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) Jordan Staal – Carolina Hurricanes
Throughout his 18-year NHL career, Jordan Staal has been a leader off the ice everywhere he played, while being a complete pain to compete against on it. Clocking it at 6-foot-4, he has been a consistent scoring presence who averages roughly 15 goals and 40 points while dominating the game with his physical presence and 150-plus hits each season throughout his career.
Even as he reaches the back half of his career, Staal still has maintained his strong level of play, as the Carolina Hurricanes’ Captain looks to lead them to their second Stanley Cup in franchise history. Given his ability to wear down opponents, he’s the exact player you want leading your team as you take on that challenge.
14) Corey Perry – L.A. Kings
When the Anaheim Ducks bought out Corey Perry during the 2019 offseason, there was a serious question as to whether he could still make an impact in the NHL. Sure, he had the legacy of an exceptional player, but the times of him dominating games seemed to have passed.
Throughout the 2019-20 and 2020-21 regular seasons, Perry was largely invisible on the ice, and when he was being noticed, it was due to a bad hit or taking a penalty that negatively affected his team. In the postseasons, though, he showed his top form, as he helped lead his team to the Stanley Cup Final by chipping in key goals and getting under his opponents’ skin. He even kept the tradition alive by reaching the 2024 Final for the fourth time in five years with a different team, and while he didn’t claim the Cup, it was another impressive showing for the aging star.
Somehow, at age 39, Perry turned back the clock again in 2024-25, by playing in 82 regular-season games, posting 30 points, along with another 22 playoff games where he scored 10 more goals. Sure, he may not be a Spring chicken anymore, but he still acts like a physical force in front of the net, and if he can stay healthy, he has at least one more NHL season ahead of him with the L.A. Kings.
13) Evander Kane – Vancouver Canucks
There’s a reason why the San Jose Sharks signed Evander Kane to a seven-year, $49 million extension back in the 2018 offseason: he simply was one of the great power forwards in the game.
Off the ice, however, things haven’t been good for Kane. This led to his contract being terminated by the Sharks, and he signed with the Edmonton Oilers, where he regained his form and showcased why he is still one of the top players in the NHL by leading the league in postseason goalscoring in 2022.
However, injuries hobbled Kane’s potential again, as he missed the entirety of the 2024-25 regular season, played decently well in the 2025 playoffs, before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks. Now in a new city, he has to prove his place in the league again by staying healthy and finding the game that once made him feared.
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, he posted 26 goals and 63 points, while laying down 165 hits. And, at just 24 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) Chris Kreider – Anaheim Ducks
Throughout his career, Chris Kreider has been a bit of a polarizing figure. He possesses every tool to be one of the most dangerous players whenever he steps on the ice, but struggles at times putting it all together.
In the 2018-19 season, the Massachusetts native found more consistency, registering 28 goals and 52 points while laying down 159 hits. He followed that up with a 45-point campaign in 2019-20 when the New York Rangers decided it was time to lock him down with a seven-year contract extension. In 2020-21, he posted 20 goals and 30 points in 50 games, while adding 115 hits, showing that he may be back in his groove once again.
While Kreider and the Rangers saw a few years of success in the early 2020s, the 2024-25 season did not go well for player or franchise. Despite scoring 22 goals, years of hard miles finally took their toll, and he missed significant time with a back injury while New York saw their season go off the rails. This eventually led to a trade to the Anaheim Ducks, where the former star will look to recapture his glory years.
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.
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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 also scored 18 goals, laid down 306 hits, all while taking on 14-plus minutes of ice time each night. 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) 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.
8) Blake Coleman – Calgary Flames
When you think of a power forward in hockey, you should immediately jump to a 6-foot-3 truck of a man who can bend the game around them with their strength and skill. However, not every power forward has to be huge, with one of my favorite examples being Blake Coleman of the Calgary Flames.
Coleman is relatively small, coming in at 5-foot-11, but he plays like a wrecking ball on the ice. He’s the kind of player who creates havoc with his body in front of the net, has a fantastic scoring touch, and is willing to make those statue-worthy diving goals that define a championship run.
Much like a fine wine, Coleman is only getting better with age. The 2023-24 season was his best yet, where he posted 30 goals, 54 points, and 128 hits for a middling Flames team. Yes, there was a drop-off in the 2024-25 season, but Coleman is still a player who is easy to believe will have a bounce-back season again.
7) 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. For the 2024-25 regular season, that rising star was Will Cuylle of the New York Rangers, who is everything you hope for in a power forward.
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Throughout his second full season in the NHL, the 6-foot-3 forward posted 20 goals, 45 points, and a massive 301 hits, which tied him for the third most in the league. 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.
6) Kiefer Sherwood – Vancouver Canucks
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 last season, a full 150 more than second place.
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. 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.
5) Mathew Knies – Toronto Maple Leafs
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.
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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. As he continues to take on a top-line role with the Toronto Maple Leafs, I expect big things from the former University of Minnesota star. Perhaps he will next get over the 30-goal hump?
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, so he’s still finding a way to grow his game each and every 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) Alexander Ovechkin – Washington Capitals
Many would consider Alex Ovechkin a sniper and rightly so, he is the best goal-scorer the NHL has seen in decades and one of the best all-time. This doesn’t change the fact that he is a physical specimen and, since breaking into the league, has the fourth most hits among forwards.
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The future Hall-of-Fame winger chills opposing players to the bone when they see his body coming full speed at them to finish his check, something he always does. Something else he always does? Sets up his office on the left circle ready to blow a one-timer past the goaltender.
After finally claiming the Stanley Cup in 2018, there’s no debate about the greatness that is Ovechkin. One only needs to know his nickname, the Great Eight, to recognize the legacy he has left and will continue to leave on the game. Even at age 39, he still laid down 110 hits while scoring 44 goals, which are numbers that are incredible for a player at this point of his career.
Ovechkin has already won more awards and earned more statistical achievements than the vast majority of players who have ever played the game, but that isn’t enough. As the best goalscorer in NHL history, he has truly done it all in his storied career.
1) Brady Tkachuk – Ottawa Senators
It should come as no surprise to find a Tkachuk at the top of this list. From 2021 through 2024, Brady Tkachuk amassed some truly staggering statistics, as he scored 30-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. So, for an Ottawa Senators franchise that emerged from their rebuild with a playoff bid in 2025, their Captain has done everything you can ask for.
Thanks for the shout to my very own Shane Doan. I couldn’t agree more with the fact that he has had to be the driving force for the troubled team. Although this year he’s got some help with the excellent trades that were made. Go Yotes.
This is a list of the current best nhl power forwards in the league, not the greatest of all-time. Now that I’ve cleared that out of the way, Tkachuk definitely was one of the best in his prime but he’s getting to that point in his career where it’ll be time to call it quits soon.
What about Keith Tkachuk? He was off to a tremendous start this year and led his team to the playoffs last season. The guy just keeps playing at a level of skill and intensity that most players dream of. Shanahan was a pretty good combo of pugilism and scoring prowess, and of course the legendary Gary Roberts. To me only Lecavalier and your top 5 are worth mentioning with the legendary PF I have referenced.
If guys like Nash and Thornton are on this list, neither of whom are know for their physical play or fisticuffs, then Malkin should be on the list. The big Russian has now proven he can dominate in the regular and post-season and his size + skill combination is a big factor in that equation. If you were to base this on the classic definition of a power forward (i.e. Messier, Neely, Iginla, Bertuzzi), then Getzlaf and Richards are the two nearest their peak at the moment. It will be interesting to see if Lucic can deliver on the hype and the big contract but he has shown the ability to deliver in the clutch.
Read the criteria: guys that score, hit and fight. Backes does all three which is why he’s ahead of those guys. Nash, Ovie and Staal don’t fight and Kovalchuk doesn’t either. A power forward is someone who can score and play physical hockey. This list would be too easy just to go by stats and power forwards are meant to do more than just put up points.
A list of power forwards that puts Backes above Nash, Ovi and Staal says someone doesn’t know their hockey very well. Leaving off Kovulchuk and inserting Morrow or others is jus absurd. You seem to understand both power and forward but not the combination. I won’t however argue with Iginlas placement.
My personal favorites were the aforementioned no-show in the Cup finals game 6-7, the disappearing act vs. Anaheim the next playoffs (one shot in each game, 0 points) and last year’s -5 in the last two games vs. Chicago, also pointless. Yep, that’s our generation’s Messier right there…always carrying the team when it counts.
“Iginla is always ready and you’ll rarely see him take a night off”
I’ve seen him take plenty off when the team needs a win the most (See Game 6-7 of the 2004 Cup Final). Of course, its never his fault and all.
Who’s in love with him? I’m merely pointing out that he’s a great competitor that can do anything for his team effectively. No stanley cup win doesn’t change any of that.
“Having reached the Stanley Cup Finals, Iginla knows what it takes to win in the postseason. When envisioning the phrase blood, sweat and tears, it’s Calgary’s rugged winger fighting for the logo on the front.
Partnered with less skilled forwards in the past, that problem is history thanks to Olli Jokinen’s arrival. Iginla is always ready and you’ll rarely see him take a night off.”
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. I swear, Canada’s obsession with this guy knows no end. He knows what it takes to win in the postseason, eh? Did they win the Cup that year? Have they done anything since that run? NOPE. Mr. “I dreamed I held the Cup before Game 6” vanished from the 2004 finals with nary a shot after the OT win in Game 5. The only memorable thing he’s done in the postseason since was take part in that disgusting scrum vs. the Wings a couple years back. I forgot, in Western Canada they call that “leadership”.
Check his stats in seventh or series deciding games. His stats are atrocious. The continued love affair with this guy is absolutely pathetic.