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NHL Rank: From 1 to 100, who will be the best players in 2026-27?

Connor McDavid remains No. 1, but who lands after him? Here are the players our panel believes are the best this season.

By Tampa Bay Lightning · ESPN

Published: Tuesday, 6 October 2026 at 10:59 AM

Key Things to Know

ESPN released its predictions ranking the top 100 NHL players ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Connor McDavid maintained his position as the league's top-ranked player.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, and Montreal Canadiens tied for the most players featured with six each.

The Story in 60 Seconds

An ESPN panel of broadcasters, analysts, reporters, and editors ranked the NHL's top 100 players for the 2026-27 season. Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid retained the No. 1 spot, continuing his streak at the top of the rankings. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, and Montreal Canadiens each paced the league with six players represented on the list.

Several teams failed to land a single player in the top 100, including the Calgary Flames, Seattle Kraken, and Vancouver Canucks. Prominent individual rankings also highlighted Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, Macklin Celebrini, and Cale Makar among the league's elite.

Read the full article on ESPN

NHL Rank: From 1 to 100, who will be the best players in 2026-27?

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