With a new NHL campaign upon us, TSN Hockey’s blue-ribbon panel has compiled its annual list of the Top 50 players - a projection of the top players for the upcoming season. Today we continue by revealing the players ranked 20th to 11th.
The Toronto Maple Leafs had to take a long hard look in the mirror this off-season after they missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
Toronto finished last in the Atlantic Division with a 32-36-14 record but lucked out at the NHL Draft Lottery, securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft.
Their results led to the team making sweeping changes throughout the organization – both on and off the ice. In the front office, general manager Brad Treliving was relieved of his duties and replaced by John Chayka, and legendary former captain Mats Sundin joined the franchise in an advisory role.
Head coach Craig Berube was also let go after two years in the organization and replaced by former Los Angeles Kings bench boss Jim Hiller.
On the ice, there are at least nine new faces expected to be on the roster, led by winger Gavin McKenna, who was drafted first overall out of Penn State in the NCAA. In free agency, they brought in a possible future hall of fame goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky, standout defenceman Darren Raddysh, and forwards Jack Roslovic, Teddy Blueger, Colton Sissons, and Brandan Duhaime.
Toronto also acquired two-time Stanley Cup champion Nick Paul in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning and a young puck-moving defenceman in Emil Andrae in a deal with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Despite all the changes, the core of the team remains the same, led by captain Auston Matthews.
Matthews is entering the third season of a four-year, $53 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $13.25 million. He has a full no-movement clause and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2027-28 campaign.
The 6-foot-3 centre is coming off the worst offensive season of his career, recording 27 goals and 53 points in 60 games last season. He also missed the final month of the season after sustaining a Grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion in his left leg due to a knee-on-knee hit from then-Anaheim Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas.
Matthews had surgery on his leg in March and Chayka told Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com on Monday that he is pretty much “100 per cent ready to go physically” for training camp.
The 2026-27 campaign could be a make-or-break season for Matthews’ future with the Maple Leafs. With players like Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings, and Brady Tkachuk, formerly of the Ottawa Senators, all requesting trades in the off-season, there has been speculation on Matthews’ future.
At the end of last season, Matthews told reporters that “he can’t predict the future” when asked whether he would be a Maple Leaf to start the 2026-27 campaign. However, Chayka says that his captain appears fully committed to the team and has only indicated that he wants to see the organization have success.
“It’s funny … like, you’re always selling players on your [plan], and, you know, we recruited free agents and stuff,” Chayka told Zeisberger. “And Auston had never felt like we’re getting him to buy in. If anything, it was more like he’s getting us to buy in and what’s the right thing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Like, that’s always been our discussion. That’s how we talked about all of it.
“Obviously, he has a unique perspective, being in the locker room and going through the ups and downs and being the captain of the team. And so, from Day 1 it was always like, what’s best for the team (and) what’s best for the organization? Total, you know, commitment to doing whatever it takes to win.
“I think at this point in his career he’s made all his money, he’s got all the personal accolades, he’s won an Olympic gold medal. I think he’s really at a point where there’s only one thing that matters -- success with the Maple Leafs.”
Matthews drops out of the top 10 of the TSN Hockey’s top 50 list, sitting at No 14 as both he and his team look to redeem themselves after a terrible 2025-26 campaign.
20. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
2025-26 Ranking: 29
Vasilevskiy begins this grouping of players at No. 20 as he proved that he is still one of the best netminders in the NHL.
The two-time Stanley Cup winner won his second Vezina Trophy of his career last season, going 39-15-4 with a 2.31 goals-against average and .912 save percentage.
He helped the Lightning to second place in the Atlantic Division with 50-26-6 record but bowed out in the first round to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games.
19. Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
2025-26 Ranking: 17
Hughes comes in at No. 19, a season after he scored the biggest goal of his young hockey career.
The Orlando native became an American hero during Milano Cortina 2026 when he scored the “Golden Goal” in overtime over Canada to secure the United States their first gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980.
With the Devils, Hughes had 27 goals and 77 points in 61 games as his team missed the playoffs for the sixth time in the past eight seasons.
Injuries have hampered Hughes the past three seasons where he has not played more than 62 games since the 2022-23 campaign. Last season, Hughes missed 21 games due to a non-hockey related injury to his finger during a team dinner.
18. Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars
2025-26 Ranking: 15
Rantanen sits at No. 18 after playing his first full season in Dallas.
The 6-foot-4 winger had a much calmer season than he did in 2024-25, where he was traded twice before signing an eight-year deal with the Stars in March of 2025.
Rantanen registered 22 goals and 77 points in 64 games last season as the Stars finished with the third-best record in the NHL. He also picked up a bronze medal at Milano Cortina 2026, registering two goals and six points in five games while playing for Finland.
The 29-year-old sustained a torn MCL in his knee during The Winter Olympics, which hindered his impact on the season down the stretch for the Stars. However, he returned for the playoffs where he recorded a goal and seven points before the Stars were eliminated in the first round by the Minnesota Wild.
17. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
2025-26 Ranking: 13
At age 39, Sidney Crosby is still going strong, coming in at No. 17.
The Penguins superstar remains one of the best players in the game, recording 29 goals and 74 points in 68 games to lead his team back to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.
He added a goal and five points in six playoff games before the Penguins were eliminated by the Flyers in the first round.
Crosby captained Canada for a second time at The Winter Olympics, helping the team secure a silver medal. He did not complete the tournament after sustaining leg injury due to a hit from Czechia defenceman Gudas.
The Cole Harbour, N.S., native is entering the final season of a two-year, $17.4 million contract that carries a cap hit of $8.7 million. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season but is working with the Penguins for an extension.
16. Mitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights
2025-26 Ranking: 14
Marner gets ready for his second season in Vegas, coming in at No. 16 on the top 50 list.
The 6-foot, highly talented winger did not disappoint in his first year with the Golden Knights, recording 24 goals and 80 points in 81 games as the Vegas won the Pacific Division.
He took his game to another level in the playoffs, registering 10 goals and 29 points in 22 games, leading his team all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights were eventually defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the final.
15. Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
2025-26 Ranking: 27
Dahlin jumps up 12 spots from last season, coming in at No. 15.
The captain of the Sabres was instrumental in ending the team’s 14-year playoff drought and helping win the Atlantic Division.
Dahlin registered 19 goals and 74 points in 77 games while averaging 24:11 of ice time with a plus-18 rating and finished third in Norris Trophy voting.
The Lidkoping, Sweden, native also represented his country at Milano Cortina 2026 in a seventh-place finish.
14. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
2025-26 Ranking: 7
Matthews falls out of the top 10, sitting at No. 14 after a tumultuous 2025-26 campaign.
The 6-foot-3 centre had the worst offensive season of his career, recording 27 goals and 53 points in 60 games with the Maple Leafs. The team finished last in the Atlantic Division, missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
He is coming off a major surgery to repair a Grade 3 MCL tear and a quad contusion but is expected to be ready for the 2026-27 campaign.
Matthews is entering the third season of a four-year contract and his future in Toronto could come into question if things don’t go well this season.
13. Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
2025-26 Ranking: 25
Suzuki rises 12 spots to No. 13 in the top 50 after securing the best personal and team success in his career.
The 5-foot-11 centre cracked the 100-point plateau for the first time, recording 29 goals and 101 points in 82 games. He was also recognized as the best defensive forward in the NHL, winning the Selke Trophy last season.
Suzuki led the Canadiens to their second consecutive playoff appearance by finishing third in the Atlantic Division. He added four goals and 16 points in 19 playoff games as the Canadiens made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final, where they fell to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes.
12. Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
2025-26 Ranking: 11
Eichel comes in at No. 12 as he maintains his spot as one of the best centres in the NHL.
The 6-foot-2 forward registered 27 goals and 90 points in 74 games, missing a brief stretch of games due to a lower-body injury and illness.
He represented the United States at Milano Cortina 2026, recording two goals and six points in six games to win gold in men’s hockey.
In the playoffs, Eichel added two goals and 22 points in 22 playoff games as the Golden Knights fell short of winning the Stanley Cup.
11. Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild
2025-26 Ranking: 8
Kaprizov showed why he was signed to the biggest contract in NHL history (at the time), coming in at No. 11 on the top 50 list.
The 5-foot-10 winger signed a record, eight-year, $136 million contract in September of 2025 that carried an annual cap hit of $17 million to stay in Minnesota.
Kaprizov did not disappoint, leading the team with 45 goals and 89 points in 78 games.
He also added four goals and 15 points in 11 playoff games before the Wild were eliminated in the second round by the Colorado Avalanche.
On Friday, we reveal No. 10 to No. 1 of our annual Top 50 NHL Players list
