Leading up to the start of the 2021 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
60. Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues
Tarasenko played 10 games before requiring shoulder surgery last season, and he underwent shoulder surgery again this offseason. When healthy, he's one of the game's most dangerous snipers. Whether he can return to that form remains to be seen.
59. William Nylander, Maple Leafs
Nylander redeemed his delayed 2018-19 season with a career-best 31-goal campaign. The Swedish winger is already one of the more crafty playmakers and can push his ceiling even higher if he continues to score at such a rapid rate.
58. Gabriel Landeskog, Avalanche
Landeskog is a versatile forward capable of providing physicality, goal-scoring, and sound defensive play. If he ends up on the open market as an unrestricted free agent after this season, he's going to have plenty of suitors.
57. Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
Werenski turned in the best season of his career last year and led all defensemen in goals (20). His offensive game is sublime, and playing alongside Seth Jones means he should continue to deliver at an elite rate.
56. Carter Hart, Flyers
At 22 years old, Hart has quickly become one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. He played well while getting the bulk of the starts last season, proving more than capable of handling the workload.
55. Charlie McAvoy, Bruins
McAvoy is poised beyond his years. The 23-year-old hasn't broken out offensively yet, but he's already one of the league's top shutdown defensemen.
54. Shea Weber, Canadiens
Father Time doesn't appear to be an issue for the Montreal Canadiens captain. Weber, 35, remains one of the league's most dominant forces on the blue line and continues to score goals at an elite rate for a defenseman.
53. Robin Lehner, Golden Knights
Over 215 games in the last five seasons, Lehner owns a .920 save percentage and 2.65 goals-against average. Playing on a true Cup contender with the Vegas Golden Knights this season, he should be on the early short list of Vezina Trophy candidates.
52. Andrei Svechnikov, Hurricanes
Svechnikov showed his potential last season, scoring 24 goals and adding 37 assists playing alongside Sebastian Aho. Svechnikov is just 20 years old, and the No. 2 pick from the 2018 draft has plenty of room to grow as he looks to build on his promising sophomore season.
51. Jaccob Slavin, Hurricanes
Slavin is perhaps the most underrated player in the NHL and would have produced 55 points over an 82-game schedule last season. The defensive specialist led all Hurricanes skaters in ice time in 2019-20 and has been incredibly durable in his career, suiting up for every regular-season game over the last four campaigns.
50. Johnny Gaudreau, Flames
Gaudreau is coming off the worst season of his career. We believe he can bounce back, but if he doesn't, he could find himself off this list next year.
49. Anze Kopitar, Kings
The two-time Selke Trophy winner continues to produce at a high level while also taking care of business on the defensive side of the puck. Kopitar is poised to be among the league's top pivots once again in year No. 15 with the Los Angeles Kings.
48. Blake Wheeler, Jets
Wheeler took a step back last season, managing 65 points in 71 games after reaching 91 in each of the two campaigns prior. Make no mistake, though, the Winnipeg Jets captain is still an elite playmaker and is a strong candidate to bounce back in 2021.
47. Max Pacioretty, Golden Knights
After a quiet first season in Vegas, Pacioretty turned on the jets last year, leading the team in both goals (32) and points (66). The sniper has found some great chemistry with linemate Mark Stone and the duo will continue to terrorize opponents this year.
46. Miro Heiskanen, Stars
Heiskanen was one of the biggest reasons for the Dallas Stars' improbable Stanley Cup Final run last season. The 21-year-old already possesses abilities far beyond his years, and should have been a Calder Trophy finalist in 2018-19. The Finnish defenseman has already done plenty to justify the Stars picking him third overall in 2017.
45. Tuukka Rask, Bruins
The Boston Bruins will count on Rask more than ever this season after losing two staples on defense - Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara - in free agency. The netminder finished second in Vezina Trophy voting last year.
44. John Carlson, Capitals
Carlson has established himself as the league's top offensive defenseman. The 31-year-old has set career scoring highs in three consecutive seasons and ranks first in points among all blue-liners (213) since the start of 2017-18.
43. Matthew Tkachuk, Flames
All 31 teams would do anything to have a Tkachuk on their roster. The 23-year-old has a point per game ceiling, leadership skills worthy of Calgary's future captaincy, and all his opponents hate him. His value to the Calgary Flames is immeasurable.
42. Quinn Hughes, Canucks
Hughes just missed out on the Calder last season, but that doesn't mean his performance wasn't stellar. His 25 power-play points ranked third among defensemen, and his 53 points tied him for third on the Vancouver Canucks. The 21-year-old figures to be a staple of Vancouver's high-flying offense for years to come, and his rookie campaign was just a glimpse at what he's capable of.
41. Cale Makar, Avalanche
Makar was the only reason Hughes didn't win the Calder, but the Colorado Avalanche phenom deserved the honor. He outplayed his Canucks counterpart on a per game basis while suiting up for 11 fewer contests. Makar is a franchise cornerstone, and he's already a vital component of Colorado's multipronged attack.
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