BT's Top 50 NHL Players: Let the Argument Begin!

Who are the top-50 players in the NHL?

Well...that definitely depends on who you ask. In an argument that has as many answers as who the best player in the NHL (alright....there's only two, maybe three answers to that question but still) it's always interesting to see where fans agree and disagree.

Who's overrated? Who's under-rated? Who's never been rated before but should be rated? Is there any other coherent sentence that we can insert the word 'rated' into and still have it make sense?

Probably not.

But coherent or not, we're taking a break from my season previews, and taking a look at the top-50 players in the NHL.

It could be worse...you could be Jason Muzzatti

50. Zach Parise, New Jersey Devils—Parise is kind of pigeon-holed in New Jersey. Although it gives him an opportunity to show case a good two-way game, one has to believe that Parise's 65 points and 30 goals would be even better if he weren't in such a stiffling system. We'll see if he can overcome those troubles this season.

49. Peter Mueller, Phoenix Coyotes—It seems strange to have Mueller at 49 instead of Elias, but he is. Mueller is an exciting young player, and his rookie season was a solid one with 22 goals and 54 points. He's a solid building block for Phoenix going forward, and there's no telling how high he could climb on this list one day.

48. Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks—Keith is a very exciting young defenseman, who is going to have an outstanding career. He was a first-time All Star last season, and if his offense picks up, there's no telling how high Keith's star could climb.

47. Sam Gagner, Edmonton Oilers—Gagner was a big surprise for the Edmonton Oilers last season, and a dynamo in the shootout. He's got a talent package that'll help him rise in the NHL for years to come, and could bridge the 20 goal mark this season.

46. Thomas Vanek, Buffalo Sabres—That big contract he received during last year's restricted free agency season doesn't help, but even in an off-year, Vanek is a 36 goal-scorer. The more he teams with Derek Roy in the future, the better the Sabres, and Vanek are going to get.

45. J.P. Dumont, Nashville Predators—Since his move from Buffalo to Nashville, Dumont has fallen away from the pubic eye a bit, but he's also increased his production. Because he isn't overshadowed by the the Drury's, Vanek's or Briere's, Dumont's broached the 30 goal plateau this past season, and will be an integral part of any success the Predators have.

44. Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Minnesota Wild—He's 24, and he was able to net 60 points in a defense-first Minnesota system. If Marian Gaborik decides to stick around, then these two could be a dynamic combination. Great vision, great passer.

43. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks—

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