If you’ve ever sat behind the glass at an NHL game, you’ve seen the blur of movement that is a modern professional hockey game. It’s chaotic. It’s fast. But if you look at the scoreboard after sixty minutes, a pattern starts to emerge. People always ask me which player they should pick for their fantasy draft or who’s actually responsible for the heavy lifting on offense. Basically, if you want to know what position in hockey scores the most, you have to look at the center.
It isn’t even really a fair fight.
Sure, you have legendary wingers like Alex Ovechkin who have built entire careers on a "one-timer" from the left circle, but the data from the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons tells a very specific story. The center is the engine.
The Numbers Don't Lie: Center is King
Let’s look at the current 2025-26 NHL season stats. As of mid-January 2026, Connor McDavid (a center, obviously) is sitting at the top of the league with 82 points. Right behind him? Nathan MacKinnon, another center, with 81 points.
Honestly, the top of the leaderboard looks like a convention for pivots. You've got Macklin Celebrini, Leon Draisaitl, and Martin Necas all hovering around the top. While wingers like Nikita Kucherov and Jason Robertson are definitely in the mix, the sheer volume of production usually flows through the middle of the ice.
Historically, this has always been the case. If you look at the all-time goals-per-game leaders, names like Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky dominate. They were centers. They didn't just wait for the puck; they dictated where it went. Even Auston Matthews, who has been a goal-scoring machine for Toronto, does his damage from the center position.
✨ Don't miss: Why Cumberland Valley Boys Basketball Dominates the Mid-Penn (and What’s Next)
Why Centers Have the Scoring Edge
So, why does the center score so much more? It’s not just because they’re "better" players. It’s about the geography of the rink.
A winger is often "locked" into their side of the ice. If you’re a left wing, you’re battling along the left boards, trying to chip the puck past a defenseman. You're somewhat restricted.
Centers are the only players on the ice with a 360-degree license to roam. They follow the puck everywhere. This freedom means they spend more time in the "slot"—that prime real estate directly in front of the goalie between the faceoff circles. Most goals aren't highlight-reel dangles from the blue line; they’re greasy rebounds and quick snaps from the slot. Since centers live there, they get more "looks" at the net.
The Power Play Factor
Special teams change everything. On a power play, the traditional "positions" kind of melt away, but the center is almost always the focal point of the umbrella or the 1-3-1 setup.
- Centers take the faceoffs: Winning the draw means your team starts with the puck 100% of the time. You can't score if you don't have the puck.
- The "Bumper" Role: Many modern power plays put a high-skill center in the middle of the offensive zone (the bumper). They can shoot, pass to the wings, or look for a tip-in.
- Time on Ice: Elite centers like Nathan MacKinnon often skate 22 to 24 minutes a night. More time on ice equals more chances to find the back of the net.
What About the Wingers?
Don't get it twisted—wingers score a ton of goals. In fact, if we are talking pure goals and not just total points (goals + assists), the gap narrows.
🔗 Read more: What Channel is Champions League on: Where to Watch Every Game in 2026
In the 2024-25 season, Leon Draisaitl led the league with 52 goals. While he’s a center, he often plays the wing depending on the lineup. Pure wingers like David Pastrňák or Kirill Kaprizov are often the "finishers." They have the heavy shots. They wait for the center to do the dirty work, win the battle, and dish them the puck for the open-net look.
Kinda think of it like this: the center is the quarterback, and the winger is the wide receiver. The receiver gets the glory of the touchdown catch, but the quarterback touches the ball on every single play. That’s why the center usually ends up with the higher point total.
The Defenseman Anomaly
We can't talk about scoring without mentioning the blueliners. Gone are the days when defensemen just stood in front of the net and cleared the porch.
Players like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes are basically fourth forwards. Makar has already racked up 53 points this season. That’s insane for a defenseman. Lane Hutson, the rookie standout for Montreal, has also been putting up forward-like numbers.
However, even the most offensive defenseman rarely outscores a top-tier center. Their primary job is still defending, and they have to skate 200 feet to get into the play. A center is already there.
💡 You might also like: Eastern Conference Finals 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
Real Talk: Which Position Should You Play?
If you’re a young player wondering where you’ll get the most glory, the answer depends on your engine.
- Play Center if: You have high endurance and want to be involved in every single play. You’ll get the most points, but you’ll also be expected to backcheck and help your defense. It’s exhausting.
- Play Wing if: You have a lethal shot and want to focus on finishing plays. You’ll have fewer defensive responsibilities and more freedom to cheat for breakaways.
- Play Defense if: You want to control the game from the back and have the vision to start the rush. You won’t score the most, but you’ll be the most important player on the ice for 25 minutes a game.
Summary of the Scoring Hierarchy
In a typical NHL season, the scoring leaderboard almost always follows this descending order of production:
- First: Centers. (Leaders in points and often goals due to ice time and puck possession).
- Second: Right/Left Wingers. (The primary goal-scoring threats who rely on centers for service).
- Third: Offensive Defensemen. (The "quarterbacks" of the power play).
- Fourth: Stay-at-home Defensemen. (The guys who think a "goal" is a blocked shot).
The reality of hockey in 2026 is that the game is more fluid than ever. Roles overlap. Centers play wing; wingers take faceoffs. But if you're betting on who will be holding the Art Ross Trophy at the end of the year, put your money on the man in the middle.
Next Steps for Your Game
To start tracking these trends yourself, I'd recommend heading over to NHL.com/stats and filtering by position for the current season. You’ll see the "Center" bias in real-time. If you're a player looking to increase your own scoring output, focus on your "Expected Goals" (xG) metrics. This stat measures the quality of the chances you’re getting based on where you shoot from. Regardless of your position, if you can get into the high-danger scoring area (the slot), your numbers will start to look like a first-line center's in no time.