NHL Player Rankings: New Players Appear in the Top 10 While Some Still Hold Their Position. Who Exactly Falls Where? Well, We’re Here to Let You Know With Our Weekly Player Rankings!
Welcome back to our weekly NHL Player Rankings, a compilation of lists showing you who is on top, as well as who is on the bottom in every position. We’ll also show you the best player of the week for all three zones of the ice, new players appear, while some still hold their position.
For forwards and defenseman, the main factor will be based on points-per-game averages. This statistic shows us how well a player has scored in the games they have played. When given an advanced look it lets us know how much they could end up scoring on the season and if they would lead the league or not.
Goalies will be decided by goals-against-average and shutouts. While goalies are obviously going to let in pucks, this stat is fundamental in watching their overall success and potential to where they could be in the league if playing for a better defensive team.
With some new players making it into the rankings this week, this also means a new look. So let’s dive into the rankings and see who exactly falls where. Winnipeg rookie forward Patrik Laine makes the biggest jump while Blue Jackets netminder Sergei Bobrovsky takes the biggest plunge.
Legend:
LW = Last Week
NR = Not Ranked
**Minimum 45 Games Played** (Forwards/Defense)
**Minimum 35 Games Played** (Goalies)
Top 10 Centers:
1 (LW/-) – Sidney Crosby (PIT) – 52GP, 32G, 33A, 65PTS, 1.25PPG
2 (LW/-) – Evgeni Malkin (PIT) – 51GP, 24G, 35A, 59PTS, 1.16PPG
3 (LW/-) – Connor McDavid (EDM) – 59GP, 20G, 47A, 67PTS, 1.14PPG
4 (LW/-) – Nicklas Backstrom (WSH) – 58GP, 17G, 44A, 61PTS, 1.05PPG
5 (LW/-) – Mark Scheifele (WPG) – 59GP, 25G, 35A, 60PTS, 1.02PPG
6 (LW/-) – Tyler Seguin (DAL) – 60GP, 21G, 38A, 59PTS, 0.98PPG
7 (LW/+1) – Mikael Granlund (MIN) – 58GP, 17G, 36A, 53PTS, 0.91PPG
8 (LW/-1) – Jeff Carter (LA) – 58GP, 29G, 24A, 53PTS, 0.91PPG
9 (LW/NR) – Leon Draisaitl (EDM) – 59GP, 22G, 30A, 52PTS, 0.88PPG
10 (LW/NR) – Joe Pavelski (SJ) – 60GP, 20G, 32A, 52PTS, 0.87PPG
Top 10 Left Wingers:
1 (LW/-) – Brad Marchand (BOS) – 59GP, 25G, 34A, 59PTS, 1.00PPG
2 (LW/-) – Jamie Benn (DAL) – 56GP, 20G, 34A, 54PTS, 0.96PPG
3 (LW/+1) – Artemi Panarin (CHI) – 59GP, 19G, 34A, 53PTS, 0.90PPG
4 (LW/-1) – Alex Ovechkin (WSH) – 58GP, 27G, 25A, 52PTS, 0.90PPG
5 (LW/-) – Max Pacioretty (MTL) – 59GP, 28G, 23A, 51PTS, 0.86PPG
6 (LW/+2) – Taylor Hall (NJ) – 49GP, 14G, 26A, 40PTS, 0.82PPG
7 (LW/NR) – Thomas Vanek (DET) – 46GP, 15G, 22A, 37PTS, 0.80PPG
8 (LW/-2) – J.T. Miller (NYR) – 58GP, 18G, 28A, 46PTS, 0.79PPG
9 (LW/-) – James van Riemsdyk (TOR) – 58GP, 19G, 27A, 46PTS, 0.79PPG
10 (LW/-) – Chris Kreider (NYR) – 52GP, 22G, 18A, 40PTS, 0.77PPG
Top 10 Right Wingers:
1 (LW/-) – Patrick Kane (CHI) – 59GP, 20G, 40A, 60PTS, 1.02PPG
2 (LW/+5) – Patrik Laine (WPG) – 54GP, 28G, 24A, 52PTS, 0.96PPG
3 (LW/-1) – Nikita Kucherov (TB) – 51GP, 21G, 28A, 49PTS, 0.96PPG
4 (LW/-) – Vladimir Tarasenko (STL) – 59GP, 28G, 28A, 56PTS, 0.95PPG
5 (LW/-2) – Phil Kessel (PIT) – 58GP, 21G, 34A, 55PTS, 0.95PPG
6 (LW/-1) – David Pastrnak (BOS) – 52GP, 25G, 23A, 48PTS, 0.92PPG
7 (LW/-1) – Cam Atkinson (CBJ) – 58GP, 27G, 23A, 50PTS, 0.86PPG
8 (LW/NR) – Mark Stone (OTT) – 56GP, 22G, 25A, 47PTS, 0.84PPG
9 (LW/-1) – T.J. Oshie (WSH) – 49GP, 23G, 18A, 41PTS, 0.84PPG
10 (LW/-1) – Jakub Voracek (PHI) – 59GP, 15G, 34A, 49PTS, 0.83PPG
Top 10 Defenseman:
1 (LW/-) – Brent Burns (SJ) – 60GP, 27G, 37A, 64PTS, 1.07PPG
2 (LW/-) – Erik Karlsson (OTT) – 57GP, 9G, 42A, 51PTS, 0.89PPG
3 (LW/-) – Victor Hedman (TB) – 55GP, 10G, 38A, 48PTS, 0.87PPG
4 (LW/+2) – Kevin Shattenkirk (STL) – 59GP, 11G, 31A, 42PTS, 0.71PPG
5 (LW/-1) – Justin Schultz (PIT) – 56GP, 9G, 30A, 39PTS, 0.70PPG
6 (LW/-1) – Duncan Keith (CHI) – 59GP, 5G, 36A, 41PTS, 0.69PPG
7 (LW/NR) – Seth Jones (CBJ) – 52GP, 10G, 24A, 34PTS, 0.65PPG
8 (LW/-1) – Torey Krug (BOS) – 59GP, 5G, 32A, 37PTS, 0.63PPG
9 (LW/NR) – Zach Werenski (CBJ) – 58GP, 9G, 27A, 36PTS, 0.62PPG
10 (LW/-2) – Dustin Byfuglien (WPG) – 62GP, 9G, 29A, 38PTS, 0.61PPG
Top 10 Goalies:
1 (LW/+1) – Peter Budaj (LA) – 51GP, 26W, 2.14GAA, 7SO, .916SV%
2 (LW/-1) – Braden Holtby (WSH) – 44GP, 29W, 2.01GAA, 7SO, .926SV%
3 (LW/-) – Tuukka Rask (BOS) – 47GP, 28W, 2.24GAA, 6SO, .914SV%
4 (LW/+3) – John Gibson (ANA) – 47GP, 23W, 2.27GAA, 5SO, .922SV%
5 (LW/-1) – Cam Talbot (EDM) – 53GP, 30W, 2.35GAA, 5SO, .921SV%
6 (LW/-1) – Devan Dubnyk (MIN) – 45GP, 32W, 1.97GAA, 5SO, .934SV%
7 (LW/+1) – Frederik Andersen (TOR) – 47GP, 23W, 2.78GAA, 3SO, .915SV%
8 (LW/+1) – Connor Hellebuyck (WPG) – 42GP, 20W, 2.73GAA, 3SO, .911SV%
9 (LW/NR) – Ryan Miller (VAN) – 37GP, 16W, 2.61GAA, 3SO, .917SV%
10 (LW/-4) – Sergei Bobrovsky (CBJ) – 47GP, 31W, 2.21GAA, 3SO, .925SV%
We also cover the bottom ten in each position cause if you happen to have said player in a hockey pool or something close to one, you can decide if you want to keep him or not.
**Minimum 35 Games Played** (Forwards/Defense)
**Minimum 15 Games Played** (Goalies)
Bottom 10 Centers:
1 (LW/-) – John Mitchell (COL) – 49GP, 2G, 1A, 3PTS, 0.06PPG
2 (LW/-) – Vernon Fiddler (NSH) – 45GP, 1G, 2A, 3PTS, 0.07PPG
3 (LW/-) – Derek Grant (BUF) – 46GP, 0G, 4A, 4PTS, 0.09PPG
4 (LW/-) – Sergey Kalinin (TOR) – 43GP, 2G, 2A, 4PTS, 0.09PPG
5 (LW/+1) – Brendan Gaunce (VAN) – 50GP, 0G, 5A, 5PTS, 0.10PPG
6 (LW/+3) – Joe Colborne (COL) – 47GP, 4G, 1A, 5PTS, 0.11PPG
7 (LW/+1) – Jay McClement (CAR) – 54GP, 4G, 2A, 6PTS, 0.11PPG
8 (LW/NR) – Michael Chaput (VAN) – 48GP, 3G, 3A, 6PTS, 0.13PPG
9 (LW/-2) – Logan Shaw (ANA) – 40GP, 2G, 3A, 5PTS, 0.13PPG
10 (LW/NR) – Lance Bouma (CGY) – 39GP, 3G, 2A, 5PTS, 0.13PPG
Bottom 10 Left Wingers:
1 (LW/-) – Brandon Tanev (WPG) – 41GP, 2G, 2A, 4PTS, 0.10PPG
2 (LW/-) – Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (PHI) – 59GP, 3G, 3A, 6PTS, 0.10PPG
3 (LW/+1) – Roman Lyubimov (PHI) – 43GP, 4G, 1A, 5PTS, 0.12PPG
4 (LW/+1) – Andreas Martinsen (COL) – 51GP, 3G, 3A, 6PTS, 0.12PPG
5 (LW/+1) – Matt Martin (TOR) – 58GP, 4G, 3A, 7PTS, 0.12PPG
6 (LW/-3) – Cody McLeod (NSH) – 41GP, 4G, 1A, 5PTS, 0.12PPG
7 (LW/-) – Joakim Nordstrom (CAR) – 55GP, 3G, 5A, 8PTS, 0.15PPG
8 (LW/-) – Lawson Crouse (ARI) – 49GP, 3G, 5A, 8PTS, 0.16PPG
9 (LW/+1) – Drew Miller (DET) – 35GP, 5G. 1A, 6PTS, 0.17PPG
10 (LW/-1) – William Carrier (BUF) – 35GP, 4G, 2A, 6PTS, 0.17PPG
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Bottom 10 Right Wingers:
1 (LW/-) – Jordin Tootoo (CHI) – 36GP, 0G, 0A, 0PTS, 0.00PPG
2 (LW/-) – Jared Boll (ANA) – 40GP, 0G, 2A, 2PTS, 0.05PPG
3 (LW/-) – Chris Neil (OTT) – 49GP, 1G, 2A, 3PTS, 0.06PPG
4 (LW/+1) – Chris Thorburn (WPG) – 45GP, 3G, 1A, 4PTS, 0.09PPG
5 (LW/NR) – Ben Smith (TOR) – 38GP, 2G, 2A, 4PTS, 0.11PPG
6 (LW/-) – Dale Weise (PHI) – 47GP, 2G, 3A, 5PTS, 0.11PPG
7 (LW/-) – J.T. Brown (TB) – 45GP, 2G, 3A, 5PTS, 0.11PPG
8 (LW/-4) – Jimmy Hayes (BOS) – 44GP, 2G, 3A, 5PTS, 0.11PPG
9 (LW/-1) – Ryan Reaves (STL) – 57GP, 3G, 4A, 7PTS, 0.12PPG
10 (LW/-1) – Jack Skille (VAN) – 52GP, 4G, 3A, 7PTS, 0.13PPG
Bottom 10 Defenseman:
1 (LW/-) – Mark Borowiecki (OTT) – 49GP, 1G, 1A, 2PTS, 0.04PPG
2 (LW/-) – Josh Gorges (BUF) – 44GP, 0G, 2A, 2PTS, 0.05PPG
3 (LW/+1) – Kevin Gravel (LA) – 38GP, 0G, 3A, 3PTS, 0.08PPG
4 (LW/-1) – Luke Schenn (ARI) – 53GP, 0G, 5A, 5PTS, 0.09PPG
5 (LW/+4) – Ben Lovejoy (NJ) – 59GP, 1G, 5A, 6PTS, 0.10PPG
6 (LW/-1) – Carl Gunnarsson (STL) – 38GP, 0G, 4A, 4PTS, 0.11PPG
7 (LW/-) – Kris Russell (EDM) – 47GP, 0G, 5A, 5PTS, 0.11PPG
8 (LW/+2) – Braydon Coburn (TB) – 56GP, 2G, 4A, 6PTS, 0.11PPG
9 (LW/-3) – Roman Polak (TOR) – 53GP, 3G, 3A, 6PTS, 0.11PPG
10 (LW/NR) – Kevin Bieksa (ANA) – 60GP, 2G, 5A, 7PTS, 0.12PPG
Bottom 10 Goalies:
1 (LW/+3) – Louis Domingue (ARI) – 22GP, 5W, 3.29GAA, 0SO, .895SV%
2 (LW/-1) – James Reimer (FLA) – 24GP, 11W, 2.48GAA, 0SO, .918SV%
3 (LW/+2) – Michal Neuvirth (PHI) – 22GP, 10W, 2.78GAA, 0SO, .890SV%
4 (LW/+2) – Jacob Markstrom (VAN) – 26GP, 10W, 2.63GAA, 0SO, .910SV%
5 (LW/+2) – Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT) – 30GP, 15W, 3.16GAA, 0SO, .906SV%
6 (LW/+2) – Brian Elliott (CGY) – 30GP, 12W, 2.76GAA, 0SO, .898SV%
7 (LW/-4) – Keith Kinkaid (NJ) – 17GP, 6W, 2.81GAA, 0SO, .913SV%
8 (LW/-6) – Antti Niemi (DAL) – 29GP, 10W, 3.19GAA, 0SO, .899SV%
9 (LW/NR) – Kari Lehtonen (DAL) – 41GP, 13W, 2.88GAA, 1SO, .902SV%
10 (LW/NR) – Steve Mason (PHI) – 42GP, 16W, 2.90GAA, 1SO, .900SV%
Top Forward of the Week: Tyler Seguin (DAL) – 4GP, 1G, 7A, 8PTS, Even
Dallas currently sits six points outside the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. But if Tyler Seguin can keep putting up solid weeks like he did last week as well as captain Jamie Benn, the Stars may just squeak their way into that final spot. Goaltending just needs to step up though and help this team before it’s too late.
Top Defenseman of the Week: Brent Burns (SJ) – 3GP, 5G, 1A, 6PTS, +7
Brent Burns has gone from depth forward to all-star defenseman in the NHL, he now leads all defenseman with 64 points, that’s 13 ahead of second place Erik Karlsson. The Sharks currently sit first in the Pacific division and five points ahead of Edmonton and Anaheim. If San Jose can keep their solid netminding and solid scoring, they could very well make it to the Stanley Cup finals yet again.
Next: NHL Fantasy Waiver Wire: Week 19
Top Goalie of the Week: Cam Talbot (EDM) – 3GP, 3W, 2.00GAA, .940SV%, 0SO
Having an undefeated week is awesome, but when you sit second in the Pacific division which holds some of the best teams, that perfect week is so much better. Cam Talbot has truly come into his own with Oilers and has worked his way into the top five in the whole league. Edmonton is looking like a serious team this season since they added all the key parts they needed in the off-season. So how far will they go in the playoffs? Well, that’s still unknown, but you should definitely be happy with this team as they will be moving into the elite as the years go on.