Interested to see what everyone thinks. The list of players below are a bunch of high end centers but I’m interested to see whether people think they’re a 1C or 2C. This is for their current stage in their career, not what they could become. Disclaimer: if they’re not a 1C now because there’s a better center on the team, do you think on another team they could be a good 1C or are they better suited as a 2C.

Mathew Barzal

Mika Zibanijad

Pierre-Luc Dubois

Nico Hischier

Sean Couturier

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Vincent Trochek

William Karlsson

Max Domi

David Krecji

Brayden Schenn

Logan Couture

1Cs right now: Zibanjiad, Couturier, Karlsson, Schenn, Couture

Current 2C, 1C potential: Barzal, Dubois, Hischier, Domi

2Cs: Nugent-Hopkins, Trochek, Krecji

Barzal - 1C
Zibanejad - 1C
Dubois - 2C
Hischier - 2C
Couturier - 1C
Nugent-Hopkins - 2C
Trocheck - 2C
Karlsson - 1C
Domi - 2C
Krecji - 2C
Schenn - 1C
Couture - 1C

1C's:
Mathew Barzal
Sean Couturier
William Karlsson
Logan Couture

2C's:
Mika Zibanijad
Pierre-Luc Dubois
Nico Hischier
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Vincent Trochek
Max Domi
David Krecji
Brayden Schenn

Mathew Barzal - 1C
Mika Zibanejad - 1C
Pierre-Luc Dubois - 2C
Nico Hischier - 2C
Sean Couturier - 1C
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - 2C
Vincent Trocheck - 2C
Wiliam Karlsson - 2C
Max Domi - 2C
David Krejci - 2C
Brayden Schenn - 2C
Logan Couture - 1C

Barzal - 1C
Zib - 1C
Dubois - 2C
Hischier - 2C
Couturier - 1C
RNH - 2C
Trochek - 2C
Karlsson - 1C
Domi - 2C
Krejci - 2C
Schenn - 2C
Couture - 1C

Mathew Barzal - 1C
Mika Zibanijad - 2C
Pierre-Luc Dubois - 1C
Nico Hischier - 2C
Sean Couturier - 2C
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - overpaid 3C
Vincent Trochek - 2C
William Karlsson - 2C
Max Domi - 2C
David Krecji - 2C
Brayden Schenn - 2C
Logan Couture - 1C

How is Couturier not a 1C? And RNH as a 3C?

Couturier is a a 1C in Philadelphia IMO. Ideally, he's a 2C because I think he's more valuable playing against the other team's second pairing than their first. It's not a question of being able to handle the ice time as much as it is how much more effective he'd be in a 2C role, though obviously he was criminally underused (far below his ability) for years by the Flyers.

My opinion of RNH comes from living in Edmonton for 9 years and watching more Oilers games than I care to remember. He's this generation's Mike Fisher. He can sub in at 2C in case of emergency on a short term basis, but he's never been good enough on draws to be a top 2 C IMO, and his speed in a bottom six role would serve a team far more than in a top six role where his weaknesses get exposed. On a good team, he's a 3C. On the Oilers, he's a 2C by default because they haven't had enough decent NHL ready top six wingers for McDavid and Draisaitl to have their own lines.

RNH got 69 points this year ... he's not a 3rd liner. Couturier just scored 33 goals and got 76 points while being one of the best defensive centres in the league. Idk how he could be called anything less than a 1C.

It’s not just stats friend. They were doing that on terrible teams last year. They’re miscast in their roles. That’s my point.

1st line Cs
- Mathew Barzal
- Sean Couturier
- Logan Couture
- Mika Zibanejad

Suitable for 1st line Cs
- Nico Hischier
- William Karlsson

2nd line Cs
- Pierre-Luc Dubois
- David Krejci
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
- Brayden Schenn
- Vincent Trocheck

I wouldn't use Max Domi as a C. Imo he's better at wing

Was used as a center all season last year or just part of it. Because he put up a lot of points

"It's not just stats" ... if you mean it's not just goals and points that's a reason why Couturier is definitely a 1C.