Every NHL Team’s Most Likable Player
It’s that point in the offseason across the league. Well, for every team but my Detroit Red Wings. But instead of wallowing in misery any longer, I’ve decided to do a feel-good piece and one that gets every fanbase involved.
Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, and Nikita Kucherov may be the best players in the league, but that doesn’t make them the most likable. A lot of these guys have caused major heartbreaks for other fans due to their game-breaking talent.
Obviously this is going to be a generalization. There are plenty of players out there that I would consider generally liked, but they have their own haters out there (look no further than my personal anti-Sanderson agenda). So, doing my best to encompass the feelings of the league, here’s who I believe to be each team’s most universally beloved current player.
Anaheim Ducks, Beckett Sennecke: There might be some rookie bias here, but it’s hard not to like Beckett Sennecke. Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind here is the shock on Sennecke’s face when he went third overall by surprise in the 2024 Draft. That alone is a pretty heartwarming moment that certainly won me over. Beyond that, he’s a big-bodied forward that does a bit of everything on the ice. I find that great all-around guys that everyone wants on their team are pretty likable, and it’s a sentiment I believe has and will extend to Sennecke.
Boston Bruins, Jeremy Swayman: Swayman was a part of the league’s most likable tandem for a while with him and Linus Ullmark. The iconic “goalie-hug” made its rounds on social media as one of the coolest rituals in the NHL. While his contract saga dragging into training camp two summers ago might have rubbed Bruin’s fans the wrong way, he’s certainly made up for it. Not only is Swayman one of the best goalies in the NHL, but he’s also frequently found with a great attitude in charity events, including getting into Monsters, Inc. attire to a children’s hospital. I will give a very honorable mention to the king of style himself, David Pastrnak, who was beat out just barely in my mind. Though I’d have no complaints if you think I’m wrong here.
Buffalo Sabres, Rasmus Dahlin: I feel like there’s been a lot of love for the Sabres league-wide. Obviously the long playoff drought got Buffalo and their fans a lot of pity, but they’ve assembled a team of really likable guys too. A giant goal-scoring tank like Tage Thompson is easy to get on board with. An absolute dog like Zach Benson plays with the intensity everyone in the league should, and a collection of big, mobile defencemen are all things fans tend to like. Rising above all of those, though, is Rasmus Dahlin. Certainly in the conversation for the league’s best all-around defenceman, Dahlin is a weapon who racks up a ton of goals and points while locking it down on defense. A player like Dahlin with nearly no flaws makes it feel like any haters are likely coming from a place of jealousy.
Calgary Flames, Dustin Wolf: An undersized goalie who can put a team on his back and nearly carry them to the postseason? Sign me up. The goalie position is filled with big-bodied goaltenders who live and die by their positional knowledge. Dustin Wolf brings that technical skill and the athleticism to make highlight-reel saves. Dustin Wolf showing that you don’t need to be huge to be an elite goaltender makes him an easy pick here. Not to mention, you can get Wolf on a jersey, which is pretty sick.
Carolina Hurricanes, Seth Jarvis: Seth Jarvis might take the cake as the NHL’s best personality at the moment. There’s a long list of interview moments, practice clips, and goal celebrations that will get a laugh out of most hockey fans. That broke the tie between him and Jaccob Slavin, who is also very likable for his underappreciated on-ice defensive play.
Chicago Blackhawks, Connor Bedard: Probably the favorite player of the next generation of hockey players, Bedard brings some pretty generational flair to the game. The elite play this early in his career mixed with some pretty great on-ice antics has really set Bedard apart as a face of this league. Not to mention, the lack of help will draw him some grace in the pity-points category.
Colorado Avalanche, Brett Burns: As great as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are, they dominate to a level that frankly isn’t always fun as an opposing fan, sue me. Not to mention, as a Canadian, MacKinnon’s whiff in the Olympics hurt me too much to put him here right now. Alternatively, how could you not love Brett Burns? The iron-man streak, the history of high-octane offense, and that veteran cup-hunting make him easy to root for. Plus you gotta love the beard, right?
Columbus Blue Jackets, Zach Werenski: Making it clear that he wants to stay in Columbus, even when he could’ve gotten sent to Dallas, shows some real heart. There’s a clear commitment to a less-than-ideal situation, and that means something given the current trade-request climate of the league. The elite play and personal commitment have been rewarded with a well-deserved Norris Trophy.
Dallas Stars, Jake Oettinger: “The Otter” is frankly cool enough as a nickname for me to end the conversation here. On a team with Mikko Rantanen, Miro Heiskanen and Tyler Seguin, Jake Oettinger gets the nod from me because of him showing up in what I believe to be the best modern NHL commercial about tipping. I also hate to keep using goalies here, but everyone loves a goalie.
Detroit Red Wings, Moritz Seider: Vintage hockey is back with Moritz Seider. Reverse hits, shutdown defense, and some pretty wicked flow; there’s no doubt about my pick here. After getting both Norris and Hart votes this season, Seider is starting to catch the attention of more fans, and it’s hard not to love what you see with him.
Edmonton Oilers, Connor McDavid: I really tried to avoid the guys with such potent offense because I feel like he’s burned pretty much every team in the league enough to make people hate him. But there’s a certain pedigree that players reach where their elite play stops becoming something you get mad at and becomes something you can’t help but appreciate. That’s where I land on McDavid, and I’d imagine that’s a cold take.
Florida Panthers, Aleksander Barkov: It’s like picking your favorite Lego piece to step on. The Panthers are filled with some of the league’s biggest pests, but it feels more like Barkov plays hard than dirty. He’s the best defensive forward we’ve seen since Bergeron and remains one of the best offensive forwards in the world as well. Above all, he demands his team act with respect towards themselves and others and has spoken out about some of the NHL’s sexism problems. Truly one hell of a captain.
Los Ángeles Kings, Drew Doughty: There was an obvious answer here for a long time. But with Anze Kopitar retiring, it leaves his assistant captain as their heir to the throne here. The Kings were some of the easiest cup teams to like. Multiple underdog runs where their big three of Kopitar, Quick, and Doughty did a lot of heavy lifting. With some pretty solid hot-mic moments, the former Norris winner takes the cake.
Minnesota Wild, Matt Boldy: Frankly, there are probably other answers here, but I’m letting my bias take over. Matt Boldy is my favorite non-Red Wing player in the league by a wide margin. The versatility, the scoring, the hitting- how could you not love what Boldy brings? Here’s a general manager’s dream, and frankly I envy Minnesota for having him locked up.
Montreal Canadiens, Nick Suzuki: It feels weird to say the Selke winner is underrated, but Suzuki racked up over 100-points while being the best defensive forward and didn’t get as many MVP nods as he should’ve. Suzuki is one of the league’s best captains as well. Despite some pretty obnoxious Habs fans ruining a lot of great players for the league like Demidov, Hutson, or Caufield, somehow they can’t stop people from loving Suzuki.
Nashville Predators, Filip Forsberg: Talk about a man with some style points. On ice, Forsberg has one of the longest highlight reels of trick plays. Michigan goals, flipping pucks, and a dancing defenceman; it’s easy to love him from that alone. The icing on the cake is the NHL’s best mustache. Honorable mention to Saros as the NHL’s shortest goaltender.
New Jersey Devils, Jesper Bratt: The speedy Swedish winger is amongst the league’s most underrated players. Bratt has spent plenty of seasons amongst the league’s best offensive wingers. While Devils fans may be the only ones who fully appreciate it, it certainly makes him likable. Jack Hughes might seem like an obvious pick to many, but the heartbreaker in the Olympics is going to hurt too many Canadians at the moment.
New York Islanders, Matthew Schaefer: From breaking rookie records for a defenceman to heartwarming stories about overcoming some tough personal moments, it’s hard not to love Schaefer. He looks poised to become one of the NHL’s best players, and it certainly makes Islander’s games a lot less boring to watch.
New York Islanders, Igor Shesterkin: There’s going to be some all-time conversations for Shesterkin if he continues like this. No matter how bad the Rangers seem to play, Shesterkin always has a pretty coherent Vézina argument. There’s even some added satisfaction when your team scores on Shesterkin because it means it was a damn good shot.
Ottawa Senators, Linus Ullmark: The other half of the aforementioned “goalie-hug” duo. Linus Ullmark has been one of the NHL’s biggest advocates for mental health. It’s important to have award-winning players speaking about the personal side of being a professional athlete. While there have been some rocky moments, when the chips have been down, Ullmark has given the Senators some great goaltending.
Philadelphia Flyers, Porter Martone: Despite not playing a full season yet, Porter Martone has given NHL fans a lot to look forward to. Martone is going to be a true superstar, and while his style may drive opposing fans crazy one day, Martone is currently poised to become the next generation’s star power-forward.
Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby: Look, obviously, as a Red Wings fan, I don’t like him. If not for him, Detroit probably would have brought a cup home in 2009. But past my personal bias, and frankly even with it, I can admire Crosby as a player. The pay cuts he’s taken for the Penguins, the loyalty he’s shown even with the cup window in Pittsburgh all but closed, and the constant elite play all put Crosby firmly on the all-time greats list. I can sit here and hate all I want, but I’d be wasting what’s left of a top-10 all-time career if I do. At the end of the day, it’s Sidney Crosby; how could you not admire the career he’s had?
San Jose Sharks, Macklin Celebrini: Even if it wasn’t for the generational leap Celebrini took this season, I still think the Sharks’ most likable player would be Celebrini. If there is going to be another Sidney Crosby, it is Macklin Celebrini. As a player, he’s complete and competitive to an elite level. As a personality, though, Celebrini is constantly involved in the media, interviews, and fan interactions that make him one of the instant faces of the league.
Seattle Kraken, Joey Daccord: This one was pretty tough for me to pick. Without any superstar talent or players with huge media presence, it’s tough to say the Kraken have any beloved players. Though, they may have the least hated players, for what that’s worth. I land on Joey Daccord here because of the pretty solid goaltending he’s put up behind some pretty poor Seattle teams. The King Clancy nominee has an equally impressive off-ice body of work in the Seattle community, showing love to the young Kraken fans.
St. Louis Blues, Dylan Holloway: The Blues honestly have a lot of really likable guys. Robert Thomas, Jimmy Snuggerud, Jordan Binnington and Philip Broberg all make a serious case for my list, but ultimately the comeback story of Holloway takes the cake. After Edmonton let Holloway and Broberg walk, both of them have turned into really great NHL players. It’s always cool to see offer sheets pay off with young players turning into stars. While Broberg could become a top-15 defenceman next season, Holloway is already an upper-echelon winger so he’ll take the cake for me here.
Tampa Bay Lightning, Victor Hedman: The archetype is what every fan dreams of: big-body, two-way defenceman who can log huge minutes in the playoffs and win cups with him as the backbone. Victor Hedman has put together an incredible career with a Norris Trophy, a Conn Smythe, and a really honest off-ice personality that has won him over to the hearts of fans. Hedman’s recent comments about the importance of mental health make him a great idol and great player.
Toronto Maple Leafs, William Nylander: Sure, there are some purists who might not like the flair that comes with Willy-Styles, but I’m on the opposite end of that spectrum. Whether it’s a pregame outfit, a middle finger to a cameraman, or a highlight-reel goal, you won’t go too long as an NHL fan without seeing Nylander’s name somewhere. He’s silently been one of the Maple Leafs most consistently elite players and probably their best for the past two seasons. Anyone complaining about hockey players lacking personality certainly can’t say that about Nylander.
Utah Mammoth, Clayton Keller: After some dark days while the franchise was in Arizona, Utah is finally on the upswing, and Clayton Keller will spend the rest of his career reaping the benefits of his loyalty. For years, Keller has stuck it out in a bad place on bad teams, and as Utah gets better, Keller has too. Utah deserves things to go right with Keller at the helm. But even if they don’t, Keller will always be a name worth saluting for the efforts he put in when things looked bleak.
Vancouver Canucks, Filip Hronek: It takes some guts to take on a leadership role on an awful team slated to get worse when you’re in your prime, but that’s what Hronek has done, and it’s hard not to love him for it. Sure, it isn’t pretty in Vancouver, but Hronek doesn’t seem interested in bailing. The huge slap-shot and gritty style make him the kind of leader you want for your young guys on the blue line. NHL fans probably won’t think much of the Canucks right now, but Hronek will certainly win over some hearts with his effort and play in due time.
Vegas Golden Knights, William Karlsson: Wild-Bill is one of the original misfits, which means he’s a Golden Knight from before they were hated. Sure, they’re stacked with talent now, and it’s easy to hate on them because of that, but Karlsson has been here from the start. A winner of the Lady Byng Trophy for Sportsmanship, Karlsson has the respect of his peers and the history as an original misfit to put a great backstory with it.
Washington Capitals, Alex Ovechkin: Maybe the most likable player of all time, the personality alone should have Ovechkin in the Hall of Fame. It’s always laughs and smiles with the Capitals’ captain. The tinted visor and yellow laces have made him pretty iconic in the style department alone as well. Oh, not to mention the most iconic one-timer in history and the all-time leading goal record to go with it. So you know, nothing too crazy.
Winnipeg Jets, Kyle Connor: Maybe the league’s most underrated forward of the past decade. Not only is he lightning fast, but he has three 90+ point seasons under his belt already. Few players over the past decade have put up the offensive numbers he has. Kyle Connor is one of those guys you don’t appreciate until your team plays and suddenly you wish you had him. Maybe that’s the Winnipeg effect.
