According to the annual Player Tiers project, Connor McDavid enters the upcoming season as the undisputed top player in the NHL, maintaining his reign at the apex of the league’s hierarchy. Built by combining modelled Net Ratings with qualitative insights from over 20 general managers, executives, coaches, scouts, data analysts, and former players, the comprehensive 150-player ranking evaluates who matters most across five distinct tiers heading into the next campaign.
Evaluating Tier 1 MVP Cornerstones and Elite Playmakers
McDavid anchors Tier 1A-plus as a peerless entity, coming off a season where he surpassed 130 points for the third time and secured his sixth Art Ross Trophy. According to a scout interviewed for the project, “He’s just better than everybody else, and there isn’t much more to say.” A coach added that no other player matches his elite output in pressure situations.
Nikita Kucherov climbed into Tier 1A alongside McDavid following a 130-point campaign and his second career Hart Trophy. Described by a veteran pro scout as “a f—ing surgeon,” Kucherov dominates play-driving on the wing, though an executive noted questions regarding his recent postseason performance after Tampa Bay’s first-round exit. Nathan MacKinnon rounds out the top tier with a power-driven game that yielded 53 goals last season, maintaining a relentless competitive fire alongside McDavid and Kucherov.
Pro Tip: When evaluating elite NHL talent, front offices look beyond raw scoring totals to Net Rating estimates, which combine production and play-driving ability to project a player’s true goal-differential impact.
Comparing Franchise Pillars on Defense and in Goal
The debate between Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar remains narrow, according to panel feedback. While a majority of panelists favor Makar as the world’s best defenseman due to his physical edge and complete three-zone impact, Hughes commands rare play-driving gravity comparable to a puck-dominant forward. Makar’s teammate prowess and defensive consistency keep him at the very top of the blue-line hierarchy.
Despite the absence, scouts point to his gold-standard two-way play for Finland at the World Championships as proof of his enduring elite status. Meanwhile, Macklin Celebrini occupies Tier 1C after a top-five Hart Trophy finish as a 19-year-old, with executives predicting a swift graduation to Tier 1A.
Rising Stars and All-Star Standouts in Tier 2 and Tier 3
Defensive stalwarts like Zach Werenski—who captured the Norris Trophy—and Rasmus Dahlin solidify their places near the top of the league’s defensive hierarchy, backed by second-half surges that turned Buffalo’s season around.
Did You Know? The Player Tiers project synthesizes data models estimating goal-differential impacts—where an elite player typically registers a plus-10 or higher Net Rating—with qualitative front-office consensus.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are the NHL Player Tiers determined?
The rankings begin with a modelled Net Rating combining production, play-driving, and usage. A core group then adjusts these baselines using intuition before consulting a panel of over 20 general managers, executives, coaches, scouts, and former players.
Who is ranked as the best player in the NHL?
According to the panel, Connor McDavid is the undisputed top player in the league, occupying a singular 1A-plus sub-tier at the apex of Tier 1.
What defines a Tier 1 MVP cornerstone?
A Tier 1 player is a top-10 talent very likely to receive serious trophy consideration at season’s end, serving as the foundational building block for championship-caliber teams.
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