Players

Ovechkin was the first player taken in the 2004 NHL Draft and made an immediate impact in his first season with 52 goals and 106 points in 2005-06, winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. His 65 goals in 2007-08 are the most by any player in the 21st century, and he reached the 50-goal mark for the eighth time, the most among active players, when he scored 51 in 2018-19. Ovechkin scored his 500th NHL goal Jan. 10, 2016, becoming the 43rd player in NHL history to do so, got No. 600 on March 12, 2018, and became the eighth player to score 700 goals on Feb. 22, 2020. He passed Brett Hull for fourth when he scored No. 742 for the Capitals against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 12 Ovechkin also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after helping the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018, and he won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the League's top goal scorer for the ninth time in 2019-20. Ovechkin scored his 700th NHL goal during Washington's 3-2 loss at the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 22, 2020, joining Wayne Gretzky (894), Gordie Howe (801), Jaromir Jagr (766), Hull (741), Marcel Dionne (731), Phil Esposito (717) and Mike Gartner (708) to score 700 in the NHL. He scored 30 goals in an NHL season for the 16th time, one short of Gartner's NHL record, in a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Feb. 15, 2022. On March 15, 2022, he passed Jaromir Jagr for third with No. 767 and tied Gretzky and Mike Bossy on April 21 for the most 50-goal seasons in NHL history with nine.  More

Crosby won the Stanley Cup for the third time, and for the second straight season, in 2016-17. He was also voted winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second season in a row. He won the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy in 2006-07, and again in 2013-14. He is a three-time winner of the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the outstanding player as voted by members of the NHL Players Association. He was named MVP of the 2019 NHL All-Star Game in San Jose, and on Feb. 9, 2019, became the Penguins' all-time leader in games played (916). Crosby, the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, has helped Pittsburgh become one of the League's most successful franchises on and off the ice, and has been one of its most visible players for more than a decade. Crosby joined Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin as the only active NHL players to score 500 goals, scoring against Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart in the first period of the Penguins' 5-4 overtime win at PPG Paints Arena on Feb. 15, 2022. His assist on Jake Guentzel's goal in the second period of Game 4 of the 2022 Eastern Conference First Round against the New York Rangers was his 200th point in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He became the sixth player to reach the milestone, joining Wayne Gretzky (382), Mark Messier (295), Jari Kurri (233), Glenn Anderson (214) and Jagr (201).  More

The Oilers selected McDavid with the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, and he wasted little time showing he belonged. McDavid scored his first NHL goal in his third game, against the Dallas Stars on Oct. 13, 2015, and had his first multigoal game against the Calgary Flames four nights later before an injury cut his rookie season short. McDavid took his game to another level in 2016-17, leading the NHL with 100 points (30 goals, 70 assists), winning the Hart Trophy as most valuable player and the Ted Lindsay Award for the most outstanding player, and helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2006. McDavid led the NHL in scoring again in 2017-18 with 108 points (41 goals, 67 assists), and won the Ted Lindsay Award for the second straight year. He had 116 points (41 goals, 75 assists) in 2018-19 and was second in the League behind teammate Leon Draisaitl in the scoring race in 2019-20 with 97 points (34 goals, 63 assists) in 64 games. In the abbreviated 2020-21 season McDavid torched the NHL, leading the League with 105 points (33 goals, 72 assists) in 56 games, and was voted winner of the Ted Lindsay Award for the third time and became the second-ever unanimous winner of the Hart Trophy. On Nov. 14, 2021, he became the sixth-fastest in NHL history to reach 600 points when he had a goal and an assist for Nos. 600 and 601 in a 5-4 win against the St. Louis Blues. He finished the 2021-22 season with an NHL career-high 123 points (44 goals, 79 assists), then had 14 points for the Oilers in a seven-game win against the Los Angeles Kings in the 2022 Western Conference First Round, the highest total in an opening round in 29 years.  More

Selected by the Maple Leafs with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, Matthews had a record-setting NHL debut on Oct. 12, 2016, when he scored four goals, becoming the first player in the League's modern era to do so. He led all rookies in goals (40) and points (69) in 2016-17, won the Calder Trophy, voted to the NHL's rookie of the year, and helped the Maple Leafs advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second time since 2004. Matthews won the Hart Trophy as most valuable player in 2021-22 and became the first NHL player born in the United States and first since Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2011-12 to score 60 goals in a season. He joined Darryl Sittler (1975-76, 1977-78, 1979-80 and 1980-81) as the second Maple Leafs player to have four 40-goal seasons and set their record when he scored his 55th goal of the season April 8, 2022, passing Rick Vaive (54 in 1981-82).  More

The Avalanche made MacKinnon, a center, the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, and he wasted no time showing they made the right choice by being voted winner of the Calder Trophy as the top rookie in the NHL in 2013-14. His breakout season came in 2017-18, when he scored 97 points (39 goals, 58 assists), finished second in voting for the Hart Trophy as the League's most valuable player and was named an NHL Second-Team All-Star. MacKinnon scored 41 goals and 99 points in 2018-19 and followed with 35 goals and 93 points in 69 games in 2019-20, when he was again named a Second-Team All-Star. He won the Stanley Cup for the first time with the Avalanche in 2022, when his 13 goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs shared the NHL lead with Evander Kane of the Edmonton Oilers. He was the third player in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history with as many in a single postseason, joining Joe Sakic in 1996 and 2001, and Claude Lemieux in 1997.  More

Draisaitl has turned into one of the top scorers in the NHL since being selected by the Oilers with the No. 3 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft and he's combined with Connor McDavid to give Edmonton perhaps the League's most dynamic 1-2 punch. The native of Cologne, Germany, had a breakout season in 2016-17, finishing with 77 points (29 goals, 48 assists) and helping the Oilers advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2006. He was one of the two 50-goal scorers in the NHL during the 2018-19 season, when he finished fourth in the League with 105 points, then led the League in scoring in 2019-20 with 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists) in 71 games. Draisaitl scored 55 goals in 2021-22 and set a playoff record with five consecutive games of at least three points to help the Oilers to a five-game win against the Calgary Flames in the best-of-7 2022 Western Conference Second Round while breaking a Battle of Alberta record for most points in a series (17).  More

Kucherov has become one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NHL. He had his first 30-goal season in 2015-16, increased his output to 40 goals in 2016-17, then finished third in the NHL in scoring in 2017-18 with 100 points (39 goals, 61 assists), helping the Lightning win the Atlantic Division. But those were just a prelude to 2018-19, when he led the NHL with 128 points (41 goals, 87 assists), setting a single-season record for points by a player born in Russia. He led all players in scoring during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 34 points (seven goals, 27 assists), helping the Lightning win their first championship since 2004. After missing the entire 2020-21 regular season, he had 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 23 playoff games to help the Lightning win a second straight Stanley Cup title, then led Tampa Bay during the 2022 playoffs with 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) in 23 games on its third straight trip to the Cup Final.  More

When Patrick Kane was traded to the New York Rangers on Feb. 28, 2023, it ended a golden era of Chicago Blackhawks hockey and arguably the greatest career in team history. His 1,225 points in 15 seasons is second behind Stan Mikita (1,467). Kane is also a three-time Stanley Cup champion (2010, 2013, 2015) and was named as one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players, with Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews. He's the youngest United States-born player in NHL history (31 years, 61 days) to reach 1,000 points and fourth to achieve the milestone with the Blackhawks, joining Hockey Hall of Fame forwards Mikita (1,467), Bobby Hull (1,153) and Denis Savard (1,096).  More

Pastrnak, Boston's first-round pick (No. 25) in the 2014 NHL Draft, has teamed with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand to form one of the best forward lines in the NHL. The native of Havirov, Czech Republic, made the Bruins as an 18-year-old, was a 34-goal scorer before his 21st birthday and became the first player in Bruins history to have three 30-goal seasons before turning 23. He scored at least 30 goals in his first four seasons and shared the NHL goal-scoring lead with Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals in 2019-20, finishing with an NHL career-high 48. Pastrnak was named MVP of the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game and was selected to the First All-Star Team after a 48-goal, 95-point season. He reached 40 goals for the second time in his career in 2021-22 and played his 500th NHL game, all for the Bruins, on March 19, 2022.  More

The Rangers gave their rebuilding efforts a boost when they lured Panarin to New York on July 1, 2019, signing him to a seven-year, $81.5 million contract. He has since exceeded 90 points twice and helped the Rangers reach the 2022 Eastern Conference Final. That came after he was voted winner of the Calder Trophy as the top rookie in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015-16, was named a Second-Team All-Star in 2016-17 and scored 82 and 87 points in each of the next two seasons after being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 23, 2017. Panarin scored a goal and had an assist on opening night, surpassed his NHL career highs in goals and finished with 95 points (32 goals, 63 assists) in 69 games, tying for third in the League in scoring and earning NHL First-Team All-Star honors. Panarin had an NHL career-high 96 points (22 goals, 74 assists) in 2021-22.  More

Hedman, a 6-foot-6 defenseman from Sweden, has been everything the Tampa Bay Lightning could have asked for when they selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2009 NHL Draft. He's been a cornerstone for the Lightning ever since. Hedman was voted winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs after helping the Lightning win their first championship since 2004. His 10 postseason goals were the most by a defenseman since Brian Leetch of the New York Rangers scored 11 in 1994, and he averaged 26:20 of ice time, the most of any player who got as far as the second round of the playoffs. Hedman was voted winner of the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman in 2018 and was selected as an NHL Second-Team All-Star in 2017, 2019 and 2020. He set an NHL career high in the postseason with 16 assists in 2021, when Tampa Bay repeated as Stanley Cup champions, and tied it the next season when the Lightning's attempt at a third straight title was denied by the Colorado Avalanche.  More

Stamkos is a two-time winner of the Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal-scorer. He led the League with 51 goals in 2009-10 and was tops in 2011-12 with 60, a mark no one approached until Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews matched it in 2021-22. The first player taken in the 2008 NHL Draft has had two other seasons with 40 or more goals and three seasons when he's scored more than 90 points. He helped the Lightning advance to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final with seven goals and 18 points in 26 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Stamkos scored his 400th NHL goal, all with the Lightning, on Nov. 19, 2019. Injuries limited Stamkos to one game and 2:47 of ice time in the 2020 playoffs, but he scored a key goal in the first period of Game 3 in the Cup Final against the Dallas Stars, helping the Lightning win the Cup for the first time since 2004. The following season, Stamkos had 18 points in 20 postseason games and Tampa Bay repeated as Stanley Cup champions with a five-game victory against the Montreal Canadiens. He reached 100 points for the first time in his career in 2021-22 (42 goals, 64 assists), when the Lightning reached the Stanley Cup Final for a third straight season.  More

Josi is arguably the best Switzerland-born player in NHL history. The native of Bern was selected by the Nashville Predators in the second round (No. 38) of the 2008 NHL Draft and entered the League in 2011. He's scored at least 12 goals and finished with at least 40 points in seven consecutive seasons, beginning in 2013-14. His play was a key to the Predators reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in their history in 2017, and he was named captain of the Predators on Sept. 19, 2017. He was voted winner of the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman in 2019-20, when he had 65 points (16 goals. 49 assists) and a plus-22 rating in 69 games. Josi led defensemen in scoring in 2021-22 with an NHL career-high 96 points (23 goals, 73 assists), becoming the first at the position with at least 90 points in one season since Ray Bourque (91) in 1993-94, while getting his 400th NHL assist to help the Predators qualify for the postseason for the eighth straight season and 15th time in their history.  More

The Sabres selected Eichel with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. That came after he led NCAA Division I in scoring (71 points; 26 goals, 45 assists) during the 2014-15 season, became the second freshman ever to win the Hobey Baker Award and helped Boston University advance to the NCAA championship game. Eichel scored 24, 24 and 25 goals in his first three seasons with the Sabres, had 28 goals and 82 points in 2018-19 and became a 30-goal scorer in 2019-20, when he also had a 17-game point streak. He also had the first four-goal game of his NHL career Nov. 16, 2019 and finished with an NHL career-high 36 goals in 68 games. Eichel was limited to 21 games during the 2020-21 season because of a neck injury and was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 4, 2021. He finished the season with 25 points (14 goals, 11 assists) in 34 games.  More

Point, a third-round pick (No. 79) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2014 NHL Draft, led all scorers during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 14 goals, including what proved to be the Cup-winning goal in the first period of the Cup Final against the Dallas Stars. Point's power-play goal put the Lightning ahead to stay in a 2-0 victory and capped a postseason that saw him get 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 23 games. It came one year after he had a breakout season, scoring 41 goals and 92 points in 79 games to help Tampa Bay win 62 games, tying the NHL single-season record set by the Detroit Red Wings. He finished 2019-20 with 64 points (25 goals, 39 assists) in 66 games before his playoff run. Point led the playoffs in goals for the second straight season to help the Lightning win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with 14 goals and was second with 23 points. He signed an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 average annual value) July 28, 2021.  More

Malkin agreed to a four-year, $24.4 million contract July 12, 2022 (average annual value of $6.1 million) that virtually assures he will finish his NHL career with the Penguins. The three-time Stanley Cup winner (2009, 2016, 2017) has surpassed 100 points in a season three times (2007-08, 2008-09, 2011-12), including an NHL career-high 113 points (35 goals, 78 assists) in 2008-09, and scored 50 goals in 2011-12. He has a blend of size, speed and skill that makes him an offensive force; along with Sidney Crosby, he's given the Penguins a terrific one-two punch down the middle for more than a decade. Malkin, the second player taken in the 2004 NHL Draft, won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2006-07, won the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award in 2011-12, and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2009. Malkin reached the 1,000-point mark with two assists against the Washington Capitals on March 12, 2019.  More

Marchand began his NHL career with the reputation of being a pest, but he's grown into a lot more than a player who merely agitates opponents. In 2010-11, his first full season with the Bruins, Marchand scored 21 goals during the regular season and 11 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to help Boston win its first championship since 1972. He had a breakout season in 2015-16, scoring 37 goals, then scored the tournament-winning goal for Canada at the World Cup of Hockey 2016. Marchand followed that by scoring 39 goals and 85 points in 2016-17, earning NHL First-Team All-Star honors. He scored 34 goals and 85 points in 68 games in 2017-18 and reached the 100-point mark with 36 goals and 64 assists in 2018-19. establishing himself as one of the League's top left wings. In the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Marchand led the Bruins with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 24 games, helping them advance to the Cup Final, where they lost in seven games to the St. Louis Blues. He reached 30 goals for the fifth time in 2021-22 (32 goals, 48 assists).  More

Vasilevskiy was worth the wait for the Lightning, who selected the native of Tyumen, Russia, in the first round (No. 19) of the 2012 NHL Draft. He came to North America for the 2014-15 season and backed up starter Ben Bishop, even getting a relief win in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. He became the starter in 2016-17, tied for the NHL lead with 44 wins in 2017-18 and was voted winner of the Vezina Trophy as best goalie in the NHL in 2018-19. He went 39-10-4 with a 2.40 goals-against average and .925 save percentage to help the Lightning win the Presidents' Trophy as regular-season champion. Pastrnak was named MVP of the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game. One year later, he was in goal for all 18 of Tampa Bay's postseason victories, helping the Lightning win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2004. Vasilevskiy played every minute during Tampa Bay's run to the Cup, including a championship-clinching 2-0 win against the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the Final. He won the Cup again the following season and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy voted as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, ending each series with a shutout and going 16-7 with a 1.90 GAA, .937 save percentage and five shutouts in 23 starts. Vasilevskiy tied Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers for the NHL lead in wins (39) in 2021-22 and had a .922 save percentage in 23 playoff starts, helping the Lightning reach the Cup Final for a third straight season.  More

The Jets stuck late-round gold when they selected Hellebuyck in the fifth round (No. 130) of the 2012 NHL Draft. He turned pro after helping UMass Lowell win back-to-back Hockey East championships and earned his first NHL win by making 14 saves to defeat the Minnesota Wild 3-1 on Nov. 27, 2015. Hellebuyck took over the starting job in 2016-17, then blossomed the following season by finishing 44-11-9 with a 2.36 goals-against average and .924 save percentage, helping the Jets advance to the Western Conference Final for the first time and being named an NHL Second-Team All-Star. He won at least 31 games in each of the next two seasons and was voted winner of the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie in 2019-20 after going 31-21-5 with a 2.57 goals-against average, a 2.57 GAA and a League-leading six shutouts. Hellebuyck won his 200th NHL game when made 30 saves to help the Jets defeat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on April 24, 2022. It was his 380th start, which passed Ondrej Pavelec for the most in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers history.  More

Pavelski, a 10-time 20-goal scorer during his 13 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, dropped to 14 goals in 2019-20, his first season with the Dallas Stars, who signed the veteran forward as a free agent on July 1, 2019. But Pavelski more than made up for any regular-season shortcomings by scoring 13 postseason goals, helping the Stars reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2000. Pavelski's 13th goal not only forced overtime in Game 5 of the Final, it moved him past Joe Mullen into first place in career playoff goals among players born in the United States (61). Pavelski is one of 13 U.S.-born players to score 350 goals, and he was named an NHL Second-Team All-Star in 2014 after scoring an NHL career-high 41 goals. Pavelski was named a Stars alternate captain for the 2021-22 season. On Nov. 26, 2021, he became the 10th United States-born player to score 400 NHL goals.  More

Carlson has grown into one of the top defensemen in the NHL since being selected by the Capitals in the first round (No. 27) of the 2008 NHL Draft. His biggest step forward came in 2017-18, when he scored 15 goals and had 68 points during the regular season, then contributed 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 24 games to help the Capitals win the Stanley Cup for the first time since entering the NHL in 1974. Carlson was a Second-Team All-Star in 2018-19, when he finished with NHL career highs in assists (57) and points (70), then surpassed each of those totals in 2019-20. During the 2021-22 season, Carlson reached the 70-point mark (17 goals, 54 assists) for the third time in his past four seasons.  More

Makar wasted no time making an impression in the NHL. He won the Calder Trophy voted as the top rookie in the NHL in 2019-20 after finishing with 50 points (12 goals, 38 assists) in 57 games. He was also a finalist for the 2020-21 Norris Trophy as best defenseman in the NHL, finishing second to Adam Fox of the New York Rangers. He signed a six-year contract with the Avalanche on July 24, 2021. Makar had a historic 2021-22 season; he won the Norris Trophy and his 28 goals led NHL defensemen and also set an Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques record, as did his 86 points. He followed that up by helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup with 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists), and was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the MVP of the playoffs.  More

The Avalanche selected Landeskog with the No. 2 pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, and the forward made the team at age 18 following his first pro training camp. In 2011-12, Landeskog became the third Sweden-born player to win the Calder Trophy voted as the top rookie in the NHL (Peter Forsberg of Colorado in 1994-95, and Daniel Alfredsson of the Ottawa Senators in 1995-96 were the others). On Sept. 4, 2012, the Avalanche made Landeskog the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 years and 286 days, 11 days younger than Sidney Crosby when he became Pittsburgh Penguins captain in 2007. Landeskog had his second 30-goal season in 2021-22, seven multipoint games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and was handed the Cup after a 2-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the Final that gave the Avalanche their first NHL championship since 2001.  More

Kuemper concluded a stellar three years with Red Deer of the Western Hockey League in 2010-11 by winning both the Four Broncos Trophy as WHL most valuable player and the Del Wilson Trophy as the league's top goalie. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild on May 26, 2011, and made his NHL debut against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 12, 2013. Kuemper played for the Wild, Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes until he was traded to the Avalanche on July 28, 2021. He won an NHL career-high 37 games for Colorado and went 10-4 with a 2.57 goals-against average, .902 save percentage and one shutout. He won the Cup for the first time when he made 22 saves in Game 6 of the Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning to give the Avalanche their first NHL championship since 2001. He then became an unrestricted free agent and signed a five-year contract with the Washington Capitals on July 13, 2022.  More

The "Johnny Hockey" story begins in Carneys Point, New Jersey, and goes through Dubuque of the United States Hockey League to Boston College, where he won the Hobey Baker Award in 2014 as the best player in NCAA men's hockey, to the international stage, where he won a gold medal with the United States at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Tournament, and to the NHL. He quickly became one of the League's most exciting players. A finalist for the Calder Trophy, given to the NHL rookie of the year, Gaudreau led all rookies in assists with 40, tied for the rookie lead in points with 64 and had 14 multiple-point games. He reached 100 points in a season for the first time in 2021-22, becoming the 11th United States-born player in NHL history with at least 100 points and second since Patrick Kane for the Chicago Blackhawks (110, 2018-19; 106, 2015-16). His finished with 115 points, the second-most by a U.S.-born player in one season behind Pat LaFontaine (148) in 1992-93. Gaudreau signed a seven-year $68.25 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 13, 2022.  More

Huberdeau began to justify the Florida Panthers taking him with the No. 3 pick in the 2011 NHL Draft within minutes of stepping on the ice for his first NHL game. During his second shift Jan. 19, 2013, Huberdeau scored on his first NHL shot, defeating Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward to spark Florida to a 5-1 victory, and he became the first player in Panthers history to win the Calder Trophy voted as the top rookie in the NHL. He became the leading scorer in Panthers history when he had a goal and an assist in an 8-4 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 12, 2020 to give him 420 points (143 goals, 277 assists), one more than Olli Jokinen. On April 5, 2022, Huberdeau became the first Panthers player to reach 100 points in one season. He finished with 115 points (30 goals, 85 assists), tied with Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames for second in the NHL behind Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (123). He was traded to Calgary on July 25 and signed an eight-year contract on Aug. 5.  More

At 16 years, four months, Barkov became the youngest player ever chosen to play for Finland in the IIHF World Junior Championship, and the youngest to score a goal when he scored in the 2012 quarterfinals against Slovakia. The Panthers selected Barkov with the No. 2 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. At 18 years, 31 days, he became the youngest player to score a goal in his NHL debut since Don Raleigh (17 years, 147 days) of the New York Rangers on Nov. 21, 1943. He emerged as one of the elite centers in the NHL in 2017-18, when he had 78 points (27 goals, 51 assists) in 79 games and was named Panthers captain Sept. 17, 2018. Barkov signed a six-year contract extension Oct. 8, 2021, after he was voted the winner of the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward in the NHL. He led Florida with 39 goals and four shorthanded goals in 67 games, and his 88 points were second behind Jonathan Huberdeau's 115, in 2021-22. His 47 road points (23-24-47) were the most in one season in Panthers history and he became their all-time leader with 38 game-winning goals.  More

The Rangers selected Shesterkin in the fourth round (No. 118) in the 2014 NHL Draft. He developed into one of the top goalies in the Kontinental Hockey League; from 2016-17 through 2018-19, he was 71-12-10 for SKA St. Petersburg, and in his final season was 24-4-0 with a 1.11 goals-against average and .953 save percentage. Shesterkin signed with the Rangers on May 3, 2019 and began the season with Hartford of the American Hockey League, where he went 17-4-3 with a 1.90 GAA and .934 save percentage. Shesterkin was recalled by the Rangers on Jan. 6, 2020, and he won his NHL debut the next night by making 29 saves in a 5-3 victory against the Colorado Avalanche. In his first 12 NHL games, Shesterkin went 10-2-0 with a 2.52 GAA and .922 save percentage, assuming the No. 1 role that had belonged to Henrik Lundqvist's since 2005-06. He won the Vezina Trophy as best goalie in the NHL, in 2021-22, the third Rangers goalie to do so since NHL general managers began voting on it in 1981-82 (John Vanbiesbrouck, 1985-86); Lundqvist, 2011-12).  More

Kaprizov made an immediate impact when he had two assists and then scored in overtime in his NHL debut, a 4-3 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 14, 2021. The forward became the first player in NHL history with three points, including an overtime goal, in his first game. He got his 37th point on April 19 to break Marian Gaborik's Wild rookie record of 36 set in 2000-01. Kaprizov led NHL rookies in 2020-21 with 27 goals, 51 points, eight power-play goals and 157 shots on goal (157) to win the Calder Trophy voted as NHL rookie of the year. The following season he scored 47 goals to break the Wild single-season record of 42 previously owned by Gaborik (2007-08) and Eric Staal (2017-18) and became the first player in their history to reach 100 points in one season (108) while helping Minnesota set team records for most wins (53) and points (113).  More

The expectations that come with being a top draft pick for the Toronto Maple Leafs are tough enough without comparisons to Hockey Hall of Famer Doug Gilmour, but Marner, the No. 4 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, embraced being likened to Gilmour, even wearing his No. 93 while playing for London of the Ontario Hockey League. Marner made the NHL All-Rookie team in 2016-17 after finishing with 61 points (19 goals, 42 assists) in 77 games and helping the Maple Leafs qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2013. He broke out in 2018-19 with NHL career highs of 26 goals, 68 assists, 94 points and a plus-22 rating. Despite an ankle injury early in the 2019-20 season, his 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) in 38 games earned him a trip to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game, and he finished the season with 67 points (16 goals, 51 assists) in 59 games. With the NHL back to 82 games for the 2021-22 season, Marner had 97 points (35 goals, 62 assists) in 72 games, joining Auston Matthews and Michael Bunting to form one of the best lines in the NHL and help the Maple Leafs set team records in wins (54) and points (115).  More

A perennial Selke Trophy candidate voted as the best defensive forward in the NHL, Bergeron is indisputably among hockey's finest two-way players. Born in L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, Bergeron was one of the rare talents to make the leap straight into the NHL after playing one full junior season for Acadie-Bathurst of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2002-03. His 73 points, including 50 assists, in 70 games was eye-catching, but his all-around game displayed a surprising maturity. A six-time 30-goal scorer, Bergeron was selected by the Bruins in the second round (No. 45) in the 2003 NHL Draft. He arrived at age 18 and impressed with 16 goals and 39 points in 71 games. In Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Bergeron scored two goals and the Bruins won their sixth Stanley Cup title. That made Bergeron a member of the elite Triple Gold Club, reserved for players who've won a gold medal at the Olympics and World Championship, and the Stanley Cup. He won the Selke for a record fifth time in 2021-22 to break a tie with Bob Gainey, who won it four times with the Montreal Canadiens from 1978-81.  More