Sportsnet Insiders Rank the NHL's Top 50 Players for 2026-27
Brady Tkachuk, Clayton Keller and Artemi Panarin headline the first group in Sportsnet's forward-looking list.
Sportsnet opened its 2026-27 ranking of the NHL's top 50 players on Monday by revealing Nos. 50 through 41, a group featuring Brady Tkachuk, Clayton Keller and Artemi Panarin.
The ranking combines ballots from Sportsnet contributors. Voters considered expected performance in 2026-27 across all positions and skill sets, without giving weight to legacy or past accomplishments. Players received points based on their position on each ballot.
Tkachuk begins a new chapter with Florida after leaving Ottawa to join his brother. He recorded 22 goals and 59 points in 60 games last season after a thumb injury cost him time early in the year. Panarin, ranked No. 48, also changed teams during 2025-26, moving from the New York Rangers to Los Angeles in February before producing at a point-per-game pace for the Kings.
Charlie McAvoy, Jake Guentzel, Jaccob Slavin and Kyle Connor are also part of the first group. McAvoy had 61 points in 69 games and received Norris Trophy votes for the sixth time in nine seasons despite an injury-hit year. Guentzel set career highs with 88 points in his second season with Tampa Bay, while Slavin returned from a 39-game regular season to help Carolina win the Stanley Cup.
Connor enters the season after consecutive 90-point campaigns. Keller had 88 points last season after setting a career high with 90 in 2024-25 and helped Utah reach the playoffs for the first time since the franchise moved to Salt Lake City.
