Top 20 Best Centers: Here’s Everything I’d Change About the NHL’s List

Marc-Olivier Cook
Top 20 Best Centers: Here’s Everything I’d Change About the NHL’s List
Credit: Matt Garies/NHLI via Getty Images

Yesterday, the NHL released its annual list of the top 20 centers in the National League.

What stands out?

Obviously, Nick Suzuki's ranking (9th) has sparked some discussion—especially given that Auston Matthews is ranked ahead of him.

But looking at the list in question, there are some things I'd change. And before I begin, here's what the ranking looks like:

  1. Connor McDavid
  2. Nathan MacKinnon
  3. Macklin Celebrini
  4. Leon Draisaitl
  5. Aleksander Barkov
  6. Jack Eichel
  7. Sidney Crosby
  8. Auston Matthews
  9. Nick Suzuki
  10. Jack Hughes
  11. Mark Scheifele
  12. Sebastian Aho
  13. Tim Stutzle
  14. Leo Carlsson
  15. Nico Hischier
  16. Connor Bedard
  17. Brayden Point
  18. Wyatt Johnston
  19. Tage Thompson
  20. Dylan Larkin

Well, now that all that's behind us…

I have nothing to say about the top 7. And even though there are valid arguments to be made regarding Matthews's ranking, I'd put Nick Suzuki ahead of him. The Leafs' captain had a tougher season, while the Canadiens' captain racked up 101 points… and won the Selke Trophy.

Suzuki deserves to be ahead of Matthews, in my opinion. But even so, I understand why Matthews is ranked where he is: he scored 69 goals in a single season not too long ago (23-24)…

Looking at the list, I feel like Jack Hughes is ranked too high. I'd move him down in my rankings to make room for Mark Scheifele, who finished last season with 101 points.

And I'd also place Aho (who just led the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup) ahead of Hughes. 

Tim Stutzle is a bit too high as well: I'd swap his spot with Wyatt Johnston's, who is establishing himself as one of the best two-way centers in the National Hockey League. 45 goals and 86 points at age 22 (on top of being solid defensively)—that's no small feat…

Leo Carlsson (14th) and Connor Bedard (16th) are also ranked a bit too high in my opinion. And I get the impression they're there just because of their names: Carlsson just signed an $18 million-per-year contract, and Bedard was seen as the NHL's next generational player.

They might not deserve to be ranked that highly right now… especially when there are guys like Tage Thompson who end up lower on the list.

Oh, and one last thing: where is Robert Thomas on the list published by the National Hockey League? I'd take him over Brayden Point or Dylan Larkin…

With the changes I've made, here's how my own ranking would look (with the players' previous rankings in parentheses):

  1. Connor McDavid (1st)
  2. Nathan MacKinnon (2nd)
  3. Macklin Celebrini (3rd)
  4. Leo Draisaitl (4th)
  5. Aleksander Barkov (5th)
  6. Jack Eichel (6th)
  7. Sidney Crosby (7th)
  8. Nick Suzuki (9th)
  9. Auston Matthews (10th)
  10. Mark Scheifele (11th)
  11. Sebastian Aho (12th)
  12. Jack Hughes (10th)
  13. Wyatt Johnston (18th)
  14. Tage Thompson (19th)
  15. Tim Stutzle (13th)
  16. Nico Hischier (15th)
  17. Robert Thomas (not on the original list)
  18. Leo Carlsson (14th)
  19. Brayden Point (19th)
  20. Connor Bedard (20th)

Let me know what you think in the comments!


In a nutshell

– Okay.

– Oh.

– Come on!

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