Sportsnet Reveals Nos. 40 to 31 in Its 2026-27 NHL Top 50
Brandon Hagel, Ilya Sorokin, Mark Scheifele and Moritz Seider lead the second installment of Sportsnet’s forward-looking ranking.
Sportsnet has released the second installment of its annual ranking of the NHL's top 50 players, covering Nos. 40 through 31. The list combines ballots from contributors across the network and weighs expected performance in 2026-27 rather than legacy or past reputation.
The latest group begins with Brandon Hagel at No. 40, followed by Ilya Sorokin, Mark Scheifele, Moritz Seider, Wyatt Johnston, Igor Shesterkin, Jake Sanderson and Leo Carlsson.
Five members of this group were absent from last year's top 50. Sorokin returns after leading the league with seven shutouts and posting a .906 save percentage, a 2.68 goals-against average and a league-best .864 high-danger save percentage. He finished second to Andrei Vasilevskiy in Vezina Trophy voting.
Seider also returns after a career-best 60-point season for Detroit and his first Norris Trophy votes. Scheifele recorded career highs with 36 goals and 103 points for Winnipeg, while Johnston scored 45 goals and led the NHL with 27 power-play goals for Dallas.
Carlsson enters the season after Anaheim matched a five-year, $90 million offer sheet.
Sportsnet previously unveiled Nos. 50 through 41. The remaining 30 players are still to come.
