TOP 100 NHL PLAYERS: 2-6
2 NATHAN MACKINNON POS: C | AGE: 30 | LY: 1 > Since registering his first 100-point season in 2022-23, MacKinnon has blown his teammates away – he is 300-plus points clear of Valeri Nichushkin, the next-highest-scoring current Avs forward. MacKinnon’s pursuit of greatness has led him beyond his early career stardom into the realm of first-ballot Hall-of-Fame talent. 3 NIKITA KUCHEROV POS: RW | AGE: 32 | LY: 7 > Is it possible that Kucherov is actually underrated? He doesn’t have Connor McDavid’s speed or Nathan MacKinnon’s tour-de-force presence, but what Kucherov does have is the mind of a hockey savant and the work ethic of a fourth-line plugger. He fell just a few points short of becoming only the seventh player in NHL history to lead the league…
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TOP 100 NHL PLAYERS: 66-72
66 DEVON TOEWS POS: D | AGE: 32 | LY: 49 Toews is so much more than Makar’s partner in crime, and nothing highlights Toews’ importance to the Avalanche’s success more than his January absence. Colorado had lost nine times in 40 games before Toews fell injured, then proceeded to lose eight of 13 games while he was on the shelf. 67 MARK STONE POS: RW | AGE: 33 | LY: 71 Injuries remain a major talking point within Stone’s story. This year, an early-season wrist issue kept him out for more than a month, and he missed five games in March with a UBI. But when the captain is in the lineup, he’s a two-way beast. On a down year for the team, his own offensive production is better than ever. 68 LEO CARLSSON POS:…
MONTREAL VICTOIRE
The Hockey News POWER RANKING | 2ND > THE MONTREAL Victoire have experienced nothing but heartbreak in the playoffs. In Year 1, the Boston Fleet swept the Victoire in the opening round, playing a total of five overtime periods across three games. In Year 2, the Ottawa Charge knocked Montreal out in four games. Montreal entered both years as a pre-season favorite but could not find its way out of Round 1. Montreal arguably leaned too heavily on its top players in both instances. Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, Erin Ambrose and Kati Tabin all recorded games with 50-plus minutes of ice time. The Victoire ran their top stars into the ice – and ran out of gas in the process. Even after losing a part of its core to expansion…
TOP 100 NHL PLAYERS: 94-99
94 JURAJ SLAFKOVSKY POS: LW | AGE: 22 | LY: NR After three seasons of slow but steady progression, Slafkovsky arrived in a big way this season. At times, he’s played alongside rookies Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen, but he’s been just as productive as when playing with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. The big-bodied power forward has rewarded Montreal’s patience. 95 IVAN PROVOROV POS: D | AGE: 29 | LY: NR Yes, it’s been the Zach Werenski show in Columbus, but he’s not the only blueliner logging big ice time. Provorov has been playing nearly 25 minutes a night for the Blue Jackets, and those minutes have been very effective. When he’s patrolling the pond, Columbus is outscoring opponents by a fair clip at five-a-side. 96 MATTHEW KNIES POS: LW | AGE: 23 | LY:…
