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SUFYAN JAWED
SUFYAN JAWED
July 13th, 2023
July 13th, 2023
The Top 10 at each position, at the end of the 2022-2023 season...in my opinion.
This series of articles will rank the top 10 players at each position in the NHL. My process will consist of my personal view of the player, their production, and their skill level based on both the eye test and analytics. These are, in my opinion, the best players going in to next season. This is only one man's opinion, and it is inevitable that disagreements will happen. But I’ll do my best to explain why I have players where I do. I’ll also put my favourite play from each player from this past year.
Gamescore by @hockeystatcards on www.hockeystatcards.com = GS
10 - Jesper Bratt - New Jersey Devils - Age: 24
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
Bratt is likely one of my favourite players in the NHL. His skillset is well rounded outside of physicality. Bratt is an agile skater with good straight line speed as well and he uses it to create a plethora of rush chances with his other speedy line-mates. His shot power isn't anything special but he has one of the most accurate shots in the league. Where he makes his money is through his playmaking ability. Bratt is a great passer both off the rush and in-zone. He uses his agility to create open space and fires pinpoint passes to his teammates. Bratt has evolved in to a player that is dangerous from everywhere in the offensive zone, while also being responsible defensively as well. He's on a great contract and should be a staple in the Devils offence for years to come.
9 - Clayton Keller - Arizona Coyotes - Age: 24
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
Keller has developed in to one of the most exciting players in the league. Even whilst being buried in Arizona's purgatory Keller has produced at an elite level in the last two seasons (65 goals and 149 points in 149 games). His 86 points this past season was 28 more points than the next highest Coyotes point total. If Keller ever gets moved or gets some help in Arizona he may just be a 100 point guy. His skillset offensively is one of the most complex, he can beat you in a ton of different ways. He has elite skating, stick-handling and passing while also possessing a deceptively good shot. Keller is like a ticking time-bomb, if he ends up in the right situation, we have an offensive megastar on our hands with one of the best contracts in the league.
8 - Mark Stone - Vegas Golden Knights - Age: 31
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
If it weren't it for injuries Stone would likely be higher on this list. Even though he hasn't played anywhere near a full season since the 2018-2019 season where he played 78 games, Stone is the type of player that wins you Stanley Cups. That is exactly what he did this season. Stone was an absolute menace this post-season and his full skill-set was on display. Look, Stone has always been a below average skater but his puck presence is phenomenal. He is one of the smartest players in the league and uses that to be the best defensive wingers in hockey, finishing top 5 in Selke voting 4 times. He's as sneaky as it gets, often being near the top of league in takeaways per game. His offensive skillset is good as well, as he has great passing skills and an above average shot with strong offensive play-driving as well. I hope Stone is able to stay on the ice more often because he is an absolute treat to watch.
7 - Timo Meier - New Jersey Devils - Age: 26
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
Timo Meier is a beast. At 6'1" and 220 pounds there is no reason he should have the breakaway speed that he does. Using his powerful stride he creates space and separation. Leaving a purgatory in San Jose to what seems like paradise and a potential brewing dynasty in New Jersey, will only help his production. He has produced at a decent rate regardless over the last 2 seasons, as he ranks 5th among right-wingers in goals with 75 in 155 games. The difference between Meier and other prolific goal-scorers is the edge to his game, Meier isn't a pest by any means but he plays hard. He's high-octane on all fronts as the last two seasons he has had 653 SOGs and 316 hits, to go along with the goal scoring. Meier may have had a tough playoff run this season but he is the type of player that should help them win a ton of playoff games in the near future.
6 - William Nylander - Toronto Maple Leafs - Age: 27
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
Nylander has become a media staple the last couple of years as it seems trade rumours have followed him around. What gets lost in all the noise is the Nylander is one best offensive players in the league. His skillset is immense, from being a play-driving menace at 5 on 5, to having some of the slickest hands in the league along with a lethal shot and passing ability. He's as well rounded as it gets offensively. Because of that his production has been immense the past few seasons. Since the 2020-2021 season Nylander has 209 points in 214 games putting him 6th among right-wingers in that time span. Wherever Nylander ends up in the end he will be appreciated and will hopefully for himself get a substantial pay raise.
5 - Mitch Marner - Toronto Maple Leafs - Age: 26
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
Marner has developed in to an all-around two-way winger, a feat no one could have seen when the leafs drafted this ultra-skilled winger back in 2015. Abysmal playoff performances aside, Marner has been one of the most productive players in the league since he entered it. Since Marner's 3rd season, 2018-2019, Marner ranks 5th among all forwards in points with 424 points in 348 games. His skillset hinges around his elusively, Marner evades defences and pounces at seemingly the exact right time every single time. His agility helps him effortlessly rip around the offensive zone and he creates an immense amount of pressure and chances just through his skating alone. On top of that his passing ability is one of the best in the league as well his incredible stick-handling ability. Marner's continued defensive improvement has led to a nomination this past season and only adds to his already impressive young career.
4 - Mikko Rantanen - Colorado Avalanche - Age: 26
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
There are few players that create space like Rantanen, and because of his size, skill and playmaking it makes him look like a new-age Jagr. Rantanen has developed in to a consistent goal-scorer to go along with his already transcendent playmaking ability. Rantanen's goal scoring prowess this season came from a place of necessity, the Avs were riddled with injuries to a bunch of their other star players throughout the season and Rantanen was a major reason they stayed alfoat. His 55 goals this past season ranked 3rd amongst all players ranking only behind Mcdavid and Pastrnak. Since his breakout season in 2017-2018 Rantanen has been one of the most consistent offensive producers in the league, ranking 3rd among right-wingers in points per game in that time span with 1.17 points per game. Rantanen will continue to be one of the leagues best players for years to come as he is only now entering his prime.
3 - Nikita Kucherov - Tampa Bay Lightning - Age: 30
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
One of the greatest offensive players of this generation, Kucherov really has not lost a step. He categorizes best as a mystic, sneaking around the ice and pouncing at the exact moment a defence is vulnerable. He then uses his elite stick-handling, shot and playmaking ability to devastate the other team often when they least expect. Kucherov isn't shy of big stages either, in 142 post-season games he has 160 points along with his two cups. This is on-top of being one of the most productive players in the league since 2016-2017, he ranks 2nd in points per game from then until now with 1.34, only behind Connor Mcdavid. Kucherov's skillset is one that should age gracefully and there is little doubt that his production will continue in to his 30s.
2 - Matthews Tkachuk - Florida Panthers - Age: 25
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
These past two seasons have become a sort of coming out party to the kind of player that Matthew Tkachuk really is. Elite goal-scorer, elite playmaker and of course elite pest. But what has seperated him from those behind him is his game-breaking ability. He came up in big moments throughout the season as well in the playoffs. His skill-set is so vast it is hard to contain, even more so given his tenacious nature. Over the past 2 seasons Tkachuk has 82 goals and 213 points in 161 games. He possesses an elite shot but its his nose for the net that adds significantly to his goal-scoring total, it's also why he's able to score goals in the biggest of moments. Tkachuk finds his way to the front of the net regardless of the defenders in-front of him and his elite hands result in him being able to complete the chances that he creates for himself close to the net better than anyone in the league. Being that Tkachuk is only 25 years old the best is yet to come for this mega-star.
1 - David Pastrnak - Boston Bruins - Age: 27
2022-2023 Regular Season Stats:
David Pastrnak was made to be a star. From his flashy plays on the ice to his flashy style off the ice, he is a superstar through and through. Pastrnak was unstoppable this past season after topping the 60 goal mark for the first time in his career, though he has been a prolific goal getter since coming in to the league. Since his age 22 season in 2018-2019 Pastrnak has averaged 50 goals a season. Lets take a look at how Pastrnak achieves his goal scoring prowess through some of his plays from this past season.
Firstly, lets look at his other worldly shot. Pastrnak locates with pinpoint accuracy from anywhere in the offensive zone.
His wrist shot isnt bad either...
Pastrnak is also one of the best stick-handlers in the league, specializing at beating defenders one-on-one resulting in them often looking incredibly lost. Someone needs to find Adam Larsson a map after this one...
Lastly, Pastrnak just has a super-human ability to score goals off plays that a lot of other players in the league would not have the confidence to even attempt. His plays are often high-risk, but it's no problem because he often converts. Only a handful of players would even attempt this kind of play.
It's Pasta's world and were all just living in it.
Honourable Mentions
Honourable Mentions
Claude Giroux
Ottawa Senators
Patrick Kane
UFA
Alex Tuch
Buffalo Sabres
Andrei Svechnikov
Carolina Hurricanes
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