NHL Top 100 2026: How 71-80 Anchor League Depth

Morgan Geekie tallied one of his best NHL seasons before a post-Olympic production drop-off left him at 71st overall.

Rebounding Veterans Extend Careers

Ryan O’Reilly returned to the list at 79 after missing prior rankings, posting consistent two-way minutes for the Predators at age 35. John Gibson slotted in at 80 following a strong campaign that earned the 32-year-old his first appearance on the Top 100.

Mika Zibanejad reached 30 goals for the fourth time in his career while improving his point totals at age 33 despite the Rangers’ struggles. The center’s uptick after three seasons of decline shows how experience still converts into production when opportunities arise.

Lucas Raymond fell from 42nd last year to 78th after recording 76 points in 80 games during 2025-26. The 24-year-old Red Wings winger had posted 80 points in 82 games the prior season following his 31-goal breakout of 72 points in 82 games during 2023-24.

Defensive Core Maintains Structure

Jaccob Slavin held steady near the middle of the list at 75, down slightly from 43rd the previous year at age 32 with the Hurricanes. Esa Lindell entered at 74 for the Stars, providing the kind of reliable pairing minutes that have defined Dallas’ blue line.

Filip Hronek climbed into the rankings at 73 after establishing himself as an all-situations defender for Vancouver at age 28. The Canucks blueliner’s leadership emerged publicly as the team faltered late in the season.

Travis Sanheim advanced from 86th last year to 72nd at age 30 with the Flyers, capitalizing on increased ice time that highlighted his skating and offensive instincts.

Forward Skill Sets Signal Sustained Value

Spencer Knight arrived at 76 for the Blackhawks, bringing the 25-year-old goaltender’s athleticism into the top 100 for the first time. His insertion reflects Chicago’s gradual roster building around young netminders.

Raymond’s elite playmaking and defensive reliability earned praise even as his scoring dipped, positioning the left winger for potential upward movement if he adds selfishness to his finesse game. Geekie’s hardest shot in the league and willingness to use his size in scoring areas offset concerns over regression after his strong pre-break stretch.

These placements align with criteria that weighted this season’s performance most heavily while guarding against one-year wonders through multi-year context.