Every team that wants to contend has to have top-class, experienced players in their lines. However, the best teams that want to establish themselves as a force in NHL 20 for several seasons will also have a good stock of the best young players to push the team onwards in the future.
In NHL 20, there are many skaters who are 21-years-old or younger and who already boast overall ratings good enough to make it to the NHL lines. On top of that, the vast majority of top-rated young skaters in the game also boast elite-level potential – meaning that the best is still to come.
So, here are the best young players in NHL 20. All of the figures are taken from within Franchise Mode on the 10 October 2019 Online Roster.
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Overall: 90
Age: 21-years-old
Position: Center
Role: Sniper
Potential: Elite high
Shoots: Left
Nationality: American
The first overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft continues to prove his immense value to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019/20. Through 36 games of the season, Auston Matthews led the Buds with a mighty 21 goals and 38 points – placing him sixth overall in the goals column at the time.
In NHL 20, Matthews’ five-star puck skills, senses, and shooting speak for themselves. But just in case it needs clarifying, Matthews is particularly strong in the following attributes: poise (95), puck control (93), passing (92), deking (92), offensive awareness (92), wrist shot accuracy (92), slap shot accuracy (91), and hand-eye (91).
Only 21-years-old, Auston Matthews is already one of the best skaters in the game, but currently stands as the very best young player in NHL 20. He’s also one of the best snipers in NHL 20.
Best of all for Maple Leafs users, his Elite high potential means that Matthews goes on to surpass his already lofty 90 overall rating.
Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets
Overall: 87
Age: 21-years-old
Position: Right Wing
Role: Sniper
Potential: Elite med
Shoots: Right
Nationality: Finnish
Patrik Laine has already established himself as one of the NHL’s premier snipers, scoring 36, 44, and 30 goals in each of his first three seasons.
This season, the towering Finn looks set to break his career-best points tally of 70 from 2017/18, going for 11 goals and 32 points in 33 games. Laine has turned provider more often this season, but he’s bound to hit the 30-mark by the 82nd game once again.
In NHL 20, Laine boasts truly terrifying shooting attributes for any opposing goaltender to have to face. The right wing sniper boasts 93 slap shot accuracy, 93 slap shot power, 94 wrist shot accuracy, and 93 wrist shot power.
Winnipeg’s star sharpshooter also has a 92 in deking, 95 in hand-eye, 92 in puck control, 91 in offensive awareness, and a 90 in durability. So, all-in, Laine is already a very strong forward as well as one of the best young players in NHL 20.
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Overall: 87
Age: 20-years-old
Position: Center
Role: Two-Way
Potential: Elite high
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Swedish
Despite this only being Elias Pettersson’s second season in the NHL after being taken fifth overall in the 2017 draft, the speedy Swede is already the star of the show in Vancouver. Petterson arrived in Vancouver at the best possible time for Canucks fans, almost immediately after the franchise lost two of their most legendary Swedes, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, to a very well-earned retirement.
He started with 28 goals and 66 points in 71 games. This season, Pettersson is leading the Canucks once again, nailing 37 points through the first 36 NHL games.
The only area that’s noticeably lacking for the 20-year-old Swede in NHL 20 is his physical game. Other than that, Pettersson is already a top-class player.
Vancouver’s newest superstar boasts 94 deking, 92 puck control, 90 stick checking, 89 defensive awareness, 92 offensive awareness, 90 poise, 74 faceoffs, 91 agility, 92 wrist shot accuracy, and 91 slap shot accuracy. With Elite high potential, Pettersson develops into one of the best players in NHL 20.
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
Overall: 86
Age: 21-years-old
Position: Defenseman
Role: Two-Way
Potential: Elite med
Shoots: Right
Nationality: American
Charlie McAvoy has been a strong and consistent blueliner for the Boston Bruins since he first appeared on the scene in the 2017/18 season. Injuries have been a problem, but he played in every one of the first 36 games of this season, notching 12 points and a solid +13 rating.
Charlie McAvoy looks set to become the franchise defenseman over the next few years. He may even be thrust into the role if Zdeno Chara finally retires when he surpasses 43-years-old and Torey Krug leaves for the free agency this summer.
In NHL 20, Charlie McAvoy is not just one of the best young players; he’s the best young defenseman. His strong two-way play is clear to see through McAvoy’s best attributes.
With 90 defensive awareness, 88 offensive awareness, 88 stick checking, 87 shot blocking, 86 body checking, 87 strength, 88 puck control, 92 endurance, and 88 slap shot power, McAvoy is a menace at both ends of the ice.
Alex DeBrincat, Chicago Blackhawks
Overall: 86
Age: 21-years-old
Position: Center
Role: Sniper
Potential: Elite med
Shoots: Right
Nationality: American
In a somewhat strange turn of events, the featured section of this article on the best young players in NHL 20 ends without a Canadian, with the 86 overall Alex DeBrincat placing as the fifth-best young skater in NHL 20.
In each of his first two seasons, Alex DeBrincat demonstrated his keen eye for the twine with 28 goals in his debut campaign and 41 goals last season. Since joining the NHL lines, and up to Chicago’s 36th game of this season, DeBrincat hasn’t missed a single contest.
Despite his rating of 86 overall, Alex DeBrincat is already considered to be a superstar in NHL 20 due to his extremely user-friendly attributes.
With 93 deking, 92 puck control, 92 passing, 95 discipline, 91 offensive awareness, 92 acceleration, 91 agility, 92 speed, 90 durability, 91 slap shot accuracy, and 92 wrist shot accuracy, DeBrincat is a superb player to use in NHL 20.
Those players shown above are the very best young skaters in NHL 20, but the following players are also very highly-rated in the game:
| Name | Overall | Age | Position | Team | Potential |
| Pierre-Luc Dubois | 85 | 21 | Center Power Forward | Columbus Blue Jackets | Elite med |
| Rasmus Dahlin | 85 | 19 | Two-Way Defenseman | Buffalo Sabres | Elite high |
| Matthew Tkachuk | 85 | 21 | Left Wing Power Forward | Calgary Flames | Elite med |
| Nico Hischier | 84 | 20 | Two-Way Center | New Jersey Devils | Elite med |
| Clayton Keller | 84 | 21 | Left Wing Playmaker | Arizona Coyotes | Elite med |
| Mikhail Sergachev | 84 | 21 | Two-Way Defenseman | Tampa Bay Lightning | Elite med |
| Andrei Svechnikov | 83 | 19 | Right Wing Sniper | Carolina Hurricanes | Elite med |
| Miro Heiskanen | 83 | 20 | Two-Way Defenseman | Dallas Stars | Elite med |
| Brady Tkachuk | 82 | 19 | Left Wing Power Forward | Ottawa Senators | Elite med |
| Jesperi Kotkaniemi | 82 | 19 | Playmaker Center | Montreal Canadiens | Elite med |
| Jack Hughes | 82 | 18 | Playmaker Center | New Jersey Devils | Elite high |
| Jakob Chychrun | 82 | 21 | Two-Way Defenseman | Arizona Coyotes | Elite med |
| Jesper Bratt | 81 | 21 | Left Wing Playmaker | New Jersey Devils | Top 6 low |
| Nolan Patrick | 81 | 20 | Center Power Forward | Philadelphia Flyers | Elite med |
| Cale Makar | 81 | 20 | Offensive Defenseman | Colorado Avalanche | Elite med |
| Kaapo Kakko | 81 | 18 | Right Wing Playmaker | New York Rangers | Elite med |
| Henri Jokiharju | 81 | 20 | Two-Way Defenseman | Buffalo Sabres | Top 4 med |
| Tyson Jost | 81 | 21 | Two-Way Center | Colorado Avalanche | Top 6 med |
| Adam Fox | 81 | 21 | Offensive Defenseman | New York Rangers | Top 4 med |
Looking for more NHL 20 guides?
NHL 20 Franchise Mode: Best and Worst Teams to Use and Rebuild
NHL 20: Complete Team Strategies Guide, Line Strategies Guide, Best Team Strategies
Looking for the best players?
NHL 20 Draft: Best Players and Top Draft Steals 2020
NHL 20 Draft: Best Players and Top Draft Steals 2021
NHL 20 Franchise Mode: Best Free Agents
NHL 20 Franchise Mode: Best Young Centers
NHL 20 Franchise Mode: Best Young Goaltenders
NHL 20 Franchise Mode: Best Young Defensemen
NHL 20: Fastest players – Forwards and Defensemen
NHL 20 Franchise Mode: Best Young Left Wingers
NHL 20 Franchise Mode: Best Young Right Wingers
NHL 20 Ratings: Best Enforcers
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