Top 100 NHL players: 100-81

Leading up to the start of the 2020-21 season, theScore is counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by our NHL editors. Injuries affecting players entering the season have been taken into consideration. We'll reveal 20 players every day until the top 20 is unveiled Jan. 12.

100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1

100. Sean Monahan, Flames Gerry Thomas / National Hockey League / Getty

Monahan is coming off his worst season since his rookie year. He'll need a bounce-back campaign to crack next year's list.

99. Jordan Binnington, Blues

Binnington continues to prove he's among the league's top netminders. He finished top seven in Vezina Trophy voting for a second straight season in 2019-20 and is still only 27 years old.

98. Nico Hischier, Devils

Hischier hasn't blossomed into a superstar just yet, but 2017's No. 1 overall pick is steadily developing into a solid two-way center. A better New Jersey Devils supporting cast would likely help him climb this list.

97. Ryan Suter, Wild

Suter may be turning 36 later in January, but the veteran proved last year that he can still play at an elite level. His 48-point total last season was the third-highest of his career, and he could have easily eclipsed his career-high of 51 if the campaign wasn't cut short.

96. Jamie Benn, Stars

Benn's game has noticeably declined over the last couple of seasons, and his production has diminished accordingly. The Dallas Stars captain still needs to be monitored by opposing defenses, but at 31 years old, he's far from the player he once was.

95. Filip Forsberg, Predators

It's hard to believe that Forsberg's career-high in points is just 64 despite all of the skill he possesses. Perhaps his age-26 season will be the year he puts it all together.

94. Aaron Ekblad, Panthers Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

Ekblad is still just 24 years old as he heads into his seventh NHL season. The 2014 first overall pick put up a career-best 41 points in 2019-20 and continues to improve in all areas.

93. Brendan Gallagher, Canadiens

Gallagher is a player all 31 teams would love to have. He's a relentless forechecker, a pest to opponents, and is capable of putting up goals in bunches. One of the NHL's most underrated wingers.

92. Ivan Provorov, Flyers

With the sudden retirement of Matt Niskanen, Provorov will have to do even more heavy lifting for the Philadelphia Flyers this season than he did in the last campaign. He led the team in 2019-20 with 24:51 minutes of ice time per game, 189:30 shorthanded minutes, and was second with 210:05 on the power play.

91. Brent Burns, Sharks

It's easy to forget Burns is 35 years old, but the versatile defenseman's strong play is a big reason that happens. The San Jose Sharks blue-liner showed last season that he still had something left in the tank, ranking among the league leaders at his position with 12 goals and 45 points in 70 games.

90. Mark Giordano, Flames

Giordano continues to age like a fine wine. Though he didn't put up the points in 2019-20 like he did during his Norris Trophy-winning season the year prior, he remains one of the smartest two-way defenders in the league.

89. Colton Parayko, Blues

At 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, Parayko is one of the league's most menacing blue-liners and has cemented his status as a valuable two-way defenseman who's capable of logging top-pairing minutes.

88. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Oilers Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty

Nugent-Hopkins is coming off the most productive season of his nine-year career and is a terrific complementary piece to the Edmonton Oilers' superstar-led attack.

87. Drew Doughty, Kings

It feels like a lifetime ago that Doughty was a perennial Norris Trophy contender and among the best defensemen in the league. Despite some lackluster play the last few seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, the 31-year-old remains solid and will look for a big bounce-back season.

86. Logan Couture, Sharks

Couture remains one of the league's more underrated players, and it didn't help his cause that his 2019-20 campaign was derailed by injuries. Playing for the Sharks also contributes to the skilled forward being overlooked. While he certainly isn't one of the NHL's biggest stars, he does deserve some recognition.

85. J.T. Miller, Canucks

It's amazing that even a team as deep as the Lightning couldn't find a way to utilize Miller's strengths. The versatile forward became an integral part of the Vancouver Canucks during his first season in Vancouver, leading the team with 72 points (yes, more than Elias Pettersson) in 69 games.

84. Dylan Larkin, Red Wings Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Larkin has produced 0.82 points per game over the last three seasons while also picking up recognition for his defensive efforts. The Detroit Ded Wings are in good hands with the 24-year-old as one of their main pillars going forward.

83. Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres

It's hard to fathom Dahlin is only 20. The Buffalo Sabres' youngster plays with poise and instincts well beyond his years and appears to be on the cusp of becoming one of the league's most dynamic defenseman.

82. Darcy Kuemper, Coyotes

Kuemper looked like a legitimate Vezina Trophy candidate last season before an injury derailed his season. He finished third in the league in save percentage (.928) and goals-against average (2.22) but was limited to just 29 games. If the 30-year-old can stay healthy, he can be one of the league's best.

81. John Klingberg, Stars

Klingberg was overshadowed by Stars phenom Miro Heiskanen throughout Dallas' run to the Stanley Cup Final last season. However, Klingberg is still a very solid blue-liner in his own right. He would've topped 40 points in an 82-game campaign based on his 2019-20 output, and he's only 28.

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