NHL.com ranks top 20 centers

[SannywithoutCompy]

That is exactly how it works. When you hold the best, most explosive offensive player in the game the way Barkov did, its more than a draw.

Except it isn't. It is literally, by every definition, a draw. It's 1-1.

If I fought Tom Aspinall tomorrow and went 10-9 10-9 8-10 I didn't own him, even if I did better than expected. It's a draw.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Alex Tuch - 7th in blocked shots. 7th in takeaways. Higher per 60 in both than Matthews.

Zero Selke votes.

Definitely not a Toronto media thing.

 

[Machinehead]

Why is Zibanejad such a whipping boy on this board? I don't really get it.

I've read he's a PP merchant, but he still produces very good numbers overall. Even if his ES production isn't that great, he's not a defensive liability at Even Strength and he produces on the PP. Maybe he's not Top 20, but he can't be that far off.

He's probably in the right spot. He's a good player but he's probably not a guy you win a Cup with as your 1C. And to be fair, there aren't anywhere near 20 of those in the league.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Feel like Bedard is higher than he belongs right now. Like... He's absolutely gonna be a top 5 center, if not Top 3. But hype is shooting him up a bit.

 

[Breakers]

Wow
No Barzal

Surprising

 

[Machinehead]

Also I'm not convinced Zibanejad is the best center on his own team.

Trocheck has quietly been a low-end 1C since he was on Florida. They're probably both somewhere from 18-25.

 

[LarKing]

Larkin getting respect? Feels like just a few years ago that so many on this site refused to even call him a 1C

 

[Peter Griffin]

Wow
No Barzal

Surprising

Kinda hard to get respect as a center when for the most part, you don’t actually play the position.

 

[Reality Czech]

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

Bedard is gonna be great but if I need to win a playoff series right now I'm taking Hischier easily.

All 18 centers suck defensively lol

Thomas is already very good defensively with plenty of room to grow. Nice to see him getting some leaguewide recognition.

 

[Thallis]

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

That's not really a controversial statement?

 

[Just Linda]

You’re right. It had nothing to do with him being second in the league for blocked shots for forwards.

Nothing to do with him being 2nd in the league for takeaways.

6th for +/-.

I can keep going if needed

Hunter used to use a formula for his players in London that measured the hits to blocks ratio defensively. Too many hits meant you were too aggressive, too many blocks meant you were too passive.

I didn't play for him, I played against him, but it really shaped my perception that lots of blocks means the player is too passive defensively.

(Funny enough, EP40 hits the golden ration pretty closely).

 

[logan5]

Matthews is a significantly better player than Draisaitl. Goal scoring and defensively isn’t even close. He’s also better physically.

Matthews has 80 more even strength goals than Drai, in 160 less games.

I get that it’s fun to trash the Leafs. But people really need to stop putting Draisaitl in the same conversation. One trick ponies on the PP aren’t better than record setting goal scorers that are Selke nominees.

yeah, you'll get all these stupid laughing emoji's from Oiler fans (mostly), but if I had to choose who I would take for my team, it is Matthews easily.

 

[nturn06]

You answered your own question.

What are you saying is that because McD was only a bit better than Barkov in the series, Barkov dominated McD. Woow.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Kinda hard to get respect as a center when for the most part, you don’t actually play the position.

He did take 1100 faceoffs

 

[Plural]

"It's still meaningful in some sense!"

View attachment 902531

Elite defensive players, those three.

Ovechkin wasn't a liability that season. He was at his peak.

 

[Wierzbowski426]

Also I'm not convinced Zibanejad is the best center on his own team.

Trocheck has quietly been a low-end 1C since he was on Florida. They're probably both somewhere from 18-25.

Give me Trochek over zib any day of the week.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Bedard is gonna be great but if I need to win a playoff series right now I'm taking Hischier easily.



Thomas is already very good defensively with plenty of room to grow. Nice to see him getting some leaguewide recognition.

I meant to say 18 year old centers

 

[Cats2TheCup]

He didn't. McDavid outplayed him, but his team outperformed McDavid's team.

But I guess people will spin that as Barkov's captaining or something.

Barkov was the best player on the ice until Leon elbowed him in the face. Then McDavid piled up the pts in some blowout games after going down 0-3 in the Stanley Cup Finals, ending his season with 0 pts in game 6 and 7.

Barkov earned that cup over McDavid and Drai. That’s why his name is on it.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

Gotta be the first time since 2007 that Malkin isn't in the top 20.

Hopefully he takes it personal and balls out this season.

 

[Peter Griffin]

He did take 1100 faceoffs

*114

 

[Reality Czech]

I meant to say 18 year old centers

In that case you're 100% correct

 

[snag]

That is exactly how it works. When you hold the best, most explosive offensive player in the game the way Barkov did, its more than a draw.

I see another way is works is Panthers fans hide behind their stars' injuries in '23 and in '24 they chest thump and ignore their opponents'....

 

[Golden_Jet]

*114

Oops for some reason I read Barkov not Barzal

 

[Xirik]

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

Huh, seems like people here think your take is bad, always hilarious when someone thinks they are smart and funny when they are in the minority. Hischier is a beter CENTER then Bedard and that is quite clear.

--
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.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

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

And the NHL