NHL Network reveals best of current crop
© Codie McLachlan/Getty Images
By NHL.com
Winning important face-offs, leading rushes up the ice, and setting up teammates are the hallmarks of an elite center. NHL Network producers and analysts on Wednesday revealed their list of the top 20 centers in the League right now in the third of a nine-part series. Here is the list:
20. Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils
Hischier, chosen No. 1 in the 2017 NHL Draft, is the highest-drafted Switzerland-born player in NHL history. New Jersey's captain had 67 points (27 goals, 40 assists) in 71 regular-season games, 39 points (14 goals, 25 assists) in 35 games while averaging 20:36 of ice time after the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. The 25-year-old has 353 points (136 goals, 217 assists) in 452 regular-season games.
19. Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers
Zibanejad was among the first six players named to the Sweden team that will compete with the United States, Canada and Finland in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off from Feb. 12-20. He had 72 points (26 goals, 46 assists) in 81 games and 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help the Rangers advance to the Eastern Conference Final, a six-game loss to the Florida Panthers. The 31-year-old has scored at least 20 goals in nine of the past 10 seasons.
18. Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues
Thomas had NHL career highs in goals (26), assists (60), points (86) and games (82) last season and was named an NHL All-Star for the first time. The 25-year-old has 315 NHL points, fourth in his draft class (2017) behind Elias Pettersson (412), Hischier (353) and Cale Makar (336).
17. Tim Stutzle, Ottawa Senators
Though Stutzle's goal total dropped from 39 in 2022-23 to 18 last season and his point total from 90 to 70, he had an NHL career-high 52 assists in 75 games while averaging nearly a point per game (0.93). The 22-year-old also dealt with injuries and had increased responsibilities with center Josh Norris also injured and Shane Pinto missing the first 41 games for activities relating to sports wagering. The No. 3 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Stutzle leads his draft class in goals (91), assists (156) and points (247).
16. Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens captain set NHL career highs in goals (33), assists (44) and points (77) in 82 games last season. He scored the 100th goal of his NHL career 17 seconds into overtime of a 4-3 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on March 5. The 25-year-old has 286 points (108 goals, 178 assists) in 373 regular-season games.
NHL Network talks #20-16 of their top 20 centers list
15. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings captain scored an NHL career-high 33 goals and had 36 assists in 68 games last season, the fourth time in his career he's scored at least 30 goals. The 28-year-old averaged more than a point per game (1.01) for the first time in nine NHL seasons, scored his 200th NHL goal Jan. 27 and got his 500th point April 11.
14. Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars
Hintz has been consistent since joining the Stars for the 2018-19 season. He had 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) in 80 games last season after getting 72 and 75 the previous two. Injuries limited his production during Dallas' run to the Western Conference Final, a six-game loss to the Edmonton Oilers, when he had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 15 games.
13. Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks
The 2024 Calder Trophy winner led or co-led rookies and the Blackhawks in goals (22), assists (39) and points (61) despite missing 14 games with an injury. Bedard, now 19, became the second-youngest player in NHL history (18 years, 276 days) to finish as the rookie leader, outright or tied, in all three categories behind Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche (18 years, 224 days) in 2013-14.
12. Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Aho was one of the first six players chosen to play for Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He had an NHL career-high 89 points (36 goals, 53 assists) in 78 games last season, leading the Hurricanes in goals, assists and points for the third time. The 27-year-old had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 11 playoff games, joining Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the third player in NHL history to finish at least tied for his team's scoring lead in each of his first six postseasons.
11. J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks
Miller comes off his first 100-point season in the NHL (103; 37 goals, 66 assists). He was the sixth player in 40 years and second last season (Artemi Panarin) to get his first 100-point season at age 31 or older (Erik Karlsson, 2022-23; Steven Stamkos, 2021-22; Martin St. Louis, 2006-07; Daniel Alfredsson; 2005-06). Miller helped the Canucks win 50 games and advance to the playoffs for the second time since 2014-15. He had 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 13 postseason games. He has scored at least 32 goals and 82 points each of the past three seasons.
NHL Network talks #15-11 of their top 20 centers list
10. Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Pettersson signed an eight-year contract with the Canucks on March 2, 2024, to avoid restricted free agency. He had 89 points (34 goals, 55 assists) and won more than 50 percent of his face-offs (50.8 percent) for the first time in the NHL. Pettersson's career-best 10 game-winning goals led the Canucks and tied Daniel Sedin for third-most in a season in team history. His 125 hits were also a career high and more than he had in the three previous seasons combined. The 25-year-old has scored at least 32 goals in three straight seasons.
NHL Network ranks Pettersson as top 10 Center right now
9. Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Hughes had 74 points (27 goals, 47 assists) despite missing 20 games with an injury and is expected to be ready for training camp coming off shoulder surgery April 10. The No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft led the Devils with 1.19 points per game and 31 power-play points, and New Jersey forwards in average ice time (20:58). The 23-year-old had career highs in goals (43), assists (56) and points (99) playing in 78 games in the 2022-23 season.
NHL Network ranks Jack Hughes as the 9th top Center in the league
8. Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
Eichel was one of the first six players named to represent the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He had 68 points (31 goals, 37 assists) in 63 games last season and seven points (three goals, four assists) in seven playoff games. The 27-year-old became a Stanley Cup champion in 2023, when he led the playoffs in scoring with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists), the third-highest total in NHL history by a player making his first trip to the postseason.
NHL Network ranks Jack Eichel as the top 8th Center in the league
7. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Point enjoyed another productive season with 90 points (46 goals, 44 assists) in 81 games, one season after his 51 goals led Tampa Bay and ranked fifth in the NHL. The 28-year-old has scored 20 or more goals in seven straight seasons, including more than 40 three times. He has 87 points (42 goals, 45 assists) in 87 playoff games and has won the Cup twice with the Lightning (2020, 2021).
NHL Network ranks Brayden Point as the 7th best Center in the league
6. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
The 37-year-old Penguins captain was named to Canada's 4 Nations Face-off roster. Last season, his 19th in the NHL, Crosby led Pittsburgh with 94 points (42 goals, 52 assists) in 82 games, including 30 (10 goals, 20 assists) in the final 18. He is tied with Gretzky for the most seasons (19) with at least one point per game in NHL history. The three-time Stanley Cup winner (2009, 2016, 2017) and two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner (2016, 2017) has also won the Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy and "Rocket" Richard Trophy twice, the Ted Lindsay Award three times and was voted one of the 100 greatest players in the NHL at the League's Centennial celebration in 2017.
NHL Network ranks Sidney Crosby as the 6th best Center in the league
5. Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Barkov became the first Finland-born NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup after playing a key role in a 2-1 victory against the Oilers in Game 7 of the 2024 Final to give the Panthers their first NHL championship in their history. He had five points (two goals, three assists) in the series and 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 24 playoff games. The 28-year-old had 80 points (23 goals, 57 assists) in 73 regular-season games and was one of the first six players named to Finland's team for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
NHL Network ranks Aleksander Barkov as the 5th best Center in the league
4. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Draisaitl's 106 points (41 goals, 65 assists) in 81 regular-season games ranked seventh in the NHL last season, and he had 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 25 playoff games. The No. 3 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft has 850 points (347 goals, 503 assists) in 719 regular-season games and 108 points (41 goals, 67 assists) in 74 playoff games. The 28-year-old is second in the NHL in goals since 2018-19 (254) behind Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs (272), and second in points (726) behind teammate Connor McDavid (726).
NHL Network ranks Leon Draisaitl as the 4th best Center in the league
3. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
The 26-year-old scored 69 goals last season to become the first player with at least that many in one season since Lemieux had 69 in 70 games of the 1995-96 season. Matthews, who had 60 goals in 2021-22, is also the ninth player in NHL history with at least two 60-goal seasons, joining Mike Bossy (five), Gretzky (five), Phil Esposito (four), Lemieux (four), Brett Hull (three), Pavel Bure (two), Jari Kurri (two) and Steve Yzerman (two). The No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft leads the NHL in goals since he was drafted and is on the United States' roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
NHL Network ranks Auston Matthews as the 3rd best Center in the league
2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
The reigning Hart Trophy winner voted as NHL most valuable player finished second in the NHL with 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games and also won the Ted Lindsay Award that goes to the most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players' Association. MacKinnon will play for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-off. He had a 35-game home point streak (77 points; 29 goals, 48 assists) last season, second-longest in NHL history behind Gretzky's 40 with the Los Angeles Kings in 1988-89. The 28-year-old won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.
NHL Network ranks Nathan MacKinnon as the 2nd best Center in the league
1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
McDavid finished third in Hart voting behind MacKinnon and Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov. The Oilers captain was third in the NHL with 132 points in 76 games last season and finished the 2024 playoffs with 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) in 25 games; only Gretzky and Lemieux had more in one postseason. He became the sixth player on the losing team of the Final to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, and the first skater since Reggie Leach with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1976. The 27-year-old who was the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft leads the League in points (982 in 645 games) since entering the League and was named to Canada's 4 Nations Face-Off roster.
NHL Network ranks Connor McDavid as the top Center in the league
