The most under-honored players in the NHL today
Aleksander Barkov. Jake Guentzel. Mackenzie Weegar. Rod Brind’Amour’s coaching. Nashville as a hockey town. Nick Foligno’s Team Dad prowess. Gritty’s hijinks. What do they have in common? These are the usual suspects when it comes to the underrated label in hockey. But over time, we’ve come to appreciate all of them as special parts of the sport we love. Of course, it’s easy and fun to call things underrated — it’s a compliment and there’s no way to prove it.
But today we’re proving it. We’re recognizing the active NHL players that remain most under-honored for their exploits. As with Part I of the series, we’re doing it without bias or playing favorites. A quick refresh: each time a player crosses a certain performance threshold in a season, they bank Expected Award Points. Expected Award Points are compared to actual Award Points, using the handy honor guide below.
Overlooked. Slighted. Underappreciated. Call these 10 upper-echelon talents whatever you like — none of them have received the individual praise they deserve.
#10. Torey Krug
Expected Award Points: 33; Award Points: 0; Under-Honored by 33
It’s no secret Krug’s game has fallen fast since he turned 30. But defensemen like Krug in Boston — skilled offensively, serviceable defensively, playing 20+ minutes on great teams — are usually honored with regularity. Incredibly, he remains 25th all-time in era adjusted points per game. Yet, Krug’s résumé is emptier than KeyBank Center come playoff time. No All-Star Games. Never above 15th place in Norris voting.
#9. Semyon Varlamov
Expected Award Points: 59; Award Points: 25; Under-Honored by 34
The most under-honored goaltender has always flown under the radar. Quietly, Varlamov has played 16 seasons and nearly 600 games, typically at a high level. By most measures, his career body of work closely resembles Carey Price’s. Of course, Price reached famously lofty heights for a few years. But his 130-25 lead over Varlamov in Award Points speaks volumes on perception vs. reality.
#8. Mikko Rantanen
Expected Award Points: 56; Award Points: 21; Under-Honored by 35
At just 27 years old, Rantanen is on a Hockey Hall of Fame trajectory. While that might seem jarring, these are the seven players in the last 20 years that scored both goals and points at a better rate than Rantanen through age 27: Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, Draisaitl, McDavid, Matthews, Pastrnak. The individual honors haven’t caught up yet — the blinding light radiating from MacKinnon and Makar has left Rantanen MVP action just twice, one second-team all-star nod, and a pair of All-Star Games. He’s a legitimate superstar.
#7. Jeff Carter
Expected Award Points: 48; Award Points: 13; Under-Honored by 35
In a borderline Hall of Fame career featuring two Stanley Cups and 436 goals in a low-scoring era, the 39-year-old Carter’s list of honors is extremely brief. Think Mike Babcock in Columbus brief. Two all-star games. Tied for 10th in MVP voting in 2008-09. That’s it…. that’s the list. Carter’s 19-year career is on its last legs, so remember it more fondly than the history books will.
#6. Mika Zibanejad
Expected Award Points: 36; Award Points: 0; Under-Honored by 36
Zibanejad’s place here might shock you. It shocked me. He banked major value in the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season where his breakout 41 goals in 57 games was stunningly the NHL’s best sniping rate. In the four seasons since, he’s been a 34-goal, 83-point player. While the Rangers rewarded Zibanejad with $8.5 million per year, his award recognition looks a lot like yours and mine — zero. While most would take all that dough and silky flow over the honors, the Swede’s finest achievement remains 5th-place in Byng voting.
#5. Dougie Hamilton
Expected Award Points: 53; Award Points: 10; Under-Honored by 43
Not physical enough. Dependent on his defense partners. Indifferent personality. A lightning rod for unfair — and often ridiculous — criticism, it’s somehow been 12 years since Hamilton debuted in Boston. Through the noise of playing on four franchises by his 28th birthday, he’s been highly effective. A lifelong analytics mogul, Hamilton hasn’t needed anything too advanced to show his skill set. Since entering the league, he’s fourth in goals (142) and 11th in points (461) at his position. The honors? 4th-place in Norris voting and a second-team all-star, both in the makeshift 2021 season.
#4. Brad Marchand
Expected Award Points: 100; Award Points: 56; Under-Honored by 44
Being Marchand’s hype man is about as fun as it sounds. But while most sheepishly acknowledge his utility, hockey’s finest weasel has managed to do something quietly — score at an elite rate. See, Marchand’s 20s were played in an offensive abyss. Adjust for era and he’s a 35-goal, 79-point force through age 35. For context, that’s a similar career goal-scoring rate to Nathan MacKinnon. All while playing on the NHL’s best defensive line for his prime years. Love him, hate him, he’s in your head. But always appreciate his game.
#3. Joe Pavelski
Expected Award Points: 73; Award Points: 28; Under-Honored by 45
A late bloomer, Pavelski is the rare player getting more attention approaching his 40th birthday than he did in his prime. A 7th-rounder in the famously deep 2003 NHL Entry Draft, check out Pavelski’s career split:
- 20s: 191 goals, 415 points, 26 playoff goals
- 30s: 276 goals, 625 points, 47 playoff goals (and counting)
Despite MVP votes only twice, Pavelski continues to slay in his 18th season. Against all odds, he’s methodically slipped past the Hockey Hall of Fame statistical standard via PPS.
#2. Nicklas Backstrom
Expected Award Points: 56; Award Points: 11; Under-Honored by 45
We’ve surely seen the last of Backstrom, hip surgeries and other ailments wiping out his twilight. A steadying presence on high-octane teams, he managed to net 1,033 points while maintaining a sterling defensive reputation. But playing dependable Al Borland to Ovechkin’s Tim ‘The Tool Man’ Taylor took a toll on his individual recognition: one All-Star Game, Hart votes just twice, and mostly down-ballot Selke consideration. The big question for Backstrom? Whether the Hall of Fame will induct a player with under 300 goals (271), a single 25-goal season, no awards, and only one trip out of the second round in 17 tries.
#1. Max Pacioretty
Expected Award Points: 57; Award Points: 5; Under-Honored by 52
Surprise! Pacioretty started sniping in his third season and never stopped. Despite a severe neck injury at 22, the inevitable drama of being young, talented and candid in Montreal, and too many ailments to list, his lethal scoring touch lives on. He’s scored at a 30-goal pace nine times. He was captain of a storied franchise for three seasons. Yet outside a Masterton for perseverance, the 35-year-old’s only honor is a 2020 All-Star Game with Vegas. His latest comeback from two Achilles tears six months apart has affectionately brought him back to the spotlight. It’s a spotlight long overdue for the most under-honored player in the NHL today.
Just missed the cut: 11. Marc-Andre Fleury; 12. Mark Scheifele; 13. Tyson Barrie; 14. Steven Stamkos; 15. Brayden Point; Honorable Mentions (Semi-Retired): Zach Parise (would be #5); Phil Kessel (would be #6)
Award information from Hockey-Reference.com; Expected Award Points through 2022-23 season.
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