The NHL has a bright future with young talent already dominating the league. They’re no longer the big-bodied, physical players, but ones that bring a new element to the league with speed, skill and dynamic scoring.
For the second straight year, SB Nation’s NHL team blogs have ranked the top 25 players under age 25 across the league. There are several top players who did not make the cut, which goes to show just how deep the talent is.
Eligibility
Players need to be age 24 or younger by Aug. 1, 2018, to be eligible for the rankings. If a player turns 25 before that date, they’re out. Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau barely made the list by 13 days.
Voting
The rankings are compromised of ballots submitted by 22 SB Nation NHL team sites. Each one submitted their own list then the rankings were broken down into points with 25 points for No. 1, 24 points for No. 2 and on down the list. Those point totals were complied with the No. 1 spot receiving the most points.
Who’s No. 1?
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid holds the top spot for a second straight year. The 21-year-old, who was a unanimous pick, scored a league-high 100 points during first full season en route to winning the scoring title and league MVP. He did build off that season with 41 goals and 108 points during the 2017-18 campaign. Despite the Oilers failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, McDavid won the scoring title again and the Ted Lindsay Award as the league’s most outstanding player as voted on by NHL Players Association members.
Biggest rise
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon made the biggest leap by 12 spots from No. 14 to No. 2. MacKinnon was fifth in the NHL with 97 points (39 goals, 58 assists) in 74 games. The 2013 first overall pick’s 1.31 points-per-game average ranked only second to McDavid (1.32). MacKinnon took second in the Hart Trophy voting to New Jersey Devils winger Taylor Hall. MacKinnon’s performance also helped Colorado go from dead-last in the league to the second wild card spot.
Biggest fall
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray dropped from No. 10 last year to No. 24 on this year’s list. Murray took over the starting job on a permeant basis during his third season after the Penguins exposed Marc-Andre Fleury in the expansion draft. Murray was 27-16-3 with a 2.92 goals-against average and .907 save percentage last season.
Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm (No. 21), Lightning winger Jonathan Drouin (No. 24) and Canadiens winger Alex Galchenyuk (No. 25) all fell off the list despite being eligible.
First timers
Seven players cracked the rankings for the first time: No. 9 Mathew Barzal (Islanders), No. 14 Mikko Rantanen (Avalanche), No. 19 Andrei Vasilevskiy (Lightning), No. 20 Brock Boeser (Canucks), No. 21 Brayden Point (Lightning), No. 22 Clayton Keller (Coyotes) and No. 25 Sebastian Aho (Hurricanes).
Barzal leads the group after an 85-point season won him the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie. The 21-year-old’s point total was 20 more than Keller, who took second in Calder voting. Barzal is only the seventh rookie in league history with at least 20 goals and 60 assists.
Team breakdown
Eight teams had more than one player make the list. The Toronto Maple Leafs had the most players with three: Auston Matthews (No. 3), Mitch Marner (No. 15) and William Nylander (No. 16). Matthews fell one spot from last year, while Marner leap frogged Nylander and jumped up a spot.
The Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Flames, Jets, Lightning, Oilers and Panthers all had two players.
Only 16 of the NHL’s 31 teams are represented on the list. The Blackhawks, Blues, Canadiens, Capitals, Devils, Ducks, Flyers, Golden Knights, Kings, Rangers, Red Wings, Senators, Sharks, Stars and Wild do not have a player in the rankings.
Rankings
1. Connor McDavid, Oilers center
2. Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche center
3. Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs center
4. Patrik Laine, Jets winger
5. Aleksander Barkov, Panthers center
6. David Pastrnak, Bruins winger
7. Seth Jones, Blue Jackets defenseman
8. Jack Eichel, Sabres center
9. Mathew Barzal, Islanders winger
10. Filip Forsberg, Predators winger
11. Johnny Gaudreau, Flames winger
12. Leon Draisaitl, Oilers winger
13. Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets defenseman
14. Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche winger
15. Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs winger
16. William Nylander, Maple Leafs winger
17. Nikolai Ehlers, Jets winger
18. Aaron Ekblad, Panthers defenseman
19. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning goaltender
20. Brock Boeser, Canucks winger
21. Brayden Point, Lightning winger
22. Clayton Keller, Coyotes winger
23. Sean Monahan, Flames center
24. Matt Murray, Penguins goaltender
25. Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes winger
Honorable mentions:Ivan Provorov, Flyers defenseman; Hampus Lindholm, Ducks defenseman; Matt Dumba, Wild defenseman; Charlie McAvoy, Bruins defenseman; Nico Hischer, Devils winger; Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres defenseman