This is the first in what will be a series focusing on the top 10 at each position. Following centers will be right wings, left wings, defensemen and goalies with Jason Chin handling the latter three while I cover right wings. Unlike other lists that may focus on what the pivotman not only does on the ice, but between the dots and in his own zone, our primary driver here is how these individuals rank from a fantasy perspective. Where germane, we most certainly will highlight the non-scoring aspects that the player brings to the table that tell the whole story, but that is a secondary aspect to where he sits on the list. In addition, injuries impacted the list with those pushed down or off the list due to the amount of time they will be sidelined noted in the column. 1. Connor McDavid. Edmonton Oilers: Well gee, this was a tough one Though, the gap between 1, 2 and 3 are a hairbreadth apart, so if wanted to rejigger the top three, be my guest. McDavid had what would be consider for him a down year, dropping from 32 goals and 100 assists in 76 games to 26 and 74, respectively, in 67 contests. Any material concerns should be wiped away by his playoff performance, in which he and Leon Draisaitl, both of whom scored 33 points, helped lead Edmonton back to the Stanley Cup Final. In addition, McDavis will be a free agent after the season and is prime for a monster season. 2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche: MacKinnon stuffed the stat sheet last year once again. He tied for the league lead with 84 assists and ranked second overall with 116 points across 79 games played. McKinnon also had the second-most power-play points (38) and the most shots on goal (320) in the league, continuing his production in those categories. That latter category is what sets MacKinnon apart from several other centers, including McDavid and Draisaitl. The goal scored was his lowest since 2021-22, so look for a rebound in that stat this season, 3. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers: As I wrote last year, the ying to McDavid’s yang. Lines up as Edmonton’s second center but moves to wing opposite McDavid when the Oilers look to stack their lineup, giving him multi-position eligibility. For purposes of this ranking, we will consider Draisaitl a center. For the first times in four seasons, Draisaitl played less than 80 games, dressing in just 71 contests. Despite that, Draisaitl led the league with 52 goals on 240 shots while also notching 54 assists. In addition, as noted above, he and Connor McDavid posted 33 points in the Stanley Cup Final. 4. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins. The man who never seems to age. Every we think Sid the Kid may take a step backwards; he finds a way to remain productive. Pittsburgh will likely end up dealing several veterans, which might adversely affect Crosby’s numbers, but we all have learned better than to bet against him. Crosby topped the 90-point plateau for a third straight season in 2024-25, tallying 33 goals and 91 points over 80 appearances. He inked a two-year extension just before last year, meaning he will be a free agent after the season. The big question is will he finish the campaign in black-and-gold. 5. Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights. Eichel’s career-high coming into last season was 82 points in 2018-19 as a member of the Sabres. He blew away that total, notching 28 goals and 66 assists, dressing for 77 games, matching his high from 2018-19. The key for Eichel, as seen by the numbers is to remain healthy. If that remains the case, 90+ points is certainly reachable. In addition, Eichel helped lead Vegas a few years ago to the Cup and will also be a free agent after the season, with a big year cementing a long-term deal at a big dollar figure. 6. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs: Matthews had his lowest point total since 2020-21, scoring just 33 goals and 78 points in 67 games. His lamp-lighting production was affected by a significant decline in shooting percentage from 18.7 to 12.6 percent. If you believe in trends, Matthews is set for a material rise in output, as he has alternated good and average campaigns the past four seasons, so he is prime for a “rebound.” A few additional positives from 24-25 is that Matthews closed strong with 22 goals and 55 points in his final 43 appearances. His 89 blocks ranked fourth among forwards, and he posted a career-best 56.8 winning percentage on 1,223 faceoffs 7. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lighting Point notched his third-straight 40+ goal campaign, though not all is copacetic. His overall production fell for the second straight season, as he notched 82 points. Point’s overall upside likely remains at that same level, despite skating between Jake Guentzel and Nikita Kucherov. One positive is that Point tallied 30+ points on the man-advantage for the third straight season, a number he should top again in 2025-26. His prior year total could be around his floor moving forward. 8. Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens Suzuki carried the Habs on his back to the postseason last year. He tallied 30 goals and set a new career high with 89 points across 82 regular-season appearances in 2024-25. In addition, it seemed like every time Montreal needed a big goal or play, Suzuki was in the mix. Suzuki has two solid wingers flanking him, Coie Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky, boding well for continued success. If there is one mild criticism, it’s that Suzuki averages only slightly more than two shots a game. Even a small rise in that category could result in a spike in production. 9. Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes: After you get to six, seven or eight on the list, the next grouping is somewhat based on personal preference. Aho, despite a drop in production, from 89 to 74 points last season, still makes the top-ten list, at least in my opinion. If there was one concerning aspect, Aho feel from posting at least 36 markers each of the prior three seasons to 29 last season. A big reason for that decline was fall in high-danger chances from 87 to 45 last year. If Aho gets back to the dirty areas, a rise in goals should ensue, but that is far from set in stone. 10. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets: Mr. Consistency. Scheifele, from 2016-16 forward, has posted at least 60 points each season. He went from 72 to career-best 89 points in 2024-25, helping Winnipeg to the best mark in the league. Expecting that point output is unlikely, but as noted, at least 60 points should be his floor. Skating with Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi on the first line while also seeing first line power play deployment aids Scheifele in his scoring. Off list due to injury: Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers Others in consideration: J.T. Miller, New York Rangers. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings. Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers. Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues. Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils. Tim Stutzle, Ottawa Senators.
