2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

NHL: Edmonton Oilers at Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL players were surveyed on more than 20 hockey-related questions with more than 500 players taking part in the poll. Players weighed in on a variety of questions – covering skills, arenas, teams and a few other entertaining topics in between.

Here are this season’s #NHLPAPlayerPoll results.

SKILLS

Who is the best forward?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Mar 21, 2019; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) skates during warmup against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
63.6%
CONNOR MCDAVID
Edmonton Oilers
17.2%
SIDNEY CROSBY
Pittsburgh Penguins
4.1%
NATHAN MACKINNON
Colorado Avalanche
3.7%
NIKITA KUCHEROV
Tampa Bay Lightning
1.7%
ALEKSANDER BARKOV
Florida Panthers

Who is the best defenseman?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Feb 16, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) skates with the puck during the first period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
31.7%
VICTOR HEDMAN
Tampa Bay Lightning
20.9%
DREW DOUGHTY
Los Angeles Kings
10.6%
BRENT BURNS
San Jose Sharks
9.5%
ERIK KARLSSON
San Jose Sharks
6.1%
ROMAN JOSI
Nashville Predators

Who is the best goalie?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Feb 25, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (31) plays the puck during the second period of their game against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
29.9%
CAREY PRICE
Montreal Canadiens
17.3%
PEKKA RINNE
Nashville Predators
17.1%
ANDREI VASILEVSKIY
Tampa Bay Lightning
6.5%
MARC-ANDRE FLEURY
Vegas Golden Knights
4.8%
SERGEI BOBROVSKY
Columbus Blue Jackets

Who has the best shot?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Mar 16, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA;Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) during the third period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
50.2%
ALEX OVECHKIN
Washington Capitals
14.6%
SHEA WEBER
Montreal Canadiens
12.6%
PATRIK LAINE
Winnipeg Jets
8.0%
AUSTON MATTHEWS
Toronto Maple Leafs
1.9%
STEVEN STAMKOS
Tampa Bay Lightning

PLAYERS

Who is the most underrated player?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Mar 25, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) plays a puck along the boards during the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
21.5%
ALEKSANDER BARKOV
Florida Panthers
11.4%
NICKLAS BACKSTROM
Washington Capitals
7.7%
BRAYDEN POINT
Tampa Bay Lightning
4.4%
EVGENY KUZNETSOV
Washington Capitals
4.4%
MIKKO RANTANEN
Colorado Avalanche

Who is the most difficult player to play against?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Mar 4, 2019; Buffalo, NY, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) looks to make a pass against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
30.9%
CONNOR MCDAVID
Edmonton Oilers
16.0%
SIDNEY CROSBY
Pittsburgh Penguins
9.2%
PATRICE BERGERON
Boston Bruins
5.0%
NATHAN MACKINNON
Colorado Avalanche
3.5%
ANZE KOPITAR
Los Angeles Kings

Which player would you select to start a franchise with?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
January 26, 2019; San Jose, CA, USA; Pacific Division forward Connor McDavid (97) of Edmonton Oilers in the 2019 NHL All Star Game at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
60.0%
CONNOR MCDAVID
Edmonton Oilers
18.5%
SIDNEY CROSBY
Pittsburgh Penguins
4.3%
AUSTON MATTHEWS
Toronto Maple Leafs
1.7%
PATRICE BERGERON
Boston Bruins
1.4%
NATHAN MACKINNON
Colorado Avalanche

Who is the game’s best trash-talker?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
May 9, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) hands a stick over the glass after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in game one of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
21.3%
BRAD MARCHAND
Boston Bruins
11.8%
DREW DOUGHTY
Los Angeles Kings
5.5%
RYAN REAVES
Vegas Golden Knights
4.8%
CLAUDE GIROUX
Philadelphia Flyers
3.3%
NICK COUSINS
Arizona Coyotes

Who is the game’s worst trash-talker?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Jun 6, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) controls the puck in front of St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (55) during the first period in game five of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
12.5%
BRAD MARCHAND
Boston Bruins
5.5%
ANTOINE ROUSSEL
Vancouver Canucks
5.1%
P.K. SUBBAN
Nashville Predators
4.7%
NICK COUSINS
Arizona Coyotes
3.5%
BRENDAN LEMIEUX
New York Rangers

Who would make the best TV analyst once they retire?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Apr 22, 2019; Dallas, TX, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) in action during the game between the Stars and the Predators in game six of the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
10.8%
P.K. SUBBAN
Nashville Predators
4.1%
KEITH YANDLE
Florida Panthers
2.4%
RYAN REAVES
Vegas Golden Knights
2.0%
RON HAINSEY
Toronto Maple Leafs
2.0%
ALEX STALOCK
Minnesota Wild

Who would make the best NHL GM once they retire?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Mar 21, 2019; Nashville, TN, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) skates the puck into the offensive zone during the first period against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
5.5%
SIDNEY CROSBY
Pittsburgh Penguins
4.8%
JASON SPEZZA
Dallas Stars
4.5%
BROOKS ORPIK
Washington Capitals
3.8%
MARK SCHEIFELE
Winnipeg Jets
3.8%
DEREK STEPAN
Arizona Coyotes

Who is the funniest player?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Mar 5, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle (3) moves the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG PAINTS Arena. The Penguins won 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
12.1%
KEITH YANDLE
Florida Panthers
7.8%
DREW DOUGHTY
Los Angeles Kings
3.2%
DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN
Winnipeg Jets
2.8%
BRENT BURNS
San Jose Sharks
2.5%
DAN GIRARDI
Tampa Bay Lightning

Who is the best current female hockey player?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Feb 22, 2018; Gangneung, South Korea; United States forward Hilary Knight (21) celebrates after scoring a goal past Canada goaltender Shannon Szabados (1) during the first period in the women’s ice hockey gold medal match during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Gangneung Hockey Centre. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports
27.6%
HILARY KNIGHT
Les Canadiennes de Montreal (CWHL)
24.1%
MARIE-PHILIP POULIN
Les Canadiennes de Montreal (CWHL)
12.8%
AMANDA KESSEL
Metropolitan Riveters (NWHL)
5.9%
KENDALL COYNE SCHOFIELD
Minnesota Whitecaps (NWHL)
5.9%
EMILY PFALZER
Buffalo Beauts (NWHL)

Would you be in favor of a regular-season game (similar to MLB Players’ Weekend) featuring nicknames on jerseys, etc.?

66.8%
YES
33.2%
NO

ARENAS AND TEAMS

Which arena has the best atmosphere?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

42.5%
T-MOBILE ARENA
Las Vegas, Nevada

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

21.2%
BELL CENTRE
Montreal, Quebec

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

14.1%
BRIDGESTONE ARENA
Nashville, Tennessee

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

10.9%
UNITED CENTER
Chicago, Illinois

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

3.0%
BELL MTS PLACE
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Which arena has the best ice?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

29.6%
BELL CENTRE
Montreal, Quebec

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

20.4%
ROGERS PLACE
Edmonton, Alberta

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

11.4%
BELL MTS PLACE
Winnipeg, Manitoba

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

8.5%
XCEL ENERGY CENTER
Saint Paul, Minnesota

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

4.8%
T-MOBILE ARENA
Las Vegas, Nevada

Who is the best NHL team mascot?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

69.4%
GRITTY
Philadelphia Flyers

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

2.7%
CARLTON THE BEAR
Toronto Maple Leafs

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

2.4%
YOUPPI!
Montreal Canadiens

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

2.4%
GNASH
Nashville Predators

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

1.8%
VICTOR E. GREEN
Dallas Stars

OFF-ICE

Who is the best-dressed player?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Jan 25, 2019; San Jose, CA, USA; Metropolitan Division goaltender Henrik Lundqvist (30) of the New York Rangers arrives on the red carpet in the 2019 NHL All Star Game skills competition at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
25.8%
HENRIK LUNDQVIST
New York Rangers
7.6%
P.K. SUBBAN
Nashville Predators
4.6%
ERIK KARLSSON
San Jose Sharks
2.7%
BRENT BURNS
San Jose Sharks
2.4%
TYLER SEGUIN
Dallas Stars

Who has the best hair in the league?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Jan 25, 2019; San Jose, CA, USA; Pacific Division All-Stars defender Erik Karlsson (65) of the San Jose Sharks pose for a photo on the red carpet before the 2019 NHL All Star Game skills competition at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
18.4%
ERIK KARLSSON
San Jose Sharks
6.6%
HENRIK LUNDQVIST
New York Rangers
5.7%
WILLIAM KARLSSON
Vegas Golden Knights
3.9%
BRENT BURNS
San Jose Sharks
3.6%
WILLIAM NYLANDER
Toronto Maple Leafs

Who has the best nickname?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results
Mar 5, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Montreal Canadiens left wing Tomas Tatar (90) handles the puck against the Los Angeles Kings in the first period at Staples Center. The Canadiens defeated the Kings 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
5.6%
TOMAS “TUNA” TATAR
Montreal Canadiens
5.2%
ARTEMI “BREADMAN” PANARIN
Columbus Blue Jackets
3.2%
MARKO “SNACKS” DANO
Winnipeg Jets
3.2%
CHRISTIAN “STINKY” FISCHER
Arizona Coyotes
2.0%
CONNOR “MCJESUS” MCDAVID
Edmonton Oilers

What is your favorite sport to follow outside of hockey?

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

29.4%
GOLF

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

25.7%
FOOTBALL

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

21.0%
SOCCER

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

6.8%
BASEBALL

2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll Results

6.6%
BASKETBALL
TIGER WOODS
11.3%
ROGER FEDERER
9.5%
LEBRON JAMES
8.7%
TOM BRADY
5.7%
LIONEL MESSI

All information courtesy of NHLPA.com

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