The Athletic: Anonymous NHL player poll 2024:

[LOFIN]

Top-5 in each category:

Who is the best player in the NHL (181 votes)
1. Connor McDavid 69.06%
2. Nathan MacKinnon 16.02%
3. Nikita Kucherov 7.18%
4. Sidney Crosby 1.66%
5. Cale Makar 1.66%

Best goalie (183 votes)
1. Andrei Vasilevsky 44.26%
2. Connor Hellebuyck 15.3%
3. Thatcher Demko 7.65%
4. Ilya Sorokin 7.65%
5. Igor Shesterkin 6.56%

Most underrated player (168 votes)
1. Other 22.02%
2. Aleksander Barkov 12.5%
3. Sam Reinhart 5.95%
4. Brayden Point 4.76%
5. Mikko Rantanen/Kyle Connor/Joel Eriksson-Ek 4.17%

Most overrated player (101 votes)
1. Other 26.73%
2. Trevor Zegras 12.87%
3. Darnell Nurse 7.92%
4. Matthew Tkachuk/Jason Robertson 6.93%

Who is the player you would most want to punch in the face (147 votes)
1. Nick Cousins 28.57%
2. Other 16.33%
3. Brad Marchand 14.97%
4. Matthew Tkachuk 7.48%
5. Michael Bunting/Conor Garland 4.08%

Best referee (132 votes)
1. Wes McCauley 53.03%
2. Kelly Sutherland 18.18%
3. Other 8.33%
4. Justin St Pierre 5.3%
5. Kyle Rehman 4.55%

Worst referee (92 votes)
1. Justin St Pierre 29.36%
2. Steve Kozari 13.04%
3. Other 10.87%
4. Wes McCauley 7.61%
5. Garret Rank 6.52%

Best jersey in the league, other than your team (146 votes)
1. Chicago Blackhawks 21.23%
2. Detroit Red Wings 15.75%
3. New York Rangers 15.07%
4. Toronto Maple Leafs 8.9%
5. Montreal Canadiens 8.22%

Favourite road city to play in (182 votes)
1. Las Vegas 25.14%
2. New York (Manhattan) 22.95
3. Montreal 10.93%
4. Nashville 6.56%
5. Vancouver 6.01%

Least favourite road city to play in (177 votes)
1. Winnipeg 41.24%
2. Ottawa 11.86%
3. Buffalo 10.73%
4. Raleigh 7.34%
5. Tempe/Phoenix 6.78%

Anonymous NHL player poll 2024: Who’s the best player? Most overrated? Best goalie? Worst road city?

Best goalie? Player you'd most like to punch? Best and worst refs? Favorite and least favorite road cities? Nearly 200 NHL players weigh in.

theathletic.com

 

[wintersej]

I'm almost sad that Marchand has lost his crown.

 

[ScottyMascotty]

Barkov and Reinhart are probably not the two most underrated players on Panthers roster right now

 

[Megustaelhockey]

The fact that there is significant overlap between best referee and worst referee is why there is so much wrong with officiating in the game right now.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I'm almost sad that Marchand has lost his crown.

Nick Cousins has really put in effort this year, just a world-class shitbag. I hope he stubs his toes and runs into glass doors more often than most.

Also, man, feels bad being the 3rd worst road city, but Winnipeg beats us like 4 votes to 1, so.. oof.

 

[ViD]

So you’re telling me players love Mullett Arena ?

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

How on earth is the NRY and TML jerseys seen as better than MTL?

 

[LOFIN]

So you’re telling me players love Mullett Arena ?

Nah, these were the comments from some of the players voting for Tempe:

“That arena is dogs—,” one player said.

“Should never be in the NHL,” added another.

“It’s pathetic,” said a third. “It’s not The Show. Can’t take it seriously.”

So they hate the arena, but Arizona is probably more interesting for a visiting NHL player than Winnipeg, Ottawa or Buffalo.

 

[CallMeShaft]

They got the best jersey right at least.

 

[Mr Kot]

Strange seeing simultaneously the best and worst refs on the same list.

 

[DuncanMacpherson]

Not surprised by Zegras for most overrated. You’re not gonna lacrosse your way to a Stanley cup.

 

[canuckking1]

Interesting to see a guy like Jason Robertson on the most overrated list

 

[Slats432]

This is bullshit, Edmonton is always on the least favourite city list.

 

[crowi]

I find it funny how Zegras is the most overrated player (with a number). He has had a few good years to start his career off, but nothing spectacular or care-worthy. This kid has done something very wrong it appears, perhaps comments before the WJC final USA vs Canada, and then winning the game.

 

[LOFIN]

This is bullshit, Edmonton is always on the least favourite city list.

#9 on the list. I guess the new arena has helped things a bit.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Kings should trade for Other.

 

[Jacob]

Zegras is pretty funny.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

At this point I am pretty sure Wes is the best ref consistently because he is seemingly a really good guy. Because he is a dog shit ref....if that is the best in the league we are completely f***ed.

 

[mkatcherin00]

This is bullshit, Edmonton is always on the least favourite city list.

We're still up there just not top five lol. How much time do players even have in cities really. I can see hating Canadian cities in the winter

 

[Deadly Dogma]

no leaf players on the best, over or under rated categories?

 

[mkatcherin00]

They got Kozari right. He's dogshit

 

[Dr Pepper]

Wes McCauley considered not only the best ref in the game, but also the 4th worst.

What a time to be alive.

 

[mkatcherin00]

no leaf players on the best, over or under rated categories?

Think marner is in overrated. I don't think he's overrated

 

[SoundAndFury]

It's kinda funny with all the bad publicity Arizona is getting, players still hate playing in Winnipeg so much more.

 

[crowi]

Wes McCauley considered not only the best ref in the game, but also the 4th worst.

What a time to be alive.

Eh, he let you go with one and got you for something else. That is likely what an NHL player thinks.