Picking the Face of Every NHL Franchise Right Now
The face of the franchise.
It's one of those things that's hard to define, but, both literally and figuratively, you know it when you see it.
Sometimes it's the best player. Sometimes it's a stalwart veteran. Sometimes it's someone else. Whatever the specifics, it's a no-brainer selection in many cities.
But it's a little harder to determine in some others, which is what motivated the B/R writing team to take a look at all 32 NHL teams and make the call for each and every one at this moment.
Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought in the comments section.
Atlantic Division
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Boston Bruins: David Pastrnak
There's been a fair bit of change on Causeway Street over the last several months, but the exodus of Patrice Bergeron and others has left "Pasta" as the clear choice. He's the best player wearing the spoked B and on the short list of the best in the entire league.
Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin
Buffalo's a city where a number of players could stake a claim, including lanky scorer Tage Thompson and recent No. 1 pick Owen Power. But we'll lean toward Dahlin, who's signed through 2032 and ought to be a perennial Norris Trophy candidate.
Detroit Red Wings: Steve Yzerman
OK, we're going off the board here. The Red Wings are experiencing something of a first-half resurgence this year, and guys like Dylan Larkin are certainly to be lauded. But it's all part of the long-running "Yzerplan," whose approval rating spiked with the signing of Patrick Kane.
Florida Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk
Is it possible for a guy to strong-arm his way out of one city, arrive in its geographical opposite and make an instant impact? Tkachuk's run in 2022-23 screams yes. He gave the Panthers an offensive jolt and an injection of grit that was the story of last spring's playoffs.
Montreal Canadiens: Cole Caufield
There may not be a more daunting place to perform, anywhere in pro sports, than Montreal. The franchise dwarfs the rest of the NHL when it comes to tradition, and its fanbase is hungry for a return to relevance. When healthy, the 22-year-old sniper seems to be up to the task.
Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk
Maybe it's in the genes. Though he's not been quite as successful as brother Matthew in south Florida, younger sibling Brady has been the focal point during roster turnover in Ottawa. It's not translated to consistent winning yet, but the captain is a high-profile leader.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Steven Stamkos
All of a sudden, the Lightning are one of those franchises steeped in (at least recent) winning tradition. And though a number of players have played huge roles in that rise, none exceed the contributions of "Stammer," the prolific captain who's stayed since arriving in 2008.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews
If there's a 1B to Montreal when it comes to NHL cities and over-the-top zeal from the fans, it's Toronto. There's not a hockey watcher who doesn't know of the now-56-year title drought, and it's a fair bet Matthews is reminded daily. No Cups yet, but he's still a stud.
Metropolitan Division
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Carolina Hurricanes: Rod Brind'Amour
The Hurricanes are a team that's been consistently successful in recent years but without the overwhelming star power that resides on other rosters. In that case, we give full marks to the coach who graduated to the bench after captaining a Cup winner of his own in Raleigh.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Johnny Gaudreau
You've got to wonder if "Johnny Hockey" would do it again. The ex-Flame ditched Alberta and spurned his childhood home when he signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent. The result? Twenty-four goals and a 32-60-13 record. And, like it or not, he's the poster boy.
New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes
Meanwhile, it's a lot better these days to be the poster boy of the New Jersey Devils. Hughes was a much-discussed No. 1 pick in 2019, and his breakout last season coincided with the team's abrupt rise to the league's upper echelon. Welcome to the big time, kid.
New York Islanders: Lou Lamoriello
Could we have gone another direction? Sure. But the Islanders are a team with several high-end players but no true superstar, and, for better or worse, the fingerprints of their veteran general manager are all over the blueprints. Whether that's good or bad is another question.
New York Rangers: Mika Zibanejad
He's not the highest-paid Ranger or the most prolific on the scoresheet, but the 30-year-old center/alternate captain seems to embody the team's entertaining approach. The eight-year extension he signed in 2021 all but ensures he'll be performing on Broadway through 2030.
Philadelphia Flyers: John Tortorella
"Torts" has made a career of making wayward franchises relevant. He won a Cup in Tampa Bay in 2004 two seasons after a playoff miss and had eight playoff entries in 12 seasons before arriving in Philly. Twenty wins in the last 61 games will equal last season's total.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Sidney Crosby
There are a few "duhs" on this list, and none more so than Crosby, who was the face of the whole league upon his arrival in 2005 and has lived up to every shred of hype. Three Cups, two scoring titles, two MVPs and two Conn Smythes cement The Kid's Hall-bound legend.
Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin
Perhaps the second-most obvious list entry is "The Great 8," who arrived alongside Crosby in 2005 and has a similarly jam-packed trophy case. Three MVPs look pretty good alongside a Cup, a Conn Smythe, an MVP and a Calder. And if he stays healthy, he'll pass Gretzky on the all-time goals list, too.
Central Division
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Arizona Coyotes: Clayton Keller
The Coyotes might be the league's most nondescript franchise, given their recent issues finding a permanent home, etc., so it's no slam dunk to pick a signature persona. But if anyone deserves to succeed Shane Doan, it's the 25-year-old first-round pick from 2016.
Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard
The 18-year-old has gigantic shoes to fill when it comes to being a No. 1 overall pick who's also expected to carry the league on his shoulders. But 10 goals and 17 points in 19 games, which translate to 43 and 73 across 82 games, respectively, show he's up to the challenge.
Colorado Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon
The Nova Scotian went first overall in 2013 and was charged with rescuing an Avalanche franchise that had fallen into disrepair. It took a fair bit of time for the change to take hold, but the Cup hoist made in the spring of 2022 made it all worthwhile. Oh, he can play, too.
Dallas Stars: Jake Oettinger
The Stars are a team with any number of guys, young and old, who could handle the heady label. But we decided on the 24-year-old goaltender who's emerged as one of the league's best and will play the ultimate role in whether Dallas gets a second Cup banner.
Minnesota Wild: Kirill Kaprizov
It took "Kirill the Thrill" five years to make it to NHL after the Wild took a fifth-round flier on him in 2015, but to suggest he's repaid the patience is an understatement. A Calder Trophy was evidence of his prowess in 2021, and consecutive 40-goal seasons made it academic.
Nashville Predators: Roman Josi
The Predators have a rabid local following, but they're relatively anonymous compared to many teams in the league, which means not many outside Tennessee might recognize the level at which the now-33-year-old has performed, including winning a Norris Trophy in 2020.
St. Louis Blues: Robert Thomas/Jordan Kyrou
We tried. Honest. But when it comes to picking a signature player for the current incarnation of the Blues, given the departures of Ryan O'Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko, it's impossible to separate the forwards signed to matching eight-year extensions within 62 days of each other in 2022.
Winnipeg Jets: Mark Scheifele
If you saw this coming, take a bow. All but the most optimistic Jets fans probably expected the first-round pick from 2011 would be long gone via trade or free agency before he entered his walk year this season, but a seven-year extension worth $59.5 million ensures his place.
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Pacific Division
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Anaheim Ducks: Trevor Zegras
You can't argue with a video game, right? Zegras exchanged highlight-reel goals for prime placement on the NHL 23 cover, though Anaheim fans probably wish there were more production forthcoming than his career average of 21 goals and 60 points per 82 games.
Calgary Flames: Brad Treliving
Yes, we're aware he's no longer employed by the franchise. But it's hard to argue that decisions made by the former GM are still resonating in southern Alberta. He looked like a genius for getting a quick return for Gaudreau and Tkachuk, but it's not aged quite so well.
Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid
Another team, another duh. No. 97 is almost universally recognized as the best player on the planet, but the biggest concern these days, given his current contract, is whether he'll remain an Edmonton mainstay beyond 2026 and whether he'll boost his profile with a Cup hoist.
Los Angeles Kings: Anze Kopitar
The Kings have a premier blend of veteran and youth production. And no one represents the grizzled set better than a 36-year-old Slovenian who's played more games than anyone in franchise history. He was integral in two L.A. Cups a decade ago and may stay for another.
San Jose Sharks: Mike Grier
It may be the league's most thankless job. The veteran of four teams and 1,060 NHL games became GM in San Jose 16 months ago and inherited the task of flipping the franchise by stripping it to the studs and compiling rebuild capital. Will he see it through? Stay tuned.
Seattle Kraken: Matty Beniers
A franchise a quarter of the way through its third year hardly has established a face-first tradition, but the 21-year-old selected second overall in 2021 has a leg up on the role. It's a fair bet the Seattle brass will try to sign him long term the moment opportunity arrives.
Vancouver Canucks: Rick Tocchet
The Canucks had missed the playoffs for two straight seasons and six of seven before the 1,144-game NHL veteran was brought in to succeed Bruce Boudreau 10 months ago. The 34-19-5 record he's amassed since is sixth-best in the league, which legitimizes his impact.
Vegas Golden Knights: Jonathan Marchessault
Now 32, the Quebec-born winger was an original "Misfit" member of the Golden Knights upon his selection in the expansion draft back in 2017. And now that he's hoisted the franchise's first Cup and earned a Conn Smythe Trophy, he's a permanent Vegas legend.
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