Every NHL team’s best player for the 2020 season
Atlantic Division
Boston Bruins – Patrice Bergeron
The Boston Bruins are one of the best teams in the NHL, and it’s no surprise why when you look at their roster. They have superstar players in David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand who would easily be the best player on many other teams in the league, however not on their own because of the fact they play with Patrice Bergeron.
Bergeron, 34, seems to be getting even better with age. The four-time Selke Trophy winner put up a career-high 79 points last season despite playing in just 65 games. He was outstanding yet again this season with 31 goals and 56 points in just 61 games. He is arguably the best two way center in the game and will have a chance to lead the Bruins to a Stanley Cup Championship this summer, something they fell just one game shy of last year.
Buffalo Sabres – Jack Eichel
One of the only things the Sabres have done right in the last 10 years was selecting Jack Eichel with the second overall pick at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old has improved every season he has been in the league, and this one was no exception. With 78 points in 68 games prior to the NHL stoppage, he was on pace to destroy his career-high 82 points set the season prior.
The unfortunate thing for Eichel and his fans is that the Sabres management has failed to put together any type of supporting cast around the young forward. He has yet to play a single playoff game in his career and will not get to participate in this summers playoffs either despite the league changing the format from 16 teams to 24.
He has not been shy lately of voicing his growing frustration of the team’s lack of success, and they may be in danger of a trade request if they are not able to build a competent roster around him soon.
light. Must Read. 3 Defining Moves From Jason Botterill
Detroit Red Wings – Dylan Larkin
The 2019-20 season went as poorly as it possibly could have for the Detroit Red Wings. They had one of the worst regular seasons of all time, finishing with just 17 wins and 39 points in 71 games. Despite the lack of success, however, they do still have some highly skilled players, none better than Dylan Larkin.
Larkin, 23, was selected by the Red Wings in the first round (15th) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, and has proven to be an extremely successful pick. Last season, he posted a career-high 32 goals and 73 points in 71 games. Though this season saw a decline in his numbers, it is hard to blame him considering the players he was surrounded with. Expect a bounce-back season next year.
Florida Panthers – Alexander Barkov
The Florida Panthers are a lot like the Carolina Hurricanes in that they have many extremely talented players who are very underappreciated. Players such as Jonathan Huberdeau, Mike Hoffman, and Evgeny Dadonov have all put up high point totals the last few seasons yet rarely get mentioned. However, their best and arguably most underrated player is Aleksander Barkov.
The Finnish sensation, despite not getting much recognition, is highly regarded by other players as one of the league’s best two-way centers. The 2018-19 season was the best we have seen of Barkov to date, as he posted a career-high 35 goals and 96 points. The former second overall pick is still just 24-years-old, and will hopefully be able to become more appreciated as his career goes on.
Montreal Canadiens – Carey Price
Though his last few seasons haven’t been up to his normal standard, there is still little doubt that Carey Price is the Montreal Canadiens’ best player. It is hard to blame the 32-year-old for having down stats the past few seasons, as the team in front of him has struggled as a whole.
However, when you are the highest paid goalie in the NHL, you should be stealing games for your team on a nightly basis, something Price has been unable to do lately.
The one thing Price has going for him is that the Canadiens do have some good young talent and should improve soon. Although it is hard to say whether or not he is on the decline at this point in his career, it seems likely he still has a few more good seasons in him.
If Montreal is able to put a competitive team ahead of him soon, he may be able to take them on a big playoff run soon. After all, he is still viewed by many players in the league as the game’s best goaltender.
Ottawa Senators – Thomas Chabot
The Ottawa Senators were another team who struggled throughout the majority of the 2019-20 season. However, with some of the young talent they have in the organization, they should be able to turn things around soon.
Leading the charge of the young talent is defenseman Thomas Chabot. Finishing his third year with the team, he saw his point total decrease from 2018-19’s career-high 55, to just 39 this season.
Though his point production was somewhat disappointing, his overall play was not. Chabot was a workhorse for the Sens this season, averaging a league-high 26:00 minutes per game in ice time this season. Assuming the Senators are able to turn into a playoff team soon, it seems likely he could propel himself into Norris Trophy conversations in the upcoming years.
Tampa Bay Lightning – Nikita Kucherov
The Tampa Bay Lightning are considered by many to be the best team in the entire NHL. As a result, they have tons of star talent that could be on this list. Upfront they have Steven Stamkos, who is one of the leagues most feared goal scorers.
Then on the back end, they have Victor Hedman who seems to be in Norris Trophy contention every year, all while having Andrei Vaselivsky in the pipes, who is one of the best goaltenders in the world.
Despite all the talent on the team, Russian forward Nikita Kucherov is their best player. The 27-year-old put up his first 100-point season in 2017-18, but it was really in the 2018-19 season where he started getting consideration as one of the best in the world.
That season saw him put up an unfathomable 128 points. He will look to regroup in the playoffs this summer after a poor showing in last year’s postseason.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Auston Matthews
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews entered 2016 NHL Entry Draft with a ton of hype, and has proven why. The 22-year-old has arguably the best release in the game of hockey, and fell just one goal shy of his first ever Rocket Richard Trophy this season. Though falling shy of the trophy is disappointing, his 47 goals and 80 points in 70 games played certainly isn’t.
As dominant as Matthews already is, he is only getting better. The Leafs have one of the best young cores in the league, large in part thanks to him. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them end their extremely long Stanley Cup drought sooner than later with Matthews leading the charge.