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
31. Chris Pronger
| Profile |
| Team: Philadephia Flyers |
2010-11 Ranking: 21 |
| Position: Defence |
Age: 36 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 50 |
4 |
21 |
25 |
+7 |
44 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Even at age 36, there's no denying that Pronger is a big presence when healthy. But staying in the lineup has been tough, as he missed nearly half of last season with various injuries. |
32. Ilya Kovalchuk
| Profile |
| Team: New Jersey Devils |
2010-11 Ranking: 13 |
| Position: Left Wing |
Age: 28 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 81 |
31 |
29 |
60 |
-26 |
28 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Kovalchuk's first full season in New Jersey was a disappointment by his high standards. The return of Zach Parise to the lineup this year can only help in an offence that was dead last in the league in goals. |
33. Bobby Ryan
| Profile |
| Team: Anaheim Ducks |
2010-11 Ranking: N/A |
| Position: Left Wing/Centre |
Age: 24 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 82 |
34 |
37 |
71 |
+15 |
61 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Ryan is one of just nine players in the NHL to surpass the 30-goal mark in each of the last three seasons. He set a career-high with 71 points and was the Ducks second-highest goal scorer in 2010-11. |
34. Henrik Lundqvist
| Profile |
| Team: New York Rangers |
2010-11 Ranking: 30 |
| Position: Goaltender |
Age: 29 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
GAA |
PCT |
SO |
| 68 |
36 |
27 |
5 |
2.28 |
.923 |
11 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Lundqvist was among the league leaders in most categories last season and had a career-high 11 shutouts. He has proven to be a workhorse for New York by playing around 70 games in each of the last five seasons. |
35. Patrick Sharp
| Profile |
| Team: Chicago Blackhawks |
2010-11 Ranking: 50 |
| Position: Wing/Centre |
Age: 29 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 74 |
34 |
37 |
71 |
-1 |
38 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Sharp might miss the first few games of the season after having an appendectomy on Sep. 12. He had a career-high in points last season and signed a five-year contract extension over the summer. |
36. Ryan Miller
| Profile |
| Team: Buffalo Sabres |
2010-11 Ranking: 12 |
| Position: Goaltender |
Age: 31 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
GAA |
PCT |
SO |
| 66 |
34 |
22 |
8 |
2.59 |
.916 |
5 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Miller's numbers dropped last season after his Vezina Trophy-winning 2009-10 campaign, and his team suffered a first-round playoff exit for the second year in a row. He's looking for a bounce-back season. |
37. Danny Briere
| Profile |
| Team: Philadelphia Flyers |
2010-11 Ranking: N/A |
| Position: Centre |
Age: 33 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 77 |
34 |
34 |
68 |
+20 |
87 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Soon to be 34, Briere is back in the Top 50 after netting a career-high 34 goals for the Flyers last season. With Mike Richards and Jeff Carter gone, Briere, Claude Giroux, and Jaromir Jagr will be keys up front. |
38. Mike Richards
| Profile |
| Team: Los Angeles Kings |
2010-11 Ranking: 22 |
| Position: Centre |
Age: 26 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 81 |
23 |
43 |
66 |
+11 |
62 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Richards will begin anew in the West after being dealt to the Kings in June. The former Flyers captain joins Simon Gagne, Anze Kopitar, and Drew Doughty on what could be a potent L.A. offence. |
39. Patrick Marleau
| Profile |
| Team: San Jose Sharks |
2010-11 Ranking: 31 |
| Position: Left Wing/Centre |
Age: 32 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 82 |
37 |
36 |
73 |
-3 |
16 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Marleau was his usual productive self with 37 goals last year and is getting set for his 14th NHL season - all with the Sharks. He is a model of reliability and has played 80 or more games eight times in his career. |
40. Keith Yandle
| Profile |
| Team: Phoenix Coyotes |
2010-11 Ranking: N/A |
| Position: Defence |
Age: 25 |
| 2010-11 Stats |
| GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
+/- |
PIM |
| 82 |
11 |
48 |
59 |
+12 |
68 |
| Noteworthy: |
| Yandle took a step forward last year and played in his first NHL All-Star Game. He appeared in all 82 games for the second straight season and increased his assist total from 29 to 48 on the Phoenix blue line. |
