It’s that point of yr once more, the leaves are turning golden yellow in Alberta, the combines are going 24/7 within the fields and gamers are in NHL Camps preparing for the season. And, in fact, it’s time for TSN’s Prime 50 Listing of NHL Gamers.
That is the fifteenth anniversary of the Canadian sports activities community’s high 50 checklist, and TSN Hockey will rely down the checklist all through the week of Sept. 23-26 till the complete reveal particular on Friday, Sept. 27.
A couple of key Edmonton Oilers have had their names on the checklist for the final eight years together with Connor McDavid who, as of 2017 has been voted the number-one participant seven years in a row. McDavid’s buddy and teammate Leon Draisaitl has additionally been on the checklist since 2019, rating as excessive as second place within the 2023 ballot. Final season, Oilers ahead Ryan Nugent-Hopkins made the checklist coming in because the forty second ranked participant on this planet.
5 Oilers That Need to Be on TSN’s Prime 50 Listing in 2024-25
Evan Bouchard
Evan Bouchard is a stud, and given his efficiency in 2023-24 together with main all defencemen in scoring within the NHL playoffs, I believe he’s a shoo-in for making TSN’s high 50 checklist for 2024-25.
Zach Hyman
Final season, Zach Hyman completed third within the NHL in purpose scoring with 54. He additionally completed with essentially the most objectives within the playoffs out of anyone with 16. Based mostly on his previous efficiency he nonetheless continues to pattern upwards, and I’m anticipating one other nice season out of the likable ahead. That’s why he deserves to be on the checklist.
Mattias Ekholm
Okay, he’s a little bit of a darkish horse however don’t overlook that the large Swedish defenceman was injured early within the 2023-24 season and nonetheless completed third in plus/minus within the NHL. He could also be a yr older, however he’s additionally wholesome coming into the 2024-25 season, and I don’t anticipate his play to drop off anytime quickly. Ekholm might not be flashy, like so many gamers within the high 50, however he’s as stable as a rock and must be acknowledged for the truth that he’s one of many high defencemen within the league.
Leon Draisaitl
It’s not a query of whether or not the league’s highest-paid participant will end within the high 50, it’s the place he’ll land. With competitors from Colorado Avalanche ahead Nathan MacKinnon, Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews and final season’s scoring title winner Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Lightning, it’ll be attention-grabbing to see the place the TSN panel locations Draisaitl. If he will get voted out of the highest 5 this season, that signifies that not sufficient voters stayed awake lengthy sufficient to actually acknowledge Draisaitl’s expertise on a nightly foundation all through the common season and within the playoffs.
Connor McDavid
I’d wager the farm that McDavid is voted because the primary participant for the eighth consecutive yr within the TSN ballot. He’s coming into the 2024-25 season extra decided than ever to lastly sip from Lord Stanley’s Cup. And I wouldn’t wager in opposition to him doing that both.
Prime 50 NHL Participant Honourable Mentions
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Regardless that Nugent-Hopkins didn’t put up the numbers final season that he did the season earlier than, he’s nonetheless an ideal two-way hockey participant and a key member of Edmonton’s deadly powerplay. Sadly based mostly on his latest numbers, I don’t see the long-serving Oilers ahead making the checklist in 2024-25.
Stuart Skinner
I don’t assume the likeable goaltender will make TSN’s checklist this season however right here’s a daring prediction: if Skinner backstops the Oilers to the Stanley Cup within the 2024-25 season, you may anticipate to see his identify on the checklist of high 50 gamers subsequent season. He has improved each season, and deserves to be thought to be one of many high 4 Canadian-born goalies presently enjoying within the NHL (together with the Vegas Golden Knights duo of Adin Hill and Logan Thompson and Pittsburgh Penguins Tristan Jarry). Skinner has performed properly beneath stress, he’s realized some robust classes, and is sensible and resilient sufficient to proceed to get higher.
Look For the TSN Prime 50 NHL Gamers Listing Sept. 23-27
TSN’s high 50 gamers checklist is all the time one thing many hockey followers sit up for. The checklist is legit, and typically I ponder if gamers (and their brokers) who’re on it aren’t utilizing their place to leverage a wage enhance when it comes time for contract negotiation. Relating to the Oilers, the checklist has turn out to be a little bit of a satisfaction level by way of McDavid and Draisaitl’s rankings.
Associated: 7 Causes Connor McDavid Is the World’s Greatest Hockey Participant
I believe that Bouchard, Hyman and Ekholm have professional possibilities of making the checklist this season, and I believe out of these three, Bouchard will probably be on the checklist for the foreseeable future. One factor concerning the checklist, I imagine Oilers followers take satisfaction in seeing their stars getting the popularity they deserve, however nothing will come near the satisfaction Oilers followers would really feel if the workforce had been to win the Stanley Cup this season. You gotta have objectives in life, proper? (And objectives within the NHL.)
