Leon Draisaitl is not yet the highest-paid player in the NHL, but he is the highest ranked.

That’s the headline from our annual Mid-Season Top 25 NHL Player Ranking, based on performance in 2024-25 and voted on by a panel of 12 TSN hockey experts.

Draisaitl earned No. 1 status on the strength of an outstanding first four months of the season after signing an eight-year, $14-million AAV extension that will almost certainly make him the highest-paid player in 2025-26.

With 36 goals in 51 games, the superstar Edmonton centre is the only player on pace for 50 this season – 58 to be precise.

His 76 points are second to No. 2-ranked Nathan MacKinnon’s 78. If you don’t include empty-net points (three for Draisaitl and 12 for MacKinnon), Draisaitl is first in points with 73 compared to MacKinnon’s 66.

MacKinnon was first in balloting at this time last year.

Perennial pre-season No. 1 Connor McDavid has had an injury- and suspension-interrupted season but still has 67 points in 45 games and stands No. 3 at mid-season.

Arguably, McDavid hasn’t been the best........

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