Top 15 NHL Power Forwards

*this archive was originally written by Eugene Helfrick

It is a rare commodity for an NHL player to have the size, strength, skill, and intelligence to dominate on the ice each and every night. This particular combination is defined as a power forward.

Throughout the NHL’s history, many have excelled in this role. Cam Neely was a player who scared opponent’s going into the corner just as much as he did getting the puck in the slot, helping the Boston Bruins maintain their big and bad status.

Mark Messier was not only one of the league’s greatest leaders, but he was also one of the most feared. His skillset lent itself to his undeniable toughness. Opposing players did not want to look him in the eye and if they did, their eyes would be black from one of his patented elbows.

These legends, along with Eric Lindros, Brendan Shanahan, and Keith Tkachuk among others, paved the way for big, skilled players to dominate the league.

From here, Jarome Iginla and Shane Doan would take the reins as a couple of the best NHL power forwards for a solid decade. We also saw the likes of Eric Staal, Rick Nash, and Milan Lucic follow, dominating the league for stretches of time.

As time marches forward, however, the meaning of what a power forward is has changed. That is why the term should carry a modified meaning as it isn’t just about dropping the gloves and laying board-rattling hits. The modern-day power forward uses his size to the team’s greatest advantage, which includes protecting the puck, driving the net, and being a presence in the crease on the power play.

This list of the NHL’s best power forwards should represent this newfound definition while also maintaining the importance of their abilities to rack up points and be a physical presence.

15) Jamie Benn – Dallas Stars

Throughout his career, Jamie Benn has been one of the hardest-working players in the NHL. Drafted in the fifth round in 2007, he cracked the team only two years later, an unbelievable feat from such a late-round pick. For years, Benn determined the pace of the game using his skill level and assertiveness. Despite his impressive production, the former Kelowna Rocket was one of the toughest players you will ever see and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves with anyone in the league.

After it looked like his best days were behind him, Benn found his game once again during the 2022-23 season, as he posted 33 goals and 78 points along with 97 booming hits. He followed that up with two more roughly 40-point seasons with 100-plus hits, which shows he still can throw it down like the best in the league.

14) Mason Marchment – San Jose Sharks

Mason Marchment deserves recognition among the NHL’s top power forwards, especially after signing a lucrative contract with the San Jose Sharks worth $6,75 million per season. Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing over 210 pounds, Marchment combines impressive size, physicality, and offensive production. Last season, he recorded 32 points in just 39 games, putting him on pace for approximately 67 points over a full 82-game season. 

Beyond his offensive abilities, Marchment is a relentless forechecker who uses his massive frame to win battles along the boards, create space for teammates, and make life difficult for opposing defenders. With San Jose investing heavily in him, Marchment will be expected to bring both scoring and toughness to the Sharks’ lineup, making him one of the league’s more intriguing power forwards.

13) Josh Anderson – Montreal Canadiens

Josh Anderson is another excellent example of a traditional NHL power forward, combining impressive size, speed, and physicality to make life difficult for opposing defenders. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing over 220 pounds, the Montreal Canadiens winger brings a unique combination of strength and explosiveness that very few players in the league can match. 

While Anderson might not produce offensively at the same level as some of the NHL’s elite power forwards, his ability to use his speed to drive toward the net, deliver punishing hits, and create chaos along the boards makes him an important part of Montreal’s lineup. The veteran forward is particularly effective on the forecheck, where his relentless pressure can force turnovers and create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Anderson also brings valuable experience, leadership, and a willingness to stand up for his teammates when games become physical. 

12) Dylan Holloway – St. Louis Blues

When the St. Louis Blues put in an offer sheet on Dylan Holloway during the 2024 offseason, many saw the logic behind the decision. Holloway was an up-and-coming centerman who had an impressive postseason run for the cap-strapped Edmonton Oilers. These types of players are rarely available on the trade market, and even if he was unproven at the time, there was reason to believe he could be a core piece of the Blues’ rebuilding roster.

However, what no one could have expected was Holloway’s breakout season in St. Louis. In 77 games played in 2024-25, he posted 26 goals and 63 points, while laying down 165 hits. And, at just 25 years old, there’s good reason to believe that he is still growing into his game, both offensively and physically. If he can stay healthy, he might be the next power forward star for the Blues.

11) Yakov Trenin – Minesotta Wild

Yakov Trenin might not have the offensive production of some of the NHL’s elite power forwards, but when it comes to pure physicality, very few players can match what he brings to the ice. Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing over 200 pounds, the Minnesota Wild forward has established himself as one of the most punishing hitters in the league. 

Last season, Trenin recorded an incredible 413 hits, demonstrating just how much of a physical presence he can be every single night. While he isn’t the type of player who will score 30 goals or put up 70 points, his relentless forechecking, willingness to finish every check, and ability to wear down opposing defenders make him extremely valuable. Trenin plays a traditional, hard-nosed brand of hockey, using his strength and intensity to create problems for opponents. He might not be the most skilled power forward in the NHL, but in terms of physical dominance and the ability to make life miserable for opposing players, Trenin deserves to be part of the conversation.

10) Mathieu Olivier – Columbus Blue Jackets

Whenever you discuss who the best power forwards are in the NHL, you always get asked the question… when does a player stop being an enforcer and start being a power forward? This change varies for most, as there is no one set definition of a power forward.

However, when you look at a player like Mathieu Olivier, you can understand both sides of the argument. On the ice, this guy is a menace. He is considered by many to be the toughest man in the NHL, and with 139 penalty minutes in the 2024-25 season, he proved this willingness to drop the gloves with anyone in the league.

On top of this, though, Olivier can score, defend, hit and actually play hockey. So, he’s no mere fourth-line scrub whose only role on the ice is to strike the fear of god into his opponents. With this in mind, the question becomes, can he continue these scoring ways, or was this big offensive season just a blip in his career?

9) Will Cuylle – New York Rangers

It feels like every season, an unexpected player dominates the league with their physical play and shoots up this list like a meteor. In the last two season, the young forward posted 20 goals and over 300 hits in both seasons. Cuylle strikes me as a player who will only grow into his game further with time, which means the sky could be the limit for his top-end potential.

8) Kiefer Sherwood – San Jose Sharks

If your fantasy hockey league counts hits, then you already know about the legend of Kiefer Sherwood. While not being the biggest player in the NHL, he might be the most synonymous with the hitting statistic, as he led the NHL with 462 hits in 2024-25, a full 150 more than second place. In the last two seasons, he has 801 total hits.

However, Sherwood is not just some goon on the fourth line. He averaged close to 15 minutes of ice time each night, while potting 19 goals and 40 points throughout his campaign of terror (2024-25). So, while he may not be a star in the league, he might be one of the best examples of a power forward we have in the NHL right now.

7) Alex Tuch – Washington Capitals

Alex Tuch is another excellent example of a modern NHL power forward, combining impressive size, speed, and offensive production. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing over 215 pounds, the Washington Capitals winger has the physical tools to dominate opponents in several different ways. What makes Tuch particularly dangerous is his ability to combine his massive frame with surprising speed, allowing him to drive toward the net, win battles along the boards, and create scoring opportunities. 

Unlike some bigger forwards who rely primarily on their strength, Tuch is also a highly skilled offensive player capable of producing at a top-six level. His strong two-way game and willingness to play physically make him valuable in all situations, whether it’s on the power play, penalty kill, or at even strength. 

6) Mathew Knies – Columbus Blue Jackets

If you’re looking for the next wave of power forwards in the NHL, there may be no better example than Mathew Knies. The Phoenix, Arizona native hosts a 6-foot-3 frame, and in his first two full seasons in the NHL, he truly left a mark on the league.

After a breakout 2024-25 season, where he posted 29 goals, 58 points, along with 182 hits, Knies proved that he has all the trappings to be a star in the league. He added 66 points in 79 games in 2025-26 before being included in the Kirill Marchenko deal a few weeks ago.

5) Juraj Slafkovsky – Montreal Canadiens

Juraj Slafkovský is quickly establishing himself as one of the NHL’s most promising young power forwards. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing over 230 pounds, the Montreal Canadiens winger has all the physical tools needed to become a dominant force in the league. The former first-overall pick took a massive step forward offensively last season, recording an impressive 30 goals and 73 points, proving that he can be a legitimate offensive threat at the NHL level. 

At just 22 years old, Slafkovský combines his imposing size with excellent puck protection, offensive creativity, and an increasingly physical style of play. While he is still learning how to use his massive frame consistently, his ability to win battles along the boards, create space for his teammates, and contribute offensively makes him a difficult player to defend against. With a 30-goal season already under his belt, Slafkovský has shown that he is more than just a promising young player. He is developing into a legitimate top-line power forward with the potential to become one of the very best in the NHL.

4) Tom Wilson – Washington Capitals

If you aren’t a fan of the Washington Capitals, there’s a lot to hate about Tom Wilson. His hard-nosed, consistently borderline playing style has made him one of the most difficult players to compete against in the entire NHL. When he is on the ice, his presence is well known, with a constant barrage of hits and agitation that can unhinge even the steadiest of players.

Yes, there’s a constant debate swirling around Wilson and his style. Some people love it and see him as a harbinger of old-school hockey. Others see him as a dirty player who should spend more time suspended than on the ice.

No matter what side of the debate you stand on, one can’t deny that Wilson has all the trappings of a great power forward. His physical playing style can change the course of a game and playoff series, and it was a major factor in the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. Plus, he scored 30 goals for the first time in his career in 2024-25 and repeated it the following season.

3) Matthew Tkachuk – Florida Panthers

Throughout his NHL career, Matthew Tkachuk can be described as many things by opponents. Pesky, annoying, dirty, a villain. Since joining the league as a 19-year-old, he has become one of those players who is hated by opponents and loved by fans.

As time moved forward, however, Tkachuk grew out of the role of thug and into the role of Superstar. His dominance throughout the 2023 Postseason was a coming-out party, as he introduced himself to the world as both an elite offensive talent and an unstoppable physical presence who could drop the gloves and score a series-winning goal all in the same game. Claiming the 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cups just put another stamp on his impressive (and growing) resume.

There are few players with the raw skill and size like Tkachuk in the NHL, and he is the type of player up-and-coming power forwards will model their game after for the next decade-plus. Needless to say, the archetype is in good hands for the future.

2) Mikko Rantanen – Dallas Stars

The Finnish winger combines elite offensive talent with tremendous size and strength, making him incredibly difficult to contain. While he might not be the most physical player in terms of throwing hits, Rantanen uses his body exceptionally well to protect the puck, win battles along the boards, and create scoring opportunities. 

His combination of size, skill, and hockey IQ makes him a nightmare for opposing defenders, especially when he gets possession in the offensive zone. Unlike traditional power forwards who rely heavily on physicality, Rantanen dominates through puck possession and offensive creativity, proving that there is more than one way to use a big frame effectively in today’s NHL.

1) Brady Tkachuk – Florida Panthers

It should come as no surprise to find a Tkachuk at the top of this list. From 2021 through 2025, Brady Tkachuk amassed some truly staggering statistics, as he scored 20-plus goals while laying down 250-plus hits and racking up at least 115 penalty minutes each season.

To put it simply, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, as he is a perfect specimen of what a power forward can be, just like his father. Now with the Florida Panthers, he has to play with another .