NHL Power Rankings: Top 25 Centers Entering 2017-18

24. Eric Staal

Eric Staal of the Minnesota Wild can brag to his brother Jordan that he’s ranked higher on this list than him. After suffering a down year during the 2015-16 season, a down year for the center, he had a heck of a rebound season in 2016-17.

Staal’s 65 points last season are his most since the 2011-12 season, when he had 70. He put up 28 goals and 37 assists for the Wild. Staal led the team in goals and finished second to Mikael Granlund in points.

Over his career, he has averaged 0.84 points per game. Staal put up 0.79 points per game last season. Much like his brother, Eric puts up impressive possession and goals for numbers. He’s constantly in the green in even strength Corsi For percentage. Moreover, Staal has impressive relative goals for numbers, often venturing into the double digits.

His days of putting up 70 points consistently are probably over. However, thanks to being a great 200 foot player who dominates in all three zones, Staal’s still a top 25 center. It remains to be seen how long this will remain the case. If Staal’s 13.3 shooting percentage last season isn’t just a fluke, he could still be on the list next season. But there’s a lot of talented young centers pushing for a spot on the list.