Still, theres a lot to like about his potential. BUF L1: Jeff Skinner -- Tage Thompson -- Alex Tuch (+4), 20. Over the last three seasons, Stastnys play has been worth a GAR of 10. Long-term, theres no doubt Mercer could be the Devils 3rd-line center. Many never stay together for a full campaign. He was voted winner of the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 2017-18, when he scored 85 points (22 goals, 63 assists) in 82 games. A right shot defensive prospect in Kemp. One of. He did miss significant timewith an upper-body injury, and thats something you have to factor in with the condensed schedule. He helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup last season, scoring a goal in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars, his only goal in his only game of the postseason. Scheifele has been one of the most consistent centers in the NHL during the past five seasons. When on the ice at 5-on-5, the Jets have a 56.81 percent Corsi and have positive percentages in control of shots, scoring chances, and goals. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs ( Jess Starr /The Hockey Writers) Of course, in saying that, suggesting those totals are from a player in a down year goes to show just how special of a player. Connor McDavid, C, EDM 2. It is usually built around the club's best scorer or playmaker. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. His production should increase as he gains chemistry with new linemates Magnus Paajarvi and Sammy Blais. Manage Settings Dylan Larkin, C, DET29. He scored 14 goals in 17 games in the 2018 playoffs. 97 on a nightly basis is simply incredible, and has some suggesting he may be the best player to ever play the game. Couturier ranked first among Flyers forwards in average ice time per game (19:50) and shorthanded ice time (140:29). His speed and puck pressure were immediately obvious, but his offensive game appeared well suited for the Pittsburgh Penguins fourth line.. With a team-leading 22 goals and 47 points, Ovechkin is also chasing his 10th Maurice Richard Trophy and his first Art Ross Trophy since 2007-08. This is a team who struggles to play with any sort of consistency on a game-to-game basis, while also truly lacking depth scoring. A multiple award winner, the 24-year-old is the face of his franchise and the NHL's best player. Hockey-Reference.com Blog and Articles; We're Social.for Statheads. Minimum recommended: 400px. NYR L1: Chris Kreider -- Mika Zibanejad -- Frank Vatrano (+1), 11. His ice time has fallen this year, but he is producing at a higher rate per 60 minutes than at any point in his career. His style of play sometimes takes a toll on his own body, as he's currently sidelined by a lower-body injury. This season, he has three goals and six assists in 15 games. "When you're a good player, what you want is the puck," NHL Network analyst Mike Johnson said. If you have tuned into any Buffalo Sabres hockey this season, you have likely seen a handful of Thompson goals that could all serve as goal-of-the-year candidates by the time the 2022-23 campaign comes to an end. He finished with Corsi and expected goals percentages below 50 percent and was just about replacement level at even strength. 30, is the fourth-line center on what is . Robert Thomas, C, STL32. Matty Beniers, C, SEA (rookie)35. ", Video: McDavid places 1st on the top 20 centers list. Zibanejad had the only five-goal game in the NHL last season (March 5 against the Washington Capitals) and led the NHL in goals per game (0.72; 41 in 57). Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Joe Pavelski, C/RW, DAL26. Learn More Nevertheless, here's our ranking of the eight best in 2021-22. Rantanen has emerged from MacKinnon's shadow as a star in his own right. Auston Matthews is 3rd in NHL scoring by centers with 58 goals and 44 assists for 102 points in 70 games and he missed/ is missing 12 games. 1. I don't know if he gets hotter than he was this past year, but that was pretty darn hot. A three-time Stanley Cup champion (2009, 2016, 2017), Malkin has scored at least 25 goals in 10 of his 14 NHL seasons and at least 70 points in 11 of the 14. He's once again the team'sleading scorer with 30 points in 28 games prior to the club's recent pause in their schedule because of aCOVID-19 outbreak. So thats something to consider. Linker; About. He also led the Bruins in scoring during that period in every season except for 2019-20. He is winning over 50 percent of his faceoffs, has a plus-nine turnover margin, and an even penalty differential. Through just 54 games, McDavids 42 goals and 97 points lead the league, and by a wide margin. His production has been consistent, but hes been a much more valuable player than his point totals indicate. But Stastny makes up for it with his performance on the power play, an area the Devils need to improve too. As you will see, there are names on this list that have changed due to some centermen playing exceptionally this past season, while others struggled. With his current rate, Crosby is on pace to hit the 100-point mark for the first time since the 2018-19 season. EDM L2: Zach Hyman -- Leon Draisaitl -- Kailer Yamamoto (+3), 15. For what he offers two ways at even strength and on the penalty kill, plus his veteran leadership, hed be well worth that price. The third group here includes rebound and breakout candidates. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy voted as 2019 playoff MVP after leading the NHL with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 26 games and helping St. Louis to its first Stanley Cup championship. While not surprising, he is quickly showing that last seasons Stanley Cup Championship doesnt have him satisfied, as he is right back to dominating again in 2022-23. Together since 2017-18, the trio of center Patrice Bergeron flanked by left winger Brad Marchand and right wing David Pastrnak has carried the bulk of their club's scoring. After a 2021-22 season in which he exploded for career highs with 38 goals and 68 points, he has once again found a new level, as he currently sits third in league scoring with 35 goals and 69 points through only 52 games. They are called upon to both shut down opposing offenses and to generate scoring chances. Instead, Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald will have to figure out this offseason who could play that role in 2021-22 and perhaps beyond. Sam Reinhart, C/RW, FLA24. 2022 Draft, 2021 Draft, 2020 Draft, 2019 Draft, . There are several players who deserve to be in that discussion. . Danault is a top 25 centre in the NHL Hes not gonna be the 3rde line center on Pittsburgh. Since 2017-18, no player in the NHL has more points (385) or a higher points-per-game average (1.47) than McDavid. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. Winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2013-14 and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2018-19, he's third in total points among all NHL skaters since 2017-18 and was the Avalanche's leading scorer in three straight seasons between 2017-18 and 2019-20. 1. He made the most out of the opportunity, potting 17 goals and 29 points in 56 games a 25-goal, 42-point pace over 82 games. Oshie, C/RW, WSHIvan Barbashev, C/LW, STLDylan Holloway, C, EDM (rookie)Nico Hischier, C, NJD (INJ. Marchand, 33, is a talented winger who also drives opponents to distraction with his abrasive physical style. Bo Horvat, C, VAN43. The Penguins had Nick Bonino, Chicago had Antoine Vermette and Andrew Shaw, and the Kings had Jarret Stoll and Mike Richards. Left wing Reilly Smith scored a go-ahead goal with 3:42 remaining in the third period, and the Golden Knights . Draisaitl leads the NHL with 215 points (93 goals, 122 assists) over the past two seasons, two more than teammate Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov of the Lightning. Roope Hintz, C, DAL33. This past season if he hadn't played every minute of the teams first 13 games including a couple back to backs in there his numbers would of been better. He tied Kyle Connor for the Jets lead with 73 points (29 goals, 44 assists) last season after leading them with 38 goals and scoring an NHL career-high 84 points in 2018-19. Lets dive into some potential fits. This is especially true of third-line centers. Brayden Schenn, C/LW, STL45. Fantasy Hockey Staff, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. Makes sense for a team like Ottawa to weaponize their cap space and I agree an unprotected 2023 1st rounder is worth its weight in gold because an Edmonton collapse is never out of the question. None of these players were considered elite scorers, but each served a pivotal role in helping their teams win a Stanley Cup. ", Video: Barzal places 19th on the top 20 centers list. All Rights Reserved. best third line centers in nhl 2021. Steven Stamkos, C/LW, TBL9. He is quickly proving that his few down seasons are nothing to worry about, and is re-establishing himself as one of the better players in the game. While he still has some ways to go before making that happen, it goes to show just how highly the 21-year-old is regarded. Perhaps the . Enter Search Term. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. NHL Power Rankings: Looking at top 2021 unrestricted free agents: We take a look at the top unrestricted free agents for the 2020-21 offseason. A multiple award winner, the 36-year-old Capitals captain shows no sign of slowing down. Despite playing his fewest minutes since the 2012-13 season, Boninos 1.39 goals per 60 minutes are the highest of his career. Point set NHL career highs in goals (41), assists (51) and points (92) in 2018-19, when he led the League with 20 power-play goals. NHL Network producers and analysts chose the top 20 centers in the League right now, and they were revealed Sunday in the third of a nine-part series. The Arizona Coyotes traded Chychrun, a top-four, cost-controlled defenseman, to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday in exchange for three draft picks - a 2023 first-rounder, a 2024 second . With a small sample size to work with this season, Ill use his stats from last season, when he played all 82 games for St. Louis. When on the ice, the Stars have a 53.35 percent Corsi, are controlling 51 percent of scoring chances, including 57 percent at high danger, and have a plus-13 high-danger goal differential. He finished with a GAR of 5.7, and it wasnt a fluke, as he had an expected GAR of 7.9. Tomas Hertl, C, SJS46. Hewon the Guy Carbonneau Trophyas the QMJHLs best defensive forward this past season, so the two-way presence is there. At times they've pulled Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins off the second line to skate alongside their captain. 2 for Devils, but it is something theyll need to figure out to make some noise next season. At six-foot-five and 210 pounds, Lowry is the ideal size teams look for in a third-line center. Welcome to NHL.com, the official site of the National Hockey League, Bienvenue LNH.com , le site officiel de la Ligue nationale de hockey, Tervetuloa NHL:n viralliselle nettisivustolle NHL.comiin, Vlkommen till NHL.com, NHL:s officiella web-sida, Vtejte na NHL.com, oficilnch strnkch National Hockey League, Vitajte na NHL.com, oficilnych strnkach National Hockey League, Willkommen auf NHL.com, der offiziellen Seite der National Hockey League, Bienvenido a NHL.com, el sitio oficial de la National Hockey League. After putting on one of the more impressive performances we have seen from a player in some time during last years playoffs, Draisaitl has looked much less engaged at times in 2022-23. I focused on points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 because it gives a scoring rate that is comparable for all players. McLeod seemingly came out of nowhere to become a valuable part of the Devils bottom six. Mathew Barzal, C, NYI40. Beniers was taken second overall in 2021 by the expansion Kraken and returned . Ultimately, it came down to team success, as there was virtually no other way to separate what they have done to this point. This guy is going to be real good for a really long time. Calgary's Milana Lucic, for example, is the best fighter in the game with a score of 92.67, but his overall rating is a dismal 78. A physical power forward, Landeskog provides grit, leadership and goal-scoring punch to this line. While starting in the defensive zone over 59 percent of the time, he has managed to win 53.8 percent of his faceoffs. He doesnt have the same kind of two-way prowess as Bonino, but hes had a positive impact on offense and defense at even strength:EV & PP RAPM Type (per 60), Standardized, 18-21 (via Evolving-Hockey). He also tied Bruins forward David Pastrnak for first in the NHL in game-winning goals (10), was second in even-strength points (66; Artemi Panarin, Rangers, 71) and power-play goals (16; Pastrnak, 20), and was first among NHL forwards in average ice time (22:37 per game). In todays NHL, with a hard salary cap and more money allocated to players at the top of the roster, having quality depth is as importantas it has ever been. However, Melnyk's pockets are very shallow, he probably doesn't allow the trade because he needs every nickel he can get so he can continue to sue luxury cruises or whatever, To display this team on another website or blog, add this iFrame to the appropriate page. The Vegas Golden Knights are only in their fifth NHL season, but they have one of this year's top lines. This isn't surprising at all, as the nobody on Edmonton has been able to cement themselves in the role. Finally, I looked at general possession numbers, zone starts, and faceoff percentages. The 2021 Selke Trophy winner as the league's best defensive forward, he also potted 58 . 25-year-old Charlie Coyle has only played in 13 games this season but is scoring at a rate of 2.03 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time, the second-highest total of his career. In 2018-19, Stamkos scored 45 goals and an NHL career-high 98 points, ninth in the NHL. The most versatile of the trio, Lindholm plays a strong two-way game while also capable of skating as a center or right wing. He projects to land a 2-year deal at a cap hit of $2.552 million. Time will tell, but he also seems more suited to be a fourth-line center. "He's really just elevated and emerged as the No. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2023. STL L1: Brandon Saad -- Ryan O'Reilly -- David Perron (+3), 19. Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. Since the start of the 2018-19 season, Boninos play has been worth a GAR of 31.7. Joining the Knights in a late-season trade from Ottawa in 2019, Stone is third on the team since then in scoring with 156 points. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2016 (19 points; six goals, 13 assists) and 2017 (27 points; eight goals, 19 assists), when he helped the Penguins win the Cup in back-to-back seasons. )Andrew Copp, C/RW, DET (INJ. The decade plus of darkness soured alot of us. It is worth noting that the 26-year-old seems able to elevate his game even more during the postseason. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. With 29 points in as many games, he'll easily exceed last season's career high of 35 points in 51 games. Eichel scored an NHL career-high 36 goals in 68 games last season and had 78 points, four below his high set in 2018-19. Related: NHLs Top 10 Goalies for 2022-23. The 2021-22 NHL Regular Season is now three months old and one thing bettors have seen of late in the Totals marketsFull Game, Team Totals, First Period, Second Period, and Third Periodhas been a recent rash of games going Over. In some cases, a team might be blessed with three scoring stars on the same line. At his age, he may be looking to go to a contender, but theres certainly playing time available for him on the Devils behind Hischier and Hughes if he so chooses. . In those games, hes been pretty good, with two goals and one assist, all coming on the powerplay. His skill set seems better tailored at center than on the wing, so if he can find that next level, the spot could be his for the taking when training camp begins in September. Perhaps, but hell need to find more offense, so a fourth-line role may be where he settles in. Now the model has zeroed in on the 2021 NHL season, ranked every player, and found the top sleepers, breakouts and busts. Deserve to be a fourth-line role may be best 3rd line centers in nhl 2021 he settles in Articles ; We #. To play with any sort of consistency on a game-to-game basis, also! The 100-point mark for the first time since the 2012-13 season, a. 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