Where does MacKinnon rank among centers?

[VoluntaryDom]

IMO he has a case (though not a very good one) for top 10. He's easily a top 20 center and I can't really justify him out of the top 15. I realize I underrated him in the past, the kid is really good.

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[mattcookefan]

It depends. Past 20 games you could easily argue top 5.

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

He's pretty good

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

He's playing really well right now, and seems to be growing into the 1C role. I think around 15 is probably fair right now, but if he can keep playing like he is, he'll move up that list before the end of the season.

 

[Not My Tempo]

I think by the end of this season he’ll solidify himself as top 15 if he can keep his play up

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Right now it's still far to small of a sample size to be labeling him a Top 10 or even Top 15C.


If he keeps up this play all season long and ends up at ~85-90 points however, he should be in everyones Top 10 no doubt.

 

[Ararana]

This kid is only 22 years old, I feel that gets overlooked way too often.

 

[Kale Makar]

I agree with everything else said already: too small of a sample size to solidify him there. From watching him I think he is definitely close, and finishing the season at his pace will definitely have him in the conversation of top 10.

When his on his game, however, he's easily one of the top few most electrifying players in the league, he really commands the entire game.

 

[Arizonan God]

I’ve been waiting for him to take over for a while. His toolbox is way too good to not be a top 15 centre in the league. Good to see him have a great start.

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

Id love to say top 10, but top 15 is realistic. Top 3 recently though for sure. Lets hope he keeps it up.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I think Top 15 is fair.

10th in the NHL in points. 6th in points per game.

Craziest thing about Mackinnon that I keep repeating is his age. He turned 22 just two months ago yet people act like he's ancient. To put that in perspective, Leon Draisaitl is also 22.

There have been 121 "rookies" who have laced up in the NHL. 69 of those rookies are older than Nathan Mackinnon.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

It's still only been a really hot 13 game stretch though, to be fair. I expect a full season out of him before I anoint him close to the top 15.

10 games, 5 points
13 games in, 23 points

 

[bobholly39]

Crosby
McDavid
Matthews
Stamkos
Schiefele
Tavares
Kopitar
Seguin
Barkov
Malkin
Eichel
Backstrom
Toews
Johansen
Bergeron

That's 15.


Than you have guys like
Zetterberg
Thornton
Giroux
Couture
Koivu
Couturier
Kuznetsov
Draisaitl

I'm not saying the first 15 are all definitely way ahead of McKinnon - but at the end of last year a strong case could be made that they were. And i left out a lot of other centers with a hot start this year.

Sorry but he's nowhere near top 10C currently. Top 15 is pushing it.

I'm actually pretty high on McKinnon overall and I think he can become a top 5 c in the league, but he simply hasn't yet. He seems to be off to a great start this year, which is fantastic, but i want to see more than a 23 game sample size before I rank him ahead of many of these other guys.

 

[Dominance]

Crosby
McDavid
Matthews
Stamkos
Schiefele
Tavares
Kopitar
Seguin
Barkov
Malkin
Eichel
Backstrom
Toews
Johansen
Bergeron

That's 15.


Than you have guys like
Zetterberg
Thornton
Giroux
Couture
Koivu
Couturier
Kuznetsov
Draisaitl

I'm not saying the first 15 are all definitely way ahead of McKinnon - but at the end of last year a strong case could be made that they were. And i left out a lot of other centers with a hot start this year.

Sorry but he's nowhere near top 10C currently. Top 15 is pushing it.

I'm actually pretty high on McKinnon overall and I think he can become a top 5 c in the league, but he simply hasn't yet. He seems to be off to a great start this year, which is fantastic, but i want to see more than a 23 game sample size before I rank him ahead of many of these other guys.

Bold: IMO, no f***ing way these guys are better than MacKinnon this season.

Italics: IMO approximately same level as MacKinnon this season.

Edit: It’s all in italics, because that’s smart. Only players I have as definitely better are McDavid, Crosby, Stamkos, Matthews, and Scheifele.

 

[Kamiccolo]

He got underrated last year. Avs fans told everyone so, just look at his points. That dumpster fire and he was a standout in a good way.

This year the team looks at least average and surprise, Mackinnon is "back"

 

[MajorLeafsFan]

MacKinnon is probably, I would say top 20 center, maybe top 15. I can't see guys like Eichel and Kuznetsov ahead of him when it comes to centers

 

[Ainec]

top 8 atm

I would say 14 all things considered

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

He got underrated last year. Avs fans told everyone so, just look at his points. That dumpster fire and he was a standout in a good way.

This year the team looks at least average and surprise, Mackinnon is "back"

Truth, his points compared to 65-70 points on a regular team if I remember correctly. This year he has taken it up another level through 23 games though, wonder where he'll land injury barring.

 

[CraigsList]

I don't want to be that guy of "what about our player!?", but if you're including MacKinnon in the top 15, you've got to acknowledge what Monahan has done as of late too.

Both these players are pretty underrated and have been overshadowed by Barkov in the 2013 draft (but with good reason). The Panthers, Avs, and Flames got pretty lucky on their picks with how impactful they've been.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I don't want to be that guy of "what about our player!?", but if you're including MacKinnon in the top 15, you've got to acknowledge what Monahan has done as of late too.

Both these players are pretty underrated and have been overshadowed by Barkov in the 2013 draft (but with good reason). The Panthers, Avs, and Flames got pretty lucky on their picks with how impactful they've been.

You are that guy though. You just came into a thread about Nathan Mackinnon specifically to post about "your player". So you may not want to be that guy, but you are.

 

[Freaky Styley]

Crosby
McDavid
Matthews
Stamkos
Schiefele
Tavares
Kopitar
Seguin
Barkov
Malkin
Eichel
Backstrom
Toews
Johansen
Bergeron

That's 15.


Than you have guys like
Zetterberg
Thornton
Giroux
Couture
Koivu
Couturier
Kuznetsov
Draisaitl

I'm not saying the first 15 are all definitely way ahead of McKinnon - but at the end of last year a strong case could be made that they were. And i left out a lot of other centers with a hot start this year.

Sorry but he's nowhere near top 10C currently. Top 15 is pushing it.

I'm actually pretty high on McKinnon overall and I think he can become a top 5 c in the league, but he simply hasn't yet. He seems to be off to a great start this year, which is fantastic, but i want to see more than a 23 game sample size before I rank him ahead of many of these other guys.

All of the guys you listed under your top 15 are not better than Mackinnon, especially when you consider age, role on the team, etc. I have no problem putting 2-way guys ahead of him but guys like Koivu don't do enough to bridge the offensive gap.

On your top 15, he's definitely ahead of Johansen. I also think he's better than Seguin, and has shown more than Eichel & Barkov (though I'm a big Barkov fan). The others I can agree with, but at this point I think he's comfortably in the top 15.

 

[ZiGOODejad]

If this is his break out season sure but he averages 50+ points a year right? he's a great center no where near top 5

 

[Freaky Styley]

I don't want to be that guy of "what about our player!?", but if you're including MacKinnon in the top 15, you've got to acknowledge what Monahan has done as of late too.

Both these players are pretty underrated and have been overshadowed by Barkov in the 2013 draft (but with good reason). The Panthers, Avs, and Flames got pretty lucky on their picks with how impactful they've been.

The difference with some of the players listed is that MacKinnon is the best player on his team, and he's been asked to be that guy for the last 2 seasons. Monahan has Gaudreau, Seguin has Benn, Kuznetzov has Backstrom/Ovi, etc. Avs fans have been preaching how he's still been playing well with no supporting cast even without the point totals there, and it's not until the rest of the team has improved has he really taken off. He looks like he's taken the next step and really embraced being 'the guy' and running with it. It's hard to put up points when you spend the whole game in your zone like the Avs the last few years.

 

[BusQuets]

All of the guys you listed under your top 15 are not better than Mackinnon, especially when you consider age, role on the team, etc. I have no problem putting 2-way guys ahead of him but guys like Koivu don't do enough to bridge the offensive gap.

On your top 15, he's definitely ahead of Johansen. I also think he's better than Seguin, and has shown more than Eichel & Barkov (though I'm a big Barkov fan). The others I can agree with, but at this point I think he's comfortably in the top 15.

How on earth has he shown more than Barkov who has played 3 straight seasons now with 0.90ppg as a center or better and is Selke level two-way player?

 

[Regal]

I don't see much justification for top 10 right now and top 15 is pushing it. He's a good player, but while he's a great offensive driver he isn't really a top 2-way guy who can take top matchups and still drive possession and he hasn't proven he can maintain this level of production yet. He's still young so this could be his breakout, and I can see him near someone like Seguin on top center lists if he keeps it up, but there's just too many established guys and other great young centers right now. I would put McDavid, Crosby, Malkin, Stamkos, Matthews, Tavares, Getzlaf, Barkov, Kopitar, Bergeron, Scheifele, Backstrom and Seguin as guys who should be ranked firmly ahead of him right now. That's already 13. Then you have Eichel, Johansen, Kuznetsov, Carter, Toews, Couture, etc battling for those last 2 spots.