Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been ranked 5th on the NHL’s Network’s annual ‘Top 20 Centers Right Now’ list.
Crosby, who recently turned 38, only trails Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, and Aleksander Barkov in the ranking.
Crosby heads into the 2025-26 season on the heels of a 2024-25 campaign that saw him produce at a high level with 33 goals, 58 assists, and 91 points, his 20th season with a scoring rate of a point-per-game or higher.
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“Sid looks the same,” said former Penguins player and current NHL analyst Mike Rupp. “The game looks a little different, but I would argue the last two-plus years I’ve seen some of the best Sidney Crosby I’ve seen. …He’s really the perfect hockey player.”
The Penguins will be hoping for another in-season form from Crosby as the team looks to get back to the postseason after missing the playoffs for a third straight season in 2025.
The NHL Network’s full ranking of best centers is as follows:
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets
Nick Suzuki, Montreal Canadiens
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues
Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils
Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
Tim Stützle, Ottawa Senators
Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars
Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers