NHL Power Rankings: Picking each team's midseason MVP
This is the seventh edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2022-23 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every other Monday during the regular season.
In this edition, we select each team's most valuable player at the midway point of the season.
1. Boston Bruins (33-5-4)
Previous rank: 1st
David Pastrnak. The 26-year-old is well on his way to finally claiming his first 50-goal campaign as he leads the Bruins in goals (33), assists (26), and points (59). Not bad for a player in a contract year.
2. Carolina Hurricanes (27-9-8)
Previous rank: 2nd
Martin Necas. Rookie goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov filled in admirably during Frederik Andersen's absence but has only played 19 games and may soon be sent down. While the Hurricanes are incredibly balanced, Necas has shone brightest for Carolina. The Czech forward leads the club with 39 points and is averaging a career-high 19:17 in ice time while playing all 44 contests.
3. Winnipeg Jets (28-14-1)
Previous rank: 8th
Connor Hellebuyck. He had a disappointing 2021-22 campaign - just as the Jets did as a whole - but Winnipeg is exceeding expectations this season, and it's no coincidence that the American netminder has rediscovered his dependable form. He's one of the top Vezina Trophy contenders and the biggest reason the Jets are flying high.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs (26-11-7)
Previous rank: 3rd
Mitch Marner. Since Auston Matthews is having a down year by his standards as he plays through a nagging injury, Marner is the choice here. Not only does Marner pace the club with 52 points, but he's also been excellent defensively. He leads the Leafs with 49 takeaways and is arguably their best penalty killer.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning (27-13-1)
Previous rank: 5th
Nikita Kucherov. His offensive dominance has flown under the radar this season, but the Lightning star is second in assists and third in points league-wide, putting him on pace to exceed the 120-point mark for the second time in his career.
6. Seattle Kraken (26-12-4)
Previous rank: 19th
Vince Dunn. The 26-year-old's emergence as a legitimate top-pairing defenseman has been a significant factor in pushing the Kraken up the standings. He's logging over 23 minutes per game and ranks just outside the top 10 in scoring among blue-liners. Matty Beniers has been great, but Dunn has been more valuable.
7. New Jersey Devils (28-12-3)
Previous rank: 10th
Jack Hughes. The 2019 No. 1 pick isn't just the Devils' midseason MVP - he's also mounting a strong bid for the Hart Trophy by ranking among the NHL's most potent point producers while boasting outstanding underlying numbers. Hughes leads the league in goals above replacement by a wide margin and also sits first in WAR.
8. New York Rangers (24-13-7)
Previous rank: 12th
Igor Shesterkin. He isn't playing at his Vezina-winning level of last season, plus the Rangers have been better defensively in this campaign and have plenty of firepower. But the Blueshirts wouldn't be where they are without Shesterkin, and the fact that they never have to worry about goaltending when he's in the crease illustrates how valuable he is to the club.
9. Dallas Stars (25-12-7)
Previous rank: 4th
Jason Robertson. The Hart Trophy hype for Robo has quieted a touch since his near goal-per-game pace through the opening 20 contests of the season, but the Stars forward remains in the top five in league scoring. The 23-year-old is on pace to set Dallas-era franchise highs in goals and points.
10. Vegas Golden Knights (28-14-2)
Previous rank: 6th
Mark Stone. The Golden Knights captain is the heart and soul of the team through and through. Chandler Stephenson would've been a noble choice, but Stone's energy and passion really drive Vegas. He ranks second on the team in goals (17) and points (38), and he leads the club with 47 takeaways.
11. Minnesota Wild (24-14-4)
Previous rank: 9th
Kirill Kaprizov. The dynamic winger is the straw that stirs the drink for the Wild. While Filip Gustavsson has given the team great goaltending, he's played only 17 of its 42 games this season. Kaprizov has suited up for all of the Wild's contests in 2022-23, leading Minnesota in the three main offensive categories while averaging nearly 21 minutes of ice time.
12. Los Angeles Kings (25-15-6)
Previous rank: 15th
Kevin Fiala. The Kings had the lowest leading scorer of any 2022 playoff team - Anze Kopitar with 67 points - and looked to address their lack of scoring by acquiring Fiala in the offseason. That trade and subsequent long-term extension have paid off so far, with the 26-year-old looking to be the first Los Angeles player to score above a point-per-game rate since 2018.
13. Calgary Flames (21-14-9)
Previous rank: 16th
Elias Lindholm. Many Flames players have disappointed this season - namely Jonathan Huberdeau and Jacob Markstrom - but Lindholm has been as consistent as ever. Despite losing his two linemates from a year ago, he remains on a near-identical point pace. The 2022 Selke Trophy finalist is still one of the league's best defensive forwards, too.
14. Edmonton Oilers (24-18-3)
Previous rank: 18th
Connor McDavid. Anointing McDavid as the Oilers' MVP isn't exactly a hot take. The otherworldly Edmonton captain is the leading Hart Trophy candidate who sits atop the NHL in goals, assists, and points - the latter by a mile. Leon Draisaitl has been stellar as well, but McDavid provides far more value, so this one's a no-brainer.
15. Pittsburgh Penguins (21-15-6)
Previous rank: 11th
Sidney Crosby. Who said Crosby is no longer one of the game's most dominant players? The Penguins captain is having a vintage campaign at age 35. Sid leads the club in all three offensive categories, ranks among the league leaders in even-strength points, and is averaging over 20 minutes of ice time.
16. Colorado Avalanche (21-17-3)
Previous rank: 16th
Mikko Rantanen. Without him, the Avalanche would be in a much more dire situation in the standings. The 26-year-old not only leads Colorado in goals by 18, but his 22:59 average time on ice also leads the entire NHL among forwards. It's hard to be upset that Cale Makar got the initial All-Star nod, but few players were a bigger snub than Rantanen.
17. Washington Capitals (23-16-6)
Previous rank: 7th
Alex Ovechkin. Much like Crosby, Ovi hasn't slowed down despite the mileage on his odometer. The 37-year-old Capitals sniper is continuing his pursuit of the NHL's all-time goals mark, and his 30 tallies this season already put him in the record books. Ovi has kept Washington afloat amid injuries to key players and is significantly outproducing his teammates.
18. New York Islanders (23-18-3)
Previous rank: 13th
Ilya Sorokin. The Islanders goaltender is the obvious pick here, as he'd be the Vezina favorite if not for the Bruins' Linus Ullmark. Sorokin is the biggest reason the Isles currently occupy a wild-card spot. New York is a subpar possession team and weaker defensively than it once was, but Sorokin's outstanding play has helped it overcome those deficiencies.
19. Buffalo Sabres (21-18-2)
Previous rank: 17th
Tage Thompson. No one's more responsible for the Sabres' expedited rise than the late-blooming Thompson. Buffalo leads the NHL in goals per game, and Thompson has 11 more markers and 10 more points than his closest teammates. The hulking 25-year-old would be a serious Hart candidate if the Sabres were closer to a playoff spot, but he's the main reason they're not further away from one.
20. St. Louis Blues (21-20-3)
Previous rank: 22nd
Robert Thomas. Though Jordan Kyrou leads the team in points, Thomas has been the most complete player on the team this season. The dynamic 23-year-old center paces the club with 29 assists and has improved greatly in the faceoff circle, winning 52.9% of his draws this year.
21. Florida Panthers (20-20-4)
Previous rank: 24th
Matthew Tkachuk. He paces Florida in goals (22), assists (31), points (53), and penalty minutes (65). Tkachuk has been everything the Panthers hoped he'd be, even as they've tumbled down the standings.
22. Nashville Predators (19-17-6)
Previous rank: 23rd
Juuse Saros. The Predators netminder's recent 64-save victory against the Hurricanes was the piece de resistance of another spectacular campaign. Only Karel Vejmelka has made more saves than Saros this season.
23. Detroit Red Wings (18-16-7)
Previous rank: 20th
Filip Hronek. Captain Dylan Larkin is enjoying another stellar campaign, but Hronek has stepped up greatly amid Moritz Seider's sophomore slump. Hronek is on pace for 60 points and should get some down-ballot Norris Trophy votes.
24. Philadelphia Flyers (18-18-7)
Previous rank: 26th
Travis Konecny. In what's been a predictably difficult season for the Flyers, Konecny's return to form has been one of the few bright spots. The 25-year-old has already matched his career-high in goals through just 37 games.
25. Ottawa Senators (19-20-3)
Previous rank: 21st
Brady Tkachuk. Tim Stutzle is a far more dynamic player and could become the team MVP by the end of the season, but Tkachuk is the Senators' heart and soul. He sets the physical tone, is always willing to step up for his teammates, and even takes a lot of faceoffs despite being a winger. Oh, and he leads the team with 41 points.
26. Vancouver Canucks (18-22-3)
Previous rank: 25th
Elias Pettersson. The Canucks have grabbed headlines for seemingly every reason in 2022-23, but Pettersson's superb campaign has gone under the radar. The 23-year-old is tied for third in five-on-five scoring league-wide with 31 points.
27. Montreal Canadiens (18-23-3)
Previous rank: 29th
Nick Suzuki. It's really between him and Cole Caufield. But while Caufield is the better goal-scorer, Suzuki is the better playmaker and a far more responsible defensive player.
28. San Jose Sharks (13-23-8)
Previous rank: 28th
Erik Karlsson. The 32-year-old's dominance has been one of the best stories of this season, and he's clearly the Sharks' MVP. Karlsson leads all NHL skaters in even-strength points, with 18 more assists and 13 more total points than his closest teammates. He also boasts strong underlying numbers, and he's doing it while playing for one of the league's worst teams.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets (13-27-2)
Previous rank: 30th
Johnny Gaudreau. It isn't close, either. His 41 points are nearly double the next most (Patrik Laine with 22) on the team.
30. Anaheim Ducks (12-27-4)
Previous rank: 31st
Troy Terry. It's a toss-up between him and Trevor Zegras, but Terry leads the team with 34 points and is also among the best in the entire league at drawing penalties with 23.
31. Arizona Coyotes (13-25-5)
Previous rank: 27th
Clayton Keller. Jakob Chychrun would be the answer here had he been healthy all year, but as the saying goes: the best ability is availability. Keller, Arizona's lone dynamic threat up front, has 37 points - nine more than the next most on the team.
32. Chicago Blackhawks (11-26-4)
Previous rank: 32nd
Petr Mrazek. Pickings are slim on the clearly tanking Blackhawks, so we're going with Mrazek, whose woeful .875 save percentage and 4.26 goals against average is giving Chicago its best chance of accomplishing its goal of finishing last in the NHL to secure the top draft lottery odds.
(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)