NHL Network ranks Bergeron 11th best center in NHL

[Fenway]

https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2017/08/21/bergeron-deserves-better-nhl-rankings/


Joe McDonald was incredulous

It blows my mind that Seguin is ahead of Bergeron on this list. Seguin is an incredible offensive player, but he doesn’t produce a consistent 200-foot game.

Bergeron is an incredible player and person. He’s a complete player. He’s selfless and leads by example. There’s a reason he’s won the Selke Trophy four times. Crosby always raves about his friend, Team Canada teammate and regular-season rival.

Former Bruins coach, and current two-time Stanley-Cup winning coach for the Penguins, Mike Sullivan, understood Bergeron’s ability and work ethic from Day 1 at his first training camp as an 18-year-old.

“He’s quietly one of the most complete players in the league,†Sullivan told me a few seasons ago. “His ability to win faceoffs, his ability to play in all three zones, and he’s such a high-stakes player, that the more important the games become the better he plays. He raises his level of play to the importance of the games and that’s one of the things I admire about him most.â€

It’s a safe bet Sullivan hasn’t changed his mind.

If there’s a saving grace to these rankings, three-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews is one spot behind Bergeron.

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[xjoeyc23x]

lol @ #4...

Maybe after a few more seasons, but not after just one year.

 

[smithformeragent]

Meh.

Toews is criminally low.

Lists like these are meaningless.
How do you even quantify the choices?
It's all subjective.

 

[riverhawkey91]

Looks about right for a completely subjective list with clearly no actual criteria done by people who probably aren't qualified to speak to any of that.

Maybe Jamison has an excuse as he might not want to look like a Boston homer having worked for NESN, but Mike Rupp had less points over his 600+ game career than McDavid had last season alone...and probably more than triple the penalty minutes he'll ever get.

Those aren't guys I would expect to know the actual value of guys like Bergeron/Kopitar/Toews....those are guys who don't look much past points and age.

The real funny part is having Draisaitl ahead of basically any of those guys on the list for Best Centers right now, considering he played almost the entire season at wing.

 

[Chief Nine]

I never put too much stock in "Who's the best" lists (especially on the main board ) but I changed the channel when I saw Bergeron was #11 because I knew right then that they ranked Stamkos, Seguin, and Backstrom higher.

Given that they said "Top 20 Centers Right Now" I knew that Auston Matthews would be in the top 5. "But he scored 40 goals!"

Really odd to see Stamkos ranked so high because he has missed a lot of time in the past few years which was really puzzling given the criteria.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

This is a worthless list. Looks like the network trying to drive hype/ratings behind youth and offense.

 

[smithformeragent]

Stuff like this is par for the course in our click baity world.

#hottakes

Don't even give it the time of day.

 

[PB37]

I never put too much stock in "Who's the best" lists (especially on the main board ) but I changed the channel when I saw Bergeron was #11 because I knew right then that they ranked Stamkos, Seguin, and Backstrom higher.

Given that they said "Top 20 Centers Right Now" I knew that Auston Matthews would be in the top 5. "But he scored 40 goals!"

Really odd to see Stamkos ranked so high because he has missed a lot of time in the past few years which was really puzzling given the criteria.

I think Stamkos is right on the edge. He has two injury plagued seasons sandwiched around two full ( or near full ) seasons back to back. Other then that, he's played full ( or near full ) seasons.

I would swap Bergeron ( 11 ) with Stamkos ( 7 ). Matthews is too high. Other than that, I don't have a huge problem with the list.

 

[Chief Nine]

I think Stamkos is right on the edge. He has two injury plagued seasons sandwiched around two full ( or near full ) seasons back to back. Other then that, he's played full ( or near full ) seasons.

I would swap Bergeron ( 11 ) with Stamkos ( 7 ). Matthews is too high. Other than that, I don't have a huge problem with the list.

I wouldn't quibble with that, but as we all know, lists are subjective and are designed to get responses and generate (ahem) discussions. That said, the typical approach to any of these lists is weighted too heavily on points at least in my view. They did say 'right now' which gives them a lot of leeway. I still wouldn't cede the top spot to anyone but Crosby right now either.

 

[pkunit]

Top 11 best player in the league. He's probably the most defensively sound hockey player ever.

 

[Aeroforce]

McDavid will be #1, but right now it's Sid.

I'm a big Tyler Seguin fan, but is there a GM that if given the choice would choose him over Bergeron?

Tavares is definitely Top 10, but has he done enough on a middling Isles team to warrant being ranked above a 4 time Selke winner?

Backstrom is very good, but how would he fare not feeding the most prolific modern goal scorer?

Matthews is the real deal, but is one season with a high goal total enough to put him just behind McDavid, Crosby, and Malkin?

I admit I've got my homer glasses on, but I'd put Bergeron #4.

 

[BruinLVGA]

Honestly, that is quite pathetic.

 

[Mione134]

Whatever. We don't need a list for we know what Bergeron's worth is.

Players and other coaches know it too.

 

[BruinDust]

Honestly, it looks like a list put together by some teenage kid, whose only impressed by offense and scoring.

Seriously, the current Selke winner and 4-time winner Bergeron is only the 11th best center in the entire NHL? Followed by the other two Selke winners on this list in Toews and Kopitar.

Behind such names like Backstrom (way too high), Stamkos (pseudo-center/winger, his 60 goal year was 6 years ago), and even Schefiele who I like, but what has he done to be ranked higher than Bergeron?

I've always been a fan of Seguin but not a chance is he better than Bergeron.

 

[KrejciMVP]

he's getting older, more injury prone, and had around 50 points last year. No shame being ranked 11th

 

[smithformeragent]

Where's Krejci rank?

 

[KrejciMVP]

Where's Krejci rank?

#21, biased list

 

[JCRO]

Not even going to engage with this.

Not surprised either.

 

[smithformeragent]

#21, biased list

The B's are built down the middle!

Also, what a cliche that is.

"We're built down the middle."

Or

"You build a team from the net out.".

You need strength and depth everywhere.

 

[ODAAT]

Toews and Bergeron alone sitting outside the top 10 immediately makes this list laughable

 

[Gator Mike]

That NHL Network list might honestly be better than this one:

http://www.csnne.com/boston-bruins/...e-nhl-network-top-40-goalies-of-all-time-list

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

he's getting older, more injury prone, and had around 50 points last year. No shame being ranked 11th

He's played 80+ games his last five seasons. I'd argue he was more injury prone back when he was dealing with concussions. Wear and tear injuries happen to every hockey player. What then is Krejci?

The (by far) best two way player in the league is closer to 11th in the NHL overall than just 11th among centers.centers .

Backstrom/Bergeron should be 4/5 and Matthews out of the top 10.

 

[Trap Jesus]

It's funny because you can just see the thought process behind it. "Alright, so we got all the top points guys off the board in the top 10. What now? Oh, right! The Selke guys!"

The Matthews one is obviously the most bizarre though. There is no justification for that.

 

[Sigh]

It's funny because you can just see the thought process behind it. "Alright, so we got all the top points guys off the board in the top 10. What now? Oh, right! The Selke guys!"

The Matthews one is obviously the most bizarre though. There is no justification for that.

Toronto pandering.

Looks like a typical "best-for-your-fantasy-team" list.