If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NHL Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers.  This is the second year that we have done this, and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid won the first one.

To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at when the first player cracked 40 Points, and tell all of you the top ten.  We will this going forward with every update as the first player breaches the elevated ten-point threshold afterward.

Here is the current top ten, based on the first player to breach 70 Notinhalloffame Cup Points:

1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers.  70 Cup Points:  38 Games, 32 G, 40 A, 72 P, +5, 8.4 PS.  (#1 on last update)

There are a lot of stories at the near-halfway mark of the 2022/23 NHL Season, with one of the top ones being Connor McDavid running away with every major statistical category.  Last year’s Notinhalloffame NHL Cup winner is extending his lead and he is currently the league-leader in Goals (32), Assists (40), Points (72) and Point Shares (8.4), and was recently on a 17-Game Point streak.  

2. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning, 62 Cup Points:  35 Games, 21 G, 16 A, 37 P, +6, 4.5 PS. (#3 on last update)

Point is an intriguing figure at #2, and though he is having a good year, and is a point-per-game player, there are quite a few players with higher point tallies than Point.  Saying that, Point has been the most clutch player for the Lightning, who are on a five-game win streak.  This is why we love the NIHOF Cups!

3 (Tie). David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins. 61 Cup Points:  36 Games, 25 G, 25 A, 50 P, +13, 6.4 PS. (#9 on last update)

The Bruins are one of the NHL’s top teams and Pastrnak is their top scorer.  The Bruins star is averaging 1.39 Points per Game, slightly more than his First Team All-Star campaign in 2019-20.

3 (Tie). Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche. 61 Cup Points:  35 Games, 24 G, 21 A, 45 P, +6, 5.6 PS. (not on last update)

Rantanen rockets into the top ten, and is also in the top ten in Goals and Points, while leading the NHL in Even Strength Goals (20).  The Avs star has 1.29 PPG, the highest of his career.

5. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs.  60 Cup Points:  37 Games, 18 G, 24 A, 42 P, +17, 5.0 PS.  (#2 on last update)

Matthews is the defending Hart winner but he is not on the PPG pace he was last year, though when Toronto wins, the odds are that he was the biggest reason why.  Is this season is a disappointment so far for Matthews?

6 (Tie). Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars.  54 Cup Points:  38 Games, 25 G, 29 A, 54 P, +19, 7.3 PS. (#6 on last update)

Robertson is on pace to shatter last season’s 41-38-79 output, and the fourth-year player is now the undeniable top dog of the Stars lineup.  He is currently third overall in Points.

6 (Tie). Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild.  54 Cup Points:  36 Games, 20 G, 25 A, 45 P, -2, 5.0 PS. (#8 on last update)

Kaprizov is easily Minnesota’s best player and if he stays healthy should have his second straight 100-Point year.

8. Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks.  52 Cup Points, 34 Games, 17 G, 27 A, 44 P, +11, 4.9 PS. (#9 on last update)

The 2019 Calder winner looks to be on his way to his best statistical year in the NHL.

9 (Tie). Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins.  51 Cup Points:  24 Games, 20-1-1, 1.90 GAA, .938 Save Percentage, 6.3 PS.  (#9 on last update)

Ullmark is the highest ranked Goalie, and his ascendence to likely All-Star has been colossal for Boston’s rise to the top portion of the standings.  Ullmark leads all Goalies in Wins, GAA, Save Percentage and Goalie Point Shares.

9 (Tie). Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals, 51 Cup Points:  39 Games, 26 G, 19 A, 45 P, 0, 5.6 PS.  (Not on last update)

Ovechkin breaks into the top ten, and is closing on Wayne Gretzky’s all-time Goal record.  We once thought that was untouchable.

Edmonton’s Leon Draisail (surprisingly, as he is currently second to his teammate, Connor McDavid in Points) and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby have fallen off the top ten.

Our next update will occur when the first player breaks 80 Cup Points.

Don Drysdale arrived in Brooklyn in 1956 as a towering presence from Van Nuys, a local product who traded a promising basketball future for a seat on the Dodgers' flight to Los Angeles. While he spent much of the 1960s as a formidable counterpart to Sandy Koufax, he carved out a legacy defined by an aggressive, sidearm delivery and a refusal to yield even an inch of the inner half of the plate.

The initial chapter of his tenure saw him secure a rotation spot at just 20 years old, navigating the pressure of a championship-caliber clubhouse with veteran poise. He earned a World Series ring as a rookie in 1956 and solidified his status as a permanent fixture by the time the club moved to Southern California in 1958. By 1959, he had become a premier arm in the National League, earning his first All-Star selection and helping the Dodgers capture their first title in Los Angeles. This early success established a baseline of reliability that would allow the franchise to build a pitching-centric dynasty over the next decade.

Drysdale reached a peak of individual recognition during the 1962 campaign, a season where he emerged from the pack as the game's elite right-hander. That summer, he led the National League in wins (25), innings pitched (314.1), and strikeouts (232), a performance that earned him both the Cy Young Award and Major League Player of the Year honors. He followed this with a dominant 1963, anchoring the staff alongside Koufax to sweep the Yankees in the World Series. His ability to chew up massive amounts of innings, averaging over 300 frames a year during the early sixties, gave the Dodgers a steady floor of excellence that few rotations in history could match.

The middle of the decade featured a continued run of hardware and high-stakes success, including another World Series championship in 1965. Between 1961 and 1965, he was an annual fixture at the All-Star Game, providing a fierce competitiveness that perfectly complemented the quiet dominance of his southpaw teammate. While his strikeout totals were often overshadowed by the "Left Arm of God," his command and willingness to challenge hitters inside made him one of the most intimidating pitchers of his era. He remained a high-quality starter as the decade progressed, rarely missing a turn and consistently keeping his ERA below the league average.

Everything culminated in a historic swan song during the 1968 season, where he authored one of the most legendary streaks in baseball history. That summer, he set a then-Major League record by tossing 58.2 consecutive scoreless innings, a stretch that included six straight shutouts. It was a masterpiece of control and mental toughness that reminded the league he was still a top-tier threat even as he entered his thirties. Though he walked away from the game just a year later due to shoulder issues, that scoreless streak remains the definitive punctuation mark on a career built on stubborn excellence.

He retired with 209 wins, a 2.95 ERA, and 2,486 strikeouts, figures that represent a lifelong commitment to the same organization. He remained a professional icon long after his final pitch, eventually being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, the same year the Dodgers raised his number 53 to the rafters.

A raw, high-upside talent from Compton, Duke Snider was a local California kid who would eventually become the definitive power source for the legendary "Boys of Summer." While he navigated the immense pressure of batting third in a lineup filled with future Hall of Famers, he quickly established that his left-handed stroke was the primary engine of the franchise’s offensive output.

The initial chapter of his tenure was defined by a steady ascent alongside fellow pioneer Jackie Robinson, securing a permanent spot in the starting outfield by 1949. Though he faced early criticism for his strikeout totals and a late-season slump during the 1951 pennant race, Snider maintained a professional focus that transformed him into one of the most feared hitters of the decade. By 1953, he had harnessed his power to an elite degree, beginning a historic run of four consecutive seasons with at least 40 home runs. This steady production made him the only player in the 1950s to reach that plateau in four straight years, providing a high-quality baseline of power that few in the sport could rival.

Snider reached a remarkable ceiling of individual production between 1953 and 1956, a stretch that solidified his place in the "Willie, Mickey, and the Duke" debate of New York center fielders. During this peak, he captured the 1955 RBI title with 136 runs driven in, leading the Dodgers to their first and only World Series championship in Brooklyn. He followed that by winning the 1956 home run crown with 43 blasts while also leading the National League in walks and on-base percentage. His impact was reflected in his perennial All-Star selections and five separate top-ten finishes in the MVP voting, proving he was the central gear in the most potent offense of the era.

His tenure was further defined by a mastery of the spotlight during the Fall Classic, where he consistently raised his game. He set a specialized record by hitting four home runs in two different World Series (1952 and 1955), a feat of postseason power that anchored the middle of the order when the stakes were highest. Whether he was robbing hitters of extra bases with his athleticism in center field or driving the ball into the Bedford Avenue structures, he provided a versatility that allowed the Dodgers to dominate the National League. This reliability translated into 1,995 hits and a career .300 batting average during his time in the organization.

The later stages of his career featured a shift toward a leadership role as the franchise transitioned to Los Angeles in 1958. While the dimensions of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and nagging injuries began to limit his offensive volume, his veteran presence remained a value to the clubhouse. He remained a high-quality contributor during the 1959 championship run, helping the club secure its first title on the West Coast as a respected elder statesman.

His Dodgers run ended when his contract was sold to the New York Mets in 1963.  As a Dodger, he had 389 home runs and 1,271 RBIs and was finally inducted in 1980. He remained an icon of the franchise long after his retirement, seeing his number 4 raised to the rafters the same year he entered Cooperstown.

Sandy Koufax arrived in Brooklyn in late 1954 as a "Bonus Baby," a local product from the University of Cincinnati with a fastball that crackled but a compass that often failed him. Because of the rules at the time, his signing bonus forced him directly onto the major league roster, bypassing the seasoning of the minor leagues. For the first six years of his career, he delivered a brand of erratic brilliance, standing as a tantalizing talent who frequently walked as many batters as he struck out.

The early portion of his tenure was defined by a frustrating struggle with control that nearly led him to walk away from the sport. Between 1955 and 1960, he posted a 36-40 record with a 4.10 ERA, marks that reflected a pitcher who would often lose sight of the plate by rearing back too far in his delivery. He showed the organization he was a professional mainstay during the team's 1959 championship run, but it wasn't until a legendary spring training conversation with Catcher Norm Sherry in 1961 that he began to harness his power. By simply easing his effort to improve his accuracy, he transformed from a wild thrower into the most feared southpaw in baseball history.

The advice paid off.  That season, Koufax had a breakout year, leading the National League with 269 strikeouts and a 3.00 FIP. He followed that performance with a 1962 season where he won the first of five consecutive ERA titles, posting a stellar 2.54 mark and his first career no-hitter. This steady ascent served as the formal introduction to a period of dominance that arguably remains the greatest four-year stretch ever produced by a pitcher. From 1963 to 1966, he operated at a level of individual recognition that saw him secure three Cy Young Awards and the 1963 National League MVP.

His postseason resume added a layer of legendary status to his career, particularly during the 1963 and 1965 World Series. He proved to be a high-caliber winner by posting a 0.95 career ERA in the Fall Classic, famously winning World Series MVP honors twice. Whether it was striking out 15 Yankees in the 1963 opener or tossing a three-hit shutout on two days' rest to clinch the 1965 title, he became the primary engine behind the franchise's golden era. His value was never more apparent than when he reached for the resin bag in October, turning the biggest stage in sports into his own personal gallery.

The trajectory of his career was tragically cut short by traumatic arthritis in his left elbow, forcing a retirement that stunned the sporting world. He walked away in 1966 following a 27-win season, opting to preserve his long-term health rather than risk permanent injury. He left behind a statistical footprint in Los Angeles that includes 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts, figures that would have been significantly higher had his body not betrayed him at age 30. He remained a professional icon even in retirement, becoming the youngest player ever inducted into the Hall of Fame at age 36.

The longevity of his peak may have been brief, but the height of that peak left a mark in Blue Heaven that serves as a permanent benchmark for excellence. Departing with four no-hitters, including a perfect game, his status as a foundational pillar of the franchise is beyond question. He carried himself with a quiet dignity that matched his on-mound ferocity, a journey that saw his number 32 retired in 1972 as a tribute to a man who, for six years, was simply unhittable.

With the Dodgers, Koufax compiled 165 wins, 2,396 strikeouts, and three Cy Young Awards.