The NHL Network ranked the top 20 centers, placing Connor McDavid first, Nathan MacKinnon second, Leon Draisaitl third, Aleksander Barkov fourth and Sam Bennett twentieth. Barkov's placement followed a dominant 2024-2025 season and highlights multiple major awards and championships in his career. The list spans elite current centers across the league, with Macklin Celebrini appearing among younger entrants. The Florida Panthers' front office received the top spot in The Athletic's front-office confidence rankings, credited for consistent, purposeful trades and signings, including the Matthew Tkachuk trade, that produced back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.
Aleskander Barkov ranked 4th and Sam Bennett ranked 20th on NHL Network's countdown of the Top 20 centers right now. Three-time Frank J. Selke Trophy winner, two-time NHL All-Star, two-time Stanley Cup champion, Lady Byng Memorial Trophy recipient and King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner, Barkov, earned the fourth spot following a dominant 2024-2025 season, finishing one spot ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby and one spot behind the Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl.
As good as some other front offices are, no other franchise is close to operating at the level of the Florida Panthers, who are the class of the league. As one commenter aptly put it: "they don't miss." The Matthew Tkachuk trade stands out as the first domino from this era of dominance and it feels like the Panthers really haven't missed since. Every trade and every signing served a purpose and led them to two straight Stanley Cups.
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