Top 10 plays of the 2023-24 season

From a controversial empty-net goal to jaw-dropping saves, the 2023-24 regular season and playoffs truly had something for everyone.

Now that the Stanley Cup's been hoisted high, let's celebrate the top plays of the year that was, beginning with one honorable mention.

Honorable mention: The slap shot empty-netter

Feb. 10, 2024

Ridly Greig buries the empty-netter with a slapshot and Morgan Rielly takes exception pic.twitter.com/6NISK4AMSt

- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 11, 2024

Everyone had a take about this. You had a take about this. It took up way too much airtime.

The drama started when Senators rookie Ridly Greig took a slap shot at an empty net to seal Ottawa's 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Irate at Greig's method of scoring, Morgan Rielly cross-checked the forward up high and was awarded a five-game suspension as a result.

It was all anyone talked about for weeks. Ryan Reaves' snappy "make hockey violent again" slogan dominated headlines. Even Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar entered the debate on Team Rielly.

For better or for worse, this was one of the most dominant storylines of the season, so we'd be remiss to leave off the empty-net goal heard around the world - even if it's just an honorable mention.

10. Noted goal-scorer Tristan Jarry

Nov. 30, 2023

Goalie goals are always fun!

Tristan Jarry became the 14th netminder to light the lamp in NHL history when his 200-foot dart capped off the Pittsburgh Penguins' 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. We've now been able to enjoy a goalie goal in back-to-back campaigns after Linus Ullmark pulled off the feat last year, and we thank them for their service.

The best part? That wasn't Jarry's first time finding the back of the net in a professional game. Almost exactly five years before his NHL tally, he scored in an AHL matchup.

Maybe Jarry can one day join Martin Brodeur as the only netminders with multiple regular-season goals at the NHL level.

9. Of course Bedard got a lacrosse goal

Dec. 23, 2023

CONNOR BEDARD HITS THE MICHIGAN pic.twitter.com/TnGbT1YqGx

- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 24, 2023

Was this the only lacrosse goal scored this season? No.

Apologies to Trevor Zegras and Andrei Svechnikov for leaving their freakish athletic feats off the list, but we had to go with the Chicago Blackhawks rookie for this one.

Surprising absolutely no one, Bedard buried a Michigan goal in just the 33rd NHL game of his career. Sure, lacrosse goals aren't considered as show-stopping and unforgettable as they were a few seasons ago, but there's something to be said for how swiftly the 2023 first overall pick could pull it off at the NHL level.

We're still trying to figure out how the puck stayed on Bedard's stick throughout the sequence. Wizardry, perhaps?

8. Gabe Vilardi in a phone booth

April 9, 2024

OH MY GOODNESS

Take a bow, Gabriel Vilardi! pic.twitter.com/fP3Xch2Wyr

- NHL (@NHL) April 10, 2024

We can usually rely on Matthew Tkachuk for some between-the-legs magic but, this time, the mantle belongs to Vilardi.

If this was a definitive ranking of the regular season's best tallies on the man advantage, this one would probably take the top spot.

Let's recap: Vilardi posted right in front of Juuse Saros on the power play, took a pass from teammate Mark Scheifele, guided the puck between his feet and behind his back, and somehow roofed it into the top corner. Oh, and he did it all in one fluid motion. The Jets forward barely needed to move his skates.

Winnipeg arguably won the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade for this play alone (sorry for the potshot, L.A. Kings fans, your moment on these rankings is coming).

7. Owen Tippett hit the spin move

Jan. 18, 2024

Man, we're dizzy just watching this one.

Pour one out for depth defenseman Joel Hanley, who got absolutely posterized on this play.

Tippett showed no fear bearing down on Hanley while storming into the Dallas Stars' zone. The Philadelphia Flyers forward did a full 360 spin directly in front of the rearguard and, with his back to his opponent, shovelled an excellent backhand rip right into the top corner.

He scored another beauty three days prior (again with around five-and-a-half minutes remaining in the third period, weird!), but we're partial to Tippett's spin-o-rama bonanza.

6. Jonathan Quick's still got it

Dec. 29, 2023

The Quick renaissance was one of the best storylines of the 2023-24 season, and nothing emphasized his resurgence quite like this save.

The veteran was in a sticky situation following a turnover and first made a solid pad stop on Florida Panthers forward Nick Cousins. The rebound dangerously squirted out to Eetu Luostarinen, but the New York Rangers goaltender was able to get his back leg up in time to make the acrobatic save.

Friendly reminder that Quick was 37 years old when he did this. It would've been the save of the year if it wasn't for another NHL long-hauler balling out in the playoffs, but more on that later.

5. Tim Stutzle takes a swing

Nov. 16, 2023

2.0 seconds left in overtime and Stutzle bats it out of mid-air? Brilliant. #NHLGlobalSeries pic.twitter.com/daU3W1XsWB

- TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 16, 2023

Stutzle may "hate" watching baseball and find it "pretty boring," but he's still got a heck of a swing on him.

As time winded down in overtime, Drake Batherson attempted to find his Senators teammate in front of the Detroit Red Wings' net, but the pass was intercepted by a sprawling Shayne Gostisbehere's stick.

With the puck now in midair, Stutzle waited for it to drop below the crossbar before batting it past James Reimer. It's the closest thing you can get to a walk-off home run swing in the NHL, and it was glorious. The German's big-time celebration in front of a hyped-up crowd in Sweden was just the icing on the cake.

We can't help but wonder if Stutzle's incredible goal has given him a bigger appreciation for America's favorite pastime.

4. Connor McDavid apparently had enough of Dallas

June 2, 2024

CONNOR MCDAVID THAT WAS NASTY! #StanleyCup

: @NHL_on_TNT (truTV) & @SportsonMax https://t.co/W9mpYG1lMO
: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1 pic.twitter.com/IfI2SERE45

- NHL (@NHL) June 3, 2024

Would any list counting down the top plays of the season be complete without a little McDavid action? We think not.

The Edmonton Oilers superstar produced no shortage of jaw-dropping sequences during his dominant postseason run, but his goal against the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final is our favorite.

Just look at what McDavid did to star defenseman Miro Heiskanen on this play. He pylonized him. That isn't a word, but it should be. It's the only way to accurately describe what happened. McDavid made Heiskanen a non-factor with some elegant stick work before shovelling the puck past Jake Oettinger - who's no slouch, either.

The goal set the tone for the Oilers, who went on to win the contest 2-1 and punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.

3. Sergei Bobrovsky channels his inner Hasek

April 23, 2024

This one is hands down the best save of the season. Playoff Bob was alive and well this spring, but he might've gotten a little help from Dominik Hasek through some kind of witchcraft for this play.

In Game 2 of the opening round, Lightning defenseman Matt Dumba was wide open, and the puck was on its way to him. It seemed like a guaranteed go-ahead goal. Unfortunately for him, Bobrovsky had other ideas.

The Panthers netminder appeared to be out of the play, but he somehow recovered and lurched across the crease with his back to Dumba, robbing the veteran rearguard with his left arm.

It was just preposterous. It's going to populate highlight reels for a long, long time.

2. Aleksander Barkov with the assist of the year

March 4, 2024

It's been more than three months and we're still trying to figure out how Barkov pulled this off. He's finally starting to get his flowers as one of the best, most complete players in the league, but this is next level and, frankly, shouldn't be possible.

His first touch on the puck bounced into the air, but did Barkov stop and regroup? No, that would be lame. Instead, the Panthers captain juggled the airborne puck up and over Rangers rearguard K'Andre Miller's stick.

With the wobbling puck now on the ice, Barkov brought it from his backhand to his forehand while falling, then somehow sent it over to Sam Reinhart, who made sure his teammate's efforts didn't go to waste with the perfect finish.

Nasty. This is undoubtedly the best assist of the year.

1. Quinton Byfield, this is just unbelievable

Feb. 20, 2024

QUINTON BYFIELD, OH MY. WHAT A GOAL. pic.twitter.com/5RCquDDksT

- NHL (@NHL) February 21, 2024

This goal was so good that the Kings posted an 11-hour video on YouTube showing it on repeat - and they were right to do it. If our calculations are correct, the supercut shows the play around 780 times, and every watch would be worth it.

In what was by far the best moment of his breakout 2023-24 season, Byfield dragged the Columbus Blue Jackets within an inch of their lives. The Kings forward turned on the jets in the offensive zone and got around Zach Werenski by dangling the puck through the defenseman's legs.

The play looked like it might have been over as Byfield only had one hand on his stick as he bypassed Werenski, but the youngster kicked the puck back to his blade to keep it alive. He finished it off by beating Elvis Merzlikins with a backhand shot while on one knee.

Take a bow, Byfield. This is just crazy.

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