The 2025-26 season is set to begin, and with that comes the rankings and comparisons. The league has as much talent as it ever has, and there are plenty of left-wingers who are game-changing players.
As you can imagine, compiling this certainly wasn’t easy, but it is a fun thing to discuss regardless. With that said, here are the current top 10 left-wingers in the NHL.
10. Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Ovechkin has certainly been on this list plenty of times, and after his 40th birthday has passed, he remains in the top 10. In 2024-25, Ovechkin not only scored an impressive 44 goals, which broke him through as the all-time NHL goal-scorer. While historical accolades don’t have sway in this list, his current play is still excellent this late in his career.
9. Jason Robertson
While listening to trade rumors and having a decision to make, as he is eligible for an extension, Jason Robertson is set to have a major payday with the Dallas Stars. Robertson broke out as a true superstar in 2022-23 with 109 points, and has posted 80 points in each of the past two seasons.
Robertson has been a huge part of the Stars’ recent playoff runs, scoring 40 playoff points in the past three seasons. At just 26 years old, Robertson has been one of the most consistent forwards for the club and is set to get a big paycheck after this season.
8. Brady Tkachuk
Goals, points, hits, shots, penalties, and almost everything you could ask out of a power forward is exactly what Brady Tkachuk brings every night. While Tkachuk had a poor season offensively, he still remains one of the top wingers in the league based on everything else he does.
Other THW Positional Rankings:
Tkachuk was named captain of the Ottawa Senators, and since then, the team has turned themselves around and made the playoffs last season. Tkachuk leads the way every night, and even when not producing at an elite level, he still plays a major role in both a net-front presence and as a physical warrior.
7. Matthew Boldy
Matthew Boldy entered the league with a strong rookie season and has built upon his totals every season. With Boldy scoring 73 points in the 2024-25 season, he earned himself a spot on the Team U.S.A roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off, and will likely be on the roster for the 2026 Olympics in Milan.
Boldy is an excellent offensive winger, but commits to the defensive side of the game as well. While he isn’t the top winger on this list for the Minnesota Wild, and yes, sometimes he plays on the right, too, but he is often the second left-winger on the Wild forward depth.
6. Jake Guentzel
Jake Guentzel has been one of the better goal-scorers over the past few seasons and is a good bet for 40 goals if healthy throughout the year. He is a play-driving winger, plays good defensive hockey, and seems to mesh very well with anybody he is lined up with.
While Guentzel isn’t a great skater by the NHL’s standards, he works his way around the ice really well. Along with that, he isn’t very physical, recording just 20 hits through 80 games last season, but he wins board battles and isn’t afraid to get into the dirty areas. He is a very well-rounded winger who has a knack for scoring lots of goals.
5. Jesper Bratt
As an undersized, skilled winger, Jesper Bratt has broken out into a highly productive role for the New Jersey Devils. With four straight seasons with 70+ points and a career-high of 88 last season, Bratt’s ability to adapt to different linemates and paces has been on display, and he has been able to give the Devils a great deal of offense.
Not only that, but Bratt has an excellent two-way game and gives the Devils reliability on the defensive side. He is a bit of a Jack of all trades when it comes to what makes him so valuable. He has a bit of a physical edge, is one of the fastest and most active players on the ice, and gives everything he has on every shift.
4. Brandon Hagel
When Brandon Hagel was acquired by the Tampa Bay Lightning, he was a 24-year-old just starting to come into his own, and while he showed signs of promise, he has been far more effective than most people anticipated. On top of being one of the best skaters in the league, he plays with a ton of grit and gets a bunch of points.
Hagel set a new career-high in goals (35), assists (55), and points (90) last season, and earned himself on Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He performed well against the top players in the world and has been a major piece for the Lightning as they reshape the team.
3. Kyle Conner
The biggest question for Kyle Connor is whether or not he is finally going to crack the 50-goal mark this season, as he has one of the best shots in the league. Connor has had some great seasons derailed by injuries, but over the past few seasons, his game has evolved tremendously.
While the shooting abilities are the highlight of Connor’s game, his playmaking abilities and vision help the Jets’ offense work as well as it does. Connor set a career-high of 97 points, finishing seventh in the league.
2. Artemi Panarin
The New York Rangers have had their struggles over the past year, and Artemi Panarin, while having 89 points, had the lowest total of the past four seasons in 2024-25. If the Rangers can turn 2025-26 into a strong bounce-back year and the offense doesn’t struggle again, Panarin could easily get back to the 100+ points that he had the season prior, where he posted 120.
He is still one of the more offensively dominant players in the league, and being the second-best left winger in the NHL is certainly something worth celebrating, but now that we are mid-way through the season, he has been passed.
1. Kirill Kaprizov
Now that the biggest contract in NHL history has been signed, Kirill Kaprizov is going to look to dominate in 2025-26 and help the Wild take a big step in the playoffs. Before injuries in 2024-25, he was on track to contend for the Hart Trophy. He had an outstanding start to the season, and after missing time, still scored at a great pace.
While the ability to stay healthy is a big asset, Kaprizov has been on pace for 100+ points in three of the past four seasons, hitting that mark once with 108 in 2021-22. While the Minnesota Wild have plenty of young, exciting talent, Kaprizov is the heartbeat of the team and drives them into battle every single game.
