NHL style power rankings: Sidney Crosby, William Nylander among the headliners

DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 22: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins arrives at Ball Arena ahead of the game against the Colorado Avalanche on March 22, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ashley Potts/NHLI via Getty Images)
By Julian McKenzie and Scott Powers
Jan 13, 2024

Most of the NHL teams are halfway through their regular season. For some, that means figuring out whether they have what it takes to contend for the Stanley Cup over the second half of the season. For others, it might mean being realistic about their chances — and potentially becoming ones to watch before the NHL trade deadline in March.

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For us in this space, the halfway point means something different. We’re starting to gauge which players can go deep enough in their wardrobes to continuously impress over the final 41 games. We’ve seen some repeats so far, but less than you’d expect.

This edition of the NHL style power rankings was especially packed with stylish punch. It might be the best group of 10 so far this season. And for once, Julian McKenzie and Scott Powers agreed on nearly every ranking.


10

Michael McCarron

Nashville Predators

McKenzie: McCarron starts us off with a good gray combo between the suit and lighter-shaded shirt. I like the subtle watch on his wrist, as well as the light-purple tie.

Powers: This was a tough list to crack, and McCarron is a strong No. 10. From the shirt to the tie to the suit, it all nicely blends together.

Photo:
Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
9

Nico Hischier

New Jersey Devils

Powers: Hischier is bringing it with this three-piece suit. You can't go wrong with that combination. It might be better without the hat, but it matches the shirt enough to work.

McKenzie: Wow, Scott doesn't like the hat? I'm the opposite. I love the rose tuque to go with the three-piece gray suit and black tie. Gray and white can go together in terms of colors. If the hat was purple or some other random hue, I'd be more opposed.

Photo:
New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
8

Ryan Hartman

Luke Schmidt

McKenzie: The tuque and suit match. I like the pattern on his jacket and the cool insert. Winnipeg fans, I hope you can forgive us for ranking him this week.

Powers: I feel like this look potentially gets ranked higher if we had the full head-to-toe fit and if we didn't have such a strong top 10 this week. I love the pattern and details of this jacket. We only get a glimpse, but the lining looks colorful, too.

Photo:
Luke Schmidt
Luke Schmidt
7

K'Andre Miller

New York Rangers

Powers: This houndstooth suit is a great look for Miller. I'm definitely a fan of the Off-White beanie, too. It's something different, but it ties it all together.

McKenzie: Fun fact, the Off-White Embroidered Arrow Rib Wool beanie is out of stock on the Off-White website, but I found it for about $68 on a random site. That is a hat that can sell for more than $200. I also love the monochrome suit and the "79" on his shirt cuffs.

Photo:
New York Rangers
New York Rangers
6

Alexandar Georgiev

Colorado Avalanche

Powers: Nothing too loud about this look, but it all comes together nicely. The suit and shoes are full of class. The tie stands out against the suit and gives the look some character.

McKenzie: This is definitely a classy look from the Avs goaltender. The blue suit. The dark-red shoes. The tie. The unbothered stare as he listens to music on his earphones. It's as game-ready as you can be.

Photo:
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
5

William Nylander

Toronto Maple Leafs

Powers: This was a pre-contract suit. Nylander's brought his sense of style all year, and this occasion was no different, but I'm wondering if he can take it to another level with an increased bank account. We'll be watching.

McKenzie: Did Nylander and Auston Matthews go shoe shopping? I spy with my little eye the same Nike Dunks Low SE Malachite Greens that Matthews wore with his Christmas outfit that we showcased in the previous ranking. Unlike Matthews, Nylander has opted for a suit while somehow channeling "Weekend at Bernie's" with that pose.

Photo:
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
4

David Pastrňák

Boston Bruins

McKenzie: I'm a big fan of the baby-blue Adidas tracksuit from Pastrňák. It is a little campy, but he's cool enough to pull this off. Good to see his new Bruins contract has enhanced the drip.

Powers: Pastrňák is just having fun out here, and you love to see it. My question is if those are Adidas shoes. If not, he might have to be deducted a few points.

Photo:
Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
3

Evander Kane

Edmonton Oilers

McKenzie: I was not the biggest fan of wearing white shoes before I decided to do these style rankings with Scott. But I really enjoy Kane wearing the white Air Force 1s with the green swoosh. The checkered blue-and-green suit is an eccentric look that, at the same time, isn't overwhelming.

Powers: The suit is superb, and it looks good on Kane, but I thought what made this pop were a couple other decisions he made. For one, he went with a dark-blue shirt under the suit. He could have gone a lot of different ways, but the outfit looks continuous by choosing a similar color. The sneakers are a great choice, too.

Photo:
Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
2

Sidney Crosby

China Wong / NHLI via Getty Images

Powers: Crosby's still got it on and off the ice. The gray-and-white speckled jacket to go along with the tie and pants work to give Crosby a look of power and class. He's deserving of that, obviously.

McKenzie: Funny story: Scott and I recently were looking at another look from Crosby, and we joked about how it couldn't quite make the list. Maybe one day he would. We came across this look less than a week later. This is a crisp fit.

Photo:
China Wong / NHLI via Getty Images
China Wong / NHLI via Getty Images
1

Linus Ullmark

Boston Bruins

Powers: Ullmark is consistently one of the best-dressed players in the league. This is another home run. From the suit to the tie to the pocket square to the shoes to the sunglasses, it's pretty close to perfection. I might have gone with some colorful socks, but that's being picky. Definitely fitting for a road trip to Arizona, too.

McKenzie: The sunglasses are my favorite part of this ensemble. He just looks so cool. I'm also admiring the range from Ullmark. One day, he can fit as an extra in "Peaky Blinders." The next, his suit could conduct electricity as a power source.

Photo:
Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins

(Top photo of Sidney Crosby: Ashley Potts / NHLI via Getty Images)

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