NHL: The Ten Current Best American Hockey Players In The NHL
Today is the 4th of July! So what better day to look back at some of the best American-born hockey players in the NHL right. There certainly are plenty of stars in the NHL who come out of the US.
Guys like Troy Terry, Brady Tkachuk and Charlie McAvoy have some bright futures in this league and are definitely going to find their names on this list in the next few years.
Another guy who definitely is going to be on this list in the future has to be rookie sensation Trevor Zegras. Zegras shocked the league with his amazing highlight-reel goals, and he is definitely going to be a part of making the Anaheim Ducks a threat in this league again.
Check out some of his highlights here:
Let me start off by saying this list does not have a particular order. I am not going in on who the best American-born hockey player is because I do not think that is a fair battle. My gut reaction would be to say Patrick Kane, but Auston Matthews is still at the beginning of his career and has a lot of time to pass Kane for that spot.
So instead of saying who the best of the best is, I am just going to recognize ten names of star players who are stars now or have been stars in this league for a long time. The first name on this list is a name few will forget anytime soon.
1. Phil Kessel
Phil Kessel is first up on our list. Kessel is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion who played last season for the Arizona Coyotes. He has an iron man streak of 982, the longest streak currently in the league as the next closest active player is Brent Burns with 679 games.
Kessel should pass Keith Yandle whose streak ended on March 29 of this past season when Yandle was scratched by the Philadelphia Flyers by then-interim coach Mike Yeo. The decision was interesting to say the least as Yandle had the longest streak in the league up to that point.
Kessel has brought the league some very memorable moments over the course of his career, and he has been involved in some pretty big trades through the years like the trade that sent him to Toronto from Boston as well as the deal that brought him to Pittsburgh from Toronto.
Kesel still has some good hockey ahead of him, and considering he is a free agent hopefully it is on a different team than the Coyotes.
2. Johnny Gaudreau
Johnny Gaudreau had the most impressive season any active American-born player has had. He put up 115 points in 82 games for the Calgary Flames during a contract year nonetheless.
Gaudreau has been in the league since 2014 and has put up 609 points through 602 games all with the Calgary Flames. His best season in the league came this past season during one of the Flames’ best performances of recent memory.
He definitely is one of the top ten active American-born players, and this past season it is hard to argue against him being in the top two or three. Although his teammate was also really good this past year.
3. Matthew Tkachuk
Matthew Tkachuk is one of the games next up and coming stars. This past season he put up 42 goals and put up 104 points for the Calgary Flames adding ten more points in 12 games in the playoffs.
Tkachuk was drafted sixth overall in 2016 and has become one of the best players from that draft class. His brother, Brady Tkachuk, should be on this list in the next few seasons.
Tkachuk might be the most physical player you find on this list and he is someone that every team in the league would look to build around when it comes to building a championship roster.
The next player on this list also did not play for an American team this past season.
4. J.T. Miller
J.T. Miller put up 99 points with the Vancouer Canucks this past season. While the Canucks are not the best team in the league by far, Miller had a strong season for the team.
Miller has spent ten years in the NHL playing for teams like the Tamba Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers. Through 637 NHL games he has 454 points. This might be a one off season for Miller on this list thanks to his really strong season, but he definitely earned his spot this season.
Miller led the Canucks in points this past season by a long shot putting up 99 points well above the next best player Elias Pettersson who put up 68.
The fact Miller was so great on a bit of a weak team earns him this spot on the list.
5. Kyle Connor
With Auston Matthews putting up 60 goals this past season I think few realize Kyle Connor also had a great season. Connor put up 47 goals which was tied for fifth for the most goals in the league. This definitely would be Chris Kreider’s spot on the list as he was third in the league in points but considering he only put up 25 points he is only getting an honorable mention.
Connor was a bright spot for the Winnipeg Jets this past season, someone the team is definitely going to hope to have in the long term future for the franchise.
Connor also won the Lady Bing Trophy for his play this past season. You don’t win a trophy like that unless you are doing something right as it is handed out to the most gentlemanly player as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writer Association.
6. Jake Guentzel
Jake Guentzel had a really strong season in 2021-22. He showed that he is not just a side kick to Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin as he put up 40 goals and 44 assists in 76 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Guentzel has shined pretty much every year he has been in the league but this year was particularly special. He and some of the other stars in Pittsburgh practically willed themselves to a playoff spot.
Every year in the league has seen Guentzel take another step forward and his stats over the years show it. This was definitely the 27 year olds strongest performance but he will be back in the future to continue to push the Penguins into the playoffs.
7. Alex DeBrincat
Alex DeBrincat has become one of the brightest young stars in the NHL in recent years. In just five seasons in the NHL, DeBrincat has 307 points in 368 games in the league. This past season he put up 41 goals in 82 games and he has been one of the brightest stars on a struggling Blackhawks team.
DeBrincat is a player who is being referenced to in a lot of trade rumors as of late. He could be seen in a different jersey next season. If that is the case I hope it is still a big market as DeBrincat definitely is going to be a star player for a long time.
On a good team DeBrincat could be a leading voice in a championship. During the 2019-20 NHL season DeBrincat did not have the best year under then head coach Jeremy Colliton. He only put up 18 goals and he had a shooting percentage way below his career average of 15.5 percent.
Debrincat learned how to play away from the puck even better than when he has it. He started killing penalties and became a better all around player. There is no doubt Alex DeBrincat will be on this list for years to come.
8. Quinn Hughes
Quinn Hughes is one of the best young defensemen in the NHL. This past season he put up 60 assists in 76 games for the Vancouver Canucks. Hughes is only 22 years old and is apart of one of the best new American hockey families the NHL has to offer with Quinn Hughes, Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes.
Quinn Hughes is going to be on lists like this for a long time and he is going to be joined by some other great defensemen like Adam Fox for example.
As a defensemen through 205 games, Hughes already has put up 146 assists and 19 goals. There is no doubt he will be adding a Norris Trophy to his collection in a short while.
9. Auston Matthews
What more needs to be said about Auston Matthews that has not been said already. Matthews had one of the most incredible NHL seasons the league has seen this past season putting up 60 goals in 73 games. He had 104 points and won a lot of trophies.
Matthews won the Hart, Maurice Richard trophy as well as the Ted Lindsay award in 2022. He is only 24 years old and yet he already has 259 goals and 457 points in the league. It seems likely him and Connor McDavid will be this league’s next Crosby and Ovechkin.
The only thing Matthews still needs to do is win in the postseason. Something he has fallen short of in his previous six seasons in the league. The sad thing is, the past five elimiations for the Leafs ended in the last possible round one game. Even in 2020 during the play in the Leafs lost in game five of a best of three.
Matthews has 17 goals and 16 assists through 39 playoff games in a Leafs uniform. Hopefully he gets another opportunity to shine in the playoffs next year.
10. Patrick Kane
Patrick Kane is a three time Stanley Cup Champion who has been one of the brightest stars in this league for a long time. Now before diving too deep into Kane I want to mention one important player.
Another three time Stanley Cup Champion is also an American star in this league – Pat Maroon won three Stanley Cups in three seasons. While he is not getting a spot on this list, I want to mention him as I mention Patrick Kane who also has three Cups under his belt.
Kane is the current best American hockey player of all time. While Matthews might pass him up down the line, Kane is the current leader in that category and for good measure. Kane has played for 15 years putting up 1180 points in 1107 games. He constantly finds ways to improve his game despite being 33 years old and he is someone who can definitely win another championship if he chooses to go to another team as the Blackhawks are rebuilding.
Kane has been the one player pushing the door open for the Hawks to be competitive the past few seasons and he is definitely still the best American hockey player of all time.
After putting together this list I do have one very interesting takeaway. Six of the ten players here play for Canadien teams. Some of those players are very important star players too like Auston Matthews and Johnny Gaudreau, although who knows where Gaudreau could end up next season!
Have a fantastic fourth of July and let us know who you think will be on this list next year!