Editor In Leaf
Fansided

Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews and the Top 3 Centres in the NHL

By Jeremy Franks

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 29: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers battles for the puck against Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 29, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 29: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers battles for the puck against Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 29, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next

The start of the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp and another NHL season are just around the corner.

With the Toronto Maple Leafs recently signing franchise centre Auston Matthews to a contract extension, It’s as good a time as any to take stock of team, player, and position rankings.

The Leafs and Edmonton Oilers provide the best hope to bring Lord Stanley’s mug back to Canada for the first time since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.

The Colorado Avalanche are also considered strong contenders to add another title since their last victory two seasons ago.

It is no surprise that these three teams also have top-of-the-league centres. Strength up the middle is necessary to win a championship.

Leafs prospect Matthew Knies caused a stir recently with his thoughts on the hierarchy of NHL centremen.

Ask many long-time followers of the league and you are unlikely to come up with a consensus ranking, but let’s dive in and offer our thoughts

Who are the best centres league-wide heading into this season?

Assessment Criteria

A combination of factors was considered when evaluating the centre-ice position. They included both traditional and advanced stats, offensive vs. defensive play, awards won, and championships.

Another element given thought was the stage of the player’s career. Are they relatively unproven youngsters, in their prime years, or a veteran on the home stretch of their careers?

The NHL Network recently revealed its Top 20 Centers. This was used as a reference point to help come up with our list and narrow it down to the Top 3.

Let’s start with a group on the periphery of the upper class.

Home/Analysis