This is the first set of rankings — by anyone, anywhere — that every person will agree with. There will be no disagreements with this list.
Of course, I’m kidding.
The NHL season is right around the corner, and this is a great time to rank the top 10 NHL players right now from New England. By right now, I literally mean right now.
I judged players off of their recent success, so players from New England who have had great careers but are well past their primes didn’t make the cut.
Let’s dive in.
1. Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
The first two spots on this list were incredibly difficult to select, but I couldn’t pick against Eichel — not after what he did last season.
The North Chelmsford, Mass., native and former BU Terrier climbed the NHL’s hardest mountain in his first crack at it. Eichel led all players in the postseason with 26 points en route to winning the Stanley Cup. That came after he posted 27 goals and 66 points in 67 games during the regular season.
Another improvement in Eichel’s game was his two-way play. Vegas bench boss Bruce Cassidy instilled those values in him and it showed, especially in the postseason.
Eichel is only 27, signaling the best is yet to come.
2. Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
In August 2022, the Buffalo Sabres inked Thompson to a seven-year, $50 million contract extension. After only one strong season in 2021-22, there were those who said Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams overpaid.
Those people aren’t saying that anymore.
Thompson, who was born in Arizona and spent time growing up in Orange, Conn., exploded for 47 goals and 47 assists for 94 points in 78 games last season, helping the young, rebuilding Sabres to finish one point from a wild-card spot. The former UConn Husky also finished top 15 in Hart Trophy voting and established himself as one of the top young centers in the NHL.
3. Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken
Beniers got 10 games of NHL action in 2021-22 and proved he belonged, posting nine points. He more than proved he belonged last year, his first full season of NHL play, scoring 24 goals and adding 33 assists in 80 games en route to winning the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. His two-way play also is impressive, as he ranked in the 100th percentile in even-strength defense, according to JFresh Hockey.
Beniers, a Milton Academy product from Hingham, Mass., also was a leader in securing the Kraken’s first playoff berth in their two-year history. He was instrumental in the Kraken upsetting the Colorado Avalanche in the first round and then got his team to Game 7 of the second round. Over 14 postseason matchups, Beniers scored three goals and totaled seven points.
He projects to be in the top three of this ranking for a long time.
4. Chris Kreider, New York Rangers
Over the past two years, Kreider has established himself as one of the top goal scorers in the NHL.
He scored 52 goals in the 2021-22 season, finishing third among all NHLers. The Boxford, Mass., native followed that by scoring 36 lamplighters this past season. He’s also grown his two-way game, with his even-strength defense ranking in the 84th percentile, according to JFresh Hockey.
His ability to find the back of the net matched with his speed earns him the No. 4 spot on this list.
5. John Carlson, Washington Capitals
Despite being plagued by injuries last season, John Carlson was still a force for the Washington Capitals in the 40 games he did play, scoring nine goals and adding 20 assists. The Marlboro, Mass., native long has been one of the premier offensive defensemen in the NHL, posting 70 or more points in three of his past five seasons.
His even-strength defense ranked in the 28th percentile last season, according to JFresh Hockey, but his offense more than makes up for it. He should be back as a force for Washington in year No. 15.
6. Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
Inserting Boldy at No. 6 was a tough decision, as I felt he had legitimate cases for the No. 4 and 5 spot. Still, No. 6 is a strong spot to be in for the Millis, Mass., native and he will only move up this ranking in future seasons.
*Sends nightly tweet of a beautiful goal from Matt Boldy*#mnwild pic.twitter.com/Lk2abNKOiS
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 28, 2023
Last year was his first full season and he was a stalwart at left wing on the second line, notching 31 goals and 63 points. In January, the Wild gave him their seal of approval by handing him a seven-year, $49 million deal. The Dexter Southfield product and former BC Eagle is a two-way force who will be a reliable scoring threat for a very long time.
7. Noah Hanifin, Calgary Flames
The expectations were sky-high when Hanifin (Norwood, Mass.) was drafted No. 5 overall in 2015 by the Carolina Hurricanes. The 6-foot-3, 207-pound defenseman out of St. Sebastian’s, the U.S. NTDP and Boston College was thought of as a game-breaking player.
He was dealt from Carolina to Calgary prior to the 2018-19 season, and over the past couple of campaigns, Calgary is seeing what all the hype was about.
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Hanifin had 38 points last season and a career-high 48 in 2021-22. He plays on the top pair with the Flames and at age 26, he’s solidifying himself as one of the more stable, reliable two-way defenders in the game.
8. Kevin Hayes, St. Louis Blues
In 2022-23, his fourth and final season with the Philadelphia Flyers, Kevin Hayes quietly put up a career-high in points with 54 points. While there are some flaws in his defensive game, the Dorchester, Mass., native has carved out a strong role in the NHL as a reliable second- or third-line center. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues in June.
In August, Hayes penned a beautiful story in The Players’ Tribune about his late brother Jimmy. It’s a must-read for everyone.
9. Cam Atkinson, Philadelphia Flyers
Speaking of consistency, Cam Atkinson has carved out a strong role for himself in the NHL, being known as a reliable, top-six scoring wing. The Riverside, Conn., native spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Columbus Blue Jackets before moving on to the Philadelphia Flyers before the start of last season.
While the Flyers struggled, Atkinson didn’t, scoring 23 goals and adding 27 assists in 73 games. Despite being 34 years old and being in the back half of his career, Atkinson still projects to be an impactful player for the next handful of years.
10. Charlie Coyle, Boston Bruins
This last spot could’ve gone to some other players, but Charlie Coyle will have every opportunity to grow into a top-six role this season — something the Bruins have been waiting a long time for.
The East Weymouth, Mass. native has been a reliable center on Boston’s third line since arriving from Minnesota in 2018-19. Last season, he posted 16 goals and 45 points in 82 games. But this season will be his biggest after the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. There’s lots to prove.
