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Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier Ranked 11th and 14th in NHL Network’s Top 20 Center

Jim Biringer
Jim Biringer
9 Min Read
The New Jersey Devils continue have two of the top center according to NHL Network with Jack Hughes ranked 11th and Nico Hischier ranked 14th.
Mar 17, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Ivan Barbashev (49) misses a pass from New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) to New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) during the second period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The New Jersey Devils see centers Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier make the list on the annual NHL Network rankings of top centers in the League. Hughes was ranked 11, while Hischier was ranked 14 heading into the 2025-26 season. Last season, Hughes was ranked the ninth-best center while Hischier was ranked the 20th-best center by NHL Network.

Hischier rose in the rankings from 20 to 14 as Hughes dropped from nine to 14 in the rankings after missing the second half of the season due to a shoulder injury he suffered against the Vegas Golden Knights. And that is the thing that continues to hold Jack Hughes back from being higher on this list.


He needs to stay healthy and play 82 games because when he is in the lineup, he is as good as just about any center in the league, as he can take over a game. But injury concerns are starting to add up, and it is clear the Devils are a different team without him in the lineup.

I am very bullish on Jack Hughes. Now I have to say what you said. The 62 and 62 are concerning to me, and I hate to keep going back to that narrative. However, I think Jack could be much higher on this list, but that’s what’s holding him back. He elevates. He’s got jam like, I like that. He’s not a big guy, but he’s that fierce competitor, super skilled. Injuries have been something. I think Jack Hughes has the potential to be north of seven for me on this list. We just got to see him healthy, Mike Rupp said on NHL Network.

Sheldon Keefe is Making Jack Hughes a Well-Rounded Player

In 62 games last season, Jack Hughes recorded 70 points (27 goals and 43 assists), which put him second in scoring, having missed the final 20 games of the season. The year before, he played 62 games, putting up 74 points (27 goals and 47 assists). Despite his shoulder issues, Hughes was either tied or second on the team in goals and assists. But again, Brian Boyle points out, injuries are a concern and sometimes so is his motivation.

He has the ability to get over 100 points, for sure, but there’s a lot of guys going down in the shorter part of this list, in the top five, even that could get 100 points that don’t, but they’re ranked there for a reason. There’s a certain element to his game injuries that concerns me too, because I want to see him play, Boyle said on NHL Network. He’s so much fun to watch play, and it seems to be the same injury; hopefully, that’s behind him, because he is a tremendous talent. It’s not always about goals and points for him. He’s getting paid to score, but he can do some other things too. Maybe take a page out of Nico’s book, and then you have two guys, and that’s a playoff team every year.

The best ability is availability, and Hughes hasn’t been that during his time with the Devils. When he is available, he is a top 10 center without a doubt. And Jack Hughes has taken strides defensively under Sheldon Keefe. He put Hughes out there on the penalty kill. That added another element to his game. But maybe the game plan should be different for the Devils moving forward, and the offence shouldn’t solely run through Jack Hughes.

There is another center on the team, and that is Nico Hischier. Hischier continues to be undervalued and underrated by those who cover the NHL. Being slotted 14th heading in the 2025-26 NHL feels underwhelming considering only a handful of people voted for Hischier for the Selke Trophy this season as the best defensive forward.

The New Jersey Devils Still Have Room For Improvement But Playoffs Are a Must

In 75 games, Hischier recorded 69 points (35 goals and 34 assists). Those 35 goals were a career high to go along with a career high of 14 power play goals and 29 power play points. As head coach, Sheldon Keefe told the media throughout the season that Hischier wanted the toughest matchups against the opposition’s top opponents.

There is a reason why people feel he can be a Selke Trophy winner. Hischier has one of the best 200-foot games in the NHL. Not only can he play in all three phases of the game, but he has also shown how effective he can be in the faceoff dot, not only at five-on-five, but on the penalty kill. He was the Devils faceoff leader at 55.5 percent. He is the heart and soul of the New Jersey Devils franchise.

He is a point of game player who’s extremely responsible. I looked at Nico when he came in, and I was fortunate enough to play with him in Jersey his rookie year, and I saw a lot of the qualities that I would see playing against Patrice Bergeron,” Brian Boyle said on NHL Network. He is extremely competitive. He’s not the biggest guy on the ice, but he’s one of the smartest players on the sheet at any given moment. His game has just gotten better and better as it’s gone on. He’s not afraid to get inside, he’s not afraid to make plays. He’s not afraid to block shots and he’s a great leader. I think he’s tremendously underrated as well.

Nico Hischier Showing Why the New Jersey Devils Are His Team

As Mike Rupp said on NHL Network, Nico Hischier is a player you build a team around if you want to win.

I think this is a guy where, in when we all make our own list, right? Like this is NHL Networks list, where we take the average of everybody’s rankings, I would have him probably a little bit higher, just because I think that value that he has on both sides and what he could bring him. This is the type of center you build your franchise around. I think he is that good, Rupp said on NHL Network.

Regardless of where you rank them, the New Jersey Devils continue to have two of the top 20 centers in the NHL heading into the 2025-26 season. This time, both are inside the top 15, and you can make a case that both should be in the top 10.

 

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