Top 100 NHL players: 100-81

Leading up to the start of the 2021-22 season, theScore is counting down the top-100 players in the game today, as voted on by our NHL editors. Injuries affecting players entering the season have been taken into consideration. We'll reveal 20 players every day until the top 20 is unveiled Oct. 11.

100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1

100. Zach Hyman, Edmonton Oilers

The former unsung engine of the Leafs' top six, Hyman is bringing his much-needed skill set to the Oilers. With the winger on the ice at five-on-five last season, the Leafs controlled 52% of shot attempts and 63% of the high-danger chances.

99. Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils

Hughes should take another step forward during his third NHL campaign after the center's average ice time increased by over three minutes to 19:04 in 2021. The 20-year-old clearly possesses the ability to center the Devils' top line, and now he just needs to catch up to the league's speed and physicality.

98. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings

Larkin produced an extremely underwhelming campaign last year, but he remains the focal point of the Red Wings' offense as the club continues its rebuild. He's the team's captain and could have some of the best linemates of his career in 2021-22, so expect Larkin to bounce back in a big way.

97. Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota Wild

Spurgeon doesn't get the attention he deserves as one of the league's best defensive defensemen. He's as consistent as they come, and the blue-liner needs to be recognized across the hockey world for his unique skill set.

96. Jake Muzzin, Toronto Maple Leafs

It's hard to find anyone who disapproves of Muzzin's game. He's a physical and nasty defenseman, which pleases the old-school crowd. But he's also an analytical darling thanks to his superb underlying metrics.

95. Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres

A key component of the Sabres' blue line, Dahlin must prove he’s worth every penny of his new three-year, $18-million deal. He received more ice time down the stretch under head coach Don Granato last season, so the stage is set for the talented defenseman to show he's up to the challenge.

94. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals

The Kuznetsov who surpassed the 80-point plateau in 2017-18 has come and gone, with the Capitals forward's per-game production declining in each of the three seasons since then. But the veteran has still proven he can make an impact when healthy.

93. Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars

If it wasn't for Kirill Kaprizov's fantastic season, Robertson would have been a shoo-in for the Calder Trophy last year. The Stars rookie dazzled while scoring 45 points over 51 games. Now can he avoid the dreaded sophomore slump and keep it rolling in Dallas?

92. J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks

Miller endured a tough season defensively in 2020-21, but he's still a strong offensive contributor and a key piece of the Canucks' identity. He's registered 118 points over 122 games since joining the club in 2019.

91. Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers

Shesterkin has appeared in just 47 career games, but the netminder has demonstrated he belongs on this list with a .921 save percentage over that span. Taking over as the heir apparent to Henrik Lundqvist in a market like New York can't be easy, either.

90. Bo Horvat, Canucks

If there's anyone who can lead the Canucks back to the playoffs, why not captain Horvat? He finished fourth on the team with 39 points over 56 games, even amid Vancouver's struggles last season.

89. Samuel Girard, Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar rightfully gets most of the attention among the Avalanche's blue-liners, but Girard is impressive in his own right. The 23-year-old posted elite underlying numbers in 2021, and he's steadily improved offensively over his four NHL seasons.

88. Torey Krug, St. Louis Blues

Krug quietly produced a solid​​​​​​ first campaign with the Blues, managing 32 points in 51 games. He comes exactly as advertised, and is a good puck-moving defenseman who's reliable at both ends.

87. David Perron, St. Louis Blues

Perron quietly goes about his business with the Blues while finding the scoresheet an awful lot. He ranks 11th among all left-wingers in points since rejoining the club three seasons ago.

86. Tyler Seguin, Stars

Seguin was limited to just three games last season due to injury, but he's still one of the league's most dangerous shooters when healthy.

85. Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens

Suzuki led the Canadiens this past postseason with 16 points over 22 games. The 22-year-old is lethal and ready to handle big moments as Montreal's No. 1 center.

84. Tyler Toffoli, Canadiens

Toffoli unexpectedly ranked seventh in the NHL with 28 goals over 52 games in 2021, doing nearly 30% of that damage against the Canucks. Still, he was on pace for 37 goals over 82 contests, and while the 29-year-old will likely regress against stiffer competition, the winger is an established scorer.

83. Ryan Ellis, Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers desperately needed blue-line help, so they made a great decision to snatch Ellis in a trade. The 30-year-old plays both sides of the puck extremely well, and he can help out on the penalty kill and power play. He'll be a fantastic complementary piece to Ivan Provorov in Philly.

82. Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators

Forsberg missed 17 games for the Predators last season and still finished one back of the club lead in goals. He's a supremely talented player who could put up monster numbers with some adequate linemates.

81. Adam Pelech, New York Islanders

Pelech's name being included on this list will surprise casual fans. He isn't flashy, but the rearguard is an absolute rock on defense. Don't be surprised if he makes Team Canada's Olympic squad.