Great #3 centers

[Staniowski]

Brent Sutter wasn't on the '80 and '81 Cup teams.

And, yes, he was the centre on the #1 line in '84 - '85.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I never thought that much of Joel Otto to be honest. Good at face-offs, but his hockey IQ was low. Hands weren't good either.

You sure about that? Now he wasn't Lemieux with the puck, but as a third line center he posted five seasons with 50+ points and was constantly in contention for a Selke Trophy. He played behind Doug Gilmour and Joe Nieuwendyk when the Flames won the Cup, but was fourth in scoring during the '89 playoffs with 19 points in 22 games.

He also did rack up a ton of penalty minutes, so if that's what you mean by a low hockey IQ, you have a point there.

 

[sr edler]

You sure about that?

My wild guess here is that Mr. Panther is not an Otto fan because Otto was a big physical torn in the side to Messier, i.e. Messier couldn't quite bully him like he could most smaller players.

 

[sr edler]

I never thought that much of Joel Otto to be honest. Good at face-offs, but his hockey IQ was low. Hands weren't good either.

Why you need good hands when you can kick the puck into the net?

 

[Babych44]

Dave Poulin, not really #3 in early years but great defensive center

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Clearly the best 1-2-3 punch ever for a single season.

For a long-term #3 center, it has to be Ralph Backstrom of the 60s Canadiens.

Modern times - Devils have had some great ones in Holik and Madden. Pretty big part of their Cups. Mike Richards in LA is probably better though.

First names that came to mind: Carbonneau, Ricci, Otto, Holik (might have scored too much to be considered a "#3").

wasn't holik new jersey's #1 center for a lot of years?

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

wasn't holik new jersey's #1 center for a lot of years?

He was for a a year or two in the late 90s, but the team was always trying to replace him (Gilmour, Arnott). He was #2C for more years, but was really best suited as an elite #3.

 

[justafan22]

Bonino in 2016

 

[Staniowski]

Derek Sanderson, Bruins.

 

[YEM]

Michal Handzus was the perfect 3c for a handful of seasons

 

[57special]

Backstrom was a great skater.

 

[57special]

I've forgotten if Henri Richard or Pete Mahovolich was the #3C, but one of them.

Wasn't there a ton of good C's on some of the Lemieux Pens...Trottier later in his career, maybe?

 

[Normand Lacombe]

Wasn't Lafontaine the number 3 center behind Trottier and Brent Sutter in 1984-85?

 

[pbgoalie]

Doug JArvis on Canadians?

 

[Theokritos]

I've forgotten if Henri Richard or Pete Mahovolich was the #3C

Pocket Rocket was a #1 center who played as a #2 center behind one of the top 10 players in the history of the game. A team with Henri as the #3? That would have been the team with the greatest center depth ever, and it's not close at all. It's basically like having Forsberg or Yzerman as the #3 center.

 

[Staniowski]

Pocket Rocket was a #1 center who played as a #2 center behind one of the top 10 players in the history of the game. A team with Henri as the #3? That would have been the team with the greatest center depth ever, and it's not close at all. It's basically like having Forsberg or Yzerman as the #3 center.

The poster is obviously referring to the 1970s, when Lemaire and Mahovlich were on the team along with H. Richard. Im not sure what the Habs' lines were (I think they changed a lot over Henri's last 4 or 5 seasons), but lots of big names have been #3 centers at certain points in their career, e.g. Sergei Fedorov behind Larionov and Bykov.

 

[57special]

Beliveau was still on the team in the late 60's and very early 70's, at the same time as Pete Mahovolich and Henri Richard. I always remember Lemaire as a C, but he is listed as a LW. He was on those teams, too.

 

[vancityluongo]

Manny Malhotra deserves a mention.

 

[jetsfan91]

Kris Draper in Detroit. He was so good he was even on Team Canada in 04, and 06. Detroit easily has the best third line in all of hockey.

 

[Staniowski]

Wasn't Lafontaine the number 3 center behind Trottier and Brent Sutter in 1984-85?

Yeah, he probably was #3 in the amount of icetime among centers.

B. Sutter played a lot with Bossy and Tonelli throughout the season. Trottier - injured for part of the season - also played with Bossy some, as well as with several other wingers. LaFontaine played a lot with Gillies and D. Sutter, and with others too.

The top wingers were Tonelli, Bossy, D. Sutter, Gillies, Gilbert, Flatley, Bourne.

 

[Johnny Engine]

I don't know if his past 3 seasons have been great per se, but I have a trifecta going.

Tyler Bozak, with 55 and 43 points for the Leafs and a cup ring in St. Louis.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Bonino in 2016

Yes, Connecticut boy.

 

[MartinS82]

Joel Otto in Calgary behind Gilmour and Nieuwendyk. In Philly, number 3 center behind Lindros and Brind'Amour

Otto is who I think of when I think of #3 centers. Remember him going at it with Messier all the time (I am guessing that's who they hard matched him against when they could). Was a beast on the dot, good size and strength, could chip in offensively some too.