The NHL regular season is drawing to a close, and with it, the opportunity to reflect on the standout performances of the 2025-26 season. The Athletic has asked its NHL staff to identify the players who have shone brightest and those who have fallen short on each team. Here's a breakdown of the MVPs and most disappointing players from each team's perspective.
MVPs
- Anaheim Ducks: Jackson LaCombe, a consistent defenseman who has been a key part of the Ducks' offensive success.
- Boston Bruins: Jeremy Swayman, whose strong performance in goal has kept the Bruins in the playoff race.
- Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin, a defensive standout who has been a major reason for the team's improvement.
- Calgary Flames: Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman, both of whom have been productive linemates and helped the struggling Flames.
- Carolina Hurricanes: Brandon Bussi, a waiver claim who has been a key story of the season with his strong play.
- Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard, who has elevated his game and shown signs of becoming a more well-rounded player.
- Colorado Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon, a dominant force who has consistently delivered points and is a front-runner for the Hart Trophy.
- Columbus Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski, a leader on and off the ice who has been a key contributor to the team's success.
- Dallas Stars: Jason Robertson, who has returned to elite form and is a dominant force at both five-on-five and on the power play.
- Detroit Red Wings: Moritz Seider, a versatile defender who has set a career high in points and led the team.
- Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid, who has delivered a brilliant season with the second-highest point total of his career.
- Florida Panthers: Sam Reinhart, who has had to pick up the slack with key players out and has scored at a nearly 40-goal pace.
- Los Angeles Kings: Adrian Kempe, a leading scorer who has hit the 30-goal mark for the fourth time in five seasons.
- Minnesota Wild: Matt Boldy, a $7 million bargain who has become a true difference-maker and one of the league's most complete players.
- Montreal Canadiens: Nick Suzuki, a consistent and productive center who has driven the team's success.
- Nashville Predators: Filip Forsberg, a goal-scoring standout who has been a key factor in the team's playoff contention.
- New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes, a dynamic player who has been a key reason for the team's success when healthy.
- New York Islanders: Ilya Sorokin, a game-breaker who has given his team a chance to win with strong performances in goal.
- New York Rangers: Mika Zibanejad, who has bounced back from a poor season and led the team with 76 points.
- Ottawa Senators: Tim Stützle, a German player who has been a key contributor at both ends of the ice and improved his faceoff rate.
- Philadelphia Flyers: Dan Vladar, a goaltender who has been a key reason for the team's playoff hopes.
- Pittsburgh Penguins: Erik Karlsson, a brilliant player in all phases who has helped the team return to the playoffs.
- San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, a teenager who has had one of the greatest seasons by a teenager in NHL history.
- Seattle Kraken: Matty Beniers, a two-way player who has shown promise but has yet to fulfill his potential.
- St. Louis Blues: Philip Broberg, a steady force who has led the team in ice time and become a shutdown defenseman.
- Tampa Bay Lightning: Nikita Kucherov, a game-changing offensive force who is a front-runner for the Hart Trophy.
- Toronto Maple Leafs: William Nylander, a leading scorer who has produced at a 100-point pace despite missing time with injury.
- Utah Mammoth: Clayton Keller, a team's highest scorer who has propelled the team into playoff contention.
- Vancouver Canucks: Filip Hronek, a key player who has been a major reason for the team's competitiveness.
- Vegas Golden Knights: Jack Eichel, a focal point for the team who has led in points and ice time.
- Washington Capitals: Logan Thompson, a strong goaltender who has kept the team in playoff contention.
- Winnipeg Jets: Josh Morrissey, a valuable defenseman who has been a key reason for the team's success.
Most Disappointing Players
- Anaheim Ducks: Mason McTavish, who has regressed and been moved to the fourth line.
- Boston Bruins: Mikey Eyssimont, who has struggled to be a lineup regular and has been competing for third-line duty.
- Buffalo Sabres: Michael Kesselring, who has dealt with injuries and missed time.
- Calgary Flames: Jonathan Huberdeau, who has faced consistent hip issues and was shut down for the year.
- Carolina Hurricanes: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who has played fewer than half of the team's games and has a contract that costs $4.82 million against the cap annually.
- Chicago Blackhawks: André Burakovsky, who has not produced as expected and is likely to finish with fewer points than last season.
- Colorado Avalanche: Jack Drury, who has not developed into an offensive option and has only 10 goals and 17 assists.
- Columbus Blue Jackets: Kent Johnson, who has fallen flat after a breakout season and is playing fewer minutes.
- Dallas Stars: Thomas Harley, who has taken a step back at both ends of the ice and has slipped in scoring.
- Detroit Red Wings: Mason Appleton, who has not delivered the expected bottom-six impact and has an expected goals share of just 43 percent.
- Edmonton Oilers: Andrew Mangiapane, who was dealt at the deadline after failing to deliver solid offense and defense.
- Florida Panthers: Sergei Bobrovsky, a $10 million starting goalie who has posted an .877 save percentage.
- Los Angeles Kings: Quinton Byfield, who has been inconsistent and has not lived up to expectations.
- Minnesota Wild: Nico Sturm, who injured his back early in camp and missed the first 22 games.
- Montreal Canadiens: Sam Montembeault, a goaltender who has struggled and forced the team to turn to two rookies.
- Nashville Predators: Juuse Saros, a goaltender who has posted a sub-.900 save percentage and has not met expectations.
- New Jersey Devils: Ondřej Palát, a player who has seen his production dip and has been traded.
- New York Islanders: Ondřej Palát, a player who has struggled defensively and suppressed offense.
- New York Rangers: J.T. Miller, a volatile forward who has not lived up to expectations and has been disappointing.
- Ottawa Senators: Leevi Meriläinen, a goaltender who has struggled and has been sent back to the AHL.
- Philadelphia Flyers: Garnet Hathaway, a depth winger who has struggled to stay in the active lineup.
- Pittsburgh Penguins: Ville Koivunen, a forward who has not found his game and has spent much of the season in the AHL.
- San Jose Sharks: William Eklund, a talented winger who has not built on his promising season and has been inconsistent.
- Seattle Kraken: Shane Wright, a player who has not built on his solid sophomore campaign and has been surrounded by reports of dissatisfaction.
- St. Louis Blues: Jordan Kyrou, a 30-goal scorer who has regressed and was a healthy scratch.
- Tampa Bay Lightning: Nick Paul, a player whose production has dipped and has had a negative impact on the team's scoring.
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Anthony Stolarz, a goaltender who has struggled and has a sub-.900 save percentage.
- Utah Mammoth: Brandon Tanev, a player who has not delivered the expected bottom-six impact and has scored zero goals.
- Vancouver Canucks: Evander Kane, a player who has struggled defensively and has been error-prone.
- Vegas Golden Knights: Tomáš Hertl, a power forward who has not driven offense at five-on-five and has a team-worst on-ice rating.
- Washington Capitals: Pierre-Luc Dubois, a player who has missed time due to injury and has not emerged as a legit 1C.
- Winnipeg Jets: Gustav Nyquist, a player who has not lived up to expectations and has scored only one goal in 51 games.
