The Top 5 Centers in the NHL Today Might Not Be Who You Think
What makes a forward in the NHL a true center and who is considered the top five best true centers in the league today?
Before we discuss who the top five true centers are in the NHL today, we need to back up and address a more pressing topic. When we talk about the top players at a given position in the show, it’s easy to get distracted by the number of points a player puts up instead of how effective they are at that position. At no other position is this more prevalent than when discussing the top centers in the NHL.
To put things into perspective, any forward in ice hockey can take and win a faceoff from time to time. However, not everyone can play center. While winning draws is a vital part of playing center, far greater responsibilities supersede it. The high-scoring offense and blistering speed of our game today have generally led to the thinking that the more points you put up as a player, the better you are at your position. This, however, is simply not true.
A perfect example is New Jersey Devils superstar Jack Hughes. NHL.com has him listed as a center in their database, but under the eye test, he’s genuinely not capable of being a true center. When you watch his game, Hughes is often bounced outside to the wing so that he can use his elite offensive skillset without having the responsibility that comes with being a center in the NHL.
Another way to identify whether or not someone is a legitimate center, place them in a hypothetical scenario as such: There are five minutes left remaining in the third period, the faceoff is in the defensive zone and you’re on the penalty kill. Do you trust Jack Hughes or Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson to take this draw? Absolutely not. However, NHL.com considers them to be the No. 6 and the No. 11 overall centers in the league, respectively. This goes to show how little we understand what makes a true center.
It’s easy to say players like Hughes and Thompson are elite centers in the NHL because they fill the stat sheet each night. However, contrary to popular belief, putting up points isn’t the center’s job. Offensive production is the role of the left and the right wing.
The center, second only to the goaltender, is held to the highest standard on the ice and in all situations is directly supporting the puck carrier. When their team doesn’t have control of the puck, the center is either spearheading the attack or is the first line of defense. There is never a moment’s rest at this position.
While left and right-wingers are best in open space, using their speed and creativity to their advantage to generate offense, centers make their bread and butter in the dirty areas: the corners, front of the net, and the defensive and neutral zone. To be a true center in the NHL, you need to be able to play a sound 200 ft game as well as dominate puck battles along the boards and in open ice.
Now with the prerequisites being stated, let’s take a look at who the top 5 true centers are in today’s NHL.
#5: J.T. Miller – Vancouver Canucks
J.T. Miller earns the respect of his teammates and fellow competitors by the way he carries himself on the ice. At 6’1 – 220 lbs., the East Palestine, Ohio native excels at making life difficult for the opposing team by finishing all of his hits, grinding in the juice factory, and sacrificing his body to limit scoring opportunities. On top of this, thanks to his large stocky frame and a quick draw on the dots, Miller is a fearsome adversary between the hashes.
From taking the draw in every situation regardless of the zone that the faceoff is in, to consistently smothering plays going the other way, J.T. Miller is a model figure for his position in hockey. It’s time we start giving him credit for being one of the best true centers in today’s NHL.
In the last two seasons on the Vancouver Canucks, one of the worst teams in the NHL mind you, J.T. Miller has missed just three outings out of 164 games, compiling 372 hits (wow), 107 blocked shots, 114 takeaways, while winning 54.5% of 2,119 faceoffs.
Offensively, he’s quietly been on a tear notching 64 goals and 181 total points featuring 19 power-play goals and 5 shorthanded goals. All of this while averaging 20:53 on the ice per game. To do all of this is simply astounding, to say the least.
Because of his ability to check all of the aforementioned boxes regarding the responsibilities of the center, there is strong support in favor of putting J.T. Miller in the conversation for the top five true centers in the NHL today.
He’s consistently an unrivaled workhorse who will stop at nothing to make sure either his team puts the puck in the net or that the opposing team feels the grind that will be coming their way when they face his team. It’s time we put some respect on J.T. Miller’s name.
#4: Nathan MacKinnon – Colorado Avalanche
We often forget how many people labeled Nathan MacKinnon a bust when he struggled mightily to live up to the lofty expectations placed on his shoulders when he was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2013 NHL Draft, but it’s safe to say that all of his critics have been silenced for good as he’s without a doubt one of the best players in today’s game.
In the first slide, we discussed how important it is to be able to play a full 200-foot game as a true center in the NHL, and while Nathan MacKinnon is one of the most skilled forwards in the league in recent memory, his two-way capabilities leave more to be desired when ranking true centers in the show.
Since the 2017-18 season, when at the time Mack recorded career highs in goals (39), assists (58), and points (97), finishing atop the league in scoring has become the norm for the Halifax, Nova Scotia native. However, MacKinnon’s performance in the defensive zone and in between the hash marks is what prevents him from cracking the top three on this list.
Make no mistake about it, the line that separates the players in the upper class of this list is very fine, as they would all be taken to be a franchise 1st line center on any team in the NHL. Though if we’re nitpicking, which we always are, MacKinnon’s career faceoff win percentage of 45.7% is rather pedestrian.
Furthermore, when you want to assess whether or not someone is a true center, put them in this hypothetical scenario: Time’s running out late in the 3rd period, you’re on the penalty kill and the faceoff is in your defensive zone. Who do you have the most confidence in winning the draw and fending off the man advantage?
As insanely talented as Nathan MacKinnon is, placing your money on him to be the guy for that situation isn’t a wise bet. The fact of the matter is, the only reason we consider him to be a top 5 center in the NHL today is because of his offensive output, not because of his stout two-way game or prowess in the dots. It’s for that reason Mack comes in at No. 4 on this list.
#3: Anze Kopitar – L.A. Kings
Anze (ahn-zheh) Kopitar has gained notoriety in the NHL not only for the pitch-black tinted visor he’s been modeling for nearly two decades as a player, but also for the unyielding defense and ruthless tenacity he plays with on the ice.
In his 17 years playing on the biggest stage hockey has to offer, all with the Los Angeles Kings, the 6’3″ – 230 lbs power forward has literally made a living off of shutting down the best players in the NHL by any means necessary.
Anze Kopitar has earned a reputation as one of the best defenders at the center position as a result of never shying away from the shooting or passing lanes of his opponents. Like all players in the craft of blocking shots, Kopitar takes pride in the bruises he wakes up to in the morning and comes in to work the next day asking for more.
This is the mentality of a true center. If there’s a meat grinder unfolding in the corners or on the half boards, Anze Kopitar will be right in the middle of it and more often than not, will come away with the puck.
In addition to stellar defensive and physical attributes, Kopitar is no stranger to putting the puck in the net and feeding his teammates with dishes to rack up the points. Apart from leading all of the forwards on the L.A. Kings in takeaways (46), blocked shots (87), and faceoff win percentage (55.9%) in the 2022-23 NHL regular season, he also led the team in total points (74).
When it comes to being a true 1st line center in the NHL, Anze Kopitar may be the most well-rounded man for the job. Everything he does is given 100% maximum effort and every puck battle or faceoff lost (and it doesn’t happen often), is responded to with a vengeful effort to regain control of the situation. Kopitar is a true leader, a true grinder, and a top three true center in today’s NHL.
#2: Leon Draisaitl – Edmonton Oilers
It’s difficult to showcase how talented of a player you are when Connor McDavid is on your team, but Leon Draisaitl still manages to shine for the Edmonton Oilers as he’s grown to be one of the most dominant forwards in the NHL.
Similar to the rest of his fellow classmates of the 2014 NHL Draft, Draisaitl didn’t achieve recognition as a legitimate player in the league until his third season in, when he registered 77 total points in a full 82 games played, winning just shy of 50% of his faceoffs while tallying up an astounding 75 takeaways on the campaign.
Since the 2018-19 NHL regular season, the 6’2″ – 210 lbs skater from Cologne, Germany has earned his place as one of the top players in the game of hockey and has grown to be the second-best true center in the NHL.
Leon Draisaitl is the rare occurrence of a big-bodied forward who makes up for what he lacks in skill by perfecting his zone coverage and elite stick skills. Because he’s unable to keep up with the speed demons of today’s game, Draisaitl has taken the approach of boxing players into the corners of the ice and smothering them thanks to his underrated size.
Armed with a wicked hockey IQ and unreal body control, Draisaitl leaves puck carriers with no other choice but to skate through him which almost always results in a quick stick check and takeaway, leading the rush the other way.
During the time span of 2016-present day, Leon has played 529 games (missing 19 due to injury), scored 285 goals, 399 assists (684 points), won 53.2% of his faceoffs (4,755 total wins), and recorded nearly 500 takeaways.
We mentioned earlier in the article that points aren’t all that matters when it comes to playing center, however, when you’re able to shut down other superstars in the league while scoring 100+ points four times in the last five years, and 84 points in the 56-game COVID-19 season, there’s little evidence to indicate you’re anything but a perennial superstar.
Anze Kopitar and J.T. Miller are sounder defensively and physically, but Leon Draisaitl is the second-best true center in the NHL today, and the only player getting in his way of being the top center in the show is his teammate.
#1: Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid is not only the best center in the NHL, but he’s the best player. Period. It doesn’t matter what statistic or argument you use against him, he is without a doubt the best hockey player in the world. He’s your favorite player’s favorite player to watch.
Let’s take a run down the checklist, shall we? While he’s not the most physical player on the ice, from 2020-23 his hit totals have increased steadily, recording 61, 75, and 89 in the last three seasons, respectively.
Faceoffs is another key area in which Connor has addressed his focus, as he’s gone from hardly winning 45% of draws, to winning more than half in both of the previous two seasons. This was an area of his game, and probably the only area for that matter, where other centers had the edge on him. Now, there aren’t many roles he can’t play at a superstar level.
Takeaways are McDavid’s bread and butter. In fact, if there’s one thing that Connor McDavid is best at, it’s stick-lifting the opponent and wheeling in the other direction, often turning into a two-on-one or a breakaway as a result of his ridiculous speed.
The last area of focus is shot blocking, and in all honesty, if you’re the head coach you probably don’t want Connor McDavid laying out to block a shot from the point because he is your franchise. Even so, given the frustration of failing to reach the Stanley Cup Final after already playing 8 years in the NHL, McDavid is doing everything he can to reach the promised land, which includes getting in more shooting lanes.
We can talk forever about how amazing Connor McDavid is on the ice and how he’s easily the best player to ever lace up the skates. However, the biggest question for the face of the NHL continues to grow louder with each passing year: When will Connor McDavid win the Stanley Cup?
The Edmonton Oilers can have the two best forwards in the NHL all they want, but if they can’t win a Stanley Cup, how good can they really be?