NHL Top Players: Nos. 20-11

NHL Network is getting ready for this season by ranking the top 50 players in the League right now. Researchers, producers and on-air personalities compiled their list, and players 20-11 were revealed on Sunday in the eighth of a nine-part series. Here is the list:

20. Matthew Tkachuk, F, Florida Panthers

Tkachuk has made a massive impact since being traded to the Panthers on July 22, 2022, helping them reach the Cup Final three straight seasons and win back-to-back championships. He missed the final two months of the 2024-25 regular season because of an injury sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February but still finished third on the Panthers with 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) in 52 games. The 27-year-old left wing has emerged as one of the League's top postseason performers, either leading the Panthers in scoring or tying for the lead the past three seasons, including 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 23 games last season, and he's one of 11 players in NHL history with three straight 20-point playoff seasons. Tkachuk was one of the first six players named to the United States' preliminary roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

19. William Nylander, F, Toronto Maple Leafs

Nylander was second in the NHL with 45 goals last season and was second for the Maple Leafs with 84 points (39 assists). It was the third straight season the 29-year-old right wing scored at least 40 goals, and his 125 goals are tied for seventh in the NHL during that span. Nylander is one of four players to score 40 goals in three straight seasons for the Maple Leafs along with Auston Matthews (five straight, 2019-24), Rick Vaive (1981-84) and Lanny McDonald (1976-79). Nylander also played all 82 games for the third straight season; his streak of 259 consecutive games played is seventh among active NHL forwards. He was one of the first six players named to Sweden's preliminary roster for the Olympics.

18. Mitch Marner, F, Vegas Golden Knights

Marner was fifth in the NHL and led the Maple Leafs with 102 points (27 goals) in 81 games last season, and his 75 assists were the most in a season by a Toronto player since Doug Gilmour had 84 in 1993-94. The 28-year-old right wing is eighth among NHL players with 741 points (221 goals, 520 assists) in 657 games since making his debut in 2016-17. In Maple Leafs history, he is fifth in points and fourth in assists. Marner was traded to the Golden Knights and signed an eight-year contract with them July 1.

17. Zach Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets

A first-time finalist last season for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL's best defenseman, Werenski was second at the position with 82 points (23 goals, 59 assists) in 81 games, behind Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (92 points; 30 goals, 62 assists in 80 games). The 28-year-old set Blue Jackets single-season records at the position in all three categories and average ice time (minimum of 25 games played), leading the NHL at 26:45. Werenski also was third among all skaters with 298 shots on goal and was the ninth defenseman since 1996-97 to finish a season with at least 80 points.

16. Brayden Point, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

Point has scored at least 40 goals each of the past three seasons, including finishing with 42 goals and 82 points in 77 games in 2024-25, when he scored his 300th NHL goal in Tampa Bay's 8-0 win against Utah on March 27. The 29-year-old center had back-to-back 90-plus point seasons from 2022-24 and scored 28 goals in 46 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help Tampa Bay win back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021. Point had a goal and an assist in four games at the 4 Nations and was named to Canada's preliminary roster for the Olympics.

15. Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthews leads the NHL in goals since entering the League for the 2016-17 season (401 in 629 games) and has scored at least 30 in each of his nine seasons, including 60 or more twice. He has won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal-scorer three times, the Hart Trophy as League MVP once and the Ted Lindsay Award once as most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players' Association. The 28-year-old center, who succeeded John Tavares to become captain of the Maple Leafs on Aug. 14, 2024, had three assists in three games for the United States at the 4 Nations and is on the United States’ preliminary roster for the Olympics.

14. Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights

Eichel is also one of the first six on the United States’ preliminary Olympic roster and is coming off an NHL career-high 94 points (28 goals, 66 assists) in 77 games last season, when he had four assists in four games at the 4 Nations. He led the NHL in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 22 games to help Vegas win its first Stanley Cup championship. The 28-year-old center is averaging nearly a point per game in his career with 608 points (239 goals, 369 assists) in 616 games with the Golden Knights and Buffalo Sabres.

13. Mikko Rantanen, F, Dallas Stars

Rantanen had 88 points (32 goals, 56 assists) in 82 games with the Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes and the Stars last season, including 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 20 games after being traded to Dallas from Carolina on March 7. He made his biggest impact during the playoffs, leading the Stars in goals (nine), assists (13) and points (22) in 18 games. That included three goals and an assist in the third period of the Stars' come-from-behind 4-2 win against the Avalanche in Game 7 of the first round and a natural hat trick in the second period of Dallas' 3-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of the second round. The 28-year-old right wing became the first player with multiple three-goal periods in a single postseason. He has scored at least 30 goals in five straight seasons and had 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 20 playoff games to help the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022.

12. Kirill Kaprizov, F, Minnesota Wild

Kaprizov was tied for fourth in the NHL with 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists) on Dec. 23 but was limited to seven games the rest of the regular season because of a recurring lower-body injury. He finished with 56 points (25 goals, 31 assists) in 41 games; his average of 1.37 points per game was the best of his five-season NHL career and the highest single-season total of any Wild player last season. Kaprizov recovered to lead Minnesota during the playoffs with nine points (five goals, four assists) and 22 shots on goal in six games. Prior to last season, the 28-year-old left wing had scored at least 40 goals for three straight seasons.

11. David Pastrnak, F, Boston Bruins

Pastrnak was tied for third in the NHL with 106 points (43 goals, 63 assists) in 82 games last season. It was the third straight season the 29-year-old right wing had at least 40 goals and 100 points, and his fourth straight 40-goal season. Pastrnak and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers are the only players to achieve each. Pastrnak's 191 goals over the past four seasons are third in the NHL, and his 406 points are fifth in that span. He's nine goals from becoming the sixth player to score 400 for the Bruins. Pastrnak was one of the first six players named to Czechia's preliminary roster for the Olympics.