NHL.com ranks top 20 centers

[Namikaze Minato]

well so there was this guy with an elbow

Was that why Jack Eichel dominated him in the finals the season before as well or?

 

[Cats2TheCup]

Was that why Jack Eichel dominated him in the finals the season before as well or?

10 days off

 

[80s Kid]

Zibenejad shouldn't be top-20 after this previous season. Prior to that, I'd argue top-15, but he was completely underwhelming last year.

Zibanejad definitely took a step back this past season but I'd just swap Trocheck into Zibanejad's spot. He centered arguably the best line in the NHL and was very productive in the playoffs.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

10 days off

That's a pretty lame excuse

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

What a sad list. Center depth isn't what it used to be.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

That's a pretty lame excuse

Then ask yourself which NHL team would have won the Stanley cup if their best player broke their sternum ffs - your comment was lame.

 

[Enga Olly]

Wow, that is a pretty bad take.

I'm sure you, like most leaf fans were very happy with playoff Matthews performances. Maybe I'll go check on the leafs board and see how you all felt.

It's pretty clear that wins/losses are a team accomplishment. If Matthews was putting up great numbers but still losing I wouldn't hold it against him.

So basically what you are saying is that playoff performance has no bearing how we should value a player?

My original question was honest. We can debate how much it matters, 90/10 to 50/50, but to say it doesn't matter is ridiculous. Draisaitl/Kucherov/Barkov/McKinnon/McDavid elevate their games in the playoffs and Matthews does not. It has to count against him and for them.

No, what you're saying is that regular season play and making the po is worthless. Only deep runs and a SC is worthwhile. And that is a terrible take.
Funny how someone who places almost no value on the regular season, is here spending time reading and commenting in the off season.

 

[Coffees]

@PuckG is this list legit? Are the Vancouver Duo really top 11?

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Cripes the guy has 3 Rockets, a Hart and will pass 400 goals in his age 27 season. Maybe he’s the second best center or maybe the fifth. It’s pretty close after McDavid.

Imagine clicking on a thread in this forum, and not ten posts in (on any thread) someone hasn't mentioned the Leafs.

Now imagine clicking on a thread here, about the top centers per NHL marketing article, and Matthews is immediately attacked................

It's "too funny".

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Then ask yourself which NHL team would have won the Stanley cup if their best player broke their sternum ffs - your comment was lame.

Vegas dominated Florida. And I don't recall Barkov breaking his sternum.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

Vegas dominated Florida. And I don't recall Barkov breaking his sternum.

I don’t know why you keep asking for things to be spelled out but nobody said Barkov broke his sternum. I’m going to have to mute you because the playing dumb act and twisting words crap is getting old after years. Thanks for being a fan.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I don’t know why you keep asking for things to be spelled out but nobody said Barkov broke his sternum. I’m going to have to mute you because the playing dumb act and twisting words crap is getting old after years. Thanks for being a fan.

Barkov is their best player.

 

[Silky Johnson]

No, what you're saying is that regular season play and making the po is worthless. Only deep runs and a SC is worthwhile. And that is a terrible take.
Funny how someone who places almost no value on the regular season, is here spending time reading and commenting in the off season.

Check your reading comprehension and reasoning skills.

I never said regular season was worthless. I simply asked someone how they would value regular season vs playoffs.

Clearly games played in both are relevant to assessing a players value.

Matthews bad post season play hurts him. His good regular season play helps him. That is painfully obvious.

Am I saying Matthews is worthless - of course not. But other player like Draisaitl and Barkov have pretty compelling arguments to be valued higher based off total body of work. He is still at least a top 10 player.

 

[Just Linda]

Imagine clicking on a thread in this forum, and not ten posts in (on any thread) someone hasn't mentioned the Leafs.

Now imagine clicking on a thread here, about the top centers per NHL marketing article, and Matthews is immediately attacked................

It's "too funny".

Chill, Leafs and their fans aren't victims here.

It's a list of top centres that had Matthews above Drai, of course it's going to create debate.

 

[tapi]

Matthews over Barkov and Draisaitl is too funny

Matthews is generational, while Barkov and Drai are not.

 

[Crow]

Matthews is generational, while Barkov and Drai are not.

They are all in the same tier overall.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Matthews is generational, while Barkov and Drai are not.

Generational as in makes one trip to the second round per generation, sure

 

[Rabid Ranger]

All I know is if they included contracts, Stutzle would be #3, ahead of Matthews.

No, he wouldn't.

 

[PuckG]

@PuckG is this list legit? Are the Vancouver Duo really top 11?

Yes, relatively - why are you tagging me? I think you’re getting people confused.

 

[NVious]

Matthews is generational, while Barkov and Drai are not.

Matthews might literally go down as the greatest season goal scorer of all time (in the season), his season play is totally absurd.

However, if he doesn't have some massive playoffs, he will also go down as one of the worst post season players relative to their talent.

Matthews season g/60=1st in the league (by far) at 2/60
Matthews post season g/60= 32nd, even if I am generous and remove players with 30 and below games played he is still 24th at 1.2/60, absolutely inexcusable for someone as talented/paid/surrounded by other talent as him (if this included all time greats, he'd probably be 40th+)

Matthews already is 138th all time in goals scored during the season
However his post season goals total is 300th overall

He has 2 goals in his last 10 playoff game

These illustrate how far off his season he is come playoff time. Maybe you can say he is slightly better than Barkov, but come post season he's not even in the same stratosphere as Drai.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Pretty good list, would flip around a few guys (Miller & Pettersson) but I cant think of any glaring issues.

Not sure why this irritates me but it’s always Pettersson and then Miller, after last years playoffs it should be Miller then Pettersson. Miller is playing with Boeser indicating he’s now the 1C & EP’s the 2C and he played better than Pettersson last season.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

1) McDavid
2) MacKinnon
3) Draisaitl
------------
4) Matthews
5) Barkov
6) Crosby
7) Eichel
8) Point
9) JT Miller
10) E. Pettersson
11) J. Hughes
----------
12) Bedard
13) Aho
14) Suzuki
15) Zibanejad
16) Larkin
17) Stutzle
18) Scheifele
19) Thomas
20) Hintz
HM: Verhaeghe, Trochek, O’Rielly, Horvat, Malkin, Kopitar

 

[Sypher04]

Not terrible. I think Jack Hughes is a little undervalued.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

1) McDavid
2) MacKinnon
3) Draisaitl
------------
4) Matthews
5) Barkov
6) Crosby
7) Eichel
8) Point
9) JT Miller
10) E. Pettersson
11) J. Hughes
----------
12) Bedard
13) Aho
14) Suzuki
15) Zibanejad
16) Larkin
17) Stutzle
18) Scheifele
19) Thomas
20) Hintz
HM: Verhaeghe, Trochek, O’Rielly, Horvat, Malkin, Kopitar

Bedard at 12 is lunacy.

You're also missing Hischier.

 

[NikolaTesla]

I think most posters here overrate Drai and don't realize how his production is altered by :

1. Playing with McDavid on the PP
2. McDavid drawing all the attention from their opponents best defensive players.