theScore's top 100 NHL players: 10-1
Leading up to the start of the 2018-19 season, theScore is counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by four of our NHL editors.
100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
10. Taylor Hall, Devils
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 9 | 11 | 9 |
Hall paced the New Jersey Devils in epic fashion last season, recording a whopping 41 more points than Nico Hischier, who finished second on the team. He's always been a strong skater and playmaker, but Hall found his scoring touch during his MVP campaign. His 39 goals were a career high and he should be in line for another big year at the front of New Jersey's attack. -- O'Leary
9. Anze Kopitar, Kings
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 14 | 8 | 7 |
Kopitar silenced his critics in a major way last season, exploding for a career-high 92 points on a Los Angeles Kings club that wasn't among the league's top offenses. His disappointing 2016-17 output was clearly an aberration and his strong two-way play remains nearly unparalleled. The Hart Trophy finalist deserves to be mentioned among the NHL's absolute best. -- Gold-Smith
8. Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 8 | 9 | 14 |
Since he entered the league in 2016-17, Matthews leads all players with 55 five-on-five goals despite missing 20 games to injury last season. Now he's poised for an offensive explosion as he prepares to share a power-play unit with John Tavares this year. We've only reached the tip of the iceberg when it comes it the 21-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs phenom. -- O'Leary
7. Erik Karlsson, Sharks
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5 | 7 | 12 |
Can any player in the league single-handedly take over a game quite like Karlsson? His ability to carry a team was on full display during the 2017 postseason when he tallied 18 points in 19 games and nearly took a ragtag Ottawa Senators squad to the Stanley Cup Final. The smooth-skating Swede has two Norris trophies to his name, and has arguably been robbed of two more. -- Wegman
6. Nikita Kucherov, Lightning
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
Kucherov paced the league in scoring for the majority of the year before Connor McDavid went on a tear following the All-Star break. The Russian winger finished with an even 100 points and has emerged as one of the most talented players in the league, and a magician with the puck - just ask Braden Holtby and Robin Lehner. -- Hagerman
5. Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
MacKinnon was very close to winning the Hart last season, and rightfully so. He carried the Colorado Avalanche back to the playoffs and finished 0.01 points per game behind McDavid for tops in the NHL. He's a lethal scorer and playmaker, and the sky's the limit at just 23 years old. -- Gold-Smith
4. Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
Ovechkin is the greatest goal-scorer of this decade, earning the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy seven times. He just finished guiding the Washington Capitals to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history and shows no signs of slowing down. Ovechkin's shot remains one of the most feared in the NHL. Don't be surprised if he breaks the 50-goal threshold this season for the eighth time in his career. -- Hagerman
3. Evgeni Malkin, Penguins
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Malkin is obviously one of the today's elite players, but he makes his case to be recognized as one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of skates with his ability to elevate his play when Pittsburgh Penguins teammate Sidney Crosby is absent. When Malkin is at his very best, the argument could be made that he's more dangerous than Sid, though the Pens captain is far more consistent with his level of dominance. -- Wegman
2. Sidney Crosby, Penguins
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Crosby has relinquished the title as the NHL's best player, but that doesn't mean the superstar is on the decline. He continues to produce at an elite rate and is well-rounded in every facet of the game. Crosby still regularly dazzles, and it would be foolish to think he's finished adding to his trophy case. -- O'Leary
1. Connor McDavid
| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
This one's a no-brainer, and that's a testament to just how otherworldly McDavid is. Even amidst a disastrous Edmonton Oilers season, the superstar center rose to new heights with 41 goals and claimed his second straight Art Ross Trophy with a career-high 108 points. It's almost scary when you remember he's only 21 years old. -- Gold-Smith