By the Number: NHL Edition (20-29)
We’re moving on to the twenties. If you have been keeping up, this article series highlights the best players in the NHL by their sweater numbers. I’m doing this because I am a new hockey fan that is trying to learn more about the NHL. At this point in the series, we’ll see a bigger variety of players. In 1-9, it was mostly defensemen. 10-19 was mostly centers and wingers, but I expect to see a bigger variety at this point forward. This will also make deciding on players a little more difficult, I believe. Keep reading to find out if any of your favorites made this list.
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Number 20: C, Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
We’re kicking things off with our local Hurricanes star. Aho is the choice, but I think Chandler Stephenson may have something to say about that. Aho still has the bigger upside and despite not having quite the output as last season, I think he’s starting to heat up. I think Aho still has the edge.
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Number 21: LW/RW, Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
It’s a two-man race essentially for the best blackjack in the NHL. Robertson has the advantage. He is Top 5 in points and it will likely stay that way as long as he remains on the ice. Brayden Point is the other option and while he is a great player, he’s not quite the caliber of Robertson right now.
USA Today Sports
Number 22: LW/RW, Kevin Fiala, Los Angeles Kings
Fiala had a career season in Minnesota and has continued that momentum in LA. He has been the best offensive option for the Kings this season and is the best 22 in the league. Tyson Barrie is probably the next best option, but Cole Caufield looks like he will enter the discussion sooner rather than later.
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Number 23: D, Adam Fox, New York Rangers
No doubt about it, Adam Fox is the best 23 in the league. It’s not even really close. Panthers Center, Carter Verhaeghe, and Lucas Raymond with the Red Wings are the closest to Fox, but Fox stands above the rest. Raymond might make the decision a little more difficult in the near future because he is only 20 years old, but not quite at this moment.
Number 24: C, Dylan Cozens, Buffalo Sabres
This Buffalo Sabres team will be scary in another year or two and Dylan Cozens will be a big part of that potentially. Cozens is only 21, but has surpassed all of the other number 24s in the league. Seth Jarvis is in the picture, but he’s having a disappointing season. Jarvis himself is only 20, so he and Cozens could go back and forth for many years to come. Phillip Danault is another option, but Cozens has surpassed him.
nhl.com
Number 25: D, Darnell Nurse, Edmonton Oilers
I’ll give the advantage to Nurse. The other players that are in consideration are Jordan Kyrou and Jacob Markstrom. Kyrou has arguably had the best season of all of them, but I feel like defensemen do a lot that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet and I think Darnell Nurse is a big example of that. As for Markstrom, he’s having a down year, otherwise, he would probably be the pick. Owen Power will likely be in the discussion in the not so distant future.
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Number 26: D, Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
Rasmus Dahlin is making the case as potentially the best defenseman in the NHL. I may be jumping the gun on that, but he is certainly towards the top. I would confidently say that he is entering a lot of people’s Top 5 discussion. When you think of the top defensemen, you think of Makar, Fox, Josi, Hedman, Toews, Hamilton, McAvoy, Pietrangelo, etc. I think Dahlin is definitely Top 5 among those.
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Number 27: D, Hampus Lindholm, Boston Bruins
There are a lot of options for this number. Lindholm seems to stand out to me though. Maybe it is because the Bruins are so good this year. Nikolaj Ehlers is another great option, but I could make the decision easier if he had played the majority of the season. Anders Lee is another option as well.
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Number 28: C, Elias Lindholm, Calgary Flames
Back-to-back Lindholm and this was kind of a tough decision. Timo Meier is on the rise and you could argue that he is having a better season than Lindholm. I am leaning towards Lindholm here because the Flames are just having an underwhelming season. If they start to pick things back up, Lindholm’s number will only go up. Claude Giroux is really the only other option for number 28.
USA Today Sports
Number 29: LW, Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
The number 29 is a stout number in the NHL, but this is no debate. Draisaitl is one of the league’s best. I don’t understand how the Oilers aren't the best team in the league every year. Nathan MacKinnon, Jake Oettinger, and Brock Nelson wear the number as well, but they’re not quite at Draisaitl’s level.
Yacs
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