Midseason update: The best wingers of 2021-2022 NHL season so far

Midseason update: The best wingers of 2021-2022 NHL season so far

As we all know, wingers play a very important role for NHL sides as they have responsibilities across all areas of the ice.

Despite the fact that every winger in the league is an exceptional talent, naturally, there are some that manage to do this better than others, which is why we have decided to compile this list of the best wingers at the midseason point.

Within this list, we have decided to include both left-wing and right-wing players together and have provided you with the players we feel have been the best thus far. Of course, this list is rather subjective, but we believe you will agree with the vast majority of our choices, if not all of them.

Let’s take a look at the individuals we have selected:

Mikko Rantanen

For many, including us, it would be hard to deny that Mikko Rantanen is the best winger currently playing in the NHL, especially given that he has been an elite talent for the Colorado Avalanche this season. In fact, looking at the best NHL odds provided for the winning NHL Championship, Colorado Avalanche is the favorite with +400 odds, followed by Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames, with +600 and respectively +750.

Indeed, one of the reasons the team is the favorite is down to the 25-year-old, with the winger having been able to record 75 points via 31 goals and 44 assists. He has been effective on the ice, but some have suggested that he does not get the credit he deserves because of Nathan MacKinnon. He looks set to break his career-high of 87 points that he obtained in 18/19, too, thus highlighting just how good he has been!

Jonathan Huberdeau

A number of people might suggest that it is a toss-up, though, for the No. 1 ranking spot between Rantanen and Jonathan Huberdeau, who enjoys playing on the left side of the ice.

He is part of the Florida Panthers which are widely considered one of the best offenses in the NHL at the moment, and Jonathan Huberdeau is a huge part of the reason why. The left-winger has, at the time of writing, managed to amass a total of 88 points across the 63 games played, scoring 21 goals and providing an impressive 67 assists.

He, like Rantanen, is also on course to break his season-high record of total points, which is currently 92 that he managed to achieve during the 18/19 campaign, whilst at the same time, making fans take note of his abilities.

Timo Meier

Timo Meier has been rather inconsistent in his NHL career, however the San Jose Sharks right-winger has started to show why everyone was once excited about his talent and prospects within the league.

The 25-year-old has been able to record a total of 62 points and looks to beat the 66 that he recorded in 18/19 as he looks to overcome the slump he experienced in previous years since emerging as a star. One reason many have ranked him highly at the midseason point is due to the fact that the Sharks have actually struggled offensively, but Meier has been impressive regardless.

Johnny Gaudreau

As highlighted earlier, the Calgary Flames are thought to be in the running for the Stanley Cup this season and the team’s revival has been rather impressive. However, many will point to Johnny Gaudreau as the catalyst for their turnaround.

The 28-year-old continues to show why some label him as one of the best players in the NHL this season, as he has managed to score 82 total points (29 goals and 53 assists) so far. His performances have led to discussions about him being the Hart Trophy recipient, whilst he is performing exceptionally at a time when it perhaps matters, as he is expected to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the campaign.

Matthew Tkachuk

Another Flames player who could be in the discussions of being one of the key individuals to have helped their revival is Matthew Tkachuk, with the right-wing star playing on the opposite flank to Gaudreau.

Tkachuk has come under intense criticism during his time with the Flames as the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft has failed to live up to expectations. Nonetheless, he has put that all aside and made many of them U-turn on their harsh words with the performances he has produced this year.

As of writing, he has 76 total points in 63 games played, which is a significant improvement, even on his best season as a Flames player. In the 18/19 campaign, he recorded his season-high of 77, but that came in 80 games.

We hope you enjoyed the article ‘Midseason update: The best wingers of 2021-2022 NHL season so far.’ Who has impressed you the most so far this season? Let us know!

Read more on sport below:

• Cheltenham: The festival of choice
• Formula One’s most dramatic Championship deciders
• Youngest UFC competitors in 2022