Sportsnet - Top 20 Centers. The List you Will Love to Hate

[CroFlames]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/r...s-nhl-numbers/

Monahan doesn't make the cut. Apparently McDavid would have placed sixth, but the writer didn't want to include him to his low GP number.

A little suprised to see Barkov ahead of guys like Couture, Krejci and Backstrom.

Interesting list though. Another distraction from the distraction of the the Johnny Thread.

[JerryUnderscore]

Barkov, Scheifele and MacKinnon all make the list but Monahan doesn't? Give me a break.

[Beatle17]

So they used a bunch of stats that are not tracked the same in all buildings (blocked pass attempts/blocked shots, etc.) to come up with a list that they weight with their own prejudice, i.e. offense over defense. Then they don't clearly define "transition" and this becomes an important discussion?

MacKinnon and Barkov are excellent young players, but are they any better than Monahan in any of the matrix shown? Until such time as the stats are tracked the same in all venues by league trained people I wouldn't put a lot of stock into lists like this myself.

[saillias]

What's this a ranking list done with clear parameters based on reliably tracked data? Never, give me lists where guys who played the game shoot from the hip any day!

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Beatle17

So they used a bunch of stats that are not tracked the same in all buildings (blocked pass attempts/blocked shots, etc.) to come up with a list that they weight with their own prejudice, i.e. offense over defense. Then they don't clearly define "transition" and this becomes an important discussion?

MacKinnon and Barkov are excellent young players, but are they any better than Monahan in any of the matrix shown? Until such time as the stats are tracked the same in all venues by league trained people I wouldn't put a lot of stock into lists like this myself.

Barkov, I would say yes. Not miles ahead of Monahan, but better at least when it comes to things like PK and playing on both ends of the ice. Monahan isn't a slouch, but he isn't really used a lot in those situations so he hasn't shown as much.

I personally like Monahan better than MacKinnon though.

[Erick Estrada]

I would advise that no others click on the link as its pure trash and doesn't deserve the traffic.

[GranteedEV]

It's a good list. Giroux is being a bit underrated but I believe he was a bit injured last year (sports hernia/hip) so his performance was a bit down, and ROR/Krejci are probably a tiny bit too high (I would have Couture above them). It's a better list than most though.

[GioforPM]

Didn't look. But I will say that I always pegged Monahan ahead of Mackinnon based on stats and homerism. But Mackinnon opened my eyes at the WC. He's darn good and while I won't put him ahead of Monahan, he's right there.

[WilderPegasus]

Wish you'd put a disclaimer that the list is by Andrew Berkshire, who is nothing more than an HFBoreds troll. I do not want to give him any hits at all. This guy is so bad that he isn't even good enough to be the Edmonton Oilers of Sportsnet.

[JerryUnderscore]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Didn't look. But I will say that I always pegged Monahan ahead of Mackinnon based on stats and homerism. But Mackinnon opened my eyes at the WC. He's darn good and while I won't put him ahead of Monahan, he's right there.

You could easily make a case that MacKinnon and Monahan are in the same ballpark. I might even people Scheifele and Barkov in that same ballpark.

The article is pure rubbish.

[EldrickOnIce]

It's actually a good list, and is based off last 3 years - which included Monahan's rookie season. I would expect that same list will include Monahan moving forward.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by WilderPegasus

Wish you'd put a disclaimer that the list is by Andrew Berkshire, who is nothing more than an HFBoreds troll. I do not want to give him any hits at all. This guy is so bad that he isn't even good enough to be the Edmonton Oilers of Sportsnet.

The disclaimer is in the thread title. You will love to hate the list.

[Erick Estrada]

Okay I will re-phrase. If you don't watch much hockey but love advanced stats it's a great list. If not it's pure trash.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Okay I will re-phrase. If you don't watch much hockey but love advanced stats it's a great list. If not it's pure trash.

Ah yes. Because advanced stats inherently mean you don't watch much hockey.

[DJones]

Not a terrible list. Monahan is great but I'd take MacKinnon and Barkov over him.

Mark Scheifele is the only one I strongly disagree with.

[djsFlames]

I'd take Monahan over Barkov and Scheifele tbqh.

MacKinnon is a hell of a player though and probably the best from the '13 draft.

[Henry Fool]

There's some interesting stats being used there. The ranking itself is just as subjective as any other, of course.

Usually it's the conclusions drawn rather than the stats that are at fault. In recent years it has been a big problem with hockey writing. It's too easy to "analyse" based on nothing but a couple of stats, without any actual hockey insight.

[albertGQ]

I would take both Mackinnen and Barkov ahead of Monahan too. That's why I was a bit disappointed that Sean's AAV was higher than the other two, even with the extra year.

[MoneyGuy]

It's a good list. It doesn't make it lousy just because you disagree with some of the rankings.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by JerryUnderscore

Barkov, Scheifele and MacKinnon all make the list but Monahan doesn't? Give me a break.

If you look at it as "top 20 by the following metrics", rather than "20 best hockey players at center ice", you'll be less salty about it.

Incidentally, I agree that I'd take Monahan over Scheifele, but not sure about Mackinnon and would probably prefer Barkov.