In the third edition of theScore's Hart Trophy Power Rankings, a defenseman on a historic pace enters the mix for the first time.

5. Jack Eichel

Eichel showed flashes of his immense talent over his first four NHL seasons, but he's unleashed what looks to be his full potential this year. A game-changing player, Eichel is doing his best to give the Buffalo Sabres their first playoff appearance since 2011. The Sabres have started to slip after a hot start to the season, but they remain in the postseason mix. With 19 more points than the second-leading scorer on his team, the 23-year-old Eichel will need to keep his foot on the gas in the second half of the season to keep Buffalo in the race.

4. John Carlson

Cemented as a Norris Trophy favorite since the opening weeks of the season, Carlson is generating serious buzz in the conversation for league MVP. On pace for the first 100-point season by a defenseman since Brian Leetch in 1991-92, Carlson has been a driving force for the league's top team. Averaging a touch under 25 minutes of ice time per game, he's been eating monster minutes on the blueline while leading the Washington Capitals in scoring by a whopping 11 points.

3. Brad Marchand

Playing in the shadow of goal-scoring machine and linemate David Pastrnak, Marchand is quietly putting together a terrific season from all angles. Sitting fifth in the league with 59 points, Marchand chips in on both sides of the puck. He's one of the best defensive wingers in the game and is tasked with killing penalties night in and night out for the Atlantic-leading Boston Bruins. He leads the league with 25 drawn penalties and ranks fourth in primary assists with 24.

In 70 minutes on the ice at five-on-five without Pastrnak, Marchand boasts a stout 58.52 Corsi For rating and a 61.42 Expected Goals For percentage. And while Marchand excels without Pastrnak by his side, Pastrnak struggles without Marchand, managing a 48.47 CF% and 41.98 xGF% in 129 minutes away from him. He might not possess as much flash or charm as his Czech linemate, but Marchand is certainly the oil that keeps the machine running smoothly in Boston.

2. Connor McDavid

After recording 51 points through his first 30 games of the year, McDavid has cooled off a tad over the last few weeks, chipping in 13 points over the last 13 games as the Edmonton Oilers have started to fall in the standings. Even so, McDavid is the league's most dynamic player on a nightly basis regardless of who lines up alongside him; he possesses a fantastic 55.09 xGF% in 197 minutes without All-Star teammate Leon Draisaitl on his wing. Despite the Oilers' lackluster performance of late, they'd be in far worse shape without McDavid.

1. Nathan MacKinnon

When the injury bug hit the Colorado Avalanche in the early goings of the season, MacKinnon stepped up to ensure his team kept on trucking. He's gone just seven games without recording a point this year, five of which resulted in a Colorado loss. He continued rolling as his team inched closer to full health during the month of December, racking up seven goals and nine assists. MacKinnon ranks second in the league in shots and drives offense at a ridiculous pace whenever he's on the ice. He's third in the league in points and has an incredible 31 more than the next-highest scorer on the Avalanche. The 24-year-old has played an integral role in Colorado's rise to sixth in the league's overall standings, and he looks to be well on his way to surpassing the 99 points he posted in a career year last season.

Honorable mentions: David Pastrnak (BOS), Auston Matthews (TOR), Leon Draisaitl (EDM)

(Advanced stats source: Natural Stat Trick)

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.