NHL ON TSN: TOP 50 NHL PLAYERS
TSN has unveiled the NHL's Top 50 players heading into the 2011-12 hockey season based on selections by a panel of experts, and this year's top player once again is Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.
The order for the Top 50 was determined by a cumulative point system based on individual rankings.
(Photos: Getty Images/Canadian Press)
1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50
21. Anze Kopitar
| Profile |
| Team: Los Angeles Kings |
2010-11 Ranking: 29 |
| Position: Centre |
Age: 24 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 75 |
25 |
48 |
73 |
+25 |
20 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Kopitar has progressed to a point-per-game level and should benefit from an enhanced Kings' offence that has added Mike Richards and Simon Gagne. At age 24, Kopitar is just entering his prime. |
22. Evgeni Malkin
| Profile |
| Team: Pittsburgh Penguins |
2010-11 Ranking: 4 |
| Position: Centre/Right Wing |
Age: 25 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 43 |
15 |
22 |
37 |
-4 |
18 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Malkin is healthy and ready to play after missing half of last season with knee injuries. There is little question that if he can return to form, he is a threat to surpass the 100-point mark for the third time in his career. |
23. Drew Doughty
| Profile |
| Team: Los Angeles Kings |
2010-11 Ranking: 8 |
| Position: Defence |
Age: 21 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 76 |
11 |
29 |
40 |
+13 |
68 |
| Noteworthy: |
| After signing a hefty new contract with the Kings, Doughty will have something to prove after taking a slight step back last year in his third NHL campaign. Still, he is the quarterback of a good L.A. power play. |
24. Patrick Kane
| Profile |
| Team: Chicago Blackhawks |
2010-11 Ranking: 15 |
| Position: Right Wing |
Age: 22 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 73 |
27 |
46 |
73 |
+7 |
28 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Kane has settled in as a reliable 25-goal, 45-assist producer over his four NHL seasons. He continues to have a strong supporting cast in Chicago. |
25. Claude Giroux
| Profile |
| Team: Philadelphia Flyers |
2010-11 Ranking: N/A |
| Position: Centre/Right Wing |
Age: 23 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 82 |
25 |
51 |
76 |
+20 |
47 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Giroux enjoyed a breakout season last year and will be counted on even more now that Mike Richards and Jeff Carter have been traded away. He might be a key beneficiary from the arrival of Jaromir Jagr. |
26. Zach Parise
| Profile |
| Team: New Jersey Devils |
2010-11 Ranking: 16 |
| Position: Left Wing |
Age: 27 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 13 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
-1 |
6 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Parise emerged as one of the league's top snipers before a knee injury cost him nearly all of last season. He scored 45 and 38 goals in the two seasons prior, and his return will be a big boost to New Jersey's offence. |
27. Duncan Keith
| Profile |
| Team: Chicago Blackhawks |
2010-11 Ranking: 5 |
| Position: Defence |
Age: 28 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 82 |
7 |
38 |
45 |
-1 |
22 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Keith's numbers declined as the Blackhawks collectively took a step back from their Stanley Cup-winning season of 2008-09. Still, Keith is one of the league's premier rearguards and is as physical as they come. |
28. Pekka Rinne
| Profile |
| Team: Nashville Predators |
2010-11 Ranking: N/A |
| Position: Goaltender |
Age: 28 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
GAA |
PCT |
SO |
| 64 |
33 |
22 |
9 |
2.12 |
.930 |
6 |
| Noteworthy: |
| The 28-year-old makes his first appearance in the Top 50. His win total and workload have increased in each of the last three seasons, and he was second last year with a .930 save percentage. |
29. Joe Thornton
| Profile |
| Team: San Jose Sharks |
2010-11 Ranking: 25 |
| Position: Centre |
Age: 32 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 80 |
21 |
49 |
70 |
+4 |
47 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Thornton dropped below the point-per-game level for the first time since 2003-04 last season. But at the age of 32, he's still one of the league's best set-up men and the Sharks remain a contender in the West. |
30. Carey Price
| Profile |
| Team: Montreal Canadiens |
2010-11 Ranking: N/A |
| Position: Goaltender |
Age: 24 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
GAA |
PCT |
SO |
| 72 |
38 |
28 |
6 |
2.35 |
.923 |
8 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Price responded to being annointed the No. 1 goalie in Montreal with a superb season last year. He tied for the league lead with 38 wins and there's no reason to believe he can't be just as good in 2011-12. |
