Anaheim Ducks

The 9 Most Skilled NHL Players (Who Wow Fans Nightly)

While the overall skill level in the NHL is at an all time high, these 9 players are able to stand out from the rest of their peers.

by
Colton Pankiw
October 19, 2022

There is no denying how much the game of hockey is evolving. While it has always been a fantastic sport to watch, there is more skill and creativity in today’s game than we have ever seen. What’s incredible is that each and every year, more young players come into the league and continue to bring things to the ice that the game has never seen before. This will only continue as the year progresses, which will allow the sport to grow even further.

With the way the league has gone over the past decade, the overall skill has increased in a major way. Long gone are the days when bottom-six players in a forward group were relied upon as fighters. Now, it is no longer a surprise to see a fourth-line player score a highlight reel-worthy goal. With that said, however, there are some special players whose talent shines above the rest. Let’s take a look at them.

Alexander Ovechkin

It didn’t take Alexander Ovechkin long to make an impact upon entering the NHL. The man known as the ‘Great 8’ was awarded the Calder Trophy after a 52-goal, 106-point rookie season. As it turns out, that was just the start.

Ovechkin has recorded nine seasons of 50+ goals, two of which he cracked the 60-goal marker. Age hasn’t yet slowed him down, as the 37-year-old is coming off of a 2021-22 season in which he scored 50 goals and 90 points in just 77 games. As incredible as those numbers are, however, they aren’t the only reason he is on this list.

What makes Ovechkin so exciting to watch is the intensity he brings each and every night. While his defensive play was questioned by some early in his career, you could always count on him flying around the ice throwing bone-crunching hits on any player in his sights. Of course, what he is known for even more is his absolute rocket of a one-timer on the power play, one that has terrorized goaltenders for years and should continue to do so for plenty more to come.

Trevor Zegras

Despite only playing one full season in the NHL thus far, Trevor Zegras is already one of the NHL’s most marketable players. The NHL has come to realize this in a short time, and as a result, chose to have him alongside Sarah Nurse for the cover of the NHL23 video game.

While Zegras’ cool and fun-loving personality certainly helps with his marketability, it is due far more to his on-ice talent. The 21-year-old isn’t afraid to try anything on the ice, and though his sometimes risky plays have been described as hotdogging by some, it is undoubtedly drawing more young fans into the game.

As many highlight reel-worthy plays as we saw from Zegras last season, the one that got and continues to get the most hype is the behind-the-net pass he had versus the Buffalo Sabres in the clip above. Unique moves like this will only continue from the young American forward, who has as much natural-born talent as anyone in the league.

Artemi Panarin

Artemi Panarin had plenty of hype surrounding his name when he made his long-awaited NHL debut in 2015-16, and it’s safe to say he hasn’t disappointed. The now 30-year-old lit the league on fire in his rookie season with 30 goals and 77-points, numbers that were good enough to earn him the Calder Trophy. As we have come to realize, he was only getting started.

While Panarin’s numbers with both the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets were impressive, it is since joining the New York Rangers in 2019-20 that he has turned into a truly elite talent. As his 96 points in 75 games last season prove, he is one of the league’s best point producers, and boy, is he fun to watch.

With Panarin, it isn’t just one thing that makes him so entertaining. He has precision accuracy and is an even better passer. His skating is incredible to watch given how effortless he looks moving up and down the ice. He seems to still be getting better each and every year and at 30 years old there is no reason to expect him to slow down any time soon.

Nathan MacKinnon

This past season, NHL fans were able to watch Nathan MacKinnon hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career. It was a well-deserved honor for the Colorado Avalanche forward, who has been one of the league’s most electric players over the past five seasons. Playing on one of the best teams in the NHL, there is a real chance he is able to win a second Cup in 2023.

A quick glance at MacKinnon’s stats in recent years makes it apparent how dominant a player he is. The only reason he has not yet recorded 100-points in a single season is due to injury, and if he is able to stay healthy in 2022-23, he should have no problem getting there.

While MacKinnon is elite in many areas, what makes him a real treat to watch is his skating. When coming down the ice with the puck, he appears to be galloping on his skates rather than crossing over. It is a very unique stride, but not at all in a bad way. Even better is that he is able to elevate all parts of his game each year in the playoffs, making him a must-watch player anytime he and the Avalanche are in the postseason.

Auston Matthews

Aside from Connor McDavid, there has been no player entering the league in the past decade that received the hype Auston Matthews did. The 25-year-old has been regarded as a generational talent for nearly half of his life now and has more than lived up to the major pressure that comes with that attention.

Matthews has won the Rocket Richard Trophy in each of the past two seasons, and may very well have one or two more under his belt had it not been for some injury-riddled years. That said, he should be able to accumulate plenty more down the road, as he is undoubtedly the best goal-scorer in the game today.

The most exciting thing when it comes to watching Matthews is his shot. He seems capable of beating a goaltender from any angle in the offensive zone, though his precision isn’t even the most exciting of it. Matthews has seemingly started a new trend amongst players in his patented curl and drag shot. Essentially, he pulls the puck into his body ever so slightly before releasing it, which helps him not only use defending players as screens, but also helps change the angle of his shot on opposing goaltenders. It has proven to be extremely successful, and the scary thing is he’s only getting better at it.

Leon Draisaitl

Aside from Matthews, there is a legitimate argument to be made that Leon Draisaitl is the best goal-scorer on the planet. What is so fascinating, however, is that he does so in a completely different way. Instead of having the ability to fire through defenders and pick corners on the rush, Draisaitl is able to score his goals by always finding soft spots on the ice. This allows him to seemingly always get himself open for one-timers, while also being in the right position to bang home rebounds whenever they are for the taking.

Goal scoring is far from Draisaitl’s only strength, however. In fact, his peers voted him as the best passer in the game last year, and it’s hard to argue that anyone else was more deserving. The 26-year-old German forward is one of the better backhand dishes the game has ever seen. Pair that with his goal scoring and it’s no wonder he is a sure-fire bet each and every season to surpass the 100-point mark with relative ease.

Another fascinating part of Draisaitl’s game, and one that separates him from other stars in the league, is that he doesn’t rely on speed. In fact, he is at his best when he slows things down, in large part due to his incredible hockey IQ. He proved how good he can be from a near standstill in the playoffs this past year, as he put up a ridiculous 32 points in 16 outings despite battling a high ankle sprain. He is simply an incredible player who will remain one of the game’s best for years to come.

Patrick Kane

There is a true argument to be made that Patrick Kane has the best set of mitts the game has ever seen. Whether it is walking through numerous players for a highlight reel goal, or completely embarrassing a goaltender in the shootout, he seems to dazzle each and every time he is on the ice.

Kane has long been regarded by his peers as the best stick handler in the NHL, and there is little question as to why. He is able to do things with the puck that very few can, but what makes it even better and separates him from other players with skill is that he can do it all at top speed. This is what has made him so successful and is why he has been able to accumulate so many personal and team accolades throughout his career.

Despite being 33 years old, Kane appears to be far from slowing down. In fact, just this past season he was able to record 92 points in 78 games on a very weak Chicago Blackhawks roster. If and when he is traded to a contender this season, expect his totals to improve even further.

Cale Makar

Very few players make their NHL debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but that is exactly what Cale Makar was able to do back in 2019. The college standout who was taken fourth overall in 2017 didn’t just suit up for playoff games with the Colorado Avalanche but stood out in a very positive way with six points in 10 games. Keep in mind, he is a defenseman.

Despite only having three regular seasons under his belt to this point, there are many who believe that Makar has a chance to go down as the best defenseman of all time. His skating and offensive ability from the back end are like nothing anybody has seen before. On top of all that, he is strong in his own zone as well. There are simply no areas of weakness in his game.

To no surprise, Makar at just 23 years old already has several accolades at the NHL level. He received the Calder Trophy back in 2019-20 after his outstanding rookie season and was rewarded with the Norris Trophy after his 2021-22 campaign. The most impressive of all, however, was the Conn Smythe Trophy he received after the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup win this past season. Expect plenty more hardware to be handed his way in the future.

Connor McDavid

As amazing as the other players are on this list, none compare to McDavid. In fact, no player in the history of the game compares, as we have never seen anything like the 25-year-old before. He is in a world of his own and oftentimes seems to need another league to play in, as he has the ability to make the NHL look easy at times.

The biggest factor in McDavid’s dominance is his speed, and what he’s able to do with it. While he doesn’t have as good of hands as a player like Kane, it doesn’t matter, as no one in the league is capable of keeping up with him regardless. Speed isn’t his only dominating trait, however, as he is also a phenomenal passer and a much better goal scorer than given credit for.

Similar to Matthews, McDavid was regarded as a generational talent before being drafted first overall in 2015. It’s easy to see why when taking a look at his stats over the years, as he has racked up a ridiculous 703 points in just 490 career games. He already has four Art Ross’, three Ted Lindsay awards, and two Hart Trophies to his name. As if his God-given talent wasn’t enough, he also has more drive than arguably any player in the league. While it may seem impossible given how good he already is, he is only going to continue to get better.

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