The Unfortunate Diehards - Top 10

THE TOP 10 LEFT-WINGERS IN THE WORLD...ACCORDING TO SUFI

SUFYAN JAWED

AUGUST 16th 2022

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. Based on a mix of their last few seasons and how I think they’ll play next year. 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.

10. Jason Robertson- Dallas Stars - Age: 23

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

Robertson is one of my favorite players to watch, he has the admirable skill to slow the game down and make everyone play to his pace in the offensive zone. And then he’ll catch in lul and either unload his lethal shot or use his hands to create a chance for someone else. Production wise through his first two full seasons he has been nothing short of spectacular with 124 points in 125 games including 58 goals, 41 of those coming this season. He has also posted very strong analytical numbers and it would not be surprising to see him shoot up this list.

9. Alex Debrincat - Ottawa Senators - Age: 24

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

Sens fans have to be excited after trading for this game breaking player who’s only 24 years old (who knows why Chicago let him go or what their plan is). Since the 2018-2019 season he is 3rd in goals among left wingers. I think people tend to discredit his ability based on him playing with Patrick Kane, but after watching game tapes and taking a look at his overall analytic numbers Debrincat is the one that creates the chances on his line and yes Kane’s playmaking ability is amazing, but Debrincat’s ability to convert on tough passes, from tough angle’s is up there with the best in the league. Debrincat is also a plus defender for the winger position which is not easy to find and he is going to fit in perfectly in that top 6 in Ottawa, and hopefully they are able to lock him up long-term.

8. Filip Forsberg - Nashville Predators- Age: 28

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

Filip Forsberg has had a bit of a roller coaster career production wise and has often been susceptible to injuries, but man, he had his skill set out on full display this season it seemed that every other week there was another Forsberg highlight to watch. What was really impressive about his game this season was his ability to be defensively responsible. But for Forsberg it is the special offensive talent that really put him in this top 10. He is among the best offensive chance creators in the sport and uses a supreme deking ability to carve around defenders and set up high danger chances for himself and his teammates. As a Caps fan I am still scarred by the trade that sent him to Nashville, but have no issue saying that he is a treat to watch and he’s now signed long-term so hopefully they get more seasons like the one this past season from him and he can stay healthy at the same time.

7. Kyle Connor - Winnipeg Jets - Age: 25

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

I feel like Kyle Connor’s stats tend to surprise a lot of people because of the lack of attention the Jets have gotten recently, but for a player making $7.1 M over the next 4 seasons he is producing like a $9 M player. Among left-wingers since 2018-19, Connor ranks 2nd in goals, second in EVG, 4th in EVP, 3rd in Shots, 5th in points, and 7th in points per game. He is one of the best players in the league off the rush and the odds are he is shooting in those opportunities. Overall he is one of the best in the league at creating scoring chances for himself while also being a respectable playmaker especially off the rush.

6. Artemi Panarin - New York Rangers - Age: 30

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

Panarin had a very odd season discourse wise. He was often criticized for inconsistent play and lack of effectiveness at 5v5, on top of all of that his playoff performance was scrutinized as well. What I see panarin as though is a player with immense skill that had a down season at 5v5 yet still managed to produce 96 points in 75 games and it really just speaks to how high his skill level is. His passing skill is unbelievable and his vision is some of the best in the league offensively. Since he came in the league in 2015-16, his ranks among left wingers are superstar level, he is 2nd in points, 2nd in assists, 1st in points per game, 3rd in PPP, and 1st in EVP in that time span. All of this can’t be overlooked because of one down year at 5v5, especially when he has led the league in 5v5 points among left–wingers since he came in the league. Offensive skill set, there are few better players in the league.

5. Alexander Ovechkin - Washington Capitals - Age: 36

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

Alexander Ovechkin is my favorite player and it is really just wild to me that he is still producing at the pace that he is producing, 90 points and 50 goals at age 36? That's insane. And whenever it seems that the league has figured him out he adjusts and just keeps on producing with the generational shot and offensive awareness he possesses. For whatever reason people generally seem to think that he just sits at the left circle and pounds away. But he only scored 16 of his 50 goals this year on the powerplay. In 2019-20, when he had 48 goals in 68 games he only scored 13 of those of the powerplay. Ovechkin always finds new ways to score and has been more of a net-front presence in recent years. Since his age 32 season in 2017-18, among left-wingers he ranks 1st in goals, 1st in EVG, 1st in PPG, 1st in shots, 5th in points, 6th in points per-game, 5th in EVP, 3rd in PPP, and 1st in ATOI. Going into his age 37 season, Ovechkin is still one of the best players in the league as he hunts down Gretzky’s record.

4. Johnny Gaudreau- Columbus Blue Jackets - Age: 29

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

Guadreau surprised everyone including myself by going to the Jackets on the first day of free agency this off-season. Based on the season he had, plus his pedigree, he definitely deserves a bit more than he ended up getting. But he really wanted to go to Columbus apparently so it is what it is. The one thing the signing shouldn’t do though is tarnish his accomplishments. He was the main facilitator of his line in Calgary and dominated almost every time he was out there using his top notch abilities of speed and skill. Among left wingers since 2017-2018 Gaudreau is 4th in points, 3rd in assists, 2nd in EVP, and 5th in shots. I have complete faith in him continuing the same level of play in Columbus especially with someone like Laine on his wing.

3. Brad Marchand- Boston Bruins- Age: 34

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

In 2016-2017 Marchand had his first point per game 80+ point season, since then he has been well over a point per game and his ranks among left-wingers in that time span are in the upper echelon. In that span, amongst left-wingers he ranks 1st in points, 2nd in goals, 3rd in assists, 1st in points per game, 3rd in EVP, 1st in SHP, 1st in GWG and 1st in PPP. Oh, and also 1st in being an absolute annoyance to everyone he plays against. Marchand’s offensive excellence over the past 6 years can be attributed to strong possession stats and his ability to create scoring chances for him and his teammates in a multitude of ways. That excellence can be hard to believe sometimes considering he is one of the best defensive wingers in the league as well as the fact he has taken it upon himself to be the most annoying player in the NHL. But that's a part of his excellency, the ability to get you off your game while performing at a high level himself. And hey, at least he is not licking people anymore, call it progress.

2. Jonathan Huberdeau- Calgary Flames- Age: 29

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

Huberdeau is the best pure playmaker in the NHL. He has the skills to score as well with his sublime hands in the offensive zone, and off the rush he is a special talent. But the passing trait he possesses is something special because he uses his reach and strength to extend plays and make the extra pass which often lead to his linemates having wide-open scoring chances. Among left-wingers since the 2018-2019 season, Huberdeau ranks 1st in points, 1st in assists, 3rd in points per game, 3rd in EVP, and 1st in PPP. After being the biggest part of that baffling trade by Florida in the Matthew Tkachuk deal, Huberdeau ends up in a situation in Calgary where he is likely to play with Elias Lindholm and those two as a duo seem poised to have massive seasons

Kirill Kaprizov - Minnesota Wild - Age 25

2021/2022 - Regular Season Stats:

In only his second season in the NHL, Kaprizov tops this list. Through 136 games in those two seasons he already has 74 goals and 159 points. It is hard not to get excited to watch Kaprizov play as his skating ability is so unique. I feel like there is so many highlights of him just torturing the other team in the offensive zone by skating circles around them then proceeding to find an open teammate or create a scoring chance for himself. Such as this:

Or even this:

The edgework he uses to create chances is unbelievable and he tops it off with an amazing shot and playmaking ability. On top of all of this he has been shown to be defensively responsible and his passion brings a certain spark to the Wild that we haven’t seen in a very long time.