I asked Chris and John who they thought the top ten centers currently in the NHL are. The responses and their reasoning make for one interesting read.
Here we go, Starting with #10:
Chris- Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes) – Eric squeaks in to the list at #10 over Joe Thornton, and that was a VERY difficult decision to make, but I will explain my choice. Eric has a Stanley Cup to his name, and Joe does not. To amplify the significance of this, Eric has been the franchise player and very often carried the entire offensive burden of Carolina on his back. They had a great team in 2006 when they won, but their small market forces them to make tough decisions in regards to player salary, and in the years since the cup win, Staal has many times been forced to carry the offensive load of a mediocre team, and still come through with flying colors. I am not trying to disrespect Thornton; this was a tough call, but I think that Jumbo Joe has had much more of a support staff over the years in San Jose than Eric in Carolina.
Staal Scores against Washington 10/8/11
John-Henrik Zetterberg (Detroit Red Wings)-Scoring more than a point per game since the lockout, Zetterberg has carried Detroit along with Datsyuk. With Datsyuk's presence, however, Zetterberg's defensive skills have gone relatively unnoticed, when they are definitely Selke Trophy-worthy. He is one of the illustrious members of the Triple Gold Club which proves just how good he is. Zetterberg is just past the "prime" years but at 31 years of age he still has plenty left for another Cup and maybe another Olympic gold.
9)
Chris-Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks) – I had a very hard time selecting #9 and 10. In fact, it took me two whole days. I decided on Getzlaf at number 9 for two reasons. First, he has a cup ring. Say what you want, but if your team wins the cup, and you were a part of it, you are a good player. No team wins the cup without significant contribution from EVERYONE involved. Secondly, I thoroughly believe that a great player will not only be amazing in his own right, but make everyone around him better as well. He plays on Anaheim’s first line between Bobby Ryan (Cherry Hill represent!!) and Corey Perry. Not to take anything away from either Ryan or Perry, but I do believe that Perry doesn’t win the MVP last year and score 50 goals without Getzlaf feeding him the puck, and I don’t believe Ryan makes as large of an impact as he has on the game so quickly without Getzlaf.
John-Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning)-His rookie season in 2008-09 was a strong showing for a newly drafted player, but his sophomore year was even more impressive as he completely ignored the "Sophomore Slump" and scored 51 goals and 95 points. At the beginning of the 2010-11 season Stamkos was scoring a goal per game and if he is able to maintain that consistency there will be goal scoring not seen since Lemieux and Gretzky in the late '80s and point totals that will blow Ovechkin and Crosby out of the water.
Stamkos Scores twice againts Montreal 9/29/11
8)
John-Mike Richards (Los Angeles Kings)-Richards is a heavy-hitting forward who can score, and he does so regularly. While his points totals in the past two years were below what he is capable, he developed into a great team leader. Richards was traded to the west coast in the offseason and can flourish again on a young Kings team.
Chris-Nicklas Backstrom (Washington Capitals) – If anyone has trouble coming up with a nickname for Backstrom, may I suggest Robin, Sancho, Jughead, Kato, Watson, Tonto, Ed McMahon, or even Ron Weasley? Do you see what I’m getting at here? If Backstrom had come into the league at ANY other time with ANY other team, he would be known as more than “Ovechkin’s center.” Not that being Ovechkin’s setup man is a bad gig, but like many of the aforementioned sidekicks, Nicky is capable of doing just as much (and sometimes even more) than his much more recognized high-scoring comrade.
Backstrom ties it up and then wins it against Anaheim 11/1/11
7)
John-Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes)-A beast of a player, Staal is the best and most consistent threat on Carolina. With five seasons of 30 or more goals, and one season of 29 goals, he is a major scoring presence. Combined with his physical play, he is a force to be reckoned with. He also plays hard in every game, giving no leniency to anyone, even his own brothers.
Chris- Brad Richards (New York Rangers) – Richards went kind of unnoticed during his tenure in Dallas, but that was through no fault of his own. He was squeezed out of Tampa by the salary cap, but continued to put up huge numbers for a Dallas team that has been mediocre over the past few seasons. His notoriety spiked this summer when he hit the open market as the most sought after free agent, landing in the spotlight of Broadway. I have a hunch he may get a bit more attention wearing the Broadway blue, hopefully he can click with Marian Gaborik and finally give the Rangers that extra gear on offense that they have seemed to lack the past few seasons, and if that is the case, they will be a dangerous team come April.
Brad Richards scores his first goal with the New York Rangers 10/15/11
6)
Chris-Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) – Anze is the league’s best kept secret, and I don’t understand how. He is absolutely incredible to watch in ways that cannot be quantified; just watch a Los Angeles Kings game and see for yourself. All I can say is that he reminds me of watching Mats Sundin in his prime. But if you do want numbers, go ahead and check his out, then you can scratch your head with me and wonder how he isn’t a household name.
John-Ryan Kesler (Vancouver Canucks)-A player, who on any other team would be a star, was often forgotten on a stacked Vancouver team. He's really come into his own in the past four years, scoring 20 or more goals in each and jumping his points totals from 16 in 2006-07 to 75 and 73 in 2009-11. He also won the Selke Trophy in 2010-11, breaking Datsyuk's reign. Kesler will be one of the best defensive forwards for the next decade and expect a new Selke reign to begin.
Kesler "History Will Be Made" Commercial from 2011 Playoffs
5)
Chris- Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit Red Wings) – He is probably the most debatable choice on this list (especially at number 5), but see the comment below about how Toews can play in any situation, and double that for Pavel. Not only is he a multiple time Selke Trophy winner as the best defensive forward, but he is also a multiple Lady Byng winner as the league’s most sportsmanlike player. Datsyuk is also the ONLY player in the NHL that consistently makes highlight-reel plays that are not either stupid or dangerous. The kicker? He was drafted in the 6th round at 171st overall back in 1998. I can think of a few teams who might want to do that draft over…almost 30 of them.
John-Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks)-Getzlaf is a consistently strong player. In good years for the Ducks, Getzlaf scores, helping the team. In bad years for the Ducks, Getzlaf scores, carrying the team. Outside of scoring, he is a hard-hitter and holds his own against the toughest players in the league.
Getzlaf with a Shorthanded goal during the Playoffs 4/13/2007
4)
John-Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks)-He's often been criticized for his lack of production in the post-season, but 17 pts in 18 games in the 2011 playoffs shows he's coming around. At the age of 32, Thornton is past his prime, but is still a threat on the ice. Since the lockout, few players have scored more than he. Thornton also is extremely reliable during the regular season having missed only 6 games in the past 6 years.
Chris-Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks) – Watching Toews captain the Chicago Blackhawks makes me forget that he is only 23 years old. He has the poise of someone who has been in the game for at least a couple decades. His numbers may not be on par with that of his peers on this list (they’re still quite spectacular, make no mistake), but Toews’ ability to lead, as well as versatility (he can play in ANY situation) bump him up into the #4 spot on this list.
Toews scores to put the Hawks on the board 10/19/2007
3) Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Canucks)
John-A smooth passer, he led the league in 2010-11 with 75 assists, placing him fourth in the league in scoring. The previous year he won the Art Ross Trophy with 112 pts. Teamed up with his brother, Daniel, he is one of the most dangerous passers for one of the most dangerous scorers.
Chris – Like many hockey fans, I often wonder what Henrik was capable of without the support of his twin brother. Well, we found out two years ago, when Daniel went on long term injured reserve. Henrik led the league in scoring with 126 points (112 in the regular season) and won the Art Ross trophy as the league’s most valuable player. He was an integral piece of the Canucks run to the cup finals last year, and his lowest point total in the last six seasons is 75. Yup, only 75.
Henrik feeds to twin brother Daniel for a goal 11/1/11
2)
Chris- Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning) – Barely old enough to legally purchase the Landshark he needs to relax on some of the nearby keys (good lord, do I miss Siesta Key…), Stamkos is the epitome of a young franchise player, with the vast majority of his career ahead of him. To me, he is the most prolific center in the league that isn’t Sidney Crosby. He reportedly goes through some of the most rigorous off-ice workouts of any player in an attempt to constantly improve, even though he clearly doesn’t need it. But, that is the sign of a truly great player.
John-Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins-Crosby has great skill all-around. He has been in the top scorers in the league since his rookie season, averaging 1.39 pts/gm. His most impressive season to date was the most recent ('10-'11). In just 41 games he scored 32 goals and 66 points. Crosby will only get better in years to come.
Compilation of some of Crosby's best goals
1)
Chris-Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) – What else is there to say? “Sid the Kid” is the face of the NHL, the most recognizable name in hockey since Gretzky, and with good reason. At age 24, he has already won everything there is to win: a Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Olympic Gold Medal, World Junior gold medal, and the list could go on and on. Crosby’s status is currently in limbo due to post-concussion complications, but let’s consider one thing: had he played all 82 games last season, he was on pace for 64 goals and 68 assists. No one can single-handedly carry a team and steal a game the way that Crosby does on a consistent basis, and that is why Crosby is number one on my list.
John-Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit Red Wings)-Probably the best mix of offense and defense, not just among centers, but in the entire league. He is a consistent scorer averaging 1.09 pts/gm since the lockout. He also won the Selke Trophy from 2008-10 as the best defensive forward. He began his career under the toutalage of Igor Larionov, Sergei Fedorov, and Steve Yzerman, some of the greatest in the game. With two Stanley Cups under his belt, he has the experience and leadership skills to easily win at least one more Cup before he calls it quits.
A compilation of some of Datsyuk's best goals
That's what these guys think. A lot of the same guys, just different rankings. I guess it comes down to how you see the sport.
Just some extra notes from Chris:
Hope you enjoyed it.Honorable Mentions: Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks), John Tavares (New York Islanders), Jason Spezza (Ottawa Senators), Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers), Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins), Jordan Staal (Pittsburgh Penguins).
See the Eric Staal post for my thoughts on Thornton. Tavares will crack this list in a couple years, potentially top five down the road. Spezza would have been on this list, and very high up just a couple seasons ago (see: “Pizza Line”), but has been very underwhelming as of late. Giroux is listed as a Center, but spends just as much if not more time playing the wing (though with Richards and Carter gone, he will see more time at center). Again, in a couple years, he will be on the upper level of this list. Malkin would simply be at #3 if he was not injured, and that is all there is to say about that, I also tried my best not to include multiple centers from one team, although maybe I should have, because I feel terrible about leaving Jordan Staal off of this list. He can literally do everything, and in the absence of both Malkin and Crosby, has certainly played the role of a top ten center. For anyone who wants to know, I used and will continue to use the positions listed on ESPN.com as the basis for this series of articles.Until next time,
Cheers, beers, sake and hockey.
Until next time,
Keep the hockey on.
~Ben
(Contributions from Chris and John)
