It’s an important time for the NHL. After a fantastic run of hockey, the 2022-23 season is coming to a close as we enter the post-season finals games. The Golden Star Warriors and the Panthers are getting ready to head off for the acclaimed Stanley Cup. But while these teams are fighting for the cup, it’s worth appreciating some of the other star power throughout the run of the season.
So, who are the players that have really reached the top of the game? Whether you want to mark down some faces to keep an eye out for next season or you’re weighing up your NHL picks for your next big bet, take a look below to check out the exceptional players in the 2022-23 season.
Connor McDavid
Playing center for the Edmonton Oilers, Connor McDavid is a standout on any list. He began the 2022-23 post-season off the back of his third consecutive Art Ross win as the highest scorer in the league’s regular season.
McDavid has the speed, agility and skill to make him a standout player. Former goaltender and current ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes has said: “Connor McDavid definitively is better than anybody in the league.”
This season, he hasn’t let his reputation down. Despite his team not reaching the final playoffs, McDavid is the top contender for this season’s coveted Hart Memorial Trophy with 153 points under his belt, making it the 15th-most prolific season of NHL history, not to mention sinking 64 goals this season – the most since Alex Ovechkin scored 65 in 2007-08.
McDavid is a superstar and shows no signs of letting up.
Nathan MacKinnon
Past champions Colorado Avalanche might have had a great lineup but they didn’t quite manage to entrench themselves as one of the best teams in NHL history with a back-to-back win. This doesn’t stop the accolades, though, thanks to the offensive titan Nate McKinnon. He’s had plenty of room to shine with captain Gabriel Landeskog out for the season on a knee injury – and he’s done just that.
MacKinnon displayed his usual slick, high-IQ play during the league. It was enough to bring him his first 100-point regular season – a feat that secured the Avalanche’s place in the Stanley Cup to begin with. There’s no doubt his spot as MVP player after Colorado’s cup followed by his outstanding play this year has secured MacKinnon a title as one of the best NHL players of the day.
David Pastrňák
Next to Connor McDavid, David Pastrňák is the top goal scorer of the season and has managed to shoot a whopping 61 between the posts. This makes him only the second ever Boston Bruins player to top 60 in a single season. Undoubtedly, he would’ve racked this number up even higher if the Bruins hadn’t suffered a first-round loss to current underdog finalists, the Panthers.
There’s no doubt we can expect great things from the young Czech when the next season gets up and running again.
Jack Hughes
The New Jersey Devils have been putting in the work on their roster in recent years to boost themselves up to the playoff, and it has paid off. This season, the Devils qualified for their first playoffs since 2017-18, and it marks their first time past the first round since 2011-12
Star player Jack Hughes has been instrumental in this comeback. Versatile and highly skilled, his laser-point precision on the goals secured him 99 goals by their second-round knockout against the Hurricanes – a new franchise record.
Cup or not, Jack Hughes has a bright future beyond the 2023 playoffs. Retired defenseman Ken Daneyko reckons that: “He’s become a star in the league”.
At just 21 years of age, Hughes is certainly going to be one to watch as he hones his skills in the seasons to come.
Matthew Tkachuk
Unlike the rest of the mentions on this list, Matthew Tkachuk’s season isn’t finished yet. As the underdog, Panthers have forged a remarkable path to the playoff finals and Tkachuk has been instrumental in the team’s progress to the top. Forecheckers aren’t usually in contention for goal trophies but having racked up an incredible 100 points so far in the season, Tkachuk has been named one of the contenders for the Hart Memorial Trophy.
It’s Tkachuk’s physicality and his skill in wielding it in a perfect, power-forward style of play that is behind his outstanding performances. His talent has brought him some of the best chance creation stats ever in the NHL.