Pick The Better First Line Centers And We'll Tell You If You'd Be A Good NHL GM
- by D_Lamoureux
- – on
- in Sports
Yes, the goalie is a very important position in hockey. You definitely need a good, or at least hot, goalie to win games in the NHL. But still, the position that most hockey minds would say is the most important to have the best players at would be centre. centres have a ton of responsibilities defensively. First, they’re asked to take faceoffs, which are crucial in establishing possession for the team. Then, they act as a third defenceman in their own zone to provide support in the corners and in front of the net. Some centres are done there, but the best in the game also chip in on offence, either setting up their goal scorers on the wing or putting the puck in the net themselves.
A lot of the best players to ever lace up the skates played centre. Jean Beliveau, Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, Mario Lemieux, and Wayne Gretzky all played down the middle of the ice for their teams. A lot of the same can be said in today’s NHL, with Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid clearly leading the way for centremen. In reality, every first line centre in the NHL is an amazing hockey player, because they have to be. In some cases even a second liner on some teams is better than a lot of forwards on the first line of other squads.
Can you tell which first line centres are better than others? Scroll down to start our quiz and find out!
Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby?
This might as well be asking who the best player in the NHL is, because these centres clearly number one and two. In 2017 McDavid took home more individual trophies at the NHL Awards show, but Crosby got the more important team trophy: the Stanley Cup. Who do you think is better?
John Tavares or Ryan Getzlaf?
Tavares is the flashier player, but you can’t deny Getzlaf's resume. The Ducks’ centre has finished first place in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Olympics, the World Cup of Hockey, and the World Junior Championship. JT has won all of those except the Stanley Cup. Who do you like?
Auston Matthews or Tyler Seguin?
The Leafs could have drafted Tyler Seguin if they didn’t trade their pick to Boston for Phil Kessel. After trading away Phil Kessel and finishing last in the NHL, they were able to draft Auston Matthews. It’s funny how things work out in hockey. Which player would you rather have?
Mark Scheifele or Claude Giroux?
Mark Scheifele has impressed a lot of people even before becoming the Winnipeg Jets’ regular first-line centre in 2016-17. Giroux, on the other hand, has been impressing people as the first-line centre for the Flyers for a much longer time. Who do you take?
Patrice Bergeron or Jonathan Toews?
Both these players are exceptional two-way hockey players, and great leaders to boot. Each has lead their team to Stanley Cup victories, but the impressive thing is the consistency. Toews hasn’t missed the playoffs for ten seasons, while Bergeron has missed out just twice during the same period of time.
Nicklas Backstrom or Nathan MacKinnon?
Has Nick Backstrom helped Alex Ovechkin become the prolific scorer he is, or Ovechkin just made him look better than he is? There’s no doubt Backstrom’s point totals are inflated by playing with Ovi, but by how much? The same can’t be said for MacKinnon, although Backstrom does have the better career so far.
Brayden Schenn or Henrik Sedin?
Here’s a great example of a good player who is on his career upswing versus a great player on the downswing of his. Sedin will almost surely be heading to the Hall-of-Fame soon, while Schenn is just focused on taking advantage of the opportunity he has as St. Louis’ top line centre. Who would you rather take on your team?
Matt Duchene or Joe Pavelski?
While Duchene is just entering his prime, and Pavelski is extending his prime years, neither has lifted the Stanley Cup yet. Pavelski has managed to take the first-line centre position from living legend Joe Thornton, at least in name, while Duchene was traded to Ottawa when Colorado put Nathan MacKinnon on first-line centre duty. Who would you rather have?
Anze Kopitar or Aleksander Barkov?
Aleksander Barkov is an incredible talent, but is he as good as Stanley Cup champion Anze Kopitar? If we’re going by who is a better scorer, the two are actually very close. If you judge them by their defensive stats, it becomes clear who is better. Do you know which one it is?
William Karlsson or Derek Stepan?
The first-line centre for a team at the top of the Western Conference against the first-line centre for a team at the bottom of the Western Conference. Stepan has the advantage in NHL experience, but Karlsson’s one season as a first line centre has been impressive. Karlsson already has more points in the 2017-18 season than Stepan ever had in a season in his career.
Steven Stamkos or Ryan Johansen?
This is the centre of the team currently first place in the NHL’s Eastern Conference, matched up with the first-line centre of the first place team in the Western Conference. The teams are pretty close to equal, but who is the better player?
Jordan Staal or Eric Staal?
Jordan Staal left the Pittsburgh Penguins to join his brother Eric on the Carolina Hurricanes in 2012. They wouldn’t play together long though, as Eric was moved in 2016 to give first-line centre duties to Jordan. Eric did well for himself though, rejuvenating his career with Minnesota when we all thought he was getting old. Which Staal brother would you rather have?
Nico Hischier or Auston Matthews?
This is the first overall pick of the 2017 draft against the first overall pick of the 2016 draft. Matthews had an unbelievable rookie season where he potted 40 goals. Hischier is having a pretty decent season for the Devils, with 43 points through 69 games so far. With Matthews probably not reaching that same mark again this season, who would you rather have going forward?
Alexander Wennberg or Brayden Schenn?
The St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets both have different looks to their rosters than in recent times, and these players are at the centre of the changes. Both these players have developed into capable top-line forwards, and have bright futures ahead.
Dylan Larkin or Matt Duchene?
These are without a doubt two of the fastest centres in the game of hockey today. Larkin actually set the record for fastest skater all-time at an All-Star Game, but it was a little controversial. Duchene was in Colorado for a while, but the Wings/Avs rivalry had died down by the point these two played against each other.
Sean Monahan or Nathan MacKinnon?
Maybe it’s just the centre position, but it feels like there’s tons of young talent in the NHL right now. MacKinnon has been spectacular this season, and can turn a goal out of nothing. Monahan is more of a two-way leader type, but both are crucial to their respective team’s success. Who do you favour?
Mika Zibanejad or Nico Hischier?
Nico Hischier and the New Jersey Devils are having a much better season than they would have expected. For the team that finished dead last in 2017, to have a shot at the 2018 playoffs says a lot about the player they drafted 1st overall. Would you take Hischier or Zibanejad?
Jack Eichel or Auston Matthews?
The fact that these two young players are both American centres around the same age means they’ll be getting compared to each other a lot. Matthews team has rebounded from picking 1st overall better than Eichel has, but you can blame the teammates, coaches, and front offices for the discrepancy between the two more than the discrepancy in talent between the two players.
Jonathan Drouin or Sean Couturier?
When deciding between these two, you might as well be deciding on whether you value offence or defence more. Couturier leads NHL centres in defensive win shares in 2017/18, while Drouin is a much more offensive player. It hasn’t shown in his stats this year, but part of the blame has to fall on how awful of a team Montreal is.
Alex Wennberg or William Karlsson?
This is fun because you have to be really up to date with the NHL to answer this correctly. Three years ago, I doubt many people knew who either of these players were. Now, you’d better know their names if you call yourself a hockey fan. Do you know who’s been better than the other?
Sidney Crosby or Jonathan Toews?
Toews is the only centreman who can really match Crosby’s team achievements throughout his career. Toews also won the World Juniors, Olympics, and the Stanley Cup twice, it’s just all the individual accolades he’s missing. Who would you pick to play first-line centre on your Team Canada?
Joe Pavelski or Patrice Bergeron?
Pavelski and Bergeron are both complete, two-way veteran centres. At this point in their careers, there’s really not much more you can ask for. Although Pavelski doesn’t have a Stanley Cup ring, he has better playoff stats than Bergeron. Who do you think is better?
Steven Stamkos or Auston Matthews?
Stamkos and Matthews are two of the better goal scoring centres in the NHL. They are the only two centres other than Sidney Crosby to score over 40 goals in a single season since 2014. Who do you think is the better player?
Sean Monahan or Sean Couturier?
These players have more in common than just their first names. They’re both promising young centres on two fairly historic teams. While the advanced stats favour Couturier, the traditional stats tend to favour Monahan. Which player do you think is better?
Aleksander Barkov or Tyler Seguin?
Barkov and Seguin are both very talented scorers, which is important for a first line centre in today’s NHL. Seguin has more goals than Barkov, but Barkov has more points. Both of these teams are currently battling for playoff spots. Which of the two would want on your team with playoffs on the line?
Mark Scheifele or John Tavares?
Very few players, let alone centres, have hands as smooth as these two. If these two don’t have the puck on their sticks during a game, it’s likely because they’ve just made a perfect pass to a teammate. Which do you think is better?
Nicklas Backstrom or Steven Stamkos?
Take your pick, goals or assists? Steven Stamkos has more goals than any other centre in the NHL since 2010, and Backstrom has the 4th most assists in the same time frame. It’s worth mentioning that Backstrom is better defensively. Who would you take?
Matt Duchene or Nathan MacKinnon?
Matt Duchene was sent to Ottawa from Colorado rather unceremoniously after he sent in a trade request. This turned out to be a blessing for the Avs, however, as Nathan MacKinnon embraced his enlarged role with the team, while Duchene became the main man down the middle for the lowly Senators.
Mika Zibanejad or Jonathan Drouin?
These are both very crafty players. Zibanejad has benefitted from his move from Ottawa to New York, while Drouin has made the most of his move from Tampa to Montreal. Which young centre would you take on your team going forward?
Eric Staal or Alex Wennberg?
These two players are on opposite ends of their careers. Staal, 33, is still going strong in his 14th season. Wennberg, 23, has now had two very good consecutive seasons in the NHL. Who would you rather have as your first line centre?
Jack Eichel or Dylan Larkin?
This is another pair of young centres that will be carrying the flag for USA in future hockey competitions (that aren’t the Olympics because NHL players aren’t allowed anymore). It’s safe to say that both will be looking to follow in Mike Modano’s footsteps of being an American centre to lead an American team to a Stanley Cup victory. Which of the two would you bet on?
Sean Couturier or Brayden Schenn?
These players were both on the Philadelphia Flyers for six seasons, until Schenn moved on to the Blues for the 2017-18 campaign and has done very well. Couturier has also done well with the Flyers after Schenn had left. Do you think Philly let go of the right guy?
William Karlsson or Evgeni Malkin?
Okay, so technically Malkin isn’t a first-line centre, but that’s only because the Penguins also have Sidney Crosby on their team. Do you think Malkin is good enough to beat out the top centre on one of the best teams in the NHL?
Ryan Getzlaf or Henrik Sedin?
There is 30 years of NHL experience between Getzlaf and Sedin. 17 for the Swede, and 13 for the Canadian. That’s what you call an NHL veteran. With today’s doctors, there’s no telling how much longer they’ll play for. Which would you rather have in the twilight of their career?
Derek Stepan or Mika Zibanejad?
These players were both members of the New York Rangers in 2016, with Stepan at centre on the first line. Now, Zibanejad mans the first line for the Rangers, while Stepan is plying his trade in Arizona. Who do you think is better?
