2022-23 NHLPA Player Poll: McDavid, Vasilevsky still most trusted in a must-win game

Credit: Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday the NHLPA announced the results of its 2022-2023 player poll. Though the sixth edition of the poll was as interesting as ever, it was not a year for surprises.

The two most significant categories were which skater and goalie are most desirable in a must-win game. Connor McDavid of the Oilers and Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy led their respective categories with over half of the vote.

For McDavid, who collected 59% of the vote, it is his third consecutive season leading that category. The last time another player won was Penguins captain Sidney Crosby back in 2019-2020. McDavid had to settle for 68% of votes in the discontinued “best forward” category that year.

Vasilevskiy completed his own “three-peat” in the goaltender category, which was changed from “best goalie” to the one-game scenario last season. Carey Price won the award every year until 2019-2020 when Vasilevskiy finished runner-up.

Cale Makar was the biggest winner in any category, with almost 64% of best defenseman votes. Last year’s Norris Winner is unlikely to repeat due to injury issues but still has the respect of his peers as one of the game’s best. Oddly, there was no category for blueliners in 2021-2022.

Other repeats include Sidney Crosby as most complete player (4x), Patrick Kane as best stick handler (3x), and Leon Draisaitl as best passer (2x). Crosby and Kane have won those categories every year they have been awarded.

Other interesting results included Alex Barkov being voted the league’s most underrated player, Dallas Stars veteran Joe Pavelski being voted best net-front presence, and Norris front-runner Erik Karlsson collecting just 3% of votes in the defenseman category.

Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin was voted best female player ahead of American Hilary Knight for the second-straight season, though by a significantly closer margin than last year.

In the off-ice category, fashion-forward Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs was voted to have the best “shoe game.” Vegas was named the most desirable road city to visit, while Marc-Andre Fleury was voted the best dressing-room presence.

Over 600 NHLers gave their opinions for the poll, which has run since the 2017-2018 season and gives the players’ perspective on hockey’s biggest questions.