Winning important face-offs, leading rushes up the ice, and setting up teammates are the hallmarks of an elite center. NHL Network producers and analysts on Sunday revealed their list of top 20 centers in the League right now in the fourth of a nine-part series. Here is the list:
20. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings captain had 67 points (34 goals, 33 assists) in 74 games last season, including 24 power-play points. He has at least 30 goals in each of his past five seasons, one of seven players to have done so (Kyle Connor, Leon Draisaitl, Jake Guentzel, Nathan MacKinnon, William Nylander, Alex Ovechkin). Larkin has at least 13 power-play goals in each of his past four seasons and has won at least 52 percent of his face-offs in that time. He also had three points (two goals, one assist) in six games to help Team USA win the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
19. Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
Thompson has had back-to-back 40-goal seasons and has scored at least 40 in three of his past four. His 40 goals, 24 power-play points and 272 shots on goal in 81 games led Buffalo last season, and his 41 assists were second behind defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (55). Thompson helped the Sabres qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011 and led them in the postseason with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 15 games. He also had three goals and an assist in six games for the gold medal-winning Team USA at the Winter Olympics.
18. Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars
For the third straight season, Johnston saw his goals, assists and points totals rise, and he had NHL career-bests of 45 goals, 41 assists and 86 points. He led the NHL with 27 power-play goals (also a Dallas/Minnesota North Stars record) and his 42 power-play points was tied for third. His 20:07 of ice time per game was also a career high and was third among Stars forwards behind Jason Robertson (20:15) and Mikko Rantanen (20:11). Johnston has scored 134 goals in the League and has yet to miss a game in his four seasons.
17. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Although limited to 63 games last season because of injury, Point had 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) to help the Lightning qualify for the playoffs for the ninth straight season. He had at least 40 goals and 82 points in each of the three previous seasons; during that span, he had 51 power-play goals and 28 game-winning goals. A two-time Stanley Cup champion (2020, 2021), Point had 56 points (28 goals, 28 assists) in 46 playoff games and led the playoffs in each of those seasons with 14 goals apiece.
16. Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks
The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bedard has led the Blackhawks in points each of his first three seasons and has 203 points (75 goals, 128 assists) in 219 regular-season games including 75 points (30 goals, 45 assists) in 75 games last season. Signed to a five-year, $75 million contract July 18, Bedard won the 2024 Calder Trophy voted as the NHL rookie of the year after he had 61 points (22 goals, 39 assists) in 68 games. He became the first player in Blackhawks history to get his 200th point at age 20 or younger against the San Jose Sharks on April 6, and the 13th player in NHL history to do so.
15. Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils
Hischier had 66 points last season (28 goals, 38 assists) in 82 games last season while averaging 20:43 of ice time. He also won 55.8 percent of his face-offs and is one of New Jersey's most trusted players in all situations (3:03 per game on power play, 1:49 short-handed). Since being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, he has 488 points (199 goals, 289 assists) in 609 regular-season games. He has scored at least 20 goals in each of the past five seasons and has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 22 playoff games. Hischier signed a five-year, $58.5 million contract July 1 that begins next season.
14. Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks
It was an eventful offseason for Carlsson, who signed a five-year, $90 million offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers before the Ducks matched the offer. He had NHL career highs in goals (29), assists (38), points (67), power-play points (18), and shots on goal (193). Carlsson also proved his worth in the playoffs with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 12 games, tied for second on the Ducks. The No. 2 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Carlsson has improved each season but has yet to play a full season because of injuries.
13. Tim Stutzle, Ottawa Senators
Stutzle had 83 points last season, including a career-high 34 goals in 80 games. He had 29 power-play points, the fifth straight season with at least 20, and was a plus-player for the first time (plus-7). He also won 53.0 percent of his face-offs, the most in his career. Since his rookie season of 2020-21, Stutzle leads the Senators in assists (260), points (409) and power-play points (145). and is second in goals (149) behind Brady Tkachuk (170), who was traded to the Florida Panthers on June 21. Among those in Stutzle's draft class, he is first in goals, assists, points and power-play points.
12. Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Aho has had a memorable year. He had six points (four goals, two assists) in six games for Finland at the Olympics to help them win bronze and then 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 19 playoff games to help Carolina win the Stanley Cup. Aho scored 27 goals last season, the 10th straight he had at least 20, and finished with 80 points for the fourth time. He had 27 power-play points and six short-handed points, tied for second in the NHL. He has been clutch with at least 10 points in each of his first eight playoff appearances, the only NHL player to do so.
11. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets
Scheifele very quietly had the best season of his career by topping 100 points for the first time (103) with a career-best 67 assists. He scored 36 goals, the third time in four seasons he's had at least that many and has at least 20 goals in 11 consecutive seasons. Scheifele also became the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers all-time leader in points (907) and games (961) last season. He had at least one point in 56 games, including 35 multipoint games.
10. Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Despite being limited to 61 games because of injuries, Hughes led the Devils in points (77) and assists (50) and was second in goals (27). He has scored at least 25 goals in five straight seasons and has at least 70 points in the past three. Hughes also had five game-winning goals and 23 power-play points last season, playing a career-best 21:19 per game. He is a point per game player in the NHL (1.00) with 428 points (168 goals, 260 assists) in 429 games. He also scored the Golden Goal for Team USA at the 2026 Olympics.
9. Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
Suzuki topped out at 101 points last season (29 goals, 72 assists) in 82 games, the fifth straight season he improved his point total. His 43 power-play points were second in the NHL, and he won the Selke Trophy voted as the best defensive forward. Suzuki was plus-37 and won 50.4 percent of his face-offs. The Canadiens captain, who has not missed a game in his seven NHL seasons, helped Montreal reach the Eastern Conference Final last season and led them with 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in the postseason.
8. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthews' 27 goals and 53 points were the fewest of his 10-season NHL career after he missed 22 games because of injury, but he scored at least 30 in each of his previous nine. Matthews became the Maple Leafs' all-time goal leader last season and his 428 since entering the NHL are the most in that time. He won the Hart Trophy (NHL MVP) and Ted Lindsay Award (MVP as voted by the NHL Players' Association) in 2021-22, when he had 60 goals and 106 points. Matthews, who scored 69 goals in 2023-24, is a three-time winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy for leading the League in goals.
7. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Crosby proved that he was just as effective in his 21st season as he was in his first. He had 74 points (29 goals, 45 assists) in 68 games, the 21st straight season he had at least a point per game. He also helped the Penguins back to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, where he led them with five points (one goal, four assists). Crosby is seventh in NHL history in points (1,771), eighth in assists (1,107) and 15th in goals (654). He has a loaded trophy case, having won the Stanley Cup three times, the Conn Smythe Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy and Rocket Richard Trophy twice each, and the Ted Lindsay Award three times.
6. Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
After a career-high 94 points in 2024-25, Eichel led Vegas with 90 points (27 goals, 63 assists) in 74 games last season. He had 28 power-play points, and his 21:12 of ice time per game led all Vegas forwards. Eichel led the Golden Knights with 3:38 of power-play time per game and his average of 1:21 of short-handed time was second among forwards. He also helped the Golden Knights get to the Stanley Cup Final and was their second-leading scorer in the playoffs with 22 (two goals, 20 assists) in 22 games. The 2023 Stanley Cup winner is averaging more than a point per game in his career with 690 (266 goals, 432 assists) in 698 games. Eichel also helped the United States win gold at the 2026 Olympics with six points (two goals, four assists) in six games.
5. Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Although Barkov missed the entire 2025-26 season because of injury, he has been one of the best all-around players in the game for a decade. He scored at least 20 goals and 50 points for 10 straight seasons (2015-25) and has won at least 53 percent of his face-offs for eight straight. Barkov had 71 points (20 goals, 51 assists) in 67 games in 2024-25 to captain the Panthers to their second straight Stanley Cup title; he had 44 points (14 goals, 30 assists) in 47 playoff games during the Panthers' back-to-back runs. Florida's all-time points leader (782), he has also won the Selke Trophy (best defensive forward) three times including each of the past two seasons he has played.
4. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Despite being limited to 65 games because of injury, Draisaitl had 97 points (35 goals, 62 assists) last season, his average of 1.49 points per game was fourth in the NHL and his 42 power-play points were tied for third. He has at least 41 goals and 100 points each of the previous four seasons and is a four-time 50-goal scorer. Since the 2015-16 season, his 1,044 points are second in the NHL behind teammate Connor McDavid (1,220) and his 432 goals are also second, behind Ovechkin (454). His 177 power-play goals rank first. Draisaitl is also a playoff performer; his 37 postseason goals since 2022-23 are the most during that stretch.
3. Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
It was an amazing season for the 20-year-old, who nearly doubled his point total from his rookie season (63) and was fourth in the NHL in points (115), tied for fourth in goals (45) and seventh in assists (70) playing all 82 games. Although the Sharks missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season, Celebrini helped them to 39 wins and 86 points after finishing with NHL lows of 20 wins and 52 points in 2024-25. The Sharks were 26-6-2 when Celebrini scored a goal and 37-18-5 when he had at least one point. He signed a five-year, $94 million contract July 29 to become the League's highest paid player per season ($18.8 million). Celebrini had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in six games for silver medal-winning Canada at the Olympics and was named to the Olympic All-Star team. At the 2026 IIHF World Championship, he had 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 10 games where he was captain and named the tournament's best forward. Celebrini was also named the IIHF Male Player of the Year.
2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
MacKinnon had 127 points (53 goals, 74 assists) in 80 games last season and has had at least 111 points each of the past four. He's scored at least 30 goals in eight of the past nine seasons; he had 20 in 48 games of the 56-game 2020-21 season. He has 150 power-play points over the past four seasons, a stretch when he's an NHL-best plus-146. MacKinnon led the NHL last season at plus-57 and won the Rocket Richard Trophy as goals leader. The 2024 Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay winner has been a top-five Hart finalist in six of the past seven seasons. His 1.30 points per game in the playoffs is fifth in NHL history among players with at least 100 games, trailing Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Mario Lemieux (1.61), McDavid (1.53) and Draisaitl (1.48).
1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
McDavid led the League with 138 points (48 goals, 90 assists) last season and won the Ted Lindsay Award for the fifth time. Gretzky is the only other player to accomplish that feat. McDavid had points in 68 of the 82 games he played, including 43 multipoint games, and seven with at least four points. He had 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists) during a 20-game point streak from Dec. 4-Jan. 13. Since entering the NHL for the 2015-16 season, he leads all players in points (1,220), assists (811) and power-play points (418) and is fifth in goals (409). He has scored at least 100 points in nine of his 11 NHL seasons and has won the Art Ross Trophy six times, the Hart three times, the Rocket Richard once, and the Conn Smythe once. That was awarded to him after he led the playoffs with 42 points in 2024 -- the third highest ever single-season total -- despite the Oilers losing the Stanley Cup Final to the Panthers in seven games. McDavid also led the 2026 Olympics with 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in six games and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
