Pick a young center to build around

[Favin]

Imagine you are an expansion GM and are building a team from scratch. Which centers would you want to build your future around. Pick your top three options.

Matty Beniers
Quinton Byfield
Logan Cooley
Dylan Cozens
Jack Hughes
Peyton Krebs
Anton Lundell
Mason McTavish
Dawson Mercer
Alex Newhook
Josh Norris
Cole Perfetti
Cole Sillinger
Alex Turcotte
Shane Wright
Trevor Zegres

Pick three!

Click to read more...

 

[FlappyGiraffe]

Jack Hughes. He's currently the best player on the list, has the highest potential on the list imo, and signed long term already.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Hughes
Zegras/Lundell

 

[HugeInTheShire]

2 Picks are pretty easy with Hughes and Zegras, but I think it's gotta be either Lundell or Wright

 

[jonlin]

Zegras & Lundell. Theres my 1A/1B. Zegras offensivly elite and Lundell future selke winner Kopitar/Barkov clone. I think both have more upside than Hughes.

 

[jonlin]

Why is Wright in the poll btw? Maybe wait til they are drafted?

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Hughes and Zegras are easily the top 2. Wright has the highest potential remaining so him, and even if he doesn't turn into a grade A superstar, idc cause I have Hughes and Zegras on the team as well.

 

[QJL]

Zegras
Hughes
Lundell
…
Beniers next

 

[AvroArrow]

Wright or Zegras. Zegras is currently the best by a country mile. Wright has the most potential and could be a legit top 5C.

 

[Hisch13r]

Jack is currently the best and has just as much if not more potential than anyone on the list. Wright and Zegras for the next 2.

 

[HabsForHire]

Why is Wright in the poll btw? Maybe wait til they are drafted?

Neither is Cooley, who cares

 

[BlueBaron]

It should be Hughes but I could see someone like Perfetti surprising.

 

[Favin]

Why is Wright in the poll btw? Maybe wait til they are drafted?

I think there is a reasonable enough chance that both Wright and Cooley join this list in year or two. Some of these guys are full-time roles in NHL, others are in juniors, NCAA or AHL.

 

[Boreal01]

Zegras
Hughes
Sillinger

 

[HanSolo]

Responses mirror my immediate reaction following my reading of the options. Hughes and Zegras really stick out. I think if I was a GM it would depend. If my team is on the lower end in terms of popularity and/or attendance, I'd take Zegras.

But as someone who watches Zegras pretty often what I want to see from him is the ability to step up and be a difference maker when the rest of the team is struggling. Anaheim is in a pretty bad rut right now and he's still producing but I don't really see him threatening to take over games either.

I still think Zegras has the potential to be better than Hughes but if my team doesn't need to worry about butts in seats or wider NHL appeal, I'd go with Hughes. I think he's the safer bet to be a player you win with.

It's close. It was hard to articulate this. I think they'll both be stars. But today, Hughes is the safer bet to build around. Zegras can be a superstar but it's also likely he might just be a "star" who spends a lot of time trying flashy plays but doesn't back them up with "superstar" production. Still hard to articulate I guess lol.

 

[elitepete]

Zegras, Wright, Beniers.

 

[Buck Naked]

Hughes/Zegras
Lundell

 

[bert]

Zegras MacTavish Lundell for me. Hughes while being very talented I think struggles to stay healthy and produce in the playoffs. It's really hard to say lots of great young players that could all be amazing options. Other players I considered were Beniers, Wright, Byfield and Hughes of course.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Zegras
Lundell
Norris

I like this mix : a guy with elite offensive potential, one that is tracking to be a 2 way beast and the 3rd that is sort of a hybrid. Hughes has alot of talent but I like the size element these others bring ( even though Hughes is underrated on d ). Guys that haven't been drafted yet or aren't in the NHL weren't seriously considered for me .

 

[Buck Naked]

Hughes while being very talented I think struggles to stay healthy and produce in the playoffs.

Come again?

 

[bert]

Come again?

I THINK HE WILL STRUGGLE TO PRODUCE IN THE PLAYOFFS.

 

[Buck Naked]

I THINK HE WILL STRUGGLE TO PRODUCE IN THE PLAYOFFS.

Nah, you said he struggles to produce in the playoffs.

Why do you think he will struggle though? Is he too small for you?

 

[bert]

Nah, you said he struggles to produce in the playoffs.

Why do you think he will struggle though? Is he too small for you?

Zegras MacTavish Lundell for me. Hughes while being very talented I think struggles to stay healthy and produce in the playoffs. It's really hard to say lots of great young players that could all be amazing options. Other players I considered were Beniers, Wright, Byfield and Hughes of course.

He doesnt play in traffic and he keeps getting injured, being small is likely part of that.

 

[wetcoast]

Jack Hughes. He's currently the best player on the list, has the highest potential on the list imo, and signed long term already.

He and Zegras were the easy picks here and anyone not having them as 2 of the top 3 please explain.

Took Byfield as my 3rd choice but that's on potential right now and he is very young and still finding his way.

 

[wetcoast]

2 Picks are pretty easy with Hughes and Zegras, but I think it's gotta be either Lundell or Wright

Or Byfeild (who I picked) as my 3rd), Lundell or MacTavish.