Crosby drops slightly, Pettersson returns to TSN Top 50 as Nos. 20-11 are revealed

TSN Hockey has compiled its list of the Top 50 NHL players ahead of the full reveal special on Friday (11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT on TSN4, 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT on TSN5), and today, we announce the players ranked 20th to 11th.

Sidney Crosby has won everything there is to win at the highest levels of hockey.

The Pittsburgh Penguins star centre is a two-time Hart Trophy winner (2007, 2014), three-time Ted Lindsay Award winner (2007, 2013, 2014), led the NHL in scoring (2007, 2014) and goals (2010, 2017) twice, and won the Mark Messier Leadership Award (2010).

More importantly, he is a three-time Stanley Cup champion (2009, 2016, 2017) and joins fellow Pittsburgh Penguins legend Mario Lemieux as the only players to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in back-to-back seasons (2016, 2017)

On the international stage, the Cole Harbour, N.S., native has won two Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014), a World Championship (2015), a World Cup (2016), and has a gold (2005) and silver medal (2004) at the World Junior Championship while representing Canada.

Crosby has already been named one of the NHL’s Top 100 Players in 2017 and is a sure-fire hall of famer when the time comes.

Entering his 19th season in the NHL, Crosby is still one of the top players in the game. He recorded 33 goals and 93 points last season as his Penguins finished a point out of the playoffs.

The 36-year-old was able to stay on the ice for all 82 games last season, which marked the first time he’s done that since the 2017-18 campaign and only the second time in his career.

Crosby was No. 11 on our list last season but after his Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season, he fell two spots to No. 13 this year.

However, with help arriving in the form of reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, Crosby and the Penguins look to return to the playoffs and potentially make a run at the Stanley Cup.

Kicking off the list at No. 20 is New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (No. 15 last season). After winning the Vezina Trophy in 2022, Shesterkin followed that up by going 37-13-8 last season with a .916 save percentage and 2.48 goals-against average to lead his team to a 107-point season. In the playoffs, Shesterkin had a .932 save percentage and 2.17 GAA during the Rangers’ seven-game series loss to the New Jersey Devils in the first round.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (No. 7 last season) comes in at No. 19. Vasilevskiy took a slight step back last season compared to earlier in his career but was still one of the best netminders in the NHL. The 6-foot-4 goaltender had a 34-22-4 record with a .915 save percentage and 2.65 GAA in 60 appearances as the Lightning finished third in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. He then recorded a .875 save percentage and 3.56 GAA during the Lightning’s six-game series loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Vasilevskiy underwent back surgery last week and is expected to miss the first two months of the 2023-24 campaign.

The No. 18-ranked player is Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson (not ranked last season). After solidifying himself as an offensive weapon during the 2021-22 season, Thompson exploded with 47 goals and 94 points in 78 games in 2022-23. Thompson was a force on the man advantage, finishing tied for third in the NHL with 20 power-play goals and 34 power-play points. As part of a young core that includes defencemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, and forwards Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch, Thompson looks to lead the Sabres to the playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

At No. 17 is Lightning forward Brayden Point (No. 26 last season). The 27-year-old forward managed to play a full 82 games last season for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign and led the Lightning with 51 goals while recording 95 points. However, in the playoffs Point suffered a significant tear to his quad that hindered his performance during the Lightning’s first-round loss to the Maple Leafs. If Point can stay healthy, he’s proven to be a dangerous offensive weapon alongside Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov on the Lightning’s top line.

Adam Fox of the Rangers comes in at No. 16 after another strong season (No. 18 last season). The 5-foot-11 right-shot defenceman had 12 goals and 72 points in 82 games and finished second in Norris Trophy voting behind then-San Jose Sharks defenceman Karlsson. Fox’s 60 assists landed him fourth among defencemen and he also finished in the top 10 in power-play points and game-winning goals.

Coming in at No. 15 is Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (not ranked last season). The Swedish star forward had career highs with 39 goals, 63 assists, and 102 points in 80 games last season. Pettersson was especially a force on the penalty kill, leading the league along with teammate J.T. Miller with five shorthanded goals and nine shorthanded assists. The 6-foot-2 forward is entering the final season of his three-year, $22.05 million contract and is scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of the year.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (No. 12 last season) comes in at No. 14. Marner led the Maple Leafs in scoring last year with 30 goals and 99 points in 80 games as the team finished second in the Atlantic Division with 111 points. In the playoffs, he continued to lead the team in points registering three goals and 14 points in 11 games before the Maple Leafs lost to the Florida Panthers in the second round. Marner will be eligible for an extension at the end of the season and the level of his play this year can indicate the future of the core of the Maple Leafs.

The No. 12-ranked player on the list is Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov (No. 10 last season). The 5-foot-10 winger carried the Wild’s offence in his third season by recording 40 goals and 75 points. Kaprizov was forced to miss a month at the end of the season due to a lower-body injury and struggled in the first round of the playoffs, only scoring one goal in the Wild’s six-game loss to the Dallas Stars.

At No. 11 is Stars forward Jason Robertson (No. 44 last season). After a breakout 2021-22 season, Robertson proved that he belongs in the conversation as one of the best scorers in the league, registering 46 goals and 109 points to finish tied for sixth. He was especially strong on the power play, finishing fifth in the NHL with 41 power-play points. Robertson carried his strong play into the playoffs, scoring seven goals and 18 points in 19 playoff games before the Stars were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.