Ranking the 10 Best NHL Players Under 25 Years Old

Among today's top NHL stars are a number of players under the age of 25. Some, such as Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin, are well-established among the league's best. Others, like Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, are quickly blossoming into superstars. 

These youngsters are blessed with a skill level higher than that of their peers. As a result, they've accomplished a lot in a short period of time. They've steadily improved, taking on greater responsibilities and roles with their respective clubs. 

The following slideshow ranks the 10 best under-25 NHL players. There's also a list of this year's top rookies and an "honorable mention" slide of those who missed the cut. Feel free to express your opinion on this topic in the comments section below. 

Rookie Standouts

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Several notable rookies are making the case to join the NHL's best under-25 players. Here's a look at the early standouts among this season's newcomers. 

Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets

Only 18 years old, Laine leads the league in goals (12) and ranks among the NHL leaders in points. He's reminding Winnipeg fans of a young Teemu Selanne.  

Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs

The rebuilding Leafs and their young guns are quickly making their presence felt. Marner, 19, is second in team scoring with 16 points. The 20-year-old Nylander (13 points) is tied for fourth, while 19-year-old Matthews (12 points) sits right behind him. 

Jimmy Vesey, New York Rangers

Winner of the 2016 Hobey Baker Award, the 23-year-old Vesey is having little difficulty adjusting to the NHL. With 11 points in 18 games, he's among this season's NHL rookie leaders.

Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

The 19-year-old Werenski is averaging 22 minutes and one second of ice time per game for the resurgent Blue Jackets. His 13 points in 15 games places him among the league's highest-scoring defensemen. 

Honorable Mention

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Alexander Barkov and Vincent Trocheck, Florida Panthers

Barkov (21) rose quickly to establish himself as the Panthers' first-line center. Trocheck, 23,  is coming off a 53-point sophomore performance. 

Max Domi, Arizona Coyotes

Domi, 21, netted 52 points as a rookie last season. With 12 points in 16 games this season, he's the Coyotes' scoring leader. 

Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres

Currently sidelined with a high-ankle sprain, the 20-year-old Eichel scored 24 goals and 56 points as a rookie last season. 

Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets

With 17 points in 19 games, the 20-year-old Ehlers is on pace to significantly exceed his 38-point rookie campaign. 

Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators

With 12 points in 16 games, the 22-year-old Forsberg is on track for his third straight 60-plus-point season.

Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm, Anaheim Ducks

Among the Ducks' embarrassment of riches in skilled young defensemen, Fowler (24) and the 22-year-old Lindholm are the standouts. 

Brendan Gallagher, Montreal Canadiens

A pesky energy winger with a good scoring touch, the 24-year-old Gallagher is a vital part of the Canadiens' offensive attack. 

Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers

Gostisbehere, 23, was a finalist for the 2016 Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. With 10 points in 17 games, he's on pace to exceed last season's 46-point effort. 

John Klingberg, Dallas Stars

Klingberg, 24, enjoyed a stellar sophomore campaign in 2015-16, netting 58 points in 76 games. 

Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals

Though Kuznetsov's off to a slow start to this season, the 24-year-old enjoyed a 77-point performance in 2015-16.

Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche

Landeskog (23) and MacKinnon (21) are off to slow starts this season but remain key members of the Avalanche's offense.

Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings

A versatile two-way forward, the 20-year-old Larkin netted 45 points as a rookie in 2015-16. 

J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers

Both 23, Miller and Zibanejad have steadily improved over the course of their young NHL careers. They're among the Rangers' scoring leaders this season. 

Sean Monahan, Calgary Flames

Despite a slow start to this season, the 22-year-old Monahan is coming off back-to-back 60-plus-point performances as the Flames' first-line center. 

David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

After an injury-hampered sophomore season, the 20-year-old Pastrnak has 10 goals and 14 points in as many games in 2016-17. 

Victor Rask, Carolina Hurricanes

Following a 48-point sophomore performance in 2015-16, the 23-year-old Rask is among the Hurricanes' leading scorers this season.

Morgan Rielly, Toronto Maple Leafs

Overshadowed this season by rookie teammates Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander, the 22-year-old Rielly remains the anchor of the Leafs blue line. 

Brandon Saad and Alexander Wennberg, Columbus Blue Jackets

Saad, 24, and Wennberg, 22, are among the Jackets' leading scorers. They're playing key roles in their club's improvement this season. 

Jaden Schwartz, St. Louis Blues

The 23-year-old Schwartz was limited to only 33 games in 2015-16. If he stays healthy this season, he could regain his 63-point form of 2014-15. 

Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators

A highly skilled two-way forward, Stone was a finalist in 2015 for the Calder Memorial Trophy. 

Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings

The 24-year-old Toffoli is among the league's best two-way forwards. He's also among the Kings' leading scorers. 

10. Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins

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With only 18 NHL regular-season games under his belt since 2015-16, Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray is still considered a rookie this season. His performance in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs vaulted him among the ranks of the league's top young players. 

Murray provided a tantalizing glimpse of his skills in 13 regular-season matches last season. He won nine of 13 starts with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage.

Replacing sidelined starter Marc-Andre Fleury in the postseason, he won 15 of 21 starts with a 2.08 GAA and .923 save percentage. His stellar goaltending carried the Penguins to the Stanley Cup. 

The 22-year-old Murray missed several weeks of this season to a hand injury suffered in the World Cup of Hockey. Since his return, however, he's won five of his six starts with a 1.68 GAA and a .945 save percentage. Murray is challenging Fleury for the starter's job in Pittsburgh. 

9. Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers

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Few young defensemen have an immediate effect upon their team when they reach the NHL. Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers is an exception to that rule. Since his debut in 2014-15, the 20-year-old has swiftly entrenched himself among the league's best blueliners.

Selected first overall by the Panthers in the 2014 NHL draft, Ekblad made their roster that fall as an 18-year-old. With 39 points in 81 games, he displayed a poise and maturity beyond his years. He was rewarded with the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2015. 

In his sophomore season, Ekblad netted three fewer points but improved other aspects of his game. He averaged 21 minutes and 40 seconds of ice time per game and was among their leaders in hits (87), blocked shots (59) and takeaways (24). 

Ekblad's off to a slow start offensively this season (three points in 16 games). However, he leads the Panthers in ice time (23:22), ranks second in shots (45) and continues to play a responsible game in his own zone. It's only a matter of time until he breaks out of his scoring slump. 

8. Alex Galchenyuk, Montreal Canadiens

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Since his rookie season in 2012-13, Montreal Canadiens center Alex Galchenyuk has steadily improved as a scoring forward. The 22-year-old is rewarding the Habs' patience, emerging as a star in his own right. 

In 2014-15, Galchenyuk showed flashes of brilliance with a 20-goal, 46-point performance. He was among the few bright spots in an otherwise miserable 2015-16 campaign for the Canadiens, netting 30 goals and 56 points

Now centering the Canadiens' top line on a full-time basis, Galchenyuk's has 18 points in as many games. He's their scoring leader and among the league's top 10 scorers.

Galchenyuk is not just fulfilling his potential as a scorer. He's also providing the Habs with the skilled first-line center they were lacking for several seasons. 

7. Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes

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Playing in a small NHL market, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk doesn't get the same recognition as he would playing in a larger hockey city. That's a shame, because he's among the league's best blueliners. 

Since his rookie season in 2011-12, Faulk rose quickly to become the Hurricanes' top rearguard. He's exceeded 30 points in each of the last three seasons, including a career-best 49 points in 2014-15.

Faulk's led the Hurricanes in ice time since 2014-15, averaging over 24 minutes per game. Over that period, he was also among their leaders in hits, blocked shots and takeaways. 

The 24-year-old Faulk remains the Hurricanes' best all-around defenseman this season. With six points in 12 games, he's on pace for another 40-point effort. As the Hurricanes continue to rebuild with young talent, Faulk has taken on a leadership role. 

6. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets

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Selected seventh overall in the 2011 NHL draft, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele has steadily developed into a first-line offensive threat. Now 23, he's blossoming into a reliable scoring star.

Playing in his first full NHL season in 2013-14, Scheifele put up a respectable 34 points in 63 games. The following season, he finished with 49 points in 81 games. In 2015-16, Scheifele scored 25 goals and 61 points, finishing second to Blake Wheeler in team scoring. 

In 19 games this season, Scheifele has 10 goals and 22 points. He's jockeying for the NHL scoring lead with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin.

Scheifele is on track for a career-high 95 points. He and rookie winger Patrik Laine are giving the Jets a lethal one-two scoring punch.  

5. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames

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Only 5'9" and 157 pounds, Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau hasn't let his diminutive stature prevent him from becoming a high-scoring NHL forward. The 23-year-old is smashing the stereotype that small players can't succeed in the big league. 

Gaudreau made an impressive NHL debut in 2014-15. With 24 goals and 64 points in 80 games, he tied with Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone for the rookie scoring lead and finished second among the Flames scorers. 

In the 2015 playoffs, he led the Flames with nine points in 11 postseason games. He was also a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy. In 2015-16, Gaudreau followed up with a 78-point performance, leading the Flames and finishing seventh among the league's top 10 scorers.

Prior to being sidelined four to six weeks by a fractured finger, Gaudreau had 11 points in 17 games. Despite the injury and a slow start to this season, he's still among the NHL's top young stars. 

4. Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues

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The first-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in the 2010 NHL draft, right wing Vladimir Tarasenko overcame serious early-career injuries to become one of the league's most talented players. The 24-year-old is fully established as the Blues' top scoring star. 

While a concussion limited Tarasenko to 38 games in the lockout-shortened 2013-14 season, he still netted a respectable 19 points. While sidelined 15 games by hand surgery the following season, he tallied 21 goals and 43 points in 64 games. 

In 2014-15, Tarasenko enjoyed a 73-point breakout performance. He followed up with 74 points in 2015-16. In both seasons, he was the Blues' leading scorer.

With 18 points in as many games this season, Tarasenko's among the top 10 scorers. His offensive presence continues to play a significant role in the Blues' quest for the Stanley Cup. 

3. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning

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Since his sophomore season in 2014-15, Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov has rapidly moved up the ranks of the NHL's elite scorers. He's challenging team captain Steven Stamkos' role as the Bolts' most reliable scorer. 

Over the previous two seasons, the 23-year-old Kucherov put up 65 and 66 points. In 2015-16, he was the Lightning's regular-season scoring leader.  

Kucherov fully came into his own as a scorer in the 2016 playoffs. In 17 postseason games, Kucherov tallied 11 goals and added eight assists for 19 points. His efforts helped carry the Lightning to within one game of reaching the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. 

With 22 points in 17 games, he's challenging for the top spot among the league's scoring leaders. With Stamkos sidelined four to six months with a knee injury, Kucherov will take on a larger role as the Lightning's go-to sniper. 

2. Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars

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After being dealt to the Stars by the Boston on July 4, 2013,  Seguin swiftly bloomed into a scoring star. The 24-year-old is a key reason the Dallas Stars are a legitimate playoff contender. 

Seguin is often paired with Stars captain Jamie Benn on the first line. They've become one of the NHL's most effective scoring duos.

In his first season (2013-14) with the Stars, Seguin amassed a career-high 84 points and led the club in scoring. Though sidelined by injuries over the next two seasons, he netted 77 points in 2014-15 and 73 points in 2015-16.  

Through 18 games this season, Seguin has tallied 21 points. He leads the Stars in scoring and is challenging for the top spot among NHL scorers. If he remains healthy over the remainder of this season, Seguin could exceed his career-best numbers and perhaps win his first scoring title. 

1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

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Only 19 years old and in his sophomore NHL season, McDavid is already having a significant impact upon the Oilers and the league. On Oct. 5, he became the youngest captain in Oilers and NHL history. 

It's easy to see why McDavid, despite his youth and big league inexperience, was bestowed that honor. Despite missing 37 games to injury last season, he still netted 48 points in just 45 games.

McDavid finished fourth in rookie scoring last season. He was also third among Oilers scorers and was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy. 

Despite a recent goal-scoring slump, McDavid has 19 points in 18 games. He leads the Oilers in points and is among the league's top scorers. McDavid hasn't even reached his playing prime yet and is already a dominant NHL star. The best is yet to come from the Oilers' franchise player.  

Player and team stats (as of Nov. 18, 2016) via NHL.com.