A No. 1 center can separate a Stanley Cup contender from a pretender. Whether it's due to an injured player or a natural progression, these three NHL players have jumped into the No. 1 center role. How have they done?
In today's NHL, there might not be a more important position than a No. 1 center.
Goals are scored at an incredible rate, which makes goaltenders inconsistent on a year-to-year basis. Although a No. 1 defenseman might be a little more scarce, teams have proven that they can win by committee with their blueline.
When looking at the recent Stanley Cup winners, they all had a superstar No. 1 center. such as Aleksander Barkov on the Florida Panthers, Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Whether they were an offensive dynamo or a two-way force, their top-line center led the way.
These three young NHL players, in particular, jumped into the first-line center role this season, even if it's only temporary. Here's how they're doing so far.
Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers
Not every team has a No. 1 center, and some teams have multiple. One of those teams that could arguably have multiple is the Florida Panthers. When completely healthy, Aleksander Barkov leads the way. He's a three-time Selke winner with the ability to score 30 goals and 90 points.
Prior to this season, Barkov would be considered the No. 1 center with Sam Bennett as the No. 2 and Lundell as the No. 3.
With Florida's captain undergoing a long-term recovery from a knee injury, the Panthers had to find a replacement from within, and they called upon Lundell, who has slid into that role far more smoothly than some had anticipated.
Selected with the 12th pick in the 2020 NHL draft, the 24-year-old Lundell has always had the makings of a two-way center. His first four seasons in the NHL witnessed him post a career high of 18 goals and 45 points, numbers he's set to smash this season.
Through just 49 games, Lundell has already notched 15 goals and 35 points, on pace to score 25 goals and 58 points.
While the offensive numbers are enough to warrant the praise, Lundell has done so much more to prove his worth in that role. He's averaging 19:21 of ice time, the third most among forwards and nearly three more minutes than his previous career high.
He's also the first forward to hop over the boards to kill a penalty and has remained on the Panthers' top power-play unit, taking the draws and serving as a net-front presence. He's winning 52.3 percent of his draws and has posted solid 5-on-5 stats despite handling the opponents' top players.
The Panthers own 51.19 percent of the expected goals and 53.30 percent of the high-danger chances, according to naturalstattrick.com.
No Panthers player has started more shifts in the defensive zone than Lundell (117), and he's also started the fourth most shifts in the offensive zone (112).
The intangibles and well-roundedness of Lundell's game are there, but continuing to improve his production is what Lundell must do to cement his No. 1 center role.
Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken's Matty Beniers, too, is stepping into his first season as the true No. 1 center.
Beniers exploded in his rookie campaign, winning the Calder Trophy after notching what remains a career-high 24 goals and 57 points. The hype surrounding the 2021 second overall pick was at an all-time high following his rookie season, but the two years following that proved to be disappointing.
While his offensive game trended downwards, his defensive game continued to improve. He hasn't accumulated any Selke Trophy votes as of yet, but that's sure to change.
Beniers is a strong skater with a 6-foot-2 frame. He's hard on his stick when engaged in puck battles, and the Kraken are a better defensive team with Beniers on the ice.
It took him some time, but the 23-year-old has finally put his offensive strengths and defensive abilities together, and it’s taken his game to the next level.
Through 49 games, Beniers has scored 11 goals and 32 points, tied for the team lead. He's on pace for 18 goals and 53 points, which would still fall below his rookie numbers but would be massive improvements on his last two seasons.
His 19:44 of ice time ranks second on the team among forwards, and coach Lane Lambert feels comfortable playing Beniers in any scenario. Beniers has been used on the penalty kill and remains on the top power-play unit.
Like Lundell, offensive production is what Beniers needs to continue to add to cement his role as a No. 1 center. Beniers has all the tools to be a play-driver offensively, but far too often, he defers to his wingers as he remains on the defensive side of the puck.
His faceoff percentage can improve as well (47.9 percent), but he’s slowly becoming one of the league's premier two-way centers.
Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars
After years of impressing the Dallas Stars coaching staff, Wyatt Johnston has finally taken the reins of the No. 1 center role and isn't looking back.
His 26 goals and 54 points have him on pace to eclipse the 40-goal mark for the first time in his NHL career and challenge for 90 points, as he is currently on pace for 87.
Johnston is less of a two-way force than Lundell and Beniers are, but he is far from a slouch. While Beniers and Lundell are better defensively, Johnston is better offensively.
Johnston has been stapled alongside Mikko Rantanen, and the two have formed an incredible duo. Johnston is averaging 20:10 of ice time in his first season as the top line center, while owning 58.43 percent of the expected goals and 58.03 percent of the high-danger chances, according to naturalstattrick.com.
When Johnston skates with Rantanen and Sam Steel, the Stars own 51.2 percent of the expected goals, according to moneypuck.com. The number jumps to 56.8 percent when Jason Robertson joins Johnston and Rantanen.
There aren't many holes in Johnston's game. He's a capable skater with a strong shot, good size and a great understanding of where to position himself. He's occasionally used on the penalty kill and is on the top power-play unit as well, but if there were one fault in Johnston's game this season, it would be his 5-on-5 production.
In his first three seasons, Johnston excelled at 5-on-5, scoring 21, 22, and 18 goals. In 2025-26, he's only tallied nine goals and 23 points at 5-on-5.
He's enjoying his best season on the power play, with already 16 goals and 26 points on the man advantage, but games are won at 5-on-5 in the playoffs, and the Stars need more production from Johnston if they hope to win the Stanley Cup.
He's still just 22, with plenty of room to grow.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.