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ESPN Ranks NHL Players for 2026-27 Season
Confirmed
In Short: ESPN's panel of experts ranked players based on their expected performance this season.
ESPN has released its rankings for the top 100 NHL players expected to perform well in the 2026-27 season, with Clark Draisaitl highlighted as a standout due to his contract extension and comprehensive skill set.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights, last year's finalists, had four and three players respectively in the top 100 rankings.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, and Montreal Canadiens lead the pack with six players each in the top 100.
The rankings emphasize players' value for the upcoming season, which explains why injured players might be ranked lower.
Mark Messier expressed shock and horror at the hiring of Mike Babcock as the Edmonton Oilers' head coach, citing past allegations of player mistreatment and privacy invasions.
Babcock resigned from the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 after allegations of invading players' privacy by requesting personal photos from their cellphones.
There have also been allegations that Babcock abused players, particularly Johan Franzen, during his time with the Detroit Red Wings.
Messier criticized the hiring process, noting that Babcock met with key Oilers players before being hired, raising concerns about leadership and player protection.
What this adds
ESPN's ranking process involved a panel of broadcasters, analysts, reporters, and editors.
The focus on players' value for the upcoming season means that injured players might be ranked lower than if they were currently healthy.
WarpBeat previously covered online gift ideas, unrelated to the NHL rankings.
Background
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What's confirmed
- ESPN has released its rankings for the top 100 NHL players expected to perform well in the 2026-27 season, with Clark Draisaitl highlighted as a standout due to his contract extension and comprehensive skill set.
- The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights, last year's finalists, had four and three players respectively in the top 100 rankings.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, and Montreal Canadiens lead the pack with six players each in the top 100.
- The rankings emphasize players' value for the upcoming season, which explains why injured players might be ranked lower.
- Mark Messier expressed shock and horror at the hiring of Mike Babcock as the Edmonton Oilers' head coach, citing past allegations of player mistreatment and privacy invasions.
- Babcock resigned from the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 after allegations of invading players' privacy by requesting personal photos from their cellphones.
- There have also been allegations that Babcock abused players, particularly Johan Franzen, during his time with the Detroit Red Wings.
- Messier criticized the hiring process, noting that Babcock met with key Oilers players before being hired, raising concerns about leadership and player protection.
What's still developing
- This is why he signed a contract extension this offseason that will make him the highest-paid player in the game at $20.4 million annually starting in 2027-28. -- Clark Draisaitl is the definition of a "complete package" -- he has the size (6-foot-2) and strength of a premier puck-protecting power forward, with the speed, playmaking ability and lethal one-timer that makes him a veritable superstar in every corner of the ice.
- 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.
- There will come a day when someone overtakes McDavid as the NHL's best player.
- Those allegations came after reports that Babcock, as the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2016-17 season, had forced a rookie Mitch Marner to make a list ranking his teammates according to their competitiveness, which he then showed to other players on the team.
- “I am absolutely shocked they hired him,” Messier said.
- “I am just horrified about the whole thing, to be honest with you,” he said.
- “I’m absolutely shocked from the stories that I heard from very good, reputable, character people about the way they were treated.” Messier also shared his criticism about the process that brought Babcock on board, which included a meeting between Babcock and key Oilers players Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman prior to his hiring.