Ranking the Best Players Under 25 so Far in the 2015-16 NHL Season

The NHL season is young, and so are some of the league's top scorers.

It used to be that players would hit their prime in their late 20s, but every year it seems impact players are getting younger and younger. So far this season, there are plenty of individuals under 25 who are performing at an elite level already.

Points are the biggest factor in ranking the best players under 25 so far this season, but minutes played and their importance to the team also play a role on this list. There is no weighting to how they may have performed in previous seasons, and there are a couple of top rookies in this group vying for the league's scoring title.

There's no shortage of skill among this group. With a relatively small sample size on the season, expect a lot of movement in these rankings in the future, but click ahead to check out the order of the under-25s so far in the 2015-16 NHL season.

Feel free to add your own selections in the comments section.

Honorable Mentions

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators: The 23-year-old was tied for the rookie scoring race last year and has meshed with Kyle Turris and Mike Hoffman on the Sens' top line. He has two goals and nine points in eight games this season.

Artemi Panarin, Chicago Blackhawks: The former KHL star is playing opposite North American clone Patrick Kane and has two goals and eight points in nine games so far. His English isn't great, but his game is translating perfectly in the NHL.

Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes: The 23-year-old defenseman has three goals and six points in nine games for the Hurricanes. He's averaging the eighth most minutes among all blueliners this season. His 34 shots are ninth most in the league regardless of position.

Vincent Trocheck, Florida Panthers: Injures at the top of the forward group have forced Trocheck into a larger role, but he's got the skill set to produce given the added responsibility and has four goals and nine points in nine games so far. 

Nail Yakupov, Edmonton Oilers: Credit for his emergence as a top-line threat has a lot to do with the fact he's playing alongside Connor McDavid. He's got two goals and nine points in 10 games. 

Gabriel Landeskog/Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche: Landeskog, 22, and MacKinnon, 20, both have seven points in eight games. They're on track to rebound from a down season.

10. Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings

Danny Moloshok/Associated Press

Age: 23 (April 24, 1992)

By the numbers: Tyler Toffoli is second in the league with seven goals through nine games. He also has an assist for the Los Angeles Kings. His two game-winners are the most in the league. He also has a shorthanded marker.

The bottom line: The Kings no longer use That 70s Line, which started last season as one of the league's hottest trios. However, Toffoli is still centered by Jeff Carter, and head coach Darryl Sutter recently added power forward Milan Lucic to the mix. He was a stellar scorer at the AHL level and hit 23 goals in his first full NHL season last year.

9. Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues

Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

Age: 23 (December 13, 1991)

By the numbers: Vladimir Tarasenko has five goals and nine points through nine games, leading the St. Louis Blues in scoring.

The bottom line: The long-term deal he inked this summer didn't go to his head. Tarasenko started the season on fire with five goals and nine points in six games. He's been held without a point in his last three, which drops him down the list a bit. He could be among the top few scorers in the league by the end of the year, however.

8. John Klingberg, Dallas Stars

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Age: 23 (August 14, 1992)

By the numbers: John Klingberg has picked up where he left off last year, with two goals and six assists through nine games.

The bottom line: The season is young, but the sophomore is quickly cementing his status as a cornerstone defenseman for the Dallas Stars. Only Victor Hedman has more points among defensemen eligible for this under-25 list, but Klingberg plays more minutes per game.

7. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports

Age: 18 (January 13, 1997)

By the numbers: After starting the season blanked in three of his first four games, the rookie has points in six straight and now has five goals and 10 points in 10 games.

The bottom line: Connor McDavid has gradually stepped up his game while adjusting to the speed of the NHL, and things are looking good for the teenager, who is the youngest on this list. He's living up to his first-overall draft status and could be the first point-per-game rookie since Evgeni Malkin.

6. Brendan Gallagher, Montreal Canadiens

Gary Wiepert/Associated Press

Age: 23 (May 6, 1992)

By the numbers: Brendan Gallagher is one of the reasons the Montreal Canadiens have jumped into the top spot in team offense this season. He has four goals and nine points through nine games. His three power-play tallies are second most in the NHL so far.

The bottom line: Gallagher is a ball of energy on the ice who excels at finding space in front of the net despite his smaller stature. He's as competitive as they get and although he's talented, his hard work and fearlessness are what set him apart from those below him on the list.

5. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Age: 24 (December 18, 1990)

By the numbers: Victor Hedman has nine assists in nine games so far this year, the second-highest assist total in the league after Tuesday's games. He averages just over 21 minutes a game in all situations for the Tampa Bay Lightning and has a plus-five rating.

The bottom line: Hedman is on the verge of a Norris Trophy season, just a point off the pace of the defensive scoring leaders at the moment and not at the cost of being a defensive liability, as some of the more prominent scoring blueliners can be. Hedman is a complete-package player.

4. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames

Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Age: 22 (August 13, 1993)

By the numbers: The Calgary Flames sophomore has been one of the few bright spots for the team this year, netting a goal and 10 points in nine games to sit in a tie for 18th in league scoring. His nine helpers are the second most in the NHL and he's one of just 24 forwards averaging more than 20 minutes per game.

The bottom line: Gaudreau's lack of size hasn't inhibited his ability to make plays and his dynamic dangling abilities make him one of the most dangerous forwards in the entire league. If this were a list of bargains based on draft position, he might be No. 1.

3. Max Domi, Arizona Coyotes

Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Age: 20 (March 2, 1995)

By the numbers: The Arizona Coyotes rookie has taken the league by storm this year, netting four goals and 10 points in his first 10 games.

The bottom line: Max Domi is tied with Connor McDavid for the rookie scoring lead and is among the 36 players producing at the point-per-game pace through the first few weeks of the season. With his speed and offensive skill, Domi is going to be a regular on the highlight reels and anchor the Coyotes offense for a long time.

2. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals

Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Age: 23 (May 19, 1992)

By the numbers: Evgeny Kuznetsov has climbed into the NHL's top 10 scorers with three goals and 11 points in just seven games. His points-per-game average is third behind teammate Nicklas Backstrom and David Krejci of the Boston Bruins.

The bottom line: Kuznetsov replaced the injured Backstrom on the top line with Alex Ovechkin to start the season and has played so well, the team has the luxury of keeping the unit together and letting Backstrom boost the second line's talent total. Kuznetsov has seen his minutes drop since Backstrom's return, but his point production has actually gone up in the past four games with three goals and nine points in that span.

1. Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Age: 23 (January 31, 1992)

By the numbers: The Dallas Stars center is second in NHL scoring so far and tied with linemate Jamie Benn with four goals and 12 points through eight games. He has taken the fifth most shots on goal and logs nearly 20-and-a-half minutes per game—also top 10 in the league.

The bottom line: Tyler Seguin is one of the most talented players in the game regardless of age and will be in the hunt for the scoring title as long as he stays healthy.