theScore's top 100 NHL players: 70-61

Leading up to the start of the 2018-19 season, theScore will be counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by four of our NHL editors. We'll reveal 10 players every weekday until the top 10 is unveiled on Oct. 3.

100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

70. Frederik Andersen, Maple Leafs

Andersen was the busiest goalie in the league last season, serving as the backbone of the Toronto Maple Leafs and posting a career-high 38 wins to go along with a .918 save percentage in 66 starts. He'll need to maintain his strong play for the new-look Leafs to reach the next level as contenders. There's no reason to believe he can't. -- O'Leary

69. Vincent Trocheck, Panthers

Trocheck enjoyed a breakout season a year ago, collecting 31 goals and 75 points while centering the Florida Panthers' second line. He remains mostly an unknown commodity - part of which is due to playing for the small-market Panthers - but another stellar season could put him on the map as one of the league's craftiest centermen. -- Wegman

68. Jeff Carter, Kings

If not for an abrupt ankle injury last season, Carter may have hit his highest goal total in years. In just 27 games, he tallied 13 goals - putting him on pace to score 39 over 82 games, which would have served as his best mark since the 2008-09 season. He remains one of the elite shooters in the league and a near necessity for the Los Angeles Kings' offense. -- Hagerman

67. Ivan Provorov, Flyers

Provorov hit the 40-point plateau (41), ranked 20th in the league in average ice time and 10th in total ice time, and played in various situations while suiting up in all 82 games for the second time in as many seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. That's pretty remarkable for a 21-year-old defenseman, whose stock is definitely on the rise. -- Gold-Smith

66. Dougie Hamilton, Hurricanes

Hamilton's 17 goals were tied for the league lead among defensemen last season, and his 21:32 of ice time per night was a new career best. He drives play at a rate among the game's most elite and is more than capable of shutting down an opponent's top line. It's truly hard to believe Hamilton has already been traded twice in his young career. -- O'Leary

65. Rickard Rakell, Ducks

Rakell has seen his point total climb in each of the last three seasons. Last year, he paced the Anaheim Ducks with 34 goals and 69 points. He also led the team in shots, power-play goals, and power-play points. Continued progression could see him become the new face of the franchise. -- Hagerman

64. Kris Letang, Penguins

Letang might be reaching the tail end of his prime years, but he's still one of the game's elite offensive defensemen, reaching the 50-point mark in 2017-18 for the fourth time. Injuries have slowed him down a bit, but when healthy, he's workhorse, finishing in the top 10 in average ice time in four straight seasons. -- Wegman

63. Brock Boeser, Canucks

Boeser was lighting it up before a back injury put an end to his rookie season after 62 games, but he still led all qualified first-year NHLers in goals per game and finished second among the class to Kyle Connor in overall goals with 29, despite playing in 14 fewer contests. Boeser is a bona fide sniper who already looks more than comfortable at the NHL level. -- Gold-Smith

62. Logan Couture, Sharks

Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski have led the San Jose Sharks' offense for the better part of a decade, but while they've been piling up numbers, Couture has been neutralizing opposing top lines, serving as the team's matchup center. He's no one-way player, though, as he potted a career-high 34 goals last year. -- Wegman

61. Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets

A shoulder injury hampered Werenski's game last season, but you'd hardly be able to tell by looking at his numbers. Playing on the Columbus Blue Jackets' top pair, he potted 16 goals - 13 coming at even strength - and added 21 assists. At only 21 years old, the 2015 eighth overall pick is on the fast track to superstardom. -- O'Leary