NHL Power Rankings: Top 50 Forwards in Hockey Today

The NHL is very blessed to have so many exciting and talented forwards who give fans so much excitement with their amazing offensive talents.

The league has a solid mixture of older stars still dazzling fans, as well as some younger stars ready to carry the sport into a new era.

Let's look a the top 50 forwards in the game of hockey. 

50) Kris Versteeg, Florida Panthers

Kris Versteeg is having a career year and is one of the major reasons that the Florida Panthers are leading the Southeast Division.

He's become a consistent top-line player for the Panthers this season.

49) Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames

Calgary Flames captain and future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla is not the 40-goal scorer he used to be, but he's still a dependable first-line player.

Earlier this season he scored his 500th career goal, all of which have come with the Flames.

48) Thomas Vanek, Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Sabres winger Thomas Vanek is an underrated NHL player and is a consistent offensive performer year in and year out.

He has 23 goals and 27 assists for the Sabres this season.

47) Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars

Jamie Benn is another underrated young player, who has 57 points this year despite missing a lot of games with an injury.

Benn made the All-Star team this season and is a safe bet to return to that level many times in the future.

46) Ray Whitney, Phoenix Coyotes

Ray Whitney leads the Phoenix Coyotes with 67 points and is still a fantastic playmaker at 39 years old. As an unrestricted free agent in the summer, many contenders will look to sign him.

45) Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche

Gabriel Landeskog has been a beast in recent months and should win the Calder Trophy this season as the NHL's rookie of the year.

The Colorado Avalanche star is one of the best young players in the game.

44) Tyler Seguin, Boston Bruins

Tyler Seguin leads the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins in points despite being in just his second season as a pro.

Seguin's exceptional speed and playmaking skills make him one of the best young offensive players in hockey.

43) Teemu Selanne, Anaheim Ducks

At 41 years old, Teemu Selanne leads the Anaheim Ducks in points and is still a strong offensive player despite battles with age and some injuries.

While he may retire after the season, he's clearly still capable of being a solid scorer for another year or two.

42) Jaromir Jagr, Philadelphia Flyers

Jaromir Jagr has 47 points for the Philadelphia Flyers this season after spending a few years away from the NHL.

He still has the talent to be a solid scorer at this level, although it doesn't hurt to be on a line with Scott Hartnell and Claude Giroux.

41) Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Sharp is a very dependable forward for the Chicago Blackhawks and is capable of scoring goals while also being among the team leaders in assists.

Sharp has many years of fantastic play left in him.

40) Bobby Ryan, Anaheim Ducks

Bobby Ryan is a tremendous power forward that is also a proven 30-goal scorer in the NHL. Ryan is on pace for a fourth straight 30-goal season and has 46 points right now.

39) Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes

Eric Staal, as are most of the Carolina Hurricanes players, is not having a good year. But that doesn't mean their captain isn't an elite player anymore.

Staal is a solid offensive player and a leader for the Hurricanes. To be fair, he doesn't have much to work with in Carolina.

38) Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks

Patrick Marleau has 30 assists this season and is also on pace for another 30-goal season for the San Jose Sharks.

However, his season performance will be based on his play in the postseason, where he often struggles.

37) Loui Eriksson, Dallas Stars

With 25 goals and 40 assists this season, Dallas Stars forward Loui Eriksson is on his way to becoming an elite player.

He's underrated and doesn't get the national recognition he deserves, but that will soon change.

36) Scott Hartnell, Philadelphia Flyers

After never scoring more than 30 goals in a season, Scott Hartnell has 35 already this season and is having a career year for the Philadelphia Flyers.

While the emergence of Claude Giroux has played a role, Hartnell has taken his game to another level this year.

35) Ryan Callahan, New York Rangers

The New York Rangers captain is a coaches dream. Callahan is an exceptional leader, he scores goals, he blocks shots and he plays a physical game.

There isn't anything Callahan can't do well.

34) Mike Richards, Los Angeles Kings

Mike Richards' points total is down from last year but he remains an excellent two-way player that can be effective at both ends of the ice.

If the Los Angeles Kings get into the playoffs, Richards' offensive talents and leadership skills will be crucial to their success.

33) James Neal, Pittsburgh Penguins

Without Sidney Crosby for much of the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins needed someone to step up and rise to another level.

Winger James Neal accepted the challenge and blew away the expectations. Neal has 32 goals and 36 assists this season and was rewarded with a new long-term contract earlier this year.

32) Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers

With 31 goals and 38 assists in his second full NHL season, Jordan Eberle has become one of the best young players in the NHL.

Eberle has the ability to be a 50-goal scorer in the future and is just scratching the surface of his potential.

31) Milan Lucic, Boston Bruins

Milan Lucic has 23 goals and 30 assists this for the Boston Bruins, but affects games more with his physical style of play and checking ability.

Lucic is the definition of a power forward and his offensive talents are still improving. 

30) Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators

Jason Spezza has 29 goals and 46 assists for the Ottawa Senators this season and is a dark-horse candidate for the Hart Trophy.

One of the major reasons for the Senators' success this season has been the phenomenal play of Spezza.

29) David Krejci, Boston Bruins

David Krejci frustrates Boston Bruins fans with his inconsistency in the regular season since he has point-per-game talent. But when the playoffs arrive, Krejci always steps his game up.

Krejci led the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs in points and goals to help the Bruins win their first championship in 39 years.

28) Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning

Martin St. Louis has 23 goals and 41 assists this season for the Tampa Bay Lightning and is still a top-tier offensive player despite his age.

27) Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks

Injuries have prevented Ryan Kesler to put up his usual stats for the Vancouver Canucks. But there's no denying he's one of the finest two-way players in the game and a money player in the postseason.

Kesler is also one of the best American-born players in the NHL.

26) Brad Richards, New York Rangers

Brad Richards' playmaking talent, leadership and playoff experience has been huge for the New York Rangers this season.

He has given the team a capable No. 1 center, something they've lacked for years.

25) Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings

Los Angeles Kings are still waiting for that huge breakout year from star center Anze Kopitar. But he still has had a nice season with 23 goals and 39 assists.

24) Marian Hossa, Chicago Blackhawks

Marian Hossa has 28 goals with 43 assists this season, which ranks him tied for seventh in points with 71.

Hossa has been a reliable offensive player for the Chicago Blackhawks as injuries to forwards such as Jonathan Toews have hurt the team.

23) Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks

While Injuries have slowed down Ryan Getzlaf a bit this season, he still has managed to rack up 50 points (nine goals and 41 assists) this season.

He is still an elite player and a top-tier power forward.

22) Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins

Patrice Bergeron is second on the Boston Bruins in points and should win the Frank J. Selke Trophy for his defensive excellence.

Bergeron is a dependable player in the playoffs and is also one of the best faceoff men in the NHL.

21) Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Kane is an elite offensive talent and has yet to reach his potential with the Chicago Blackhawks. He has 18 goals and 40 assists this season for the Blackhawks.

20) Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs

Phil Kessel has 35 goals this season, just five away from the 40-goal mark many feel like he should achieve for several more years in a row. He also has 40 assists to give him a total of 75 points, which ranks tied for fourth in the NHL.

19) Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals

Injuries have hurt Nicklas Backstrom's ability to be on the ice consistently this season, But the Washington Capitals forward is still a point-per-game talent and capable of leading the league in assists.

18) Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks

On a team of veteran stars, Logan Couture has stepped up his game and is now the second best offensive player on the San Jose Sharks.

Couture is one of the game's brightest young stars and has 30 goals with 27 assists thus far this season.

17) Zach Parise, New Jersey Devils

Zach Parise has been a major reason why the New Jersey Devils have risen up the Eastern Conference standings in the second half of the season.

With 27 goals and 34 assists this season, Parise is having another fine year and will be the most sought after free agent in the summer.

16) Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers

By being able to stay consistently healthy this season, New York Rangers fans have been able to witness the elite goal scoring ability of Marian Gaborik.

Gaborik has 35 goals thus far, which is tied for third in the NHL, and will be an important part of the Rangers success in the playoffs.

15) John Tavares, New York Islanders

John Tavares has become an elite two-way player and has not received the credit he deserves from the national media this season.

He leads the Islanders in points with 70, ranking him 10th in the league. Tavares is a point-per-game talent and is only going to get better.

He should be top 10 on this list next season.

14) Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets

Playing with little talent around him, Columbus Blue Jackets star winger Rick Nash is still having a nice season with 24 goals and 23 assists.

On a better team, Nash, who is one of the game's best power forwards, would eclipse 80 points on a regular basis.

13) Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey Devils

Ilya Kovalchuk has been one of the best players in the NHL in recent weeks and is finally starting to be the elite offensive player on a consistent basis that New Jersey Devils fans have been waiting for.

The question is whether or not he can be at this level throughout the playoffs.

12) Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks

Even as an aging star, Joe Thornton still has 16 goals and ranks third in the league with 52 assists. He's still a top-tier power forward, but will ultimately be judged by his performance in the playoffs.

11) Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks

Corey Perry has 34 goals and 21 assists this season, which can be considered a down year for him, even though most NHL players would love to have those numbers at this stage in the season.

Last year's Hart Trophy winner is still an elite offensive talent.

10) Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

With 70 points, Vancouver Canucks captain Henrik Sedin is tied for fourth in the NHL in points and his 57 assists are second in the league.

Sedin is an elite offensive player and a fantastic playmaker.

9) Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

Last year's leader in points, Vancouver Canucks winger Daniel Sedin is having another fantastic season with 30 goals and 37 assists.

Like his brother Henrik, Sedin's season will ultimately be judged on his playoff performance.

8) Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

In what could be the worst season of his NHL career, Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin still has 29 goals and 24 assists.

His play down the stretch will determine whether or not the Capitals make the playoffs. Despite his disappointing season, Ovechkin remains an elite player.

7) Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings

With 18 goals and 41 assists this season, Henrik Zetterberg isn't having the best scoring season of his career. But his impact on the game defensively makes him an elite player.

Combine all that with his clutch play and you have one of the best players in hockey.

6) Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers

Claude Giroux has become a superstar player this season and could become the game's best player in just a few seasons.

He is second in the NHL with 84 points and his 58 assists lead the league. Giroux is an elite playmaker and an absolute joy to watch.

5) Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Peguins

Evgeni Malkin leads the NHL in points this season with 88, despite only playing in 64 games. Not much hasn't been said about Malkin already, who is a Hall of Fame player who is always going to give you 80 or more points.

His all-around ability is world class.

4) Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning

Steven Stamkos leads the NHL in goals this season with 50 and is the best pure goal scorer in hockey. His defensive ability, although not elite yet, has greatly improved since his rookie season.

Stamkos is the best young player in the game and could easily score 50-plus goals in a season many more times.

3) Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

Not only is Jonathan Toews a talented goal scorer and playmaker, his defensive abilities are top-tier, which separates him from Malkin and Stamkos.

Toews' all-around abilities combined with his exceptional leadership skills makes him one of the top five players in hockey.

2) Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings

Pavel Datsyuk has 17 goals and 43 assists this season for the Detroit Red Wings, but his elite defensive skills make him one-of-a-kind.

No other player in hockey has the all-around game that Datsyuk does and his ability to play well in the playoffs is the icing on the cake.

1) Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby's hockey senses and skills are just on another level that no other player in today's game can play on consistently.

His ability to score goals and dish out exquisite passes is second to none. He knows where the puck is going the second it touches the blade of his stick and his hockey intelligence is off the charts.

He's a once-in-a-lifetime player.