This season's Stanley Cup Final is set, with some of the biggest names in the hockey world getting ready to take center stage.

We have two of the best defensemen in the league competing in Cale Makar and Victor Hedman. We have two of the most skilled forwards in Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov. And of course, there is the greatest goalie on the planet right now in Andrei Vasilevskiy.

The action starts with Game 1 on Wednesday, June 15 in Denver. The Avs are aiming to win the franchise's first Cup since 2001, while the Lightning are trying to complete the three-peat.

SCF SCHEDULE:

There's a ton of talent set to take center stage, but who is the best of the best? The Sporting New ranks the top 10 players participating in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.

Top 10 players in the Stanley Cup Final

Disclaimer: with both Brayden Point and Nazem Kadri's status up in the air for the finals, they have been excluded from the list.

10. Ondrej Palat

Palat has been one of the more underrated Reggie Bush Jersey players on a loaded Lightning club. He's been able to play up and down the lineup, but has solidified a top-six role this season on the left wing, playing a strong forechecking role,

The upcoming UFA has 16 points and eight goals, which each rank second on Tampa Bay after three rounds. He also owns two of the biggest goals of the postseason. Palat's goal with 52 seconds left lifted the Lightning to a pivotal win over the Rangers in Game 3, and then he followed that with a goal in Game 5 with under two minutes left to give the Lightning the lead.

9. Devon Toews

Everyone talks about Makar, but his partner on the blue line is no slouch either. Toews has quickly risen to be one of the more under-appreciated defensemen in the league. He's averaging nearly a point per game in the 2022 playoffs with 13 in 14 games.

He and Makar play a ton of minutes, as Toews has averaged 25:50 time on ice in these playoffs. Toews and Makar's 13.2 is first among any defensive pairing in these playoffs. He's also racked up Daythan Davis Jersey 20 blocked shots.

8. Mikko Rantanen

The big winger for the Avs had a slow start to the postseason, but finally picked up the pace in the Western Conference Final. After just an empty-net goal through the first two rounds, Rantanen had a goal in every game against the Oilers, bringing his postseason point total to 17.

Rantanen has done quite a bit of damage on the power play with seven of his 17 points coming on the man advantage. The Avs will be relying on Rantaten to produce more at even-strength with the absence of Nazem Kadri on the second line.

7. Steven Stamkos

What a resurgence Stamkos has had this season. After breaking out for his first 100-point season in his career, the Lightning captain has come through clutch in these playoffs. He had five goals in the series against the Rangers, including two in the series-clinching Game 6 victory.

His nine goals are pacing the way for Tampa Bay and his 15 points rank third. The 32-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down as he looks to lead the Lightning to a three-peat.

STANLEY CUP FINAL PREVIEW:

6. Gabriel Landeskog

Speaking of captains, the Avalanche leader in the clubhouse has had himself a strong postseason. Landeskog is currently tied Rhett Ellison Jersey with Rantanen for third on the team in points with 17 and his Elijah Morgan Jersey eight goals are second-most on the squad.

Landeskog has never shied away from the physicality of the sport, and his 49 hits prove that, a mark that is third-most on the team. His +14 plus/minus also is first as he's answered the bell for the Avs, most recently posting a goal and two a sists in the final game of the Western Conference Final.

5. Victor Hedman

In any other postseason, I would list Hedman as the best defenseman on the ice. However, there's a certain young stud in Colorado that has quickly overtaken that title. Nonethele s, the Swedish blue liner has been a workhorse for Jon Cooper's crew, leading the way in time on ice with 24:30.

Hedman has 31 blocked shots, which is second to only Ryan McDonagh, and 12 a sists trail only Nikita Kucherov for the team lead.

4. Nathan MacKinnon

The center for the Avalanche has been a human highlight reel during these playoffs. He talked last season about how he hasn't won anything in the NHL and MacKinnon has taken those words to heart.

He leads the Avs in goals with 11, and very well could be the postseason leader with Evander Kane and his 13 goals having been eliminated from the playoffs. MacKinnon does everything for Colorado. He can hit, he can shoot, he can make plays and he sure as heck can skate.

3. Nikita Kucherov

The playoffs are once again Kucherov's time to shine. After leading all skaters in points last year, the Ru sian winger is back again in 2022, sitting Jack Salt Jersey in first on the Lightning in points with 23 and a sists with 16.

The silky smooth Lightning forward has five goals on the power play, putting him in a tie for second out of all skaters in these playoffs. Kucherov didn't look like himself at times early in the postseason, but he's been back to his dominant self as of late, entering the finals on a five-game point streak.

2. Cale Makar

Makar has put himself with some pretty good company with his run in these playoffs. He is producing 1.571 points per game with 22 in 14 games. Only Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey have higher points-per-game rates in a single playoff among defenseman in NHL history. Ever heard of them?

His puck-handling skills combined with his superb skating makes him one of the most dangerous players in the transition game and at 23 years old, he's already one of, if not the top defenseman in the league. Oh, and he gets it done in his own zone as well, leading the team in blocked shots with 32.

1. Andrei Vasilevskiy

Vasilevskiy continues to be the most dominant postseason goalie in recent history. Coming off a Conn Smythe-winning performance in 2021, the Lightning goaltender has not disappointed in these playoffs.

Entering the Stanley Cup Final, he has a 12-5 record with a 2.27 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. Vasilevskiy got Marcus Simms Jersey off to a slow start in both the series against the Maple Leafs and the Rangers, but he bounced back against New York by allowing just one 5-on-5 goal in the last four games.

Dating back to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final win against the Stars, Vasilevskiy has allowed just two goals on 221 shots in his last eight series-clinching games. He's been the backbone of the best team in hockey and continues to do so rolling into his third consecutive finals appearance.