The NHL network's top 20 centers

[Empoleon8771]

The way it reads to me is that you're not debating Matthews, you're debating McDavid because of Sid. That's what it reads to me and I wager for everyone else too.

If I was solely debating McDavid because of Sid, I wouldn't be bringing Matthews into it

It is partially that, but it's also criticizing an argument I've been having a lot on here with people saying guys aren't good because they haven't done it for long enough yet.

They shouldn't be held to the same standard. 69 points should not be enough to warrant you a spot as a #4 center, even if 40 of them are goals.

But 100 point season, Hart and Art Ross is enough to make a fair argument for #1 centre.

I guess my complaint was people I was reading were focusing more on Matthews only having 1 season more than they were focusing on how laughable his credentials are for being ranked the #4 center in hockey right now.

 

[Plural]

If I was solely debating McDavid because of Sid, I wouldn't be bringing Matthews into it

It is partially that, but it's also criticizing an argument I've been having a lot on here with people saying guys aren't good because they haven't done it for long enough yet.

Matthews fits the agenda in the sense that you're propping your argument via him. Again, not trying to be a dick or anything, that's just how it reads.

There's a vast difference between McDavid in Matthews. The fact that you're making this out to be some logical fallacy because of people arguing over sample size doesn't strike as being honest. It just doesn't. Because for the vast majority here, the difference between McDavid and Matthews resume is clear as sky. What McDavid did last season merits his ranking. What Matthews did, doesn't.

 

[Ducks in a row]

Getzlaf had more points in the regular season then Matthews and Getzlaf produced very good in the playoffs helping to lead his team to the Western Conference finals. No way is Matthews ahead of Getzlaf yet. Getzlaf at 9th is too low.

 

[NoMessi]

And Matthews put up 40 goals as a rookie and won the Calder. You can't have it both ways, you can't say Matthews hasn't played long enough in the NHL while simultaneously saying McDavid is the best center in hockey.

You are the only guy in here not getting why a dominant Art Ross, Hart and Lindsey makes up for the fact that he has only been in the league two years.

69 points in one season, that is what Granlund had this season, even with fewer games.

 

[unknown33]

Malkin 3rd and Toews 12th? Are you sure this was done by the media?

 

[Bizz]

According to the NHL network:

1. Connor McDavid
2. Sidney Crosby
3. Evgeni Malkin
4. Austin Matthews
5. Nicklas Backstrom
6. John Tavares
7. Steven Stamkos
8. Tyler Seguin
9. Ryan Getzlaf
10. Mark Scheifele
11. Patrice Bergeron
12. Jonathan Toews
13. Anze Kopitar
14. Jack Eichel
15. Leon Draisaitl
16. Ryan Johansen
17. Aleksander Barkov
18. Jeff Carter
19. Evgeny Kuznetzov
20. Sean Monahan

Thornton is better than 15 of those players. But yeah East Coast bias, etc. The fact that Jeff Carter and Sean Monahan is on this list proves that they have no idea wtf they're talking about.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Only going to comment on Caps...

Nice to see Backstrom finally get some respect for a change. At this point in their careers I might go Backstrom over Matthews. Long term, not doubt Matthews over him though. Beyond that Kuznetsov possibly a little low depending on what mode he's in. When he's consistent and in beast mode he's at least a handful of spots higher. When he's slumping he's in the right spot.

 

[oooooooooohCanada]

2nd in the NHL in goals as a 19 year old rookie.. can't be 'too high'.

 

[KCC]

Matthews is wayyy too high

Getzlaf had more points in the regular season then Matthews and Getzlaf produced very good in the playoffs helping to lead his team to the Western Conference finals. No way is Matthews ahead of Getzlaf yet. Getzlaf at 9th is too low.

Exactly. Getzlaf is proven while Matthews has one decent season and already the East Coast bias shoots him up the ranking. Next year they will probably have him on the top 100 players of all time or something. haha.

 

[Regal]

Thornton is better than 15 of those players. But yeah East Coast bias, etc. The fact that Jeff Carter and Sean Monahan is on this list proves that they have no idea wtf they're talking about.

If he can bounce back to 15-16 levels, sure, but he didn't look like it last year and he'll be 37 coming off a major knee injury

 

[flaneur]

Matthews at #4 huh? Right...

Personally would have Crosby ahead of McDavid... but, shrug, I understand the ranking.

Nice to see Malkin and Backstrom get proper recognition for once.

Pleasantly surprised to see Toews ranked reasonably.

Also, I like Draisaitl well enough, but unless I'm mistaken, didn't he play wing for most of last season?

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I will admit though, I find it funny how people are so adamant about Matthews not deserving to be at #4 since he has only played one season, while simultaneously saying nothing about McDavid being #1 while he has only played a season and a half.

Now while I wouldn't put McJesus ahead of Crosby, I reckon it's because 40 goals is generally very difficult to repeat so even the slightest sophomore slump could result in him being in the 60s in points while not being very experienced defensively.

A lot of #1 overalls such as MacKinnon, Ekblad and RNH have had a rough time repeating their success once they're exposed to better scouting, tougher line matchups and a wider range of duty.

I don't think Matthews will have a sophomore slump, and I think he'll end up a top 3 center one day, but I do think it's premature to place him at #4

 

[ChiefWiggum]

According to the NHL network:

1. Connor McDavid
2. Sidney Crosby (switch Crosby and McDavid)
3. Evgeni Malkin
4. Austin Matthews
5. Nicklas Backstrom
6. John Tavares
7. Steven Stamkos
8. Tyler Seguin
9. Ryan Getzlaf
10. Mark Scheifele
11. Patrice Bergeron
12. Jonathan Toews (should be a lot lower)
13. Anze Kopitar (Kopitar over Toews and Bergeron)
14. Jack Eichel
15. Leon Draisaitl
16. Ryan Johansen
17. Aleksander Barkov
18. Jeff Carter
19. Evgeny Kuznetzov
20. Sean Monahan

Not bad though. Very disappointing to have a front row seat to the great decline of Claude Giroux

 

[TorstenFrings]

I don't think it is a horrible list, I just question the consistency. There is a huge premium put on "what have you done lately" for the top10 (with McDavid and Matthews basically as high as the could possibly go), but then it's like the remembered, they still had to shoehorn Toews and Kopitar in. If McDavid is already better than Crosby, if Matthews is already better than Stamkos and Getzlaf, then how have Eichel and Draisaitl not long past those two? Which is to day, I am not even sure that they should be, but it doesn't really seem measured against the same logic throughout.

 

[tony d]

Not the worst list I've seen but Matthews as the #4 centre in the league is a bit of a ? mark.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Matthews has all the tools to be a top 5 center in the league. But he's not there quite yet.
A players track record still has to count for something.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Here's the top 20 centers from HFBoards Forward Ranking poll series I did this summer.

1. Crosby
2. McDavid
3. Malkin
4. Tavares
5. Backstrom
6. Stamkos
7. Getzlaf
8. Seguin
9. Matthews
10. Eichel
11. Bergeron
12. Scheifele
13. Barkov
14. Kopitar
15. Pavelski
16. Toews
17. ROR
18. Kuznetsov
19. Forsberg
20. Giroux

Way better if you ask me

Agreed, you have a good methodology with your polls. But Forsberg is a winger.

 

[Carlzner]

Hilarious.

In the Backstrom segment they open up by talking about how underrated he is, and then spend the entire segment talking about him and Ovechkin.

Maybe try talking about how good he is without having to lump Ovechkin in for the entire video?

 

[BHD]

Matthews is always going to be too high on just about every list. That's how they keep one fanbase's hands off their throats.

If you drop him down to 10-12 and leave the rest of the list unchanged, it is a very good list.

It's not like he didn't score 40 goals as a rookie in a league where only two other players (Crosby, Kucherov) did so.

 

[flyersfan018]

He doesn't need to specify, high/low refers to a position relative to the top (here it's 1). Too high means his position should be lower down the list

Maybe I'm just confused how Matthews is somehow 10 spots higher than Eichel and even that is considered too high for Eichel.

 

[Leafer34]

Matthews has done something no teen rookie has done since Mario Leimieux score 40 and being number 2 in turnover +-

 

[Aladyyn]

Matthews. Being. A. Rookie. Does. Not. Matter.

 

[X66]

Fair list.

Matthews is better than all those centers below him on that list, only teenage rookie in nhl history to finish top 3 in goals in the league.

How many of those other centers put up his numbers in his rookie year? On top of that, he did it with only playing with rookies, post the most consistent linemates of those centers and compare it to Matthews.

It's obvious why Matthews is ranked so high, he's elite at everything that matters and he can generate an insane amount of scoring chances.

 

[TheOriginalJez]

Agreed, you have a good methodology with your polls. But Forsberg is a winger.

RyJo for Fil, fair swap

 

[Aladyyn]

Thinking Matthews is better than Getzlaf is extremely delusional.