I shudder at even trying to answer this question, it's like saying "what makes a player good?".
I'd say this: a number one center is a guy with a high level of talent (whether it be offensively or defensively) and is relied upon to carry his team in full or in part. As well, a true number one center should be roughly comparable to to every other #1 in the league.
For example, Toews, Eric Staal, Backstrom, Malkin, and Henrik Sedin. These are all number 1 centers because there is no clear cut skill differential. All bring different skills, but they are all at that same level. Jordan Staal, on the other hand, is a number 2, because if you compare him to any of those guys, you'd pretty much take all of them over him.
It's not perfect, but that's kind of how I see it. I think there are 20ish true #1 centers in the NHL.
The real answer to the OPs question is Jonathan Toews. That is the definition of a #1 center.
Ya, I completely agree with this. Obviously Crosby is amazing and not someone who comes around often. I think Toews is my favorite #1.
I think you have to have the whole package, offensive, defensive, a leader on the team and must win faceoffs!!!
And guess what, we have someone in the system who could do all those things if developed properly, al a Monahan.
Defining it is hard to do because everyone values skills differently. The whole package is important IMO.
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"You're worried about the team not having enough heart. I'm worried about the team not having enough brains." HFOil fan, August 12th, 2020. E=NG
If every centre in the league went into a draft and each team had to pick the best guy available, would he get picked in round 1? Then he's a #1 centre.
Same logic goes into whether a guy is a #1 goalie in the league. There are good #1s (Rinne, Quick, Lundqvist), average #1s (Hiller, Price, Ward) and bad #1s (Dubnyk, Pavelec, Nabokov). You can argue which guys are good, bad or average. But they're all #1 goalies.
Similarly, you can argue as to whether the Nuge is average or poor as a #1C, you can observe that Stamkos is an elite #1C, you can say Koivu and Kreijci are pretty good but not on the same level as the top guys. They're still all #1Cs.
And in that very same sense Matt Stajan is technically a #1 center.
Malkin would likely be a #1 center on almost any team in the NHL (he'd at least, as I said, be comparable to other #1 true centers), thus, he's a #1 center.
Pittsburgh happens to have two #1 centers, while a team like the Flames have zero.
Surely I didn't have to explain that to you, but here you go anyway.
And in that very same sense Matt Stajan is technically a #1 center.
Malkin would likely be a #1 center on almost any team in the NHL (he'd at least, as I said, be comparable to other #1 true centers), thus, he's a #1 center.
Pittsburgh happens to have two #1 centers, while a team like the Flames have zero.
Surely I didn't have to explain that to you, but here you go anyway.
Ya, ya, I knew what you meant. I was just being a dink.
And it's actually a little sad that Stajan is the best center on the Flames. I feel like he would be a #3 guy with a contender.
