In a surprising reversal, a new ranking puts the captain of the Canadiens ahead of Toronto’s star.
A Breakthrough Season That Caught Everyone’s Eye.
Suzuki surpassed the cherished 100-point mark in the 2025–2026 season, solidifying his position as one of the NHL’s best playmakers by scoring 29 goals and 101 points. He won the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward in addition to his offensive outburst, which speaks volumes about his two-way game and commitment to all aspects of hockey.
Montreal’s 14th jersey had a lot of weight this season. Suzuki was the anchor of the top line on the second-youngest roster in the entire NHL. His leadership, despite the team’s youth, guided the Canadiens all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, an impressive accomplishment for a team still in its rebuild phase.
Suzuki came in second place when The Hockey News ranked the top three centers in the Atlantic Division. Only one player, Florida Panthers standout Aleksander Barkov, was rated higher than him. His resume, which includes three Selke Trophies and two Stanley Cup championships, gives him a difficult-to-refute advantage even though the Finnish center has never scored 100 points in a single season.
Auston Matthews drops to third place.
Maybe the most noteworthy discovery from the grading is Auston Matthews’ positioning. The Toronto Maple Leafs skipper, who has long been regarded as one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the game, was placed third in the division, behind Suzuki. That decline was heavily weighed in the assessment since his previous two seasons were far from the benchmarks he established earlier in his career.
Matthews probably still outperforms Suzuki in terms of sheer offensive force when at his best. It’s been a long time since the Leafs star played at the level he exhibited in 2023–24, when he scored 69 goals and came in third place in the Selke Trophy voting.
For Suzuki, this position on the list signifies more than just a ranking. Throughout the league, it indicates a change in viewpoint. He is no longer regarded as just a promising player on a team that is rebuilding, but rather as one of the best centers in all of professional hockey. The Montreal skipper may have even greater things in store for him in the future, as his trajectory suggests, given that the Canadiens’ youthful core is still growing around him.
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