Ranking NHL Teams By Forwards

• Ranking NHL Teams By Goaltenders
• Ranking NHL Teams By Defensemen

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When evaluating an NHL roster, the forward group is often one of the first places to look. Four lines can define a team’s identity, whether it’s through elite scoring talent, depth throughout the lineup, strong two-way play or the ability to wear opponents down over the course of a game.

That’s also what makes ranking the league’s forward groups so difficult. Some teams can overwhelm opponents with high-end offensive talent, while others stand out because they can roll four effective lines. Scoring matters, but so do defensive play, physicality, forechecking and depth.

With all of those factors in mind, here’s how all 32 NHL forward groups stack up heading into the season.

32. Calgary Flames 

Key Skaters: LW Jonathan Huberdeau, C Morgan Frost, RW Matt Coronato & RW Connor Zary

Calgary’s forward group is clearly in a transition period, with much of its potential depending on the development of its younger players. Jonathan Huberdeau remains the veteran, but Matt Coronato and Morgan Frost are becoming increasingly important to what the Flames are building. There is some intriguing talent here, particularly with Coronato, but compared to the rest of the league, the Flames simply don’t have enough proven offensive firepower yet.

31. Vancouver Canucks 

Key Skaters: C Elias Pettersson, RW Brock Boeser, C Marco Rossi

Vancouver’s forward group has undergone major changes, leaving plenty of uncertainty heading into the season. Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser remain the biggest offensive threats, but the Canucks will need both to get back to the production they had a couple of season ago.

The addition of Marco Rossi, last year in the Quinn Hughes trade, gives Vancouver another talented option down the middle and a player who still has room to grow. There is some quality at the top, but compared to most teams around the league, the lack of proven scoring depth makes this one of the NHL’s more concerning forward groups.

30. Chicago Blackhawks 

Key Skaters: C Connor Bedard, C Frank Nazar, C Anton Frondell & W Patrik Kane

Chicago’s offense is still a work in progress, but there are plenty of reasons for optimism. Connor Bedard remains the centerpiece and should continue progressing, while Frank Nazar showed enough last season to suggest he can become another important part of the Blackhawks’ young core.

Anton Frondell should also be around for a full season, giving Chicago another talented young forward to develop alongside Bedard and Nazar. The addition of Patrick Kane brings some much-needed experience and creativity back to the lineup. This group remains young, but its ceiling is significantly higher than it was a year ago.

29. Seattle Kraken 

Key Skaters: C/LW Jared McCann, C Chandler Stephenson, RW Jordan Eberle, C Matthew Beniers & Shane Wright

Seattle has several capable forwards, but the group still lacks the true game-breaking talent found on most teams ahead of them. The upside comes from Matthew Beniers, Berkly Catton and Shane Wright. They still have room to take significant steps offensively and could eventually change the outlook of this group. For now, though, the Kraken have plenty of solid options without having that elite offensive player capable of consistently taking over games.

28. New York Islanders

Key Skaters: RW/C Mathew Barzal, C Bo Horvat & RW Kyle Palmieri

The Islanders still have some quality offensive pieces, but the lack of depth and high-end scoring keeps this group toward the bottom of the rankings. Mathew Barzal remains their most dynamic forward, while Bo Horvat provides reliable goal scoring and a strong presence down the middle.

Kyle Palmieri gives them another proven veteran option, but there aren’t enough dangerous threats behind that trio. Unless some of the younger players take meaningful steps forward, generating consistent offense could once again be a challenge for the Islanders.

27. New York Rangers 

Key Skaters: C JT Miller, C Mika Zibanejad, RW Pavel Dorofeyev & LW Alexis Lafreniere

The Rangers are hoping a few changes can help spark an offense that still has some established talent. J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad remain the veteran leaders, while the addition of Pavel Dorofeyev gives New York another scoring threat after his strong production in Vegas.

Much of the upside, however, depends on the younger players. Gabe Perreault should take on a larger role, while the Rangers will be hoping Alexis Lafrenière can finally take another significant step offensively. If those two progress and Dorofeyev carries over his scoring touch, New York’s forward group could outperform this ranking.

26. Philadelphia Flyers

Key Skaters: W Travis Konecny, RW Matvei Michkov, C Trevor Zegras, RW Porter Martone

Philadelphia tried to make a major splash this summer, signing Leo Carlsson to an $18 million offer sheet before Anaheim ultimately matched it. Even without landing him, there are reasons to believe the Flyers’ offense should continue progressing.

Travis Konecny remains a reliable producer, while Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras give Philadelphia plenty of skill and creativity. Porter Martone is another name to watch after an excellent playoff performance last season. The Flyers may still lack the established depth of the teams above them, but their young talent gives this group plenty of room to improve.

25. Nashville Predators 

Key Skaters: LW Filip Forsberg, C/LW Steven Stamkos & W Jonathan Marchessault

Nashville still relies heavily on Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault for its high-end production, but the Predators made a clear effort to improve the depth around them this summer. After struggling to get consistent offense throughout the lineup, some fresh faces could make a difference.

Mavrik Bourque, Ross Colton, Jack Drury and Nils Hoglander give Nashville more options and should make the bottom of the lineup more dangerous. There are still questions about how much the veteran core has left, but the improved supporting cast gives the Predators a better chance of generating offense beyond their top players.

24. St. Louis Blues 

Key Skaters: C Robert Thomas, C Mason McTavish, W Pavel Buchnevich, W Dylan Holloway & W Jake Neighbours

St. Louis clearly focused on getting younger in the last two seasons. They traded Jordan Kyrou to the Capitals, while adding Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael. Those moves give the Blues a different look and could make their offensive reset an interesting one to follow. Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich remain the established leaders of the group, while Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours give St. Louis two more young forwards with room to grow.

23. Detroit Red Wings 

Key Skaters: W Alex DeBrincat, C Dylan Larkin, LW Lucas Raymond

Detroit has a talented trio at the top of its forward group with Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond. All three can drive the offense, with Raymond continuing to develop into one of the most important pieces of the Red Wings’ future.

The concern comes after those three. Detroit lacks the same secondary scoring and depth found among the better forward groups in the league, putting plenty of pressure on its stars to produce consistently. Larkin, DeBrincat and Raymond give the Red Wings a dangerous foundation, but they will need more support from the rest of the lineup.

22. Columbus Blue Jackets 

Key Skaters: C Sean Monahan, C Adam Fantilli, C Kent Johnson & W Kirill Marchenko

There are still questions surrounding Kirill Marchenko’s future in Columbus, but as long as he remains with the Blue Jackets, he is a major part of an intriguing forward group. Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson continue to develop, while Sean Monahan provides experience and stability down the middle.

The addition of Valeri Nichushkin gives Columbus another proven top-six option who can bring size and scoring to the lineup. There are still plenty of uncertainties with this group, especially surrounding Marchenko, but the talent is there for the Blue Jackets to surprise offensively.

21. Ottawa Senators 

Key Skaters: C/LW Tim Stutzle, C/W Claude Giroux, LW William Eklund, RW Drake Batherson, C Dylan Cozens

Losing Brady Tkachuk takes a huge piece out of Ottawa’s forward group, both in terms of production and identity. The Senators will hope William Eklund can help replace some of that offense, but replacing the physicality, leadership and edge Tkachuk brought will be much more difficult.

There is still talent here, led by Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens, while Claude Giroux remains a useful veteran presence. Eklund adds another skilled young forward to the mix, but how this group adjusts to life without Tkachuk will be one of Ottawa’s biggest questions heading into the season. 

20. Winnipeg Jets 

Key Skaters: LW Kyle Connor, C Mark Scheifele, C Cole Perfetti & C Gabriel Vilardi

Winnipeg continues to lean heavily on its established offensive core, led by Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. Connor remains one of the league’s most consistent goal scorers, while Scheifele continues to provide high-end production down the middle.

Cole Perfetti and Gabriel Vilardi give the Jets two more talented options and have become increasingly important pieces of the offense. The biggest concern is the depth behind those four, as Winnipeg doesn’t have quite as many dangerous options as the teams ahead of them. Still, its top-end talent gives the Jets a respectable offensive foundation.

19. Pittsburgh Penguins 

Key Skaters: C Sidney Crosby, C Evgeni Malkin, W Bryan Rust, W Rickard Rakell

There is no denying that Pittsburgh’s core is getting older, but Sidney Crosby continues to show very few signs of slowing down. Alongside Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, he helped the Penguins finish with the third-best offense in the NHL last season.

Yegor Chinakhov also provided solid production, and Pittsburgh added more scoring options this summer with Nicholas Robertson and Andrei Kuzmenko. Age remains a concern, but after finishing third in scoring and adding more offensive depth, it would be difficult to overlook what this group can still do.

18. New Jersey Devils 

Key Skaters: C Jack Hughes, C Nico Hischier, W Jesper Bratt & RW Timo Meier

New Jersey continues to be led by an excellent core of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier. When healthy, those four give the Devils plenty of high-end skill and a strong foundation at the top of the lineup.

The biggest change is the added secondary depth around them. Anthony Mantha, Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist give New Jersey more options deeper in the lineup and should take some pressure off its stars. The Devils’ ceiling will still depend heavily on Hughes and Hischier, but the supporting cast looks stronger heading into the season.

17. Boston Bruins 

Key Skaters: RW David Pastrnak, C Elias Lindholm, RW JJ Peterka, C Morgan Geekie & W Pavel Zacha

oston’s offense still runs through David Pastrnak, but the addition of JJ Peterka should give him some much-needed help. Peterka adds speed, scoring and another legitimate top-six threat to a group that needed more offensive punch.

Elias Lindholm, Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha round out a solid group of forwards with enough versatility to play in different situations. There are still questions about the overall depth, but adding Peterka makes the Bruins more dangerous and gives Pastrnak another talented player to help carry the offense.

16. Los Angeles Kings 

Key Skaters: C Quinton Byfield, C/W Kevin Fiala, C/W Adrian Kempe, W Artemi Panarin, RW Mats Zuccarello

Losing Anze Kopitar is a significant blow, especially considering everything he brought at both ends of the ice. Still, the Kings have enough talent to keep their offense interesting. A full season of Artemi Panarin gives Los Angeles an elite playmaker, while a healthy Kevin Fiala should provide another major scoring threat.

The addition of Mats Zuccarello also brings more creativity and experience to the lineup. Replacing Kopitar won’t be easy, but with Panarin, Fiala and Zuccarello leading the way, the Kings should still have enough offensive firepower to remain dangerous.

15. Minnesota Wild 

Key Skaters: LW Kirill Kaprizov, C Joel Eriksson Ek & W Matt Boldy

Kirill Karprizov and Matt Boldy will still be expected to carry this forward core. This group is expected to be great and carried by the star power. Kaprizov is one of the best wingers in the game who can dominate on any shift, and he makes the other skaters around him better. The Minnesota Wild are still questionable up the middle, and it’s an issue in the playoffs but this is still a great unit that has the firepower to run up the score on anyone. 

14. Utah Mammoth

Key Skaters: W Clayton Keller, W Dylan Guenther, C Logan Cooley, C Vincent Trocheck

Utah lost JJ Peterka by trading him to Boston, but the Mammoth responded by adding Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee to an already talented group. Trocheck gives them another proven option down the middle, while Lee adds experience, size and scoring ability on the wing.

The real excitement, however, comes from the continued development of Utah’s young core. Dylan Guenther reached the 40-goal mark last season, while Logan Cooley should only continue getting better alongside Clayton Keller. Even after losing Peterka, there is enough talent and upside here for Utah to remain a dangerous offensive team.

13. Buffalo Sabres 

Key Skaters: C Tage Thompson, LW Zach Benson, C Josh Norris, W Josh Doan, RW Jack Quinn

Buffalo lost an important piece in Alex Tuch, but the Sabres still have plenty of talent and an impressive amount of young depth. They finished fifth in the NHL in scoring last season, showing just how dangerous this offense can already be. Tage Thompson remains the biggest threat, while Zach Benson, Josh Doan and Jack Quinn have established themselves as important pieces alongside Josh Norris.

There is also another wave coming. Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich and Noah Ostlund are all expected to push for bigger roles next season. Losing Tuch certainly hurts, but after finishing fifth in scoring and with several young forwards still improving, Buffalo’s offense could remain among the league’s best.

12. San Jose Sharks 

Key Skaters: C Macklin Celebrini, LW Ivar Stenberg, C Will Smith, LW/RW Tyler Toffoli, C Michael Misa, LW Mason Marchment

San Jose’s young forward group is quickly becoming one of the most exciting in the NHL. Macklin Celebrini put the league on notice with 115 points last season and has already established himself as the centerpiece of the Sharks’ rebuild.

The young core around him is loaded with upside, with Ivar Stenberg, Will Smith and Michael Misa giving San Jose several potential long-term stars. The addition of Mason Marchment this summer also brings some experience and physicality, while Tyler Toffoli remains a reliable scoring threat. There is still plenty of youth here, but the ceiling of this group is incredibly high.

11. Anaheim Ducks 

Key Skaters: C Troy Terry, C/RW Leo Carlsson, C/LW Cutter Gauthier, C Mikael Granlund & C Beckett Sennecke

Anaheim’s young forward group is starting to look dangerous. Leo Carlsson has become the face of that core, with the Ducks showing their confidence in him by giving him an $18 million deal. Cutter Gauthier also took a massive step in his second full season, reaching the 41-goal mark.

Troy Terry remains a proven offensive weapon, while Beckett Sennecke adds even more upside to the young core. Mikael Granlund brings some needed experience to the group as well. The Ducks’ forwards are still developing, but with Carlsson, Gauthier and Sennecke continuing to improve, this could quickly become one of the league’s most dangerous offenses.

10. Washington Capitals 

Key Skaters: LW Alexander Ovechkin, LW Alexei Protas, C Pierre-Luc Dubois, C Dylan Strome, RW Tom Wilson, RW Jordan Kyrou, LW Alex Tuch

Washington made some major changes this summer, adding Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner to an already solid forward group. Those additions give the Capitals significantly more depth and take some of the offensive pressure away from their established stars.

Alexander Ovechkin remains the biggest name, while Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Alexei Protas and Tom Wilson give Washington a strong returning core. With Tuch and Kyrou adding more scoring and Jenner bringing another experienced two-way presence, the Capitals suddenly have plenty of options throughout their lineup.

9. Montreal Canadiens 

Key Skaters: LW Juraj Slafkovsky, C Nick Suzuki, RW Cole Caufield & W Ivan Demidov

Montreal’s forward group took a significant step forward last season, with Nick Suzuki leading the way as one of the NHL’s best two-way centres, winning the Selke trophy. Alongside him, Cole Caufield showed he is an elite goal-scoring threat, scoring over 50 goals in 2025-26. Juraj Slafkovsky also continues to develop into the power forward the Canadiens envisioned when they drafted him first overall.

The biggest wildcard is Ivan Demidov. After showing flashes of elite offensive talent, another step forward could completely change the ceiling of this group. Montreal might not have the established depth of the teams above them, but its young core is quickly becoming one of the most dangerous in hockey.

8. Toronto Maple Leafs 

Key Skaters: C Auston Matthews, W William Nylander, C John Tavares, LW Gavin McKenna & LW Matthew Knies

Toronto’s forward group has gone through some changes, but there is still plenty of elite talent to work with. Auston Matthews and William Nylander remain two of the league’s premier offensive players, while John Tavares continues to provide production and experience down the middle.

The addition of Gavin McKenna gives this group a fascinating new dimension. The first-overall pick brings tremendous upside and joins Matthew Knies as part of the younger core surrounding Toronto’s established stars. How quickly McKenna adjusts to the NHL will be worth watching, but the talent throughout the top six remains difficult to ignore. 

7. Edmonton Oilers 

Key Skaters: C Connor McDavid, C Leon Draisaitl, W Zach Hyman & W Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

The Edmonton Oilers come in at the seventh spot, and their forward group starts with the obvious: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. For years, depth has been a concern in Edmonton, but when you have arguably the two most dangerous offensive players in hockey, you know the Oilers are going to score.

Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins remain important pieces around their two superstars and give Edmonton additional scoring options. The supporting cast might keep them below some of the deeper teams on this list, but McDavid and Draisaitl alone can take over games and make the Oilers’ forward group one of the league’s most dangerous.

6. Carolina Hurricanes 

Key Skaters: C/W Sebastian Aho, RW Seth Jarvis, W Andrei Svechnikov, Logan Stankoven & Nikolaj Ehlers

The defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes biggest strength up front is their depth. They might not have the same collection of superstars as some teams ahead of them, but Carolina can consistently roll dangerous lines without relying on just one or two players.

Sebastian Aho remains the leader of the group, with Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov providing additional scoring and physicality. Nikolaj Ehlers brings another dynamic offensive threat, while Logan Stankoven adds even more skill to an already balanced lineup.

Carolina’s depth was a major reason it went all the way last season. There are few easy matchups against this forward group, and that balance makes the defending champions one of the NHL’s deepest teams up front.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning 

Key Skaters: RW Nikita Kucherov, C Brayden Point, LW Jake Guentzel, LW Brandon Hagel, C Anthony Cirelli

The Tampa Bay Lightning might not have the same depth as some of the teams ahead of them, but their high-end talent remains among the best in the NHL. Nikita Kucherov continues to drive the offense, while Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel give Tampa Bay an excellent group of proven scorers.

The lack of secondary scoring could become an issue over a long season, but the Lightning have relied on their stars for years and continue to find ways to compete. As long as their top players remain productive, it is difficult to count Tampa Bay out.

4. Dallas Stars 

Key Skaters: LW Jason Robertson, C Wyatt Johnston, C/LW Roope Hintz, C/RW Matt Duchene, RW Mikko Rantanen

The Dallas Stars are loaded with a forward group led by three of the league’s most dangerous offensive players. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson each reached the 45-goal mark last season, while Mikko Rantanen recorded an impressive 77 points in just 64 games.

Those three alone give Dallas plenty of firepower, but the Stars also have strong depth behind them. Roope Hintz remains an important two-way presence with plenty of offensive ability, while Matt Duchene gives them another proven scorer who can produce further down the lineup. With multiple legitimate scoring threats spread throughout the top nine, Dallas has the talent and depth to remain one of the NHL’s most dangerous offensive teams.

3. Colorado Avalanche 

Key Skaters: C Nathan MacKinnon, LW Artturi Lehkonen, C/RW Martin Necas, C Nazem Kadri, LW Gabriel Landeskog & C Brock Nelson

The Colorado Avalanche finished last season with the most goals scored in the NHL. That offense was led by Nathan MacKinnon, who captured the Rocket Richard Trophy and remains one of the most dominant offensive players in hockey.

Colorado also has plenty of talent surrounding him. Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen provide scoring on the wings, while Nazem Kadri and Brock Nelson give the Avalanche impressive depth down the middle. A healthy Gabriel Landeskog also adds leadership and another offensive option.

After leading the league in scoring last season, there is little reason to expect Colorado’s offense to suddenly slow down. With MacKinnon leading the way and several dangerous options behind him, the Avalanche comfortably belong among the NHL’s top forward groups.

2. Vegas Golden Knights 

Key Skaters: C Jack Eichel, RW Mitch Marner, RW Mark Stone, C/LW Tomas Hertl & C William Karlsson

The Vegas Golden Knights have one of the most star-studded forward groups in the league. Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner remain the centerpieces of the offense. Vegas also has a lot more options on offense. Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl and William Karlsson are also important. They lost Pavel Dorofeyev this summer and it should hurt the power play in 2026-27. There are some durability concerns with this group, particularly with Stone, but when everyone is healthy, Vegas has very few weaknesses up front.

1. Florida Panthers 

Key Skaters: LW Matthew Tkachuk, LW Brady Tkachuk, C Aleksander Barkov, C/RW Sam Reinhart, C/LW Carter Verhaeghe, C/LW Sam Bennett, C Anton Lundell, LW Brad Marchand

The Florida Panthers arguably have the best forward group in the NHL heading into 2026-27. After dealing with injuries last season, Florida should have its core back healthy, while the acquisition of Brady Tkachuk adds even more scoring, physicality and star power to an already loaded lineup.

Brady joining Matthew Tkachuk gives the Panthers two of the league’s premier power forwards, but the talent goes well beyond the brothers. Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart remain elite offensive weapons, while Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand provide tremendous secondary scoring and experience.

Florida has high-end talent, depth, physicality and strong two-way players throughout its lineup. When healthy, there simply isn’t another forward group with this combination of quality and depth, making the Panthers an easy choice for the Number one spot.

What Do You Think?

With the 2026-27 season approaching, now is a good time to look across the league and see how every forward group stacks up. There are several teams, especially in the middle of the rankings, separated by very little, making this list highly subjective.

A breakout season, a new addition or simply better health could quickly change where some teams belong. With that in mind, there will certainly be a few rankings that feel too high or too low, and plenty of room for debate.

Do you think your team is ranked fairly? Let us know in the comments section below!

Statistics were obtained from Hockey Reference.