It’s that time of year again. The leaves haven’t fully turned, but the hockey world is already locked in its favourite annual rite of passage: the great player ranking debate. Every fall, insiders, analysts, and fans alike pour over lists, dissecting the pecking order of the NHL’s elite. This year is no different, with major outlets like TSN and Sportsnet dropping their comprehensive top 50 rankings for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
While these lists inevitably spark heated arguments in bars and on message boards across the continent, a fascinating picture emerges when you lay them side-by-side. We see a remarkable consensus at the absolute peak of the mountain, a solid bloc of superstars forming a tier of their own, and then, a tantalizing divergence of opinion that reveals different philosophies on what truly defines greatness in today’s game. Let’s break down the hierarchy, the storylines, and the controversies heading into what promises to be a thrilling season.
The Unquestioned Summit
There is no debate. There is no controversy. There is only Connor McDavid.
For the ninth consecutive year, the Edmonton Oilers captain sits alone atop the hockey world, the undisputed No. 1 player according to both TSN and Sportsnet. In an era of burgeoning talent and incredible parity, McDavid’s sustained dominance is staggering. TSN’s panel was nearly unanimous, awarding him 18 of a possible 20 first-place votes.
What’s truly remarkable is the context of his continued reign. The Oilers phenom is coming off what he personally considered a “down season,” yet that still translated to scoring at a 100-point pace for the ninth straight year—a benchmark of offensive genius most players can only dream of achieving once. Entering his 11th NHL season, the frustration of back-to-back Stanley Cup Final losses hangs heavy, a fact not lost on either panel. This narrative has fueled his decision to delay signing a contract extension, a high-stakes gamble to prioritize championship glory above all else. His contract expires after this season, adding a layer of monumental pressure and intrigue to every shift he takes. McDavid isn’t just playing for points anymore; he’s chasing a legacy, and the clock is ticking.
The Chase Pack: Consensus in the Elite Tier
While McDavid occupies a tier of one, a formidable group of seven other players forms the league’s inner circle. Both TSN and Sportsnet are in perfect agreement on the players ranked two through eight, a testament to the undeniable impact these superstars have on the game.
Holding firm at No. 2 is Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon, the only other player to siphon first-place votes from McDavid in TSN’s poll. For the fourth time in six years, he is the runner-up, but calling him second-best feels like an injustice. MacKinnon is a force of nature, a relentless offensive driver who has been named a first-team all-star at centre for two straight seasons. Fresh off an MVP performance at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, he continues to terrorize goaltenders, leading the league in shots for two years running. He is, by any measure, a worthy candidate for the top spot.
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Right behind him at No. 3 is McDavid’s running mate, Leon Draisaitl. The big German is a walking trophy case, having already claimed the Art Ross, Hart, Ted Lindsay, and, most recently, his first Rocket Richard Trophy. With six 100-point seasons in the last seven years, his offensive prowess is unquestioned. But it’s his postseason lethality—pacing the league in playoff goals over the Oilers’ four recent deep runs—that elevates him. Tellingly, Draisaitl has now set his sights on the Selke Trophy, a clear signal of his intent to be recognized as one of the game’s premier two-way forwards.
The blueline is represented by two modern marvels, Cale Makar (No. 4) and Quinn Hughes (No. 6). Makar is simply, as the experts note, “one of a kind.” The 26-year-old Avalanche defender is the only active player to have earned a major year-end honor in every season of his career, recently adding a second Norris Trophy to his collection. As the first defenseman in over three decades to post back-to-back 90-point seasons, he is redefining the position. Hughes, meanwhile, has etched his name alongside legends like Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, and Ray Bourque as one of the only blueliners to record four straight 60-assist seasons. His on-ice genius, however, is now clouded by off-ice uncertainty surrounding his future in Vancouver, especially with the persistent chatter of him and his brothers one day uniting.
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Rounding out this elite consensus are three forwards with vastly different, but equally impactful, styles. At No. 5, Nikita Kucherov continues to be an offensive wizard, fresh off his second consecutive scoring title and a second Ted Lindsay Award as the league’s most outstanding player voted by his peers. His 265 points over the last two seasons lead the entire NHL. At No. 7, Auston Matthews remains the league’s preeminent goal-scorer, joining Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky as the only players to begin a career with nine straight 40-goal-pace seasons. He faces a unique challenge this year, recovering from a physically taxing 2024-25 campaign and adjusting to life without long-time wingman Mitch Marner. Finally, at No. 8, sits Kirill Kaprizov, a player arguably more vital to his franchise’s success than anyone not named McDavid. The Minnesota Wild validated this by handing him the most lucrative contract in NHL history this offseason: a colossal eight-year, $136-million deal.
The Great Divide: Charting Different Paths to the Top 10
This is where the real debate begins. After eight spots of unanimity, the TSN and Sportsnet lists diverge, revealing a philosophical split on what constitutes top-tier value.
TSN’s panel rounded out its top ten by honouring a goaltender and a pure sniper. At No. 9, they placed Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, who is coming off one of the most dominant seasons by a netminder in modern history. His 47 wins were the second-most ever recorded, earning him a third Vezina Trophy and, stunningly, the Hart Trophy as league MVP—making him just the fourth goalie in the Expansion Era to do so. At No. 10, they slotted Boston’s David Pastrnak, a consistent and explosive scoring threat.
Sportsnet, conversely, prized elite, two-way centres. Their No. 9 is Vegas’ Jack Eichel. After years of injury turmoil, Eichel returned to his dominant form in 2024-25, posting a career-best 94 points and earning top-five votes for both the Hart and Selke Trophies. Heading into a contract year and with new weapon Mitch Marner on his wing, Eichel is primed for an explosive season. At No. 10, they ranked Florida’s Aleksander Barkov, the perennial benchmark for defensive forwards. Barkov’s inclusion, however, comes with a massive asterisk. A devastating training camp injury (torn ACL and MCL) is expected to sideline him for seven to nine months, potentially keeping him out through the playoffs. His ranking is a powerful statement about his perceived value when healthy.
Beyond the Top 10: Storylines and Surprises
Peeling back the layers of the full 50-man lists reveals several compelling trends. For the second time in four years, TSN’s list features more Americans (16) than Canadians (14), a clear indicator of the narrowing gap between the two hockey superpowers. With the 2026 Winter Olympics on the horizon, this sets the stage for what should be a titanic clash for international supremacy.
The old guard, while fading from the top ten, has not been forgotten. Sidney Crosby (No. 13 on TSN) remains a revered figure, while Alex Ovechkin (No. 49) clings to his spot as he continues his historic chase of Gretzky’s goal record. Their presence is a nod to their enduring greatness in a league that is getting younger and faster.
Team depth is also on full display. The Tampa Bay Lightning, defying their aging core, landed an incredible six players on TSN’s list, including Kucherov (5), Brayden Point (16), and Andrei Vasilevskiy (29). The Winnipeg Jets also showed their strength with four players in the top 33, led by the aforementioned Hellebuyck.
Perhaps most exciting are the new faces and major movers. Sportsnet made waves by ranking San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini at No. 43—a bold proclamation of his franchise-altering potential. Mitch Marner, following his blockbuster trade to Vegas, landed at No. 17, with the hockey world buzzing about the offensive fireworks he and Eichel could create.
Ultimately, these lists are a snapshot in time—a well-reasoned forecast before the chaos of an 82-game season unfolds. Injuries will strike, rookies will emerge, and veterans will defy expectations. The true rankings will be settled on the ice. But for now, the debate rages on, fueling the passion that makes this sport our own. The hierarchy has been proposed; the challenge to upend it begins now.
Created with the aid of Gemini AI