NHL Network top 20 centers entering 2026-27: 5 questions

NHL Network will unveil its list of top 20 centers for the 2026-27 season on Sunday (7 p.m. ET).

Before revealing the picks, which were voted on by members of NHL Network, media and NHL.com, we take a look at possible additions and changes from last year’s top 20, answering five pressing questions in the process.

As a refresher, here were the top 20 centers last season:

20. Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers; 19. Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks; 18. Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres; 17. Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars; 16. Tim Stutzle, Ottawa Senators; 15. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings; 14. Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils; 13. Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes; 12. Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues; 11. Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils; 10. Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens; 9. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets; 8. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs; 6. Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights; 5. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins; 4. Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers; 3. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers; 2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche; 1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers.

Which player from last season’s list will make the biggest jump?

This might be the easiest question I answer all year. In last year’s list, Macklin Celebrini came in at No. 19. There’s no chance he lands anywhere close to that this season. Not after Celebrini was the breakout star of the entire NHL in 2025-26, scoring 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games as a 19-year-old. In his third NHL season, Celebrini will be older, smarter, more adapted to the NHL, both on the ice and off, and will have an even better team around him after he led the team in scoring by a whopping 56 points over the 59 scored by Will Smith. This one is a slam dunk. -– Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

Which player will make this season’s list after missing out last season?

Considering the season Wyatt Johnston put together in 2025-26 with the Dallas Stars, it would be hard to imagine the 23-year-old not making this list. Johnston had 86 points (45 goals, 41 assists) in 82 games in his fourth full NHL season. He ranked 10th in points among centers last season and was the second-leading scorer on his team behind left wing Jason Robertson, who had 96 points (45 goals, 51 assists) in 82 games. Johnston was selected by Dallas with the No. 23 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and has consistently improved his point totals since finishing fourth in rookie scoring in 2022-23 with 41 points (24 goals, 17 assists) in 82 games. He’s developed into the Stars' top center and with his best years still in front of him, is expected to continue trending upward among the League’s elite. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Will Edmonton's Connor McDavid remain No. 1 on the 2026-27 edition of the list?

He shouldn’t be, but that doesn’t mean he won’t. McDavid is considered by most the best player in the game and rightly so, but Nathan MacKinnon might deserve the spot. The Avalanche forward had 127 points (53 goals, 74 assists), 11 points behind McDavid (48 goals, 90 assists). But, MacKinnon was a whopping plus-57, putting him in contention for the title as the best two-way center in the game. McDavid is better at defense than he is sometimes given credit, but he is not in the same sphere as MacKinnon. In the end, the gaudy offensive numbers win again and McDavid holds his title, but there is an argument for MacKinnon. -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

Which player will hold the top spot on this list five seasons from now?

While there is no shortage of up-and-coming centers in the NHL, the guy who will be No. 1 on this list in five years, and maybe even a few times before that, is Celebrini. The 20-year-old helped the Sharks improve by 19 wins and 34 points from his rookie season. Celebrini also played a huge role for silver-medalist Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics and was captain for them at the World Championships and is on his way to becoming one of the new faces of the NHL. -- David Satriano, staff writer

Which under-21 center is closest to breaking into this group this season?

Konsta Helenius impressed during a nine-game midseason call-up to the Sabres with four points (one goal, three assists) in nine games. But the 20-year-old was a standout during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with two goals in four games against the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Second Round. He capped his season by scoring the golden goal in overtime for Finland to win the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Helenius has first-line skill with a grinder's mindset, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in the running for the Calder Trophy this season, and a spot among the top 20 centers in the NHL next season. -- Adam Kimelman, staff writer