There';s no more important role in the NHL today than that of a proven first
line center. Teams have won without Vezina-caliber goaltending; see the 2010
Chicago Blackhawks. Similarly, teams with questionable defenses have succeeded;
 here';s looking at you, 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins. Yet, teams without a true
top center generally don';t win. That';s because a number one center is asked
to bring elite production, succeed in the faceoff circle, not be a liability in
 his own zone, and improve his linemates.

A look at recent Stanley Cup winners conveys this. The Washington Capitals had
Evgeny Kuznetsov, the Penguins had Sidney Crosby, the Blackhawks had Jonathan
Toews, and the Los Angeles Kings had Anze Kopitar. Every one of those players
is among the league';s best centers and was key to helping his team capture
Cups.Sidney Crosby';s dominance down the middle helped the Penguins win Stanley
 Cups in 2009, 2016, and 2017. (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and
Edmonton Oilers, teams who have drafted first overall in the past few years,
have recently lacked a franchise center and drafted one.

This article looks at, analyzes, and attempts to rank the best first line
centers in the league today. I took into account a player';s offensive output,
his defensive abilities, how successful he is at taking faceoffs, and how much
he improves his linemates. Let me know in the comments below which ranks you
agree and disagree with.1. Connor McDavid

21 Years Old, 4th Season

Connor McDavid broke into the league in 2015 with sky-high expectations as the
first generational talent since Sidney Crosby a decade earlier. McDavid has
exceeded all expectations, staked a claim as the league';s best player in
2016-17, his sophomore season, and solely took over the top spot last season.
Over the past two seasons, he has 23 more points than any other player and 30
more than the next center, Crosby. Since debuting, his 256 points are
third-most in the league behind Patrick Kane and Crosby despite missing 37
games his rookie season.In three seasons, Connor McDavid has gone from
generational prospect to the league';s best player. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI
via Getty Images)

McDavid has two Ted Lindsay Awards, two Art Ross Trophies, one Hart Trophy, and
 is a two-time All-Star. In 2016-17, when he won his first Art Ross Trophy, he
led the league by 11 points and had 23 more than any other Oiler. His 31.7
point shares in his first three seasons are third-most all-time among centers
behind Wayne Gretzky and Crosby. He has improved in nearly every aspect,
including goals, points, and five-on-five scoring and regularly improves his
linemates'; metrics. If there';s one area he needs to improve in, it';s in the
faceoff circle, where he';s a career 42 percent.2. Sidney Crosby

31 Years Old, 14th Season

Crosby was the league';s best player for a decade, from 2006-07, his sophomore
season, through 2016-17 before turning the reins over to McDavid. What Crosby
has done in his career is incredible, especially considering injuries have cost
 him over two seasons worth of games. He has three Ted Lindsay Awards, two Hart
 Trophies, two Rocket Richard Trophies, two Art Ross Trophies, and is a
seven-time All-Star. Oh, and he has three Stanley Cups and two Conn Smythe
Trophies. Additionally, he has five more top-five finishes in Hart Trophy
voting.Sidney Crosby was the league';s best player for a decade until Connor
McDavid passed him during the 2017-18 season. (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA
TODAY Sports)

Since debuting in 2005, only Alex Ovechkin';s 1,122 points are more than
Crosby';s 1,116, although Crosby has played in over 100 fewer games. His 1.29
points-per-game (P/G) mark is the highest by .10 in that span and sixth-highest
 all-time. It took him 757 games to reach 1,000 points, 12th-fewest in history,
 but none of the players who reached that mark quicker did so after the 2004-05
 lockout. He continues to excel as he ages, with at least a point-per-game
average in all 13 seasons, already tied for the 10th-most such seasons.

He has done all that while playing with less than stellar linemates, often
centering a line of unknown, speedy wingers while Evgeni Malkin plays with more
 proven scorers. Crosby has a history of turning those lesser known wingers
into household names - Chris Kunitz, Conor Sheary, and Jake Guentzel to name a
few.3. Anze Kopitar

31 Years Old, 13th Season

Slovenian Anze Kopitar is a different type of player than McDavid and Crosby.
He hasn';t and likely won';t put up the lofty offensive totals on a consistent
basis that the others do. He also plays on the penalty kill more than other top
 centers, with an average of 2:04 of shorthanded time per-game the past three
seasons, the highest of any center on this list.Anze Kopitar is the game';s
best two-way center. He takes some of the toughest draws for the Los Angeles
Kings, plays well in his own zone, and can score at an elite level with 92
points in 2017-18. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The Kings drafted him 10 picks after Crosby in 2005 and he has emerged as the
league';s best two-way center as evident by his two Selke Trophies and four
other top-five finishes, inheriting the accolade from Patrice Bergeron in
recent seasons. Kopitar also has two Stanley Cups and a Lady Byng Trophy to his
 name. He set career highs offensively in 2017-18 with 35 goals and 92 points.
 It was his first season as a point-per-game player and has had five others
with at least a .90 P/G average.

He';s also known for his work in the defensive zone and started in the
offensive zone just 33.9 percent at five-on-five last season, lower than
McDavid and Crosby. Kopitar thrives at the faceoff dot, at 54.1 percent last
season, including 55.1 percent on the penalty kill. There isn';t a better
all-around center in the game today than Kopitar, who can perform offensively
at an elite level while thriving in the defensive zone.4. Nathan MacKinnon

23 Years Old, 6th Season

Former number one overall pick Nathan MacKinnon took longer than fellow top
picks McDavid and Crosby to produce at an elite level. It took him five seasons
 to be exact as his 2017-18 season is his only elite season so far, but what a
year it was. His 39 goals and 97 points nearly doubled previous career highs.
He was top-10 in the league in both categories and his 39 goals were the most
by a Colorado Avalanche player since the 2004-05 lockout while his 97 points
were second-most.Nathan MacKinnon had a career year in 2017-18 with new
personal bests in goals and assists. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

He was a Hart Trophy finalist for the first time and finished second to Taylor
Hall by 70 votes, the smallest margin since 2013. He was also named an All-Star
 for the first time. Prior to last season, MacKinnon';s career highs were 24
goals and 63 points, both set during his 2013-14 rookie season. He has,
however, had his point production increase each of the past three seasons and
was on another level last season.

He was on the ice for 40 percent of Colorado';s five-on-five goals last season
and was dominant in the postseason with three goals and six points in six games
 against the Nashville Predators. If there';s a knock to his game, it';s that
he struggled at taking faceoffs at just 41.9 percent in the regular season and
37.6 percent in the playoffs. He also has a history of injuries with 36 missed
games in his career, including eight last season.5. Patrice Bergeron

33 Years Old, 15th Season

The best two-way center in recent memory, Bergeron has been a Selke Trophy
finalist each of the past seven seasons and has finished top-five in voting
nine straight seasons. In total, he has four Selke Trophies and one Stanley Cup
 and his .98 P/G average in 2017-18 was the highest of his career after scoring
 63 points in 64 games. Always with strong possession metrics, the Bruins have
controlled over 50 percent of five-on-five shots with Bergeron on the ice in
all but one season since 2007-08.Patrice Bergeron with his most recent of four
Selke Trophies, which tied him with Bob Gainey for the most in history. (Jerry
Lai-USA TODAY Sports)

He is incredible in the faceoff circle at over 55 percent in each season since
2009-10, including 58.3 percent on the penalty kill last season while averaging
 1:49 of shorthanded ice time per game. He has also had a positive turnover
ratio in 10 of 11 seasons since 2007-08. By comparison, Crosby has never had a
positive turnover margin while Kopitar and MacKinnon each have three.6. Auston
Matthews

20 Years Old, 3rd Season

Auston Matthews, the 2016 first overall pick, is already one of the game';s
best players after two seasons. He took home the 2017 Calder Trophy after a
40-goal, 69-point campaign. Since debuting in 2016, he has nine more goals and
two more points than any other Maple Leaf. In fact, his 74 goals the past two
seasons are tied for fifth-most in the league and his .51 goals-per-game (G/G)
rate is tied for third-highest among players with at least 100 games since his
debut. Plus, he hasn';t relied on power play scoring to find success with just
13 goals on the man advantage.In his sophomore season, Auston Matthews
registered a point in 42 of 62 games in 2017-18. Already a strong two-way
center with elite offensive abilities, look for him to dominate this season.
(Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

In terms of playing a two-way game at an elite level, Matthews is well ahead of
 where others on this list were at this point in their careers and even ahead
of where some are now. He improved in the faceoff dot from 46.9 percent in his
rookie year to 54.5 percent last season, only started in the offensive zone 32
percent at five-on-five, and controlled 67 percent of five-on-five goals last
season. He is also safe with the puck with a plus-33 turnover margin for his
career.

He propped up the majority of teammates he played with, including Zach Hyman
and William Nylander. Like others on this list, if there';s a knock to
Matthews'; game, it';s that he struggled to stay healthy last season with 20
games missed to a concussion and shoulder injury. But, when he returned on
March 22 from his shoulder ailment, he didn';t show signs of rust with 13
points in nine games, including a five-game point streak to end the season.

He should only continue to improve in 2018-19 after he developed from his
rookie year into last season. He was a point-per-game player last season for
the first time and showed that he can be a strong two-way center. Additionally,
 his production could skyrocket this season with the addition of John Tavares
to the team. Tavares'; presence means that on some nights Matthews will see the
 tougher matchups of the two, but on others he will receive the easier
matchups.7. Aleksander Barkov

23 Years Old, 6th Season

Finnish-born Aleksander Barkov is the heir apparent to Kopitar and Bergeron as
the game';s next elite two-way center. He was a top-five finisher in Selke
Trophy voting for the first time in 2017-18 and has two top-five Lady Byng
Trophy finishes as well. The Florida Panthers drafted him second overall behind
 MacKinnon in 2013 and has been the Panthers'; best center since his rookie
season in 2013-14. In 2017-18, he netted 27 goals, had 78 points in 79 games,
and won 53.5 percent of faceoffs.Aleksander Barkov set career highs in numerous
 categories in 2017-18. He is one of the best two-way centers in the league and
 is a virtual lock to win a Selke Trophy in the near future.(Rick Osentoski-USA
 TODAY Sports)

Last season, he set career highs in games played, goals, points, faceoff
percentage, and time on ice with 22:04 per game, second-highest in the league
among forwards behind Kopitar. He led the Panthers in points and the NHL with
five shorthanded goals. He also started in the offensive zone just 26 percent
at five-on-five. Even with a tough zone start split, Barkov was a possession
monster with a 52.6 percent Fenwick and 54.5 percent control of five-on-five
goals.

He played more on the penalty kill last season than ever before, averaging 1:45
 per game and won 48.5 percent of draws while shorthanded. His assists-per-game
 rate has increased every season as has his defensive point shares. With
ever-increasing talent surrounding him in Florida, it won';t be a surprise if
Barkov is a point-per-game player again in 2018-19, leads the Panthers back to
the postseason, and is a Selke Trophy finalist.8. Tyler Seguin

26 Years Old, 9th Season

I feel that Tyler Seguin';s presence among the game';s elite centers is often
overlooked or completely forgotten given his one top-five finish in major award
 voting, yet his numbers show that to be a broad oversight. Since the 2013-14
season, his 173 goals tie Crosby for most in the league by a center and are
second only to Ovechkin. He has 25 goals in every full season since his rookie
year in 2010-11, has 30 or more in four of the past five seasons, at least 70
points the last five seasons, and has been a point-per-game player three times.
 Additionally, his four 30-goal seasons since 2013-14 are the most for a center
 and tie for second overall.Tyler Seguin doesn';t get the notoriety of other
centers on this list, yet is deserving of the same love given the production he
 provides offensively and the value he brings defensively. (Amy Irvin / The
Hockey Writers)

He';s also been a strong possession player in his career with positive metrics
every season since 2011-12 and had a positive turnover ratio in 2017-18 for the
 second time. He';s strong in the faceoff circle at 54.9 percent in 2017-18 and
 played on the penalty kill more last season than ever before with an average
of 1:04 of shorthanded time per game.

Offensively, he had a career-high 40 goals to lead the Dallas Stars and tie for
 seventh in the league. Dallas'; top line of Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Alexander
Radulov combined for 38 five-on-five goals and 38 power play goals last season
and accounted for 37.6 percent of the team';s points. Luckily for Stars fans,
Seguin, Radulov, and Benn will be together for at least the next four seasons
thanks to the eight-year extension Seguin signed recently.9. Steven Stamkos

28 Years Old, 11th Season

Steven Stamkos changed his playing style in recent seasons from dynamic sniper
to strong playmaker. He has two Rocket Richard Trophies to his name along with
a top-five finish in Hart Trophy voting in 2012. Between the 2009-10 and
2014-15 seasons, only Ovechkin had more goals than Stamkos'; 253, which were 79
 more than any other center. Additionally, since the 2004-05 lockout, only
Ovechkin';s 65 goals in 2007-08 were more than Stamkos'; 60 in 2011-12.Steven
Stamkos has changed his playing style from finisher to playmaker in recent
seasons. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

He is now a playmaker with 27 goals and a career-high 59 assists in 78 games
last season, which allows for a goalscorer like Nikita Kucherov to thrive.
Stamkos is stronger at taking faceoffs than earlier in his career at 52.2
percent last season, his second straight season above 50 percent. He also had a
 career-high 59.7 percent control of five-on-five goals.

If there';s a downside to him, it';s that he had a minus-23 turnover ratio in
2017-18 and has a lengthy injury with 45 games missed in 2013-14 and 65 in
2016-17. He also relied heavily on the power play for his offense last season
with 15 of his 27 goals coming on the man advantage.10. Mark Scheifele

25 Years Old, 6th Full Season

To someone who hadn';t watched a lot of Winnipeg Jets games the past few
seasons, it appeared as though Mark Scheifele';s emergence in the 2018 Playoffs
 as a dominant center came out of nowhere. But that';s not the case. The Jets
drafted the 25-year-old 11th overall in 2011 and, after a somewhat slow start
to his career, he';s been a point-per-game player the past two seasons. In
total, both his points and points-per-game stats increased every season between
 2013-14 and 2016-17.Mark Scheifele has improved every season in the league and
 is a key for the Jets winning a Stanley Cup in the near future.  (John E.
Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports)

In 2017-18, he had 23 goals and 60 points in 60 games and set career highs in
time on ice with 20:41 per game and at the faceoff dot with 51.3 percent. He
had a plus-10 turnover ratio, which pushed his streak with a positive margin to
 five seasons. On a line with Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor, he improved both
at five-on-five and the trio accounted for 29 five-on-five goals together.

But, as mentioned above, it was in this year';s playoffs that Scheifele became
a household name. He had 14 goals and 20 points in 17 games. His 14 goals were
second to Ovechkin in the 2018 Playoffs despite Ovechkin and the Capitals
playing an additional round. Scheifele nearly made history as there have been
only 13 instances in which a player 25 or younger has scored at least 14 goals
in one postseason and the second-most goals in the 21st century to Crosby';s 15
 goals in the 2009 Playoffs.11. Sean Couturier

25 Years Old, 8th Season

The 2017-18 season Sean Couturier';s first as a top line center as he was a
dominant second or third line center in prior seasons. Last season, he played
in the middle between Claude Giroux, a natural center who split faceoffs with
Couturier, and Travis Konecny or Jakub Voracek. The decision by head coach Dave
 Hakstol to play Giroux and Couturier together was brilliant as the pair
controlled 55.9 percent of shots, 53.3 percent of scoring chances, and 63.6
percent of goals at five-on-five.Sean Couturier (right) and Claude Giroux were
dominant on the top line with Couturier centering. The duo combined for 65
goals and 178 points last season. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Yet, just because he found himself on the top line didn';t mean Couturier
received advantageous zone starts, but instead started in the offensive zone
just 28.3 percent. This was common for him as he had the lowest offensive zone
start percentage of any center on the Philadelphia Flyers each of the past five
 seasons. The jump up the depth chart led to a career-high 21:36 of ice time,
the most by a Flyers forward by over a minute and his first time eclipsing the
20-minute threshold.

He set career highs with 31 goals, 76 points, and 14 power play points. He also
 won 52.8 percent of faceoffs, his second straight season above 50 percent. He
received more time on the man advantage last season while still playing
shorthanded and had a positive turnover margin for the sixth time in seven
seasons. In the postseason, he was even better with five goals and nine points
in five games, including a hat trick against the Penguins in Game Six of the
opening round while playing on a torn MCL.12. Evgeny Kuznetsov

26 Years Old, 6th Season

The Capitals have two players who could fit the bill as first line center in
Nicklas Backstrom and Kuznetsov. I went with Kuznetsov given his chemistry with
 Ovechkin and his dominance in the postseason. In 24 games in the 2018
Playoffs, he had 12 goals and led the league with 20 assists and 32 points, the
 second-most this century and five more than any other Capital in franchise
history. He also scored the most famous goal in team history with his overtime
winner in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

That followed up an excellent regular season in which he set career highs with
27 goals, 83 points, 19 even strength goals, and seven power play goals in 79
games while averaging 18:49 per game. It was his first time as a point-per-game
 player and came after a down 2016-17 season. But he';s not a typical first
line center.

For as much of an elite offensive threat he is, he struggles in the faceoff
circle at 45.1 percent for his career and was sub-50 percent at five-on-five in
 Fenwick and control of shots and scoring chances, but did, however, control
55.7 percent of goals. He also dragged down his most common linemates, Ovechkin
 and Tom Wilson, in the regular season, but picked them up in the
postseason.Evgeny Kuznetsov was key in the Capitals winning the 2018 Stanley
Cup with 12 goals and 32 points in the postseason and centered their top line
with Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)

When together, the trio had above 50 percent metrics across the board in the
playoffs, including 16 goals for while allowing eight. Those 16 goals the
Capitals scored represented 30.8 percent of the team';s five-on-five goals in
the postseason. Assuming that line stays intact this season, Kuznetsov should
continue building off his successful campaign last season and further develop
as a top line center.13. Jack Eichel

21 Years Old, 4th Season

Having Jack Eichel this high on the list is a testament to his strong 2017-18
season and what his future looks like. The Sabres franchise center scored 25
goals and 64 points in 67 games while averaging just over 20 minutes per game
last season. His goals, points, and time on ice were career highs and he has
now improved his point total, time on ice, assists-per-game, and
points-per-game every year in the league.

Offensively, there';s nothing to not like about Eichel. He averaged .99
goals-per-60 (G/60) and 2.04 points-per-60 (P/60) at five-on-five, both career
highs, and played on the power play and penalty kill more than ever before. His
 drawback is in the defensive zone and when he';s without the puck. He had
sub-50 percent metrics in every category last season and only won 41.5 percent
of faceoffs alongside a minus-23 turnover margin.With Ryan O';Reilly gone, the
Sabres are Jack Eichel';s team. The clear first line center, Eichel looks to
build off his strong 2017-18 campaign and lead the Sabres back to
respectability in 2018-19. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Another issue is his injury history. He missed 15 games in 2017-18 with a high
ankle sprain that held him out of the lineup from Feb. 10 to March 10. He had a
 similar injury in 2016-17 which delayed his start to the season by 21 games.
Assuming his ankle sprains aren';t a lingering problem, it will be incredible
to see what he brings in his fourth season on an improved Sabres team.14. Ryan
Getzlaf

33 Years Old, 14th Season

Veteran Ryan Getzlaf isn';t the scorer he was earlier in his career with four
25-goal seasons between 2006-07 and 2014-15, but he is now a top-tier
playmaker. He hasn';t reached the 20-goal mark since 2014-15 and only netted 11
 goals last season, but he has improved his assists-per-game rate each of the
past three seasons and his points-per-game average the past two.

That includes a career-high .89 assists-per-game (A/G) in 2017-18 when he was a
 point-per-game player for the sixth time in his career. In 56 games in
2017-18, Getzlaf finished with 50 assists and 61 points but won just 47.8
percent of faceoffs while starting in the offensive zone 33.3 percent. He also
had a negative turnover margin as he has every season of his career.Ryan
Getzlaf has been the Anaheim Ducks'; top center for years and continues to be
effective, now as a passer rather than the scorer he was earlier in his career.
 (Photo By: Andy Martin Jr)

It';s easy to not realize how impactful Getzlaf has been in his career. Since
his debut during the 2005-06 season, his 875 points are eighth in the league
and he';s fourth with 628 assists. In 125 career playoff games, he ranks fourth
 with 120 points since his debut behind Crosby, Malkin, and Joe Thornton. He is
 a one-time All-Star, finished top-five in Hart Trophy voting in 2014, and
helped the Anaheim Ducks capture the 2007 Stanley Cup.

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