophy winner
– 1.52 career points per game is the third-highest in league history.
– Fourth fastest player to reach 1000 career points (659 games).
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