There are players from all over the world in the NHL. However, it should come as no real surprise that Canada is one of the most well-represented countries in the league. At the start of the 2021 NHL Season, the total number of players that were Canadian was 43%, meaning they almost accounted for half of the league! While this may seem crazy to some, it’s not really if you’ve been following the NHL for some time. While there are great players from all over the world, Canada has staked its claim on the NHL and is doing a good job of holding on to it. It’s always interesting to see how places like ESPN try and predict their top 100 players and today, we are going to focus on the Top 3 Canadian NHL Players of 2021.
Whether they are as good as their NHL representatives are, is anyone’s guess though. However, if they are as good a representation of Canada as their NHL Players are, then they are surely worth a look! Unlike hockey, you won’t need to wear a helmet and pads but you will still want to be safe, so just keep that in mind.
So, what makes a good hockey player one of the best in the NHL? Is it how many goals they’ve scored? Maybe you like a nice assist? How about a keeper that stops shots like no one else? There are a number of things that can make a great player and while some of it is subjective, there are some things you just can’t deny? You know, like that guy that no matter what highlights you are watching is somehow mentioned or shown? Yeah, he is likely to be one of the top players in the league whether you like it or not!
CONNOR. MCDAVID.
WHAT. A. GOAL. 🥵 pic.twitter.com/ujq0WeMSbw
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 6, 2021
Connor McDavid is that guy! ESPN has even dubbed him the human highlight reel. McDavid is an absolute beast on the ice and uses his speed to help and create his offensive chances with what seems to be ease. He can shake up the defense with his stickhandling at full speed and is currently sitting with a career of 1.42 points per game. McDavid is also on course to score over 200 goals this season. This is absolutely amazing and has only ever been done before by one of the all-time greats, Wayne Gretzky. Gretsky being the only one to do this and having it been done 35 years ago, this really is some feat if McDavid can do it as well! This would see McDavid in the same conversation as what is arguably the best NHL player of all time!
Next up, we head over to the Boston Bruins and take a look at Brad Marchand. In the past 5-6 years, Marchand has upped his game and has become one of the best left-wingers in the NHL currently, if not the best. Since the 2015-16 season, no one on the left has more points than Marchand who is coming in with a massive 494 points! His 1.15 points per game are also the highest of anyone on the left since 15-16 as well. Currently ranked as one of the top 10 players in the NHL currently, Marchand was overshadowed by another Boston legend. Yes, Marchand may have been slightly overlooked for a few years as he was playing with Patrice Bergeron who was an absolute defensive unit and was the talk of the town for some time. However, Marchand has stayed strong and is on pace to also go down as one of the greats!
Coming in at our 3rd spot is Mitchell Marner. Marner is seeing a lot of playing time and rightly so. As the whole NHL is concerned, ESPN has ranked him as their 14th player in their top 100 predictions for the season. Marner is currently sitting 3rd in total points when compared to his fellow Canadians in the league. Marner had a slow start to the season and only had one assist in his first seven games but things seem to be picking up for him. In the Leafs’ win over Chicago, Marner managed to get off 7 shots at goal, giving us all a glimmer of hope that he will be back on top form in no time, hopefully. Marner definitely has what it takes to be one of the greats not only for his country but in the NHL as a whole and we look forward to seeing if he can continue this.
There you have it folks, these are, at the time of writing, the top 3 Canadian players in the NHL. There is a lot of work that goes into being one of the greatest NHL players. Whether for just the season or over the course of your whole career, it takes a lot of work and most importantly, consistency. One of the most similar things you can see between the greats in any sport is their consistent nature to be great. Whether it is scoring the most points or helping to push their team as a whole to the next level, the great players of all time do whatever it takes. Gaining legendary status in the sport you love and have dedicated yourself to must be a dream of most and for those who have made it, a true blessing!
