Who are the top 10 centers right now?

[WetcoastOrca]

These lists change too much based on five game sample sizes. To be a top 5 center requires a consistent top 5 performance for at least a season, preferably two seasons.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Two way he his great, offensively he is middle of the pack. So if you average that out he will end up one of the best two-way players in the game and that is about it. Not saying that is not a great accomplishment but that is how he will be remembered. It seems HF tends to overvalue defensive forwards while almost completely undervaluing offense.

The people that pick Team Canada disagree and those guys have a ton of credibility.

 

[LivingRentFree]

Are people actually saying Sebastien Aho is better than Tavares, Backstrom, Kuznetsov etc? I get national pride but OUCH that's bad.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

These lists change too much based on five game sample sizes. To be a top 5 center requires a consistent top 5 performance for at least a season, preferably two seasons.

Well right now the Top 5, according to the votes above is.

McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
MacKinnon
Bergeron

That's pretty hard to argue against.

 

[dukeofjive]

My top 10

McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
McKinnon
Kopitar
Bergeron
Getzlaf
Schiefele
Mathews
Backstrom

 

[WetcoastOrca]

My top 10

McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
McKinnon
Kopitar
Bergeron
Getzlaf
Schiefele
Mathews
Backstrom

That’s a good list imo.

 

[Halla]

So does that mean Matthews is better than McDavid?

He is playing better

10g/16pts vs 2g/5pts

I'd still take Mcdavid if I had to choose, but the gap isnt nearly as big as oilers fans make it out to be (multiple tiers apparently)

 

[bobholly39]

Well right now the Top 5, according to the votes above is.

McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
MacKinnon
Bergeron

That's pretty hard to argue against.

I dont know about that. I mean it's a very solid top 5 - but i think the only 3 "musts" in that top 5 are the first 3. Mack and Bergeron can be interchangeable.

 

[bobholly39]

He is playing better

10g/16pts vs 2g/5pts

I'd still take Mcdavid if I had to choose, but the gap isnt nearly as big as oilers fans make it out to be (multiple tiers apparently)

The gap is significant for 2 reasons:

Projections. It wasn't close. McDavid was always expected to be a decent tier above someone like Matthews
Results so far from McDavid. He's lit the league on fire so far 3 years in - and has proven to be a tier above Matthews and any other young stars

It doesn't mean Matthews can't raise his stock and end up closer to McDavid - and maybe as a biased Toronto fan you can say you expected it all along if it happens- but until it does happen and consistently the gap between them remains wider than you seem to be acknowledging.

 

[SnizzNasty88]

McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
Bergeron
MacKinnon
Kopitar
Getzlaf
Stamkos
Tavares
Barkov

This is list laughable for two reasons

 

[Zamuz]

He is playing better

10g/16pts vs 2g/5pts

I'd still take Mcdavid if I had to choose, but the gap isnt nearly as big as oilers fans make it out to be (multiple tiers apparently)

McDavid has been part in 100% of Oilers goals.
Leafs have played 4 more games.


Let's talk about Matthews being even close to him when Matthews wins an Art Ross, Hart, let alone wins two Art Rosses and has back to back 100 point seasons.

He has never even hit 70 points.

 

[Midnight Judges]

three way tie for 10th so far with stamkos,kuznetsov and schiefele

I'd take Kuz over Stamkos at this point and feel pretty good about it.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Kopitar being left off too many lists IMO.

 

[SotasicA]

What happened to Kuznetsov being a top 10 player in the league?

 

[Nadal On Clay]

McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
Kopitar
MacKinnon
Bergeron
Matthews
Seguin
Barkov
Kuznetsov

HM: Tavares and Eichel

 

[strictlyrandy]

McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
MacKinnon
Kuznetsov
Backstrom
Tavares
Bergeron
Barkov
Kopitar

Just outside of that is Matthews in Eichel.

 

[seancolorado]

Seguin is top 10 for me.

This is a stacked list of choices, so I don't fault anyone for leaving Seguin off, but he is more often a top 5 center in stretches than he is a top 15 in stretches, so it is somewhat surprising that he didn't eclipse 50% in the votes. I wonder if we held a Central fans only poll if the number would be higher, or if the spread is even across the entire leaguewide fanbase

 

[Connor McConnor]

McDavid
Malkin
Crosby

MacKinnon
Kopitar
Bergeron
Matthews
Barkov
Seguin
Kuznetsov

HM: Tavares, Stamkos, Schiefele

 

[authentic]

McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
MacKinnon
Kuznetsov
Backstrom
Tavares
Bergeron
Barkov
Kopitar

Just outside of that is Matthews in Eichel.

Lol the center with 44 goals in his last 69 games isn't top 10? He's better than Tavares and Backstom without hesitation.

 

[tacogeoff]

McDavid has been part in 100% of Oilers goals.
Leafs have played 4 more games.


Let's talk about Matthews being even close to him when Matthews wins an Art Ross, Hart, let alone wins two Art Rosses and has back to back 100 point seasons.

He has never even hit 70 points.

Facts.

 

[Ainec]

barkov kuznetsov malkin matthews mcdavid crosby kopitar bergeron scheifele mackinnon

seguin and getzlaf were close. I'd put Getzlaf in if he wasn't old and injury-prone

 

[strictlyrandy]

Lol the center with 44 goals in his last 69 games isn't top 10? He's better than Tavares and Backstom without hesitation.

Offense isn't everything and I took that into consideration. I also took health into consideration and right now I take Kuzy and Tavares over Matthews. Kuzy's playoff performance also weighed heavily in my choosing. Matthews just isn't there. Sorry you're offended by a list. Apologize to your therapist for me. I didn't mean to trigger you.

 

[authentic]

Offense isn't everything and I took that into consideration. I also took health into consideration and right now I take Kuzy and Tavares over Matthews. Kuzy's playoff performance also weighed heavily in my choosing. Matthews just isn't there. Sorry you're offended by a list. Apologize to your therapist for me. I didn't mean to trigger you.

I'm not offended by it the least bit I just thought it was kinda funny.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

1. Sidney Crosby
2a. Connor McDavid
2b. Auston Matthews
4. Evgeny Malkin
5. Nathan MacKinnon
6. Anze Kopitar
7. Patrice Bergeron
8. Aleksander Barkov
9. John Tavares
10. Evgeny Kuznetsov

 

[strictlyrandy]

I'm not offended by it the least bit I just thought it was kinda funny.

I mean, you were bothered enough to quote a post that wasn't directed at you and felt you had to come white knight for Matthews.