Vasilevskiy, Marchand, Stamkos headline No. 50 to 41 on TSN's Top 50 Players ranking

With a new NHL campaign upon us, TSN Hockey has compiled its annual list of the Top 50 players - a projection of the top players this season - ahead of the full reveal special on Friday, and today we begin by revealing the players ranked 50th to 41st.

Andrei Vasilevskiy has been one of the best goaltenders of the decade.

The netminder has been an iron wall for the Tampa Bay Lightning, leading the league with a 286-138-29 record to go along with a .917 save percentage and 2.57 goals-against average since the 2015-16 campaign.

During that period, Vasilevskiy has been a four-time Vezina Trophy finalist, winning the award in 2019, and a two-time first-team All-Star. His reign of terror over opposing goal scorers only got stronger in the playoffs, going 65-45 with a .920 save percentage and 2.40 GAA since 2016. 

He led the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, three Stanley Cup Final appearances, and was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner after going 16-7 with a 1.90 GAA and .937 save percentage in 23 games in the 2021 playoffs.

Entering the 2023-24 season, Vasilevskiy had fallen from the No. 7 spot on our list to No. 19 after the Lightning were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The early exit in theory should have allowed the team to get much needed rest after playing well into June the previous three seasons.

However, Vasilevskiy was forced to miss the first 20 games of the season after undergoing back surgery in early September. Once he returned, he wasn’t quite his dominant self, registering a 30-20-2 record with a .900 save percentage and 2.90 goals against average.

He was far from dominant in the playoffs, allowing 16 goals during the Lightning’s five-game loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the first round.

He drops to the No. 42 spot on this year’s list, but with a full off-season of rest and a clean bill of health, no one will be surprised to see him reprise his role as the league’s most feared backstop.

50. Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars

2023-24 Ranking: N/A

Stars’ sensation Johnston kicks off the list at No. 50. The 21-year-old centre recorded his first 30-goal season in 2023-23, tallying 32 goals and 33 assists for 65 points in his second NHL campaign. The Toronto native added 10 goals in 19 playoff games as the Stars reached the Western Conference Final. 

49. Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders

2023-24 Ranking: N/A

Coming in at No. 49, Barzal scored 23 goals and added 57 assists in 80 games, reaching the 80-point threshold for the first time since his rookie season in 2017-18. The 27-year-old forward added two goals and three assists in five playoff games as the Islanders were ousted in five games by the Carolina Hurricanes.

48. Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues

2023-24 Ranking: N/A

The Blues’ centre comes in at No. 48 after recording career highs in both goals (26) and points (86) last season, his sixth in the league. The 25-year-old, who won a Stanley Cup with the team in 2019, was named an NHL All-Star for the first time in 2023-24. 

47. Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets

2023-24 Ranking: 44

Connor played just 65 games last season due to a lower-body injury he sustained in December but still managed to reach the 30-goal mark for the third consecutive season, scoring 34 to go along with 27 assists. The 27-year-old left wing added three goals and five points in five playoff games as the Jets were eliminated in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche. 

46. Tim Stutzle, Ottawa Senators

2023-24 Ranking: 24

Stutzle recorded a career-high 52 assists in 2023-24, finishing the season with 70 points in 75 games, the second-highest point total of his career. The 22-year-old centre was unable to build upon his 39-goal 2022-23 season, recording 18 markers last year. 

45. Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins

2023-24 Ranking: 38

The Bruins captain scored 29 goals and 67 points last season, adding three goals and 10 points in 11 playoff games as the Bruins reached the second round. The 36-year-old underwent elbow, groin, and abdominal surgery this off-season, but is expected to be ready for the team’s season opener against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. 

44. Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets

2023-24 Ranking: 46

Morrisey joins his Winnipeg teammate Connor on the list at No. 44. The defenceman scored 10 goals and 69 points in 81 games last season. The 29-year-old blueliner added three goals and one assist in five playoff games.

43. Steven Stamkos, Nashville Predators

2023-24 Ranking: 41

Stamkos comes in at No. 43 for his first season in Nashville. The former Tampa Bay Lightning captain reached the 40-goal plateau for the seventh time in his career last year, potting 40 goals and adding 41 assists in 79 games. The two-time Stanley Cup winner added five goals and one assist in five playoff games as the Lightning were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Florida Panthers.

42. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

2023-24 Ranking: 19

The 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner endured a down year, by his standards, as he missed significant time last year recovering from off-season back surgery. The 30-year-old goalie posted a 30-20-2 record with a 2.90 goals-against average and .900 save percentage, both the worst marks of his 10-year career. 

41. Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

2023-24 Ranking: 32

McAvoy comes in at No. 41 on the list after recording a career-high 12 goals last season to go along with 47 points in 74 games. The 26-year-old blueliner added one goal and six points in 13 playoff games as the Bruins were eliminated in the second round by the Panthers.

On Tuesday, we reveal No. 40 to No. 31 of our annual Top 50 NHL Players list.