7. Mark Schiefele- The Winnipeg Jets heavily rely on Shiefele’s leadership and hockey ability every second he is on the ice. He nearly puts up a point per game, and his unique goals constantly find their way onto highlight reels across the country.
6. Brock Nelson- Even though Brock Nelson’s career high stat-line only contains 53 points, the New York Islanders rely heavily on the dynamic skill and leadership he brings to the team. He leads the team in overtime game-winning goals, notching several during the 2019 playoff sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
5. Jake Guentzel- During the Penguins famous back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016-2017, young players were forced to step up because of injuries to the teams starters. Guentzel was one of these players, and lead the team in playoff goals en route to the championship. He has since cemented his place on the first line, steadily producing even through Sidney Crosby’s lengthy periods on IR.
4. Roman Josi- Over the past few years, Roman Josi has emerged as the Nashville Predators most consistent forward. Josi has notched nearly three times as many assists as goals, and his impact on his team’s success is apparent in every single game.
3. Aleksander Barkov- The Florida Panthers are never rated as one of the best NHL teams, so Barkov never gets the recognition he get if played for a more renowned team. In reality, Barkov is a point-per-game player that excels on all 200 feet of ice.
2. Leon Draisaitl- The past few years Draisaitl’s success has been mostly attributed to playing next to Connor McDavid, his incredible success while McDavid was injured proves that he is not simply a product of McDavid.
- Evgeni Malkin- This Pittsburgh Penguins star forward is often overshadowed by Sidney Crosby, but has definitely sealed his place in the Hall of Fame. In 902 career games played, this Russian forward has notched 412 goals and 653 assists that accumulate to a whopping 1065 points!
IXI Insights 