NHL Network releases first part of Top 50 players list

The NHL Network began releasing its annual Top 50 players list on Monday. As per usual, they began with players they've ranked 50-41 and go down in increments of ten over a five-day span. On this year's list, there are a few players who have dropped a bit from their previous ranking ahead of the 2020-21 season and some that weren't even on last year's list. Let's dive in and take a look at players 50 through 41.

#50. Carey Price (2020-21 rank: NR).

"He was a huge reason this team got to the Stanley Cup Final," NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp said. "This just shows you right here, when Carey Price is even a fraction of what he can be, you can go far with this guy, and he is certainly something very special still."

#49. Alex DeBrincat (2020-21 rank: NR).

"He's been scoring goals for a long time," Rupp said. "The guy just scores goals. That's what Alex DeBrincat does, and he does it with the best. We're going to see DeBrincat's name mentioned (with the NHL goals leaders)he is going to be in that conversation."

#48. Matthew Tkachuk (2020-21 rank: 40).

"I don't know if it feels good or if it's motivation, but there's a lot of great players on that list," Tkachuk said. "I consider myself to be a solid player that hasn't done a lot so far in the League, yet so hoping for a year where I can prove that this year."

#47. Max Pacioretty (2020-21 rank: 48).

"It was a renaissance year for Max Pacioretty," Rupp said. "We always knew he could shoot the puck. [Vegas] was really good with Max Pacioretty having the season he had. He is clutch, he's got a shot, he can flip the game on its head real quick."

#46. Kristopher Letang (2020-21 rank: 43).

"He plays the game differently," Rupp said. "When you're talking about defensemen that challenge plays up ice, shuts plays down at the offensive blue line...he goes for it, and when he plays that style, there's things that he does on this ice that you don't even notice as a casual fan. He very may well go down as being a Hall of Fame defenseman."

#45. Nicklas Backstrom (2020-21 rank: NR).

"You're talking about one of the most special -- not just passers -- players. The mind for the game," Rupp said. "He gets 15-20 goals (a season). He can shoot the puck at a pretty decent rate as well. He's had a great career, an underrated career, for sure."

#44. Shea Theodore (2020-21 rank: NR).

"This guy will be in the mixto win a Norris Trophy. That's just simply what he does," Rupp said. "This guy is an absolute stud, and I find that his game gets better come playoff time, and that's a huge attribute for a player."

#43. Seth Jones (2020-21 rank: 32).

"There's no [comparable players] in the entire League," Rupp said. "He defends great, he can drive offense great, and I don't think we've seen his offensive ceiling, and I think will see that in Chicago now with the talent he has there."

#42. Jake Guentzel (2020-21 rank: NR).

"He gets to play with Sidney Crosby, and I think sometimes people use that against him," Rupp said. "He is fearlessHe is not big at all (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) but he goes to those hard areas of the ice and he does it, and he is very smart. He thinks the game on a level with Sid, he knows where to go and he's not afraid to go there."

#41. John Tavares (2020-21 rank: 30).

"As far as what he's done individually and what he's expected to do, he's been worth every bit, every bit of that (seven-year, $77 million) contract," Rupp said. "John Tavares is great on both sides of the puck, he competes, he plays that very important center ice position. This team is not the same without him."

Strong start. Strong start, indeed. #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/dNsCQAtBK0— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 29, 2021

Source: NHL Network

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