The 5 Best NHL Centers of All-Time Ranked

The best NHL centers of all-time controlled the ice from the opening face-off until the final horn. With elite scoring and play-making capabilities, these five players blend speed, skill, strength, and smarts to dominate their respective generations. 

1. Wayne Gretzky

• Years Played: 1979–1999
• Teams: Edmonton Oilers, L.A. Kings, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers
• Stanley Cups: 4
• Hart Trophies (MVP): 9

The vast majority of hockey fans, players, and journalists list Wayne Gretzky as not only the best NHL center in history, but the best player ever. “The Great One” had an unmatched vision on the ice that began as a child, when he would watch hockey on TV and trace the puck’s path on paper for the whole game. This taught him how plays would develop, and where to go on the ice to generate the most scoring chances. 

He was never the biggest player, standing 6’ tall and weighing 185 lbs., but he appeared in 1,487 games over 20 seasons, only missing 78 games to injury his entire career.

After winning four Stanley Cups in Edmonton, Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988. His arrival would spark a surge in American interest in the game, which helped drive the NHL expansion into non-traditional hockey markets like San Jose, Miami, Tampa Bay, and Anaheim, among others.

The Great One finished his career with 61 NHL records, 55 of which he still owns or shares today.  His records and accolades include:

When Gretzky retired his number 99 was also retired across the entire league, and he immediately entered the Hockey Hall of Fame without having to wait the mandatory three-year waiting period. 

2. Mario Lemieux

• Years Played: 1984–1997, 2000–2006
• Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
• Stanley Cups: 2
• Hart Trophies (MVP):  3

Mario Lemieux is one of the biggest “what-ifs” in hockey history. Many people (including myself) feel that Lemieux could have been the greatest player in NHL history, but we’re talking about “what is” and not “what if,” so he lands at number two since his career was constantly riddled with injuries. 

Despite having never played a full season, Lemieux’s career 1.88 point-per-game average is second in league history to Wayne Gretzky’s 1.92 average. Lemieux only played in 915 of a possible 1,382 games, missing approximately 1/3 of his career due to injury/illness. His chronic back pain was so bad that his teammates often tied his skates for him. 

He was first diagnosed with cancer in 1993, and missed two months of that season to receive radiation treatment. In 1997 he was forced to retire due to cancer, and was immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. During this time he also became an owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, after successfully treating the cancer he returned to the NHL in 2000, becoming the third ever hall-of-fame player to resume their playing career after their induction. 

My personal favorite Mario Lemieux achievement is when he scored all five possible goal types in a single game: even strength, short-handed, power play, penalty shot, and empty net. He is the only player in league history to accomplish this feat. 

3. Sidney Crosby

• Years Played: 2005–Present
• Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
• Stanley Cups: 3
• Hart Trophies (MVP): 2

Sidney Crosby is the only active player on this list, and was teammates with Mario Lemieux during Lemieux’s final season. Not only that, but Crosby lived with Lemieux for the first five seasons of his career. He benefitted greatly from Mario’s mentorship, and in his second season he led the NHL in scoring; the first teenager in any major North American sport to win the scoring title.

Crosby led the Penguins to a Stanley Cup in 2009, the youngest captain to ever do so. He won the cup in 2016 and 2017 as well, and became only the third player in history to win the award for playoff MVP in consecutive seasons. 

“Sid the Kid” is still setting records to this day. In 2025 he not only became the player with the most point-per-game seasons at 20, he became the first player in league history to ever average a point per game for 20 years in a row.

4. Jean Béliveau

• Years Played: 1950–1971
• Team: Montreal Canadiens
• Stanley Cups: 10
• Hart Trophies (MVP): 2

Jean Béliveau’s path the NHL was the most unique of all the players on our list. At 15 years old he signed an amateur contract with the Canadiens that required him to join the club should he ever turn pro. However, he showed little interest playing professional hockey and chose to remain in his amateur league. 

The Montreal GM wanted Béliveau on the Canadiens so much that he convinced the owners of the team to purchase the entire amateur league and convert it into a semi-pro league. They did, and Béliveau was forced to join the Montreal Canadiens since he was now a professional player.

He went on to center the Montreal Canadiens to 10 Stanley Cups as a player between 1956 and 1971, and would win another seven Cups as an executive with the club. His 17 combined championships as a player and executive is the most in NHL history, and is tied with Frankie Crosetti of the New York Yankees for the most combined championships in all of North American sports. 

5. Mark Messier

• Years Played: 1978–2004
• Teams: Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks
• Stanley Cups: 6
• Hart Trophies (MVP): 2

Mark Messier had a career defined by his longevity and leadership. He’s the only player to ever captain two NHL teams to the Stanley Cup. He won four Stanley Cups alongside Wayne Gretzky with the Oilers, and as captain won another Cup with Edmonton after Gretzky left. He also won the Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994, cementing himself as arguably the greatest captain in NHL history.

With his team facing elimination in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals, Messier guaranteed that the Rangers would win to force a game seven. Not only did the Rangers win, but Messier scored a natural hat trick in the third period. They would go on to win the series and eventually the Stanley Cup, the first Rangers Cup in 54 years. 

And with a career that lasted from 1978–2004, he was the last active player in any North American sport to have played in the 1970s. When he retired he was third all-time in points despite never winning a scoring title his whole career, and second in all-time playoff points. 

As a testament to his leadership qualities, the NHL created the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2006 to recognize players that demonstrate exemplary leadership both on and off the ice.

Honorable Mentions

• Bryan Trottier: Dynamic two-way center that won four Stanley Cups in a row with the New York Islanders, and two in a row with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1979.
• Steve Yzerman: Skilled scorer that played his entire career with the Detroit Red Wings, winning three Stanley Cups along the way. At 19 seasons he is the longest serving team captain in both NHL and North American sports history.
• Peter Forsberg:  Played an aggressive and skilled style that helped win him two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche.
• Ron Francis: Second in all-time assists in the NHL, twice winning the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
• Patrice Bergeron: Widely considered the best two-way center in NHL history. Bergeron won the Frank J. Selke trophy for best defensive forward six times in his career.

Any of the above honorable mentions could have made our list of the greatest NHL centers ever. Bryan Trottier shares the record for most points in an NHL period (6), and is only one of eight players in history with multiple five goal games.

Steve Yzerman led the Red Wings to five President’s Trophies for the best regular season team, on top of three Stanley Cups. He is seventh all-time in NHL points. Peter Forsberg finished his career eighth in all-time points per game and fifth in career assists-per-game. Aside from a short-lived comeback in 2011, Forsberg never finished a season with a negative +/- rating.

On top of being the second all-time assists leader in NHL history (after Gretzky), Ron Francis is also fifth in career points, third in games played, and 27th in goals. 

Patrice Bergeron scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal for Boston in 2011, and made it to the finals two more times after that. He was known as a tough, hard-nosed player. In 2013 it was revealed that he played through the Stanley Cup finals with a separated shoulder, broken nose, broken rib, and a punctuated lung.  

The Best Centers in NHL History

If you’re wondering who is the best center of all time in the NHL, it’s Wayne Gretzky.  His combination of skill and smarts make him easily the best ever, though many wonder what would have been if Mario Lemieux hadn’t lost a third of his career to injuries and illness.

Sidney Crosby has averaged a point-per-game for 20 years straight, and Jean Béliveau was so good that the Montreal Canadiens bought an entire hockey league to acquire his services. Mark Messier, meanwhile, is the only player to captain two NHL teams to winning the Stanley Cup.

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