After 18 seasons, Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is still one of the top 10 wingers in the NHL, according to ESPN’s 2023 positional ranking surveys — but just barely.
“The record he is chasing, getting ready to pass [Wayne] Gretzky, you have to tip your cap,” a Western Conference team executive said of the 37-year-old Ovechkin. “But there are players who are taking the mantle as top winger, who are at different ages and who impact games more than just being a goal scorer.”
ESPN’s NHL position-by-position ranking collected 20 surveys representing those on the ice and behind the scenes.
Here’s how it worked: Surveys were conducted over the past two months. Respondents were asked to rank their current top 10 players at center, winger, defenseman and goaltender based on a predetermined list of the top 25-35 players at each position. Players ranked on each ballot were given a numerical score — No. 1 earned 10 points, No. 2 got 9 points and so on.
Ten NHL players were surveyed — six from the Eastern Conference, four from the Western Conference. They range from NHL award nominees to veteran role players. To balance that perspective, we surveyed 10 people from the hockey operations departments of NHL teams, including three coaches and three general managers.
Combined, their insights led to rankings that go behind fan conjecture and media narratives to reveal the best of the best, at least according to those inside the NHL.
Here are the top 10 wingers, according to our surveys, with additional reporting from yours truly, Kristen Shilton and Ryan S. Clark to add context to the choices. Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey.
Over the past five seasons, no right winger has scored more goals than Pastrnak’s 185. He’s a strong and fast skater with great hands and an uncanny ability to get his shot off quickly. Pastrnak is an elite power-play performer. He led the league in power-play goals in 2019-20 and ranked behind only Leon Draisaitl (91) in goals with the man advantage (72) over the past five seasons.
“Pastrnak is a heck of a player,” a veteran skater said. “I think [Brad] Marchand and [Patrice] Bergeron have helped him so much.”
From 2016-17 to 2020-21, Pastrnak was a mainstay on the Bruins’ top line with Marchand and Bergeron, forming the NHL’s best trio with an unparalleled ability to dominate in both ends of the rink. But over the past two seasons, Pastrnak spent more time away from that duo than with them. His production hasn’t suffered: The winger has 75 points in 55 games in 2022-23, including the second-most goals (39) by any player.
Pastrnak got six votes for first place and six for second place, the latter leading all players in the ranking. He appeared on every ballot.
“His one-on-one ability. His shot. This guy is just an elite scorer and can create,” a Western Conference executive said. “For so many years, it was Bergeron and Marchand with him. You are seeing even without those guys, he has the ability to create offense on his own. That is such a unique attribute and a player like that even at his age continues to develop.”
On top of all that talent, he’s one of the league’s best-dressed players and the kind of goofball who does a “Happy Gilmore” tribute during an NHL All-Star skills event. Is there anything he can’t do?
While Pastrnak has him beat in goals over the past five seasons, Kucherov is the most productive right wing overall in the NHL during that span with a 1.43 points-per-game average.
He had an incredible 361 points in 252 games, having missed the 56-game 2020-21 season because of injury — and in the process had “pulling a Kucherov” join the NHL lexicon, thanks to the Lightning’s use of long-term injured reserve cap exemptions in his absence, which ended when the playoffs began.
The Lightning have played for the Stanley Cup four times in his career, winning it twice. Since he appeared in the playoffs for the first time in 2014, no player has more postseason points than Kucherov’s 154 in 136 games — including a league-best 52 goals.
This season, Kucherov is third in the NHL in points (79) through 55 games. The 2018-19 Hart Trophy winner has 19 more points than anyone else on the Lightning roster this season.
“Kucherov creates so much room for himself to make others better,” one veteran skater said.
The Lightning winger actually had more first-place votes (seven) than Pastrnak did. However, Kucherov was left off of two ballots completely by two current NHL players.
Not since the arrival of Alex Ovechkin in Washington had the NHL seen a left winger dominate offensively while helping to transform the reputation of his franchise. Gone were the days when the Wild were a defensive-minded team without a superstar player. Begun, the “Kirill the Thrill” era had.
“I just personally love watching Kaprizov play,” a Western Conference exec said. “With no disrespect to the centermen in Minnesota, but he creates all on his own. He does not need a centerman to play with him. You are seeing the ability to create offense on his own.
“But you are also seeing the chemistry he has with [Mats] Zuccarello. It’s not just creating offense in a one-on-one situation, but everyone Kaprizov plays with he makes so much better. That just goes to show how much talent he has.”
Kaprizov has 66 points in 55 games this season. Over the past three seasons, he’s fifth in the NHL in points among all players, with 225 in 192 games.
The Wild winger received one first-place vote and four second-, third- and fifth-place votes. One NHL team executive left him off their ballot completely, however.
Marner’s offensive production took a significant leap last season, when he tallied 97 points in 72 games. But the right wing didn’t receive a single Hart Trophy vote thanks to the guy on the Maple Leafs who had 106 points (and 60 goals) in 73 games.
In other words, it’s hard for Marner to receive proper credit for being one of the NHL’s best two-way players when Auston Matthews casts such a long shadow. But with his fourth-place ranking among wingers in our survey, the right people have taken notice.
“I’d have Marner in the top three,” a veteran player said. “He creates so much and forces a lot of turnovers.”
Marner has 66 points in 57 games this season. His 230 points in 184 games over the past three seasons puts him third overall in that span behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
“Marner, for me, is just a little more consistent and equally as dynamic as Kaprizov,” a Western Conference executive said.
His defensive ability separates him from many of his peers: Unlike the players ranked ahead of him here, Marner is a vital penalty killer for the Leafs.
“I still think Marner does not get enough credit,” a longtime NHL team executive said. “Away from Marner, Auston Matthews has been a lot less effective. Marner also kills penalties, and his defensive impact for them is also massive.”
Marner appeared on all 20 ballots, although his support was spread out over the rankings. He had two first-place votes. He also had six sixth-place votes, more than any other winger.
“I’d have Marner just a little lower on my list,” an Eastern Conference exec said.
Rantanen had 66 points in 55 games this season, keeping the defending Stanley Cup champions in the hunt as they played through a seemingly unending collection of injuries. A right wing who can also play in the middle, he has that rare combination of size (6-4) and brilliant playmaking ability.
While the Avalanche forward didn’t receive a first-place vote, he had one second-place tally and led all wingers with six third-place votes. Those who support Mikko Rantanen really support Mikko Rantanen.
“I’d have to take Rantanen ahead of Kaprizov,” a Western Conference exec said. “Rantanen is a better all-around defensive player. But don’t get me wrong, we’re splitting hairs here.”
Another executive said they believed Rantanen was “the most underrated player in the National Hockey League” today.
“I was asking our scouts the other day: Who would you rather have? Draisaitl or Rantanen? Everyone said Draisaitl, and I did, too,” the exec said. “But it was a conversation! When [Nathan] MacKinnon was out, he kept them above water. He’s a Hart Trophy-type guy whether he gets that recognition or not. I love him.”
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Marchand’s journey from “Little Ball of Hate” pest to arguably the second best left wing of his generation has been a remarkable one. The Bruins veteran has played to a 30-goal pace for seven straight seasons while growing into one of the better defensive forwards in the NHL, which is what playing with Patrice Bergeron will do for a guy.
Boston coach Jim Montgomery summed up Marchand’s tenacity in a memorable manner earlier this season.
“It’s amazing how he comes up with pucks. Like, the puck is in between three bodies and he’s like a little Tasmanian Devil,” Montgomery said. “He’s twirling all around and the puck just seems to follow him. It’s amazing. It just is. He tracks it. He fights for it. He’ll bite your leg off for it. And that’s why you love him.”
Marchand missed the beginning of the season following offseason surgery, but returned to tally 48 points in his first 47 games.
He received one first-place vote for the NHL’s top winger from a veteran NHL defenseman, but appeared on only 13 of 20 ballots in total.
The One True Breadman (sorry, Andrew Mangiapane) is an electrifying playmaker whose 161 points in his last 131 games ranks him ninth in the NHL over the last two seasons. Only Connor McDavid (139) had more assists than Panarin (121) in that span.
“Panarin makes everyone around him better,” an NHL veteran player said. “I think [Vladimir] Tarasenko is going to score like 50 goals with the Rangers before the end of the season.”
Panarin appeared on 14 of 20 ballots, and received two first-place votes: one from a current NHL player and one from a team executive.
The Panthers traded their leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau and top defensive defenseman MacKenzie Weegar to the Calgary Flames to acquire Tkachuk last summer. That was quite the price to pay, as was the eight-year, $76 million contract extension he received. All Tkachuk has done this season is justify all of it and then some: 78 points in 57 games, including 28 goals.
That effort built off his career-best 42 goals and 104 points last season, as the physical winger and Keith Tkachuk scion blossomed into a superstar.
“I love watching Tkachuk. You are seeing how much Calgary misses him this year,” a Western Conference executive said. “You’re seeing the intensity and the grit that he brings not only from creating chances off the rush but just down low and around the net. He’s an emotional leader that pulls his teammates into the battle and fight type of element. It’s not just a compete level but it is also the high-end skill that he has to back it up to make a lot of plays.”
He’s also someone that drives play for the Panthers, as Florida averaged 4.22 expected goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play when he’s on the ice.
“Tkachuk, for me, is one of the best players in the league in terms of the impact he has on his team,” a longtime team executive said.
While Tkachuk didn’t have a first-place vote, he had three third-place votes and appeared on 12 of 20 ballots.
One of the breakout stars of the past two seasons, the Dallas left wing has 75 goals in 131 games in that span, ranking him eighth overall. His puck-handling, quick shot and feel for the game blend together to make Robertson a dynamic talent. He’s also one of the best at creating scoring chances in tight quarters around the opponents’ net.
“He’s so committed to getting himself better,” Dallas GM Jim Nill told ESPN in December. “He has a special gift. He has great hockey sense, great hands, great puck skills. But he simply doesn’t stop working. He works all the time.”
Is No. 9 a little low for Robertson, who could be a Hart Trophy finalist this season? Perhaps. He appeared on 13 ballots but didn’t garner a vote in anyone’s top three. Robertson did receive three fourth-place and fifth-place votes apiece, and there was a considerable gap between him and the last player to make the top 10.
The Russian Machine passed Gordie Howe this season for second all-time in career goals, currently sitting on 812 with Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals in sight. Ovechkin has 33 goals in 54 games. The next highest Capitals player has 13.
Offensively, there’s no question that Ovechkin still has the goods. But the totality of his game is the issue for some of his critics. Washington averages 2.97 expected goals against per 60 minutes with Ovechkin on the ice at 5-on-5, which is the highest average for any Capitals player (min. 10 games).
“I’d have Ovechkin a little bit lower. I know that probably sounds crazy with the record he is chasing right now,” an Eastern Conference executive said.
Others felt that a few wingers that didn’t make the cut were more worthy than The Great 8.
“How is a guy like Jake Guentzel or Chris Kreider not in there over Ovechkin at this point?” a veteran player asked.
“I get Ovechkin being on the list, but he would be off my list,” a Western Conference exec said. “He’s awesome, don’t get me wrong. To me, I would have a few of the younger players like Timo Meier or Andrei Svechnikov ahead of him. Ovechkin is a great goal-scorer. But those other guys are a bit more well-rounded players.”
One NHL veteran player said Ovechkin has reached the point in his career where some games bring out a bigger effort than others.
“You get him in Buffalo on a Tuesday night, and Ovechkin might not be in the top 100 wingers,” the player said. “But you get him against Pittsburgh on a Saturday night, and he might be top three.”
Honorable mentions
Obviously, when combining left and right wings into one all-encompassing category, there were going to be some players left outside the top 10 that might otherwise deserve it. Meier (San Jose Sharks), Svechnikov (Carolina Hurricanes), Kreider (New York Rangers) and Guentzel (Pittsburgh Penguins) are a few of them.
In the case of Kreider, only three wingers have scored more goals in the last two seasons than his 76 in 134 games.
The next highest vote-getter was Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (25), who has the sixth most goals of any NHL player over the last four seasons. Vegas Golden Knights winger Mark Stone (23), Svechnikov (23) and Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane (21) were right behind him.
Kane is the only player to receive a first-place vote — from a current NHL player — and not make the top 10. Connor and Stone were the only players to receive second-place votes and not make the cut.
Some of the executives with whom we spoke had their own passionate picks.
“I’d have Brady Tkachuk in there. He’s a little bit of a pest but in a good way,” an Eastern Conference exec said of Tkachuk, who had 11 points in the voting. “I’d probably have him in there, maybe middle or bottom of the list.”
Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche had only one eighth-place vote out of 20 ballots, but had his support. “He’s another player with huge 5-on-4 time and had 59 points in 51 games,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “Landeskog knows playoff hockey and playoff hockey is different.”
Finally, there’s Jesper Bratt of the New Jersey Devils, who is tied for 10th in points for left wings (54) this season. He didn’t receive a single vote for the top 10.
“The guy that I think is not on the list but should be under serious consideration is Jesper Bratt. I think he is one of the best players nobody talks about,” a longtime NHL team executive said. “If you look at him and Jack Hughes, what you see is he’s a driver [of play] and makes things happen. He’s really responsible on both ends of the ice as well.”