NHL Rank: From 1 to 100, the best players in 2026-27

It takes more than one elite player to win the Stanley Cup. Last year's finalists -- the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights -- had four and three such players, respectively, in our 2025-26 player rankings . We asked a panel of ESPN broadcasters, analysts, reporters and editors to rate players based on how good they will be this season as compared with their peers. Emphasis was placed on their value for this coming season, which explains why players who are out injured (but expected to return) might be lower than if they were healthy now.