theScore's top 100 NHL players: 50-41
Leading up to the start of the 2018-19 season, theScore will be counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by four of our NHL editors. We'll reveal 10 players every weekday until the top 10 is unveiled on Oct. 3.
100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
50. John Carlson, Capitals| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | 61 | 52 | 46 |
Carlson led all NHL defensemen with 68 points last season. He wasn't a Norris Trophy finalist, but if a similar award was handed out for postseason play, he would've been the recipient after recording 20 points in 24 games during the Washington Capitals' championship run. He may not be a prototypical shutdown No. 1 defender, but Carlson is one of the top power-play quarterbacks. -- Wegman
49. Sean Couturier, Flyers| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 42 | 55 | 63 |
Last season's breakout star, Couturier exploded with 31 goals and 76 points in 2017-18, obliterating his previous career single-season bests (he reached 39 points twice previously). He's been heralded for his defensive abilities, and adding high-end offensive production makes him one of the league's most valuable pivots. -- O'Leary
48. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Coyotes
Norm Hall / National Hockey League / Getty| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 41 | 53 | 54 |
Since the departure of Shane Doan, Ekman-Larsson has been the face of the Arizona Coyotes. Over the last five seasons, he ranks second in goals by defensemen, behind only Brent Burns. He's now the Coyotes' captain and will look to finally lead his team out of the league's basement this season.-- Hagerman
47. John Gibson, Ducks| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | 40 | 57 | 49 |
Gibson was one of the league's best goalies in 2017-18, and arguably the Ducks' most important player. He was his team's best penalty killer, too, leading the NHL with a .919 save percentage while down a man. He also finished second in the league in goals saved above average, according to Corsica. At 25 years old, the sky is the limit for this uber-athletic netminder. -- Wegman
46. Braden Holtby, Capitals
Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / Getty| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 70 | 41 | 39 |
Holtby had the worst regular season of his career in 2017-18, but a March "reset" helped him return to form. He didn't look back, helping lead the Capitals to Stanley Cup glory. The regular-season woes were concerning, but Holtby's steady - and at times brilliant - play in the postseason proved he's still one of the NHL's elite goalies. -- Gold-Smith
45. Phil Kessel, Penguins| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | 44 | 44 | 44 |
Hilarious personality aside, Kessel just flat-out produces year after year. Last season was his best yet, as he led the league with 42 power-play points while also establishing a new career high with 92 total points. He suited up in every game for the eighth consecutive season - an underrated aspect of his value. -- O'Leary
44. Alex Pietrangelo, Blues
Claus Andersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 47 | 48 | 52 |
Pietrangelo is an excellent skater with great size, and he has the skills and smarts to excel at both ends of the ice while exhibiting all the qualities of a No. 1 defenseman. He's coming off a career year despite playing without Jay Bouwmeester, his longtime defensive partner, for most of the season. With an improved supporting cast, Pietrangelo is a dark horse for this year's Norris Trophy. -- Wegman
43. Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | 50 | 39 | 37 |
Backstrom isn't a No. 1 center now thanks to Evgeny Kuznetsov's emergence in Washington. But he still plays like one and would occupy that role on many other teams. The 30-year-old's production dipped last season, but he still poured in 71 points, drove possession, trailed only Alex Ovechkin among Capitals forwards in ice time, and won 51.2 percent of his faceoffs. -- Gold-Smith
42. Pekka Rinne, Predators
Elsa / Getty Images Sport / Getty| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 48 | 46 | 40 |
Rinne is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner. In 2017-18, he posted his third 40-plus win season along with a .927 save percentage and a 2.31 goals-against average. He also posted the fifth-best goals saved above average. Since the 2008-09 season, Rinne has produced the third-most wins behind only Marc-Andre Fleury and Henrik Lundqvist. -- Hagerman
41. Mathew Barzal, Islanders| Wegman | O'Leary | Gold-Smith | Hagerman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 63 | 36 | 36 |
Barzal simply dazzled during his rookie campaign, capturing the Calder Trophy with an 85-point effort. Barzal is expected to step up and lead the Islanders offensively now that John Tavares is in Toronto. Whether he can follow up his first-year performance as the club's top dog is one of the more intriguing storylines heading into the upcoming season. -- O'Leary
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