Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA

High Noon 2026: Ranking the NHL’s top 50 forwards

Paul Pidutti
Paul Pidutti(AdjustedHockey)
Sep 2, 2026, 08:52 EDT
Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Nikita Kucherov
Credit: Apr 2, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) looks on against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Welcome to the third annual High Noon rankings — the NHL’s living timeline of the top players by position.

In individual sports, there are data-driven hierarchies based on performance. Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka are the respective World Number Ones in tennis. In golf, Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda each have strangeholds at the top. Boxing, UFC, track and field, and even chess rank their talent systematically.

Connor McDavid is the top forward in men’s hockey and its consensus best player by reputation. Just last month, I crowned him the current holder of The Torch as the NHL’s Best Player for a ninth straight year. Public voting at HockeyStats.com agrees. But reputation and skill aren’t the same as on-ice output. In last offseason’s rankings, teammate Leon Draisaitl edged McDavid in High Noon for the first time.

Fresh off a sixth scoring title, will McDavid take back the crown? Will defending league MVP Nikita Kucherov or Rocket Richard Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon be Number One? Where does blossoming superstar Macklin Celebrini rank? We’re naming the top 50 forwards, debating the top spot, exploring the surprises, identifying the biggest rises and falls, and checking in on NHL legends and top draft picks.

It’s Part 1 of our three-part series by position: the top 50 forwards in the NHL today.

🕛 High Noon Background

High noon was originally a tool to guide Hall of Fame debates. You can read about High Noon’s mechanics in this original post, which holds up well. It uses a weighted three-year average: 2025-26 is 50% of a player’s score; 2024-25 gets one-third (33%); 2023-24 is one-sixth (17%). The split ensures fluke seasons or injuries don’t overtake the rankings.

An important retroactive change made to the rankings this year is how players in their first three seasons are handled. Previously, a player built a score over three years. Celebrini, for example, wouldn’t have a full High Noon score until 2027. Given he’s one of the NHL’s best players already, this needed to be fixed. Now, the score for any player in their first three seasons is based 100% on the past season; so, the scores for Celebrini, Connor Bedard, and Matthew Schaefer, for example, are fueled solely on 2025-26.

Here is some additional background on the rankings:

  • By leveraging an adjusted version of point shares, the High Noon system is driven by box score stats, not advanced data. The rankings reflect results over process, ignoring competition and linemates.
  • The methodology does not project. The rankings cover what a player has done, not what they might do. If a 25-year-old and 35-year-old have performed similarly, they will be ranked similarly.
  • Goals are more valuable than assists, having a more direct impact on scoring overall.
  • Players are broadly assigned credit for a team’s defense using ice time and team-relative plus-minus.
  • Playoffs aren’t factored. Postseason opportunities are earned by teams, not individuals.

The High Noon system is a simplified version of performance based on per-game output, delivering results empirically to reduce reputational noise. The ranking offers a middle ground between raw points and analytics — the wide space where the majority of fans consume hockey.

👑 The Top 50

How to Read the Rankings: Auston Matthews’ score in the High Noon system below is 9.4, ranking him the #11 forward in the NHL. The Change column (-4) shows his drop from #7 last offseason to #11 today. Matthews’ career peak (his High Noon) is #2, the highest he’s ever been ranked (2022).

JUST MISSED: Nico Hischier (#51); Roope Hintz (#52); Lucas Raymond (#53); Bryan Rust (#54); Logan Cooley (#55); Alexsander Barkov did not play in 2025-26, so he’s shown where his score would rank (#29).

1️⃣ Who’s #1?

Well, if it isn’t Nikita Kucherov. With a High Noon score of 14.2, the dynamic winger returns to the top spot, a remarkable seven years after his previous spin at #1 in 2019. Not since Mario Lemieux in 2002 (at 36!) has a forward held the #1 spot beyond Kucherov’s recent age-32 season. MacKinnon is a close runner-up (13.9), his eighth straight year as a top-six forward.

Ranking McDavid (13.3) third isn’t some attempt at being a contrarian or grabbing an offseason headline. Each summer, I update the latest season’s inputs and see how the rankings shake out. Other than minor tweaks on the edges, the core methodology hasn’t changed. If you were an NHL GM in a one-year draft for 2026-27, McDavid remains your best bet. I’d lean toward a rested 29-year-old on a vengeance tour as both Kucherov (33) and MacKinnon (31) are creeping into their 30s.

But when it comes to output, it’s been 1A, 1B, 1C for a while now. In fact, Kucherov and MacKinnon have slightly outproduced McDavid by most basic measures since 2023-24.

The Big Three: Last 3 Seasons, NHL Rank

GPGAPTSG/82A/82PTS/82Ross Hart
#1. Kucherov2351252703954494138
NHL Rank ▶️T-41st1st6th2nd1st1st/1st/2nd2nd/3rd/1st
#2. MacKinnon2411362473834684130
NHL Rank ▶️1st3rd2nd4th3rd3rd2nd/2nd/3rd1st/4th/3rd
#3. McDavid2251062643703996135
NHL Rank ▶️T-212nd3rd18th1st2nd3rd/6th/1st3rd/10th/2nd

It’s no secret Kucherov is a scoring savant. But the totality of his offensive dominance still hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. Kucherov has scored at a 138-point pace and led the NHL in points-per-game each of the last three seasons. He leads McDavid by five goals and three points per 82 games since 2023-24. MacKinnon trails both in points-per-game, but his 136 goals (and plus-117, for what it’s worth) lead the league over the three-year High Noon window.

It’s been a remarkable run for The Big Three (and the often overlooked #4 Draisaitl) at the top of the NHL’s pecking order. But Kucherov’s return to #1 in High Noon should be no surprise.

High Noon: Top 5 Forwards, Last 5 Years

20222023202420252026
#1 (# of times)McDavid (5th)McDavid (6th)McDavid (7th)Draisaitl (1st)Kucherov (2nd)
#2MatthewsDraisaitlMacKinnonMcDavidMacKinnon
#3DraisaitlRobertsonMatthewsMacKinnonMcDavid
#4KucherovMacKinnonKucherovKucherovDraisaitl
#5KaprizovMatthewsPastrnakKaprizovCelebrini

⬆️ Too High?

William Nylander (#10), Toronto: A top-10 spot for Nylander stopped me in my tracks. HockeyStats.com public voting rates him as the NHL’s #18 forward, a reminder of the respect on Nylander’s game. Over the last three seasons, the Swede with main character energy was quietly 10th in goals, 11th in points and eighth in goals-per-game. Even in the lost Leafs’ 2025-26 season, Nylander quietly scored at a 100-point pace. Is Top-10 generous? Yes. But the man scores like few others.

Mark Stone (#12), Vegas: Sure, Stone moves like a Zamboni in quicksand these days. And he hasn’t played more than 66 games since 2018-19. But he’s one of the most brilliant, impactful players in hockey. The best defensive weapon on one of the league’s best defensive teams last season, Stone scored at a 38/62/100 pace against tough matchups and took just two minor penalties. The 14-year veteran might be the league’s most underappreciated gem.

Kyle Connor (#13), Winnipeg: Like most of the players at the top of this list, Connor isn’t known for his defensive prowess. But he’s a high-end finisher who was tied for sixth in goals (80) and sat eighth in points (189) in the NHL over the last two seasons. While his partnership with Mark Scheifele (#16) hasn’t yielded postseason success, it’s low-key been one of the cap era’s most productive, consistent and longest running.

OTHER NOTABLES: Mark Scheifele (#16); Jake Guentzel (#17); Artemi Panarin (#20); Alex DeBrincat (#30); Alex Ovechkin (#38)

⬇️ Too Low?

Mitch Marner (#27), Vegas: Marner snapped a seven-season streak of point-per-game hockey, dropping 15 spots. His former bestie Matthews ended his eight-year run too. The biggest culprit for Marner? Factoring into only 48%(!) of Vegas’ on-ice power play goals (versus 73% with Toronto in 2024-25). But the pass-first winger’s exceptional postseason showed that his top gear remains exclusive. Expect a bump upward in 2027 from simply factoring into a higher share of on-ice goals.

Tage Thompson (#36), Buffalo: Despite another 40-goal season and the Sabres’ long-awaited return to relevance, Thompson drops from #23 to #36 in High Noon. His 84 goals are fourth in the NHL over the last two seasons — behind only Cole Caufield, Draisaitl, and MacKinnon. But Thompson’s limited playmaking skills (108th in assists per game the last two seasons) and his 94-point breakout in 2022-23 exiting the calculation slash his score.

Leo Carlsson (#43), Anaheim: The 21-year-old’s upside remains tantalizing. His dominant start last season is the main reason I have Carlsson slated to be the 11th-best player in the NHL by 2030. But signing a $90-million contract and being an exciting talent doesn’t change past results. Carlsson’s yet to look sturdy over a complete season or top 67 points. That should change fast. Until it does, his #43 spot reflects his 2025-26 body of work.

OTHER NOTABLES: Mikko Rantanen (#22); Sidney Crosby (#25); Matt Boldy (#28); Wyatt Johnston (#39); Tim Stutzle (#45)

📈 Trending Up

Five Biggest Jumps Into the Top 50:

  • 1. Cutter Gauthier, Anaheim: +115 spots (from #148 to #33)
  • 2. Leo Carlsson, Anaheim: +93 spots (from #136 to #43)
  • 3. Connor Bedard, Chicago: +90 spots (from #119 to #29)
  • 4. Macklin Celebrini, San Jose: +79 spots (from #84 to #5)
  • 5. Martin Necas, Colorado: +40 spots (from #55 to #15)

Five Biggest Jumps Into the Top 100:

  • 1. Anthony Mantha, New Jersey: +125 spots (from #184 to #59)
  • 2. Will Smith, San Jose: +96 spots (from #159 to #63)
  • 3. Tyson Foerster, Philadelphia: +81 spots (from #160 to #79)
  • 4. Tom Wilson, Washington: +45 spots (from #110 to #65)
  • 5. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh: +43 spots (from #103 to #60)

📉 Trending Down

Ten Biggest Drops Among Last Year’s Top 100:

  • 1. Kent Johnson, Columbus: -158 spots (#65 to #223)
  • 2. Jonathan Marchessault, Nashville: -71 spots (from #89 to #160)
  • 3. Elias Pettersson, Vancouver: -70 spots (from #57 to #127)
  • 4. Marco Rossi, Vancouver: -61 spots (from #87 to #148)
  • 5. Pavel Buchnevich, St. Louis: -50 spots (from #75 to #125)
  • 6. Sean Monahan, Columbus: -48 spots (from #63 to #111)
  • 7. J.T. Miller, NY Rangers: -47 spots (from #27 to #74)
  • 8. Brock Boeser, Vancouver: -46 spots (from #91 to #137)
  • 9. Nazem Kadri, Colorado: -43 spots (from #69 to #112)
  • 10. Tyler Seguin, Dallas: -41 spots (from #67 to #108)

⌛ Legend Watch

Timeline of active forwards over 35 years old that once reached top-three status in High Noon

Veterans near the ends of their careers can feel overrated given High Noon’s three-season window. Why? An older player’s score may capture a level they won’t ever reach again. Yes, even the greats eventually decline — often quickly as they age deeper into their 30s. With that in mind, we’re celebrating the peaks of six iconic forwards over the last two decades.

  • Sidney Crosby (#25), Pittsburgh, Age: 38: Top-3 forward 11x straight (second behind Gretzky)
  • Alex Ovechkin (#38), Washington, Age: 40: Top-20 forward 19x (third behind Howe, Crosby)
  • Brad Marchand (#48), Florida, Age: 38: One of 45 forwards to be top-3 forward 3x
  • Evgeni Malkin (#60), Pittsburgh, Age: 40: Top-10 forward 10x (tied for 18th)
  • Steven Stamkos (#70), Nashville, Age: 36: Top-20 forward 13x (tied for 19th)
  • Patrick Kane (#78), Chicago, Age: 37: One of 39 forwards to reach #1 (2016)

⏳ Future Watch

High Noon progression of the forwards taken earliest in the 2021 to 2025 NHL Entry Drafts

Where will the 2026 first overall pick — Toronto’s Gavin McKenna — debut in the 2027 rankings?

Stay tuned the next two weeks for High Noon: Part Two (Defensemen) and Part Three (Goaltenders).

Data from Hockey-Reference; HockeyStats.com

Recently by Paul Pidutti

_____

CHECK OUT OFF THE ROSTER – NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEKDAY

Credit: -

Off The Roster is Toronto sports. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, this is the go-to morning conversation for everything happening in the 6ix – Hockey, Baseball, Basketball and everything in between. From breakout performances and questionable trades to throwback jerseys, viral moments, and the stories fans are actually talking about – it’s smart, sharp, and never scripted. Live weekday mornings on the Nation Network YouTube channel and available wherever you stream podcasts, the show delivers real opinions, real chemistry, and real Toronto energy. Missed an episode? Catch up anytime. Off The Roster—The new sound of the 6ix.

MORE FACEOFF.IN YOUR INBOX.
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER