On the center topic, there is a fundamental issue with the development of center in the hockey world right now. And especially outside the CHL but also to some extent there too. Why? Without a redline offside rule, fairly stretched out play in junior hockey, if you have a kid that is like 3x the competition — how is he best utilized? Many coaches stick the biggest talents on the wing nowadays with a little bit more defensively responsible center. You just have. To back check so far at center and hold back a little offensively there. Look at Sweden and Finland, talents like Puljujarvi or Peterson were always played center 15 years ago. Now they are wingers.
Many of the centers out there are pretty “meh” to be honest. Even guys like Lundell and co, they aren’t real “game breakers”. I think that there is a big risk that these guys that are strong and solid across the board with just strong but unspectacular tool box will become pretty average performers in the NHL.
I loved the Russian kid that went in the 20s last year, I loved Newhook, but these guys are pretty rare… I like Henriksson who is a poor mans version of those guys. But there are so many centers that just don’t really impress me. It’s hard to find them.
