My Top 14 Players In NHL By Position: Centers

NHL.com has been running a top 14 by position feature for the past few days, and has been butchering it for the most part. Clinging to aging players like Martin St. Louis, Rick Nash and the Sedin twins like it is 2010 has been their biggest problem, but also picking Ryan O’Reilly and Nash to be one of the best at a position they don’t play was quite hilarious.

Then, two of the four experts ranked Patrice Bergeron ahead of Steven Stamkos on their ballot, so I decided I would just go ahead and do my own ranking of the top 14 players at each position for the upcoming season, and not three years ago.

Oh, and I decided it worked best if I ranked players at their actual positions.

Anyway, here are the top 14 centers in the NHL heading into this season in my opinion.

 1. Sidney Crosby

80 games played 36 goals 68 assists 104 points

No explanation needed here, Crosby is the best hockey player in the world without question.

Apr 22, 2014; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) makes a save against Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) during the third period in game four of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

2. Steven Stamkos

37 games played 25 goals 15 assists 40 points

Got a power play? Need a goal late in a game, or at any other point in the game? Stamkos is the guy you want on the ice. Stamkos had 14 goals and 23 points in just 17 games before breaking his leg last November. He finished the season strong after returning and still managed 25 goals in just 37 games, which put him on pace for 55.

Stamkos is a favorite to lead the league in goals this season and will challenge Crosby for the lead in points as well.

3. Evgeni Malkin

60 games 23 goals 49 assists 72 points

Malkin’s 1.20 points per game last season were second in the league, only trailing teammate Crosby. He lost linemate James Neal in a trade to the Nashville Predators, but Patric Hornqvist once scored 30 goals with the Nashville Predators, so he should fit in very well on a line with Malkin.

The big Russian center is one of the most dominant players in the league with the puck on his stick, using his size and speed to bulldoze his way to the front of the opponent’s net. If he stays healthy and plays a full 82 games, 100 points is not out of reach.

Feb 4, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) battles for the puck with Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) in the second period at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

4. John Tavares

59 games 24 goals 42 assists 66 points

Another one of the league’s best centers who missed significant time last season with injury. Tavares hurt his knee at the Olympic Games, where he was representing eventual gold medal winner Canada.

His linemates were shuffled often last season, with Matt Moulson being dealt for Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo emerging as a first line threat. It didn’t matter who was on the ice with Tavares, as all three players were going to pile up points.

The first overall pick from 2009 is starting to fulfill the pre-draft hype by becoming one of the best two way players in the entire NHL. His offensive talent is unquestionable, as he ranked fourth in the entire league in points per game last season, and is just 23 years old. Expect him to take another step and be among the NHL points leaders at season’s end.

Jun 1, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) steals the puck from Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov (26) during the second period in game seven of the Western Conference Final of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

5. Jonathan Toews

76 games 28 goals 40 assists 68 points

Toews is a great offensive player, but is a top five center in the league because of his two way play, leadership, winning pedigree, and solid offensive production as well.

Toews can be counted on to score just a shade under a point per game each season, and his line with Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa is the best defensive line in the league.

Whether you are up a goal, down a goal, shorthanded, on the power play, or in a tie game at even strength, you want Toews on the ice for your team because he can excel in every situation you can imagine.

Jun 13, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the New York Rangers in double overtime in game five of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

6. Anze Kopitar

82 games 29 goals 41 assists 70 points

Kopitar is another first line center with size, great defensive ability and the offensive potential to score at a point per game pace. He has been in the top ten balloting for the Selke Trophy as best defensive forward for the past four seasons, while scoring at just over 0.91 PPG in that span.

Kopitar’s proven playoff pedigree places him just ahead of offensive wizards Claude Giroux and Ryan Getzlaf. The Los Angeles Kings have won the Stanley Cup in two of the past three seasons, and both times Kopitar averaged a point per game in the postseason, leading the way offensively.

May 10, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf (15) celebrates after scoring a goal in the first period against the Los Angeles Kings in game four of the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

7. Ryan Getzlaf

77 games 31 goals 56 assists 87 points

Getzlaf is one of the most difficult centers in the league to play against, due to his size, physicality and two way smarts on the ice. Add in the fact he finished second in the league in scoring last season and you have yourself a top line beast.

Getzlaf’s offensive production was no fluke, he averaged over a point per game in six of the last seven seasons. At the age of 29 and with Corey Perry still on his wing, don’t expect him to fall under a point per game this year.

8. Claude Giroux

82 games 28 goals 58 assists 86 points

Giroux started last season with just seven points in 15 games, but exploded for 79 over his final 67. Based on offense alone, Giroux is a top five center in the game, but when you stack up his defensive abilities against Getzlaf, Kopitar and Toews, he gets knocked down a few spots.

May 1, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron (37) reacts after a goal scored by Boston Bruins right wing Reilly Smith (not pictured) on Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) during the third period in game one of the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

9. Patrice Bergeron

80 games 30 goals 32 assists 62 points

Bergeron might be the least offensively gifted player on this list, but he is also the best defensive center in the NHL. Based on his offensive history, I would expect him to hang around the 60 point barrier, but score a few less than 30 goals next season.

Bergeron is still a great offensive player, and exceptional two way center who is one of the best penalty killers in the game.

10. Pavel Datsyuk

45 games 17 goals 20 assists 37 points

Pavel Datsyuk is the elder statesman on this list at 36, but still has the best stickhandling skills of anyone in the NHL. He is the best player in the league at stripping his opponents of the puck, and his 37 points in 45 games last season show he can still beat goaltenders as well.

Apr 8, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin (91) celebrates scoring the game winning goal against Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) during the overtime shootout at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Predators 3-2 in the overtime shootout. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

11. Tyler Seguin

80 games 37 goals 47 assists 84 points

Seguin exploded offensively after a trade from the Boston Bruins to the Dallas Stars, finishing fourth in the league in points with 84. At just 23 years old, he can still climb offensively, but needs plenty of work on his defensive game and matching up on a nightly basis against the biggest and best centers in the tough Western Conference.

12. Matt Duchene

71 games 23 goals 47 assists 70 points

Duchene finally arrived as an undisputed number one center this season, scoring just under a point per game with the Colorado Avalanche. The former third overall pick is just 23 years old and should sustain his offensive success this season on a line with Ryan O’Reilly and Jarome Iginla.

Mar 20, 2014; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) celebrates with right wing Brent Burns (88), defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44), and center Joe Pavelski (8) after scoring a goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. The Sharks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

13. Joe Thornton

82 games 11 goals 65 assists 76 points

Age will eventually have to catch up with the 35 year old Thornton but it sure hasn’t yet. His 11 goals last season is a bit of a concern, but Thornton was always one of the best setup men in the league, and showed he still is by finishing second in the league with 65 helpers.

14. Nicklas Backstrom

82 games 18 goals 61 assists 79 points

Another great setup man, Backstrom has been the primary center for Alex Ovechkin his entire career. Backstrom finished third in the league in assists last season and was tied for eighth in points with 79.

Apr 26, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) skates past Minnesota Wild center Mikael Granlund (64) during the second period in game five of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Notable omissions: Nathan MacKinnon played most of last season as a right winger, but with Paul Stastny signing in St Louis and Jarome Iginla joining the Avalanche, MacKinnon will be the Avs second center behind Matt Duchene.

Since he has almost no experience down the middle at the NHL level, I left him just outside the top 14, though I think he is going to have a big year.

There are just a few questions about how he will handle the larger responsibility in his own end and how he will fare going head to head with the best centers in the game.

Henrik Zetterberg: I am a big Zetterberg fan, and he averaged slightly over a point per game each of the past two seasons. He is a great two way center, but just narrowly missed out to Thornton and Backstrom.

Henrik Sedin: Sedin has been on a straight downward trajectory since winning the Art Ross in 2010. He fell to just 50 points in 70 games last season, and at the age of 33 I don’t see him bouncing back to being an elite center again.

Eric Staal: Staal has been a pretty consistent 70 point scorer in his career, and is a great two way center as well. He dipped to 61 points last season, and due to that just missed out on making my top 14.