Connor McDavid Voted #1 on TSN’s Top 50 for 10th Straight Season

The accolades continue for Connor McDavid, who was named TSN’s number one player in their Top 50 Player Rankings for the 10th straight season. Gino Reta called McDavid the most highly evolved player of all time, and fans are watching history as McDavid is on track to become the greatest player ever to lace up skates.

McDavid Entering 2026-27 NHL Season Surrounded By Questions

As McDavid leads the Edmonton Oilers into the 2026-27 season, there are more questions than usual surrounding the reigning NHL scoring champion. How will he and teammate Leon Draisaitl get along with new head coach Mike Babcock? Will he sign an extension before his two-year deal ends in 2028? If McDavid does leave Edmonton, where will he end up?

The McDavid leaving Edmonton rumour has followed him throughout his career. If the Oilers fail to go far in the 2027 Playoffs, his future with the organization will become that much more uncertain.

McDavid and Oilers Looking for a Fast Start to the Season

Entering his 12th season in Alberta, McDavid will be playing for his sixth head coach and 16th starting goaltender. Has the franchise finally found the missing ingredients that will lead McDavid to his first Stanley Cup, or will the team implode under the fiery Babcock?

The first ten games of the season should be a good indication of how well the campaign will go. During the McDavid era, the Oilers have been notorious for their slow starts. If they fall behind again in October, there will be no shortage of speculation surrounding McDavid and the team.

Predicting a Big Season for the Rested McDavid

I’m predicting McDavid will have another Hart Trophy-calibre season. He finally got some offseason rest after playing the most pressure-packed games of anyone in the NHL the last three seasons. Between 2023 and 2026, McDavid made it to two Stanley Cup Finals and led Canada to the 4 Nations Face-Off title and a silver medal in the Olympic Winter Games.

It was clear that McDavid and his teammates were gassed down the stretch last season and into the first round of the playoffs. Losing to the Anaheim Ducks in the first round might have been a blessing in disguise heading into 2026-27.

Some Interesting Changes at the Top of TSN’s Top 50

San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini took the biggest leap forward in the 2026 TSN poll, jumping from 38th last season to third this season, behind only McDavid and number two-ranked Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Rounding out the top five are Tampa Lightning forward and current Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov at fourth and Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar, who finished fifth in voting.

Still Some Big Names in the Top 20

McDavid’s teammate Draisaitl fell out of the top five this season and finished in sixth place. Other players of note include future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who was routinely voted the best player in the NHL until McDavid’s arrival; he fell to 17th on the list, down four positions from last season. The number one goalie on TSN’s Top 50 is Tampa Bay Lightning great Andrei Vasilevskiy, who was voted 20th on the list.

Will McDavid Be Voted #1 on TSN’s Top 50 Poll Next Season?

Looking ahead, Celebrini could be the biggest threat to McDavid’s decade-long dominance at the top. Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders is another player to watch, as the young defenceman was sensational in his Calder Trophy-winning season in 2025-26. However, McDavid has shown no signs of slowing down and should hold onto that number-one ranking for the next two or three seasons, at least.