NHL.com ranks top 20 centers

[Hammman]

That's not how it works.

The problem here is that you're assuming both players had the same goal in those shared minutes. So you're seeing it as since both teams scored the same, neither player did better.

However, when McDavid steps onto the ice his only purpose is to have the puck end up in the net, because that's what he's good at - he's the best at it! But when Barkov was on the ice with McDavid, his goal was to PREVENT McDavid (and the Oilers) from scoring. And Barkov did better in meeting his goal than McDavid did with own.

Think if it analogously to two armies in a war. If the majority of army A attacks a smaller defensive position of army B and army B holds them off with minimal casualties on either side (while also keeping that part of A from going elsewhere), while the rest of army B is winning against A, B is accomplishing its strategic objective while A is not.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

It’s not up for debate.

We already know what happens when a team built around the best two way centerman in the world goes up against the two top offensive centermen in McDavid and Drai in the Stanley Cup Finals.

McDavid is 1a, Barkov is 2b tied with MacKinnon.

Anyone really choosing Matthews or Drai over Barkov is just clinging to a false narrative.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I think people are getting hung up on the order of number 2-5. They are all close and can change from year to year. I also have no issue with Matthews at number 3. A couple of Rockets and a Hart and Lindsay. Playoffs aside, he’s definitely in the mix.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

It’s not up for debate.

It's definitely up for debate.

 

[topseed]

McDavid clear nr 1 for me and MacKinnon as clear number 2, then it gets very close. Recency bias with Selke slots Barkov at 3, then it's Drai/Matthews and a couple of other guys.
Bedard gets too much credit and Jack Hughes would also be higher on my list.

 

[Letsdothis]

The problem here is that you're assuming both players had the same goal in those shared minutes. So you're seeing it as since both teams scored the same, neither player did better.

However, when McDavid steps onto the ice his only purpose is to have the puck end up in the net, because that's what he's good at - he's the best at it! But when Barkov was on the ice with McDavid, his goal was to PREVENT McDavid (and the Oilers) from scoring. And Barkov did better in meeting his goal than McDavid did with own.

Think if it analogously to two armies in a war. If the majority of army A attacks a smaller defensive position of army B and army B holds them off with minimal casualties on either side (while also keeping that part of A from going elsewhere), while the rest of army B is winning against A, B is accomplishing its strategic objective while A is not.

Just because the goal of the worse player is to neutralize the better player, it doesn't mean that neutralizing the better player is necessarily outplaying them. It may mean playing better relative to the expectations we place on them, but in terms of actual results in the finals it was just playing the match up to a draw. But that also ignores that McDavid is better than Barkov at exploiting the weaker match ups, and is also much better on the powerplay.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

It’s not up for debate.

We already know what happens when a team built around the best two way centerman in the world goes up against the two top offensive centermen in McDavid and Drai in the Stanley Cup Finals.

McDavid is 1a, Barkov is 2b tied with MacKinnon.

Anyone really choosing Matthews or Drai over Barkov is just clinging to a false narrative.

I love Barkov.

Quite literally nobody would take Barkov over McDavid.

 

[Lawzy]

Ignoring the rest of the list for a second, any list with Pettersson over Miller currently is wrong.

 

[PavelBrendl]

As someone who was too young to remember the 1993 cup win, it's a very strange feeling to see a Montreal Canadiens player on a top-20 of anything that isn't goaltending.

 

[Duder54]

Matthews ahead of Draisaitl and Barkov? lol.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

The Bedard hype machine is still running , great potential for sure but it says RIGHT now so 16 is way too high

Agreed.

 

[njdevils1982]

Oh don't worry, there is one guy already on this thread that think that Nico Hischier is better then Bedard lol.

it's because he is

 

[Fledgemyhedge]

Yeah no. I absolutely despise matthews but he’s absolutely better than Barkov. Once matthews has his one decent run then people will completely flip on him. Tkachuck and Barkov sucked in the playoffs until they didn’t.

 

[I am not exposed]

I love Barkov.

Quite literally nobody would take Barkov over McDavid.

You would be surprised. Unfortunately.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

I love Barkov.

Quite literally nobody would take Barkov over McDavid.

Agreed. I said McDavid was number 1. I also stated that a team built around Barkov defeated a team built around McDrai, because it’s a fact we can’t ignore. Top 3 centerman can do that to the number 1. Top 5, they tend to live for the handshake lines in the second round at best.

 

[snag]

Chest bump lmao. McDavid is the best in the league, on a tier of his own. Still did shit against Barkov.

Amazing what injuries do.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

I know they're one spot apart but how on earth can anyone who watched Vancouver say Miller is behind Pettersson right now?

 

[snag]

Ignoring the rest of the list for a second, any list with Pettersson over Miller currently is wrong.

Have they even found Petey yet?

 

[I am not exposed]

The top 5 is pretty legitimate. McDavid clearly number 1.

2-5 you're splitting hairs between the quality of these players.

Miller should be higher than Pettersson as others have mentioned.

 

[Michoulicious]

"The C on my team should be higher"

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Yeah no. I absolutely despise matthews but he’s absolutely better than Barkov. Once matthews has his one decent run then people will completely flip on him. Tkachuck and Barkov sucked in the playoffs until they didn’t.

Matthews struggles in the playoffs are purely a Toronto Maple Laffs debuff. On a different team he’d do much better

 

[Namikaze Minato]

It’s not up for debate.

We already know what happens when a team built around the best two way centerman in the world goes up against the two top offensive centermen in McDavid and Drai in the Stanley Cup Finals.

McDavid is 1a, Barkov is 2b tied with MacKinnon.

Anyone really choosing Matthews or Drai over Barkov is just clinging to a false narrative.

What happens when he goes up against #1 center and # 8 on this list, Jack Eichel in the finals?

Last time it was a one sided beat down where Eichel and the VGK had their way with Florida, much like FLA did to Toronto that same year.

 

[PaulD]

69 goals will do that

Got be that ....cause it ain't based play off performances.

Matthews struggles in the playoffs are purely a Toronto Maple Laffs debuff. On a different team he’d do much better

Matthews just on bad team..... Uh ok, I guess. I'm sure McDavid would suck too if he had to play with Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Reilly in a play off series.
As would Draisaitl, Crosby, and Mackinnon.
If only the leafs could surround Austin with some talent. He could produce at play off time.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Hischier is better then Suzuki, its's not complicated. the only people who think differently are some Hab's fans.

Hischier vs Suzuki poll 2022

Do we really need to make another one where the answer will be the same? You'd probably do the usual song and dance of "everyone hates the Hab's its not fair!" afterwards.

More floundering by a Devils fan



Suzuki is simply a better hockey player than Hischier, a better two way player that make more with less than Hischier

Deal with it

 

[Xirik]

More floundering by a Devils fan



Suzuki is simply a better hockey player than Hischier, a better two way player that make more with less than Hischier

Deal with it

So Caufield and Slafkovksy are worse then Palat, Meier, Mercer, and Bratt?

I'll listen to the people who voted overwhelming for Hischier over Suzuki instead of You

Better two way player?

P.S you can make image's smaller in case you didn't know.