Top 10 NHL Right Wings in 2024

Which NHL right wings stand above their peers?

Jon Alfano | Jul 12, 2024

Apr 15, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) skates against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Right wing may not be as flashy of a position as center, but with some of the best players in the entire NHL, the position definitely deserves more resepect. As such, here are the top 10 right wingers in the NHL today.

10. Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens

Caufield is the youngest player on this list by far at just 23 years old, but he's already proven himself to be among the game's elite. While undersized at just 5-7 and 174 pounds, he's an elite sniper who can be a 30-goal player every year. Last season was his best yet with 65 points (28 goals, 37 assists) in 82 games, and the best part is he hasn't even reached his prime yet.

9. Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings

Kempe has had some down moments throughout his year, but the 27-year-old from Sweden has really come on as of late. He was nearly a point-per-game player with 75 points (28 goals, 47 assists) in 77 games and led the Kings in scoring to help them make their third-straight playoff appearance. With pressure growing in L.A. after a mixed bag of offseason moves, Kempe will be a crucial part of the Kings' championship ambitions.

8. Jonathan Marchessault, Nashville Predators

The Vegas Golden Knights' franchise leader in games played, goals and assists, Marchessault's final season in Sin City may have been his best with 69 points (42 goals, 27 assists) in 82 games. He's also just over a year removed from an incredible playoff run, scoring 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) to win the Conn Smythe Trophy and help Vegas win its first Stanley Cup. Now Marchessault takes his talents to Nashville, and while there will be an adjustment period as he settles in with his new team, he should cement himself as a fan favorite very quickly.

7. Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver finally broke through as a playoff contender last season, and in turn, Boeser elevated his game to a whole new level. The 27-year-old shattered his career-highs with 73 points (40 goals, 33 assists), and a +23 rating to help the Canucks claim the top spot in the Pacific division.

Boeser has always been a good player, but usually hovered around 50-55 points per season. Now, he's firmly one of the best at his position, and the Canucks are all the better for it.

6. Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs

Marner gets a lot of hate from fans, especially those of his own team, but he's still a very talented player. The Ontario native posted 85 points (26 goals, 59 assists) in 69 games last season, which was actually a step back from the previous two seasons when he posted 97 and 99 points, respectively. Another point in his favor is that he's solid on the penalty kill, which many scoring forwards are not.

Of course, the main narrative surrounding Marner is his disappearing act in the playoffs, and posting just three points (one goal, two assists) in yet another seven-game loss to the Boston Bruins only added fuel to the fire. There's also criticisms about his lack of physicality, which are also hard to refute. Even still, Marner is a player that many teams would kill to have on their roster.

5. Clayton Keller, Utah Hockey Club

Keller has somewhat flown under the radar while playing on a bad Arizona Coyotes team, which is a shame considering how good he really is. The 25-year-old has been nearly a point-per-game player for the past three seasons with 225 points (98 goals, 127 assists) in 227 points, all while trying to drag his team to any sort of relevance.

This season, though, all eyes will be on Keller as the face of the new Utah Hockey Club. It also helps that the team has done more to help him than ever before this offseason, potentially giving him a chance to play in the postseason for just the second time in his career. If Utah can get to that point, more fans will realize just how special Keller can be.

4. William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs

Nylander is a player who has seemingly only gotten better with age. The 28-year-old is coming off his best season yet, posting 98 points (40 goals, 58 assists) to finish second on the team in scoring behind Auston Matthews. If Nylander continues his upwards trajectory, then he will surely be a 100-point player this season.

Nylander isn't immune to the playoff criticism Marner receives, but over the years, the former has been the far better postseason performer and is usually the best among the Maple Leafs' stars in that department.

The Swedish forward is entering the first year of an eight-year extension worth $11.5 million per year, so the pressure is on him to to make it worth it.

3. Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche

Rantanen, the No. 10 pick in the 2015 draft, has been nothing short of fantastic throughout his career and especially over the past three seasons. Last season, the Finnish forward put up 104 points (42 goals, 62 assists) to finish eighth in the league in scoring.

The 27-year-old can sometimes be overshadowed by teammates Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, but Rantanen is just as important to Colorado's success as they are. As long as that trio is in the Mile High City, the Avalanche will be a force to be reckoned with.

2. David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

What is there to say about Pastrnak that hasn't been said already? He's one of the best scorers in the entire league, and coming off a 110-point season (47 goals, 63 assists), it's clear he's not going anywhere any time soon.

Pressure is always high in Boston, but after the loss of legends like Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara and Tuukka Rask over the past few years, the Bruins' Cup window may be closing soon. That said, Pastrnak near-single-handedly ensures that the Bruins will almost always be in the mix

1. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning

After the season Kucherov just had, any spot lower than No. 1 just feels wrong. The Russian forward posted his best season yet, racking up a league-high 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists, becoming the first winger in NHL history to ever reach 100 assists and finishing second in Hart Trophy voting, with many arguing that he should have won it. The Lightning would've been nowhere near the playoffs without Kucherov, but he dragged them there kicking and screaming.

Tampa Bay is another team whose Cup window could be closing soon, and if there is going to be a third championship in this window, Kucherov will have to keep playing like a man possessed.

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Published Jul 12, 2024

JON ALFANO