Connor McDavid, Cale Makar, and Nathan MacKinnon are among the top-rated players in NHL 25.
The early access period for NHL 25 kicks off on September 27, just a week before the opening of the 2024-25 NHL season. Prior to the official launch, EA Sports unveiled the player ratings for the league’s elite athletes.
Unsurprisingly, prominent figures such as past Hart Trophy recipients Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nikita Kucherov dominate the rankings.
Below is a detailed list of the ratings for the best NHL players in NHL 25, categorized by position.
Top Centers in NHL 25
Let’s begin with the top-centermen. Here are the best centers in NHL 25:
| Rank | Name | Team | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connor McDavid | Oilers | 97 |
| 2 | Nathan MacKinnon | Avalanche | 96 |
| 3 | Leon Draisaitl | Oilers | 95 |
| 4 | Auston Matthews | Maple Leafs | 95 |
| 5 | Sidney Crosby | Penguins | 94 |
| 6 | Alexander Barkov | Panthers | 94 |
| 7 | Jack Hughes | Devils | 93 |
| 8 | Brayden Point | Lightning | 92 |
| 9 | JT Miller | Canucks | 92 |
| 10 | Jack Eichel | Golden Knights | 91 |
The duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl from the Oilers holds strong positions in this list, with McDavid at the top. 2024 Hart Trophy awardee Nathan MacKinnon follows closely in second place, while Auston Matthews and Sidney Crosby complete the top five.
Who else but @cmcdavid97 at #1⁉️ Top 10 Centers in #NHL25 pic.twitter.com/YtuYSidqxQ
— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) September 18, 2024
Top Left Wingers
| Rank | Name | Team | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Artemi Panarin | Rangers | 95 |
| 2 | Kirill Kaprizov | Wild | 93 |
| 3 | Matthew Tkachuk | Panthers | 92 |
| 4 | Jason Robertson | Stars | 91 |
| 5 | Kyle Connor | Jets | 91 |
| 6 | Filip Forsberg | Predators | 90 |
| 7 | Jake Guentzel | Lightning | 90 |
| 8 | Brady Tkachuk | Senators | 89 |
| 9 | Jesper Bratt | Devils | 89 |
| 10 | Alex Ovechkin | Capitals | 89 |
Highlighting the left wing position, Artemi Panarin emerges as the top player in NHL 25, closely followed by Kirill Kaprizov of the Wild. Matthew Tkachuk, a key player for the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, secures third position. This list also includes Lightning’s new forward Jake Guentzel and former NHL cover star Alex Ovechkin.
Top 10 Left Wingers in #NHL25 💥 See more ratings 🔗 https://t.co/YmFdRTV3BR pic.twitter.com/2Yc6MBfhAY
— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) September 16, 2024
Top Right Wingers
| Rank | Name | Team | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikita Kucherov | Lightning | 95 |
| 2 | David Pastrnak | Bruins | 95 |
| 3 | Mikko Rantanen | Avalanche | 93 |
| 4 | Sam Reinhart | Panthers | 91 |
| 5 | Mitch Marner | Maple Leafs | 91 |
| 6 | William Nylander | Maple Leafs | 91 |
| 7 | Clayton Keller | Utah | 89 |
| 8 | Mark Stone | Golden Knights | 89 |
| 9 | Lucas Raymond | Red Wings | 88 |
| 10 | Andrei Svechnikov | Hurricanes | 88 |
Nikita Kucherov, a former Hart Trophy winner, claims the top right winger position in NHL 25. David Pastrnak of the Bruins, who nearly set a personal best with 110 points last year, ties Kucherov in this category.
The ranking also features a strong showing from the Panthers, with Sam Reinhart positioned fourth among all right wingers.
Top Defensemen
| Rank | Name | Team | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cale Makar | Avalanche | 95 |
| 2 | Quinn Hughes | Canucks | 94 |
| 3 | Roman Josi | Predators | 93 |
| 4 | Miro Heiskanen | Stars | 92 |
| 5 | Victor Hedman | Lightning | 92 |
| 6 | Charlie McAvoy | Bruins | 92 |
| 7 | Adam Fox | Rangers | 92 |
| 8 | Rasmus Dahlin | Sabres | 91 |
| 9 | Devon Toews | Avalanche | 89 |
| 10 | Josh Morrissey | Jets | 89 |
Cale Makar, who graced the cover of NHL 24, is rated as the top defenseman in NHL 25. Meanwhile, NHL 25 cover athlete Quinn Hughes follows closely behind with a rating of 94 overall.
Top Goalies
| Rank | Name | Team | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connor Hellebuyck | Jets | 93 |
| 2 | Igor Shesterkin | Rangers | 92 |
| 3 | Andrei Vasilevskiy | Lightning | 92 |
| 4 | Thatcher Demko | Canucks | 91 |
| 5 | Jake Oettinger | Stars | 90 |
| 6 | Sergei Bobrovsky | Panthers | 90 |
| 7 | Ilya Sorokin | Islanders | 90 |
| 8 | Juuse Saros | Predators | 89 |
| 9 | Jeremy Swayman | Bruins | 89 |
| 10 | Linus Ullmark | Senators | 89 |
The top goalie ranking features Connor Hellebuyck, who earned the 2024 Vezina Trophy for the best goaltender in the league. Following him is Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers, who significantly contributed to the team’s success in reaching the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three years, positioning him second among goaltenders.
Overall Top Players in NHL 25
Here are the top 25 overall players in NHL 25, organized by their ratings:
| Rank | Name | Team | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connor McDavid | Oilers | 97 |
| 2 | Nathan MacKinnon | Avalanche | 96 |
| 3 | Nikita Kucherov | Lightning | 95 |
| 4 | Cale Makar | Avalanche | 95 |
| 5 | Leon Draisaitl | Oilers | 95 |
| 6 | Auston Matthews | Maple Leafs | 95 |
| 7 | David Pastrnak | Bruins | 95 |
| 8 | Artemi Panarin | Rangers | 95 |
| 9 | Sidney Crosby | Penguins | 94 |
| 10 | Quinn Hughes | Canucks | 94 |
| 11 | Alexander Barkov | Panthers | 94 |
| 12 | Jack Hughes | Devils | 93 |
| 13 | Connor Hellebuyck | Jets | 93 |
| 14 | Mikko Rantanen | Avalanche | 93 |
| 15 | Roman Josi | Predators | 93 |
| 16 | Kirill Kaprizov | Wild | 93 |
| 17 | Miro Heiskanen | Stars | 92 |
| 18 | Matthew Tkachuk | Panthers | 92 |
| 19 | Victor Hedman | Lightning | 92 |
| 20 | Charlie McAvoy | Bruins | 92 |
| 21 | Brayden Point | Lightning | 92 |
| 22 | Adam Fox | Rangers | 92 |
| 23 | JT Miller | Canucks | 92 |
| 24 | Igor Shesterkin | Rangers | 92 |
| 25 | Andrei Vasilevskiy | Lightning | 92 |
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