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.
“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
