The Top 10 Shutdown Centers in the NHL

In the NHL, it's extremely beneficial for teams to have a two-way center on the ice. These skilled athletes not only dominate the puck offensively, but posses the ability to shut down their opponents.

The Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded to the forward who demonstrates the most skill on defense during the season, and coincidentally, centers have won the award for eight consecutive years.

This current list is primarily based on several stats which would encompass the best two-way players in the league. The stats being hits, blocks, takeaways, faceoff win percentage and plus/minus (via ESPN and NHL) on games played through Tuesday.  

Now we all know numbers do not lie, but many players have the ability to shut down their opposition without racking up stats. Therefore, a hint of personal opinion was taken into consideration when forming this list.

So without further ado, here are the top 10 shutdown centers in the NHL.

Honorable Mentions

In a very crowded and talented pool of centers in the NHL, here are a few players, who didn't make the cut, but are extremely capable of shutting down their opponents.

Antoine Vermette, Coyotes

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 35

Blocked Shots: 15

Takeaways: 12

Faceoff win percentage: 60.7%

Plus/Minus: Plus-four

Tyler Bozak, Maple Leafs

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 24

Blocked Shots: 8

Takeaways: 14

Faceoff win percentage: 56.5%

Plus/Minus: Plus-two

10. Mike Fisher, Predators

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 34

Blocked Shots: 27

Takeaways: 12

Faceoff win percentage: 49.8%

Plus/Minus: Plus-four

Nashville Predators' center Mike Fisher is one of the most physical and strongest skaters in the league. His ferocious forechecking has contributed to the Predators' penalty kill and special-teams efforts. 

The team is currently ranked fifth in the league in goals against, averaging a tiny 2.2 goals per game. And for a team struggling to score goals, the Predators heavily depend on Fisher and the defense to shut down opponents.

9. Patrice Bergeron, Bruins

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 10

Blocked Shots: 12

Takeaways: 10

Faceoff win percentage: 61.7%

Plus/Minus: Plus-11

Last year's Frank J. Selke winner is off to a slow start, but is still considered a dominant two-way player. His plus-11 is good for third in the league for centers.

Faceoffs continue to be one of Bergeron's biggest strengths on the ice. He leads the league in faceoff-win percentage with at least 300 attempts.

Despite his defensive stats being down from the prior season, the Boston Bruins' center is a large reason why the team is No. 4 in average goals against and leads the NHL in the penalty kill.

8. Claude Giroux, Flyers

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 21

Blocked Shots: 12

Takeaways: 5

Faceoff win percentage: 53.9%

Plus/Minus: Minus-four

Claude Giroux is the only player on the list with a minus stat for the season, but he definitely deserves to be on there.

The Flyers' captain leads the NHL in faceoff attempts and is a main contributor to Philadelphia's 11th-ranked penalty kill. Giroux may only be 5'11", but he has no problem sacrificing his body for the better of his team. 

Some have labeled Giroux as one of the best players in the world, a label to be debated. But there is no denying the Flyers' superstar is one of the best two-way centers in the league.

7. Vincent Lecavalier, Lightning

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 52

Blocked Shots: 7

Takeaways: 6

Faceoff win percentage: 54.2%

Plus/Minus: Plus-two

Entering his 14th season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vincent Lecavalier is still posting incredible numbers both offensively and defensively. 

Lecavalier is five attempts shy of 400 faceoffs on the season and he's also not afraid to drop the gloves when needed. 

The veteran center has been unable to play a full season the last two years, yet "Vinny" is not sparing his body any less this season. He is currently fifth in hits for all centers and shows no sign of slowing down his intense play. 

6. Sidney Crosby, Penguins

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 11

Blocked Shots: 8

Takeaways: 10

Faceoff win percentage: 56.7%

Plus/Minus: Plus-nine

Sidney Crosby is one of the best players in the NHL. There is no denying his impeccable offensive skills, but Crosby is also an outstanding shutdown center.

Post He boasts a plus-nine, good for sixth in the league for all centers. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins' captain may not be the most physical player on the ice, but his finesse, speed and hockey smarts make him a devastating opponent. 

5. Matt Duchene, Avalanche

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 23

Blocked Shots: 17

Takeaways: 18

Faceoff win percentage: 52.5%

Plus/Minus: Plus-two

The Colorado Avalanche may not be having a good season, but they do have an incredible two-way center in Matt Duchene. The young star suffered an ankle injury last season, limiting him to only 58 games, and recently Colorado received news that Duchene will miss some time due to a groin injury (via Denver Post).

His absence will be heavily felt by Colorado, since he not only leads the team in assists and points, but is vitally important on the defensive side of the puck—being tied for third in the league amongst centers for takeaways.

When healthy and on the ice, Duchene should be considered one of the best two-way centers in the league.

4. David Backes, Blues

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 50

Blocked Shots: 17

Takeaways: 9

Faceoff win percentage: 50.0%

Plus/Minus: Plus-one

David Backes was a top-three finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy last season and is well on his way to being considered for the award again this season.

The St. Louis Blues' captain is a ferocious hitter, ranked seventh amongst all centers, and is never afraid to block shots, ranked eighth for the position.  Backes has also attempted over 300 faceoffs, winning half the battles.

Simply put, he is the most important player for the Blues and one of the best shutdown centers in the NHL. 

3. Eric Staal, Hurricanes

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 10

Blocked Shots: 9

Takeaways: 20

Faceoff win percentage: 51.3%

Plus/Minus: Plus-10

Eric Staal is having a fantastic season for the Carolina Hurricanes. His offensive skill set overshadows his sharp defensive ability.

The Canes' captain is fourth in the league for centers with a plus-10, largely due to his incredible forechecking and goalscoring abilities. Staal also has an impressive 20 takeaways on the season—tied for third among all NHL players.

Playing alongside his brother Jordan, another talented two-way center in his own right, Eric is thriving in his role with the Canes—shutting down opponents and taking the league by storm.

2. Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 5

Blocked Shots: 10

Takeaways: 18

Faceoff win percentage: 60.3%

Plus/Minus: Plus-nine

Is there a more exciting player in the NHL than the Detroit Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk?

The three-time Selke Trophy winner and top-three finalist last year, Datsyuk is the model shutdown center in the NHL. And much like Sidney Crosby, Datsyuk is not physically dominant on the ice, but his speed and craftiness allow him to disrupt opponents every game.

His plus-nine on the season is good for seventh in the league amongst centers, and the Red Wings' star is also eighth for centers with 18 takeaways. As if these stats weren't impressive enough, each year he is among the league leaders in faceoff wins and 2013 is no different.

You can bet the league's most explosive player will be a Selke finalist again this season for the NHL's best defensive forward.

1. Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks

2012-2013 Stat Line:

Hits: 5

Blocked Shots: 8

Takeaways: 24

Faceoff win percentage: 60.3%

Plus/Minus: Plus-nine

Captain Jonathan Toews has been nothing short of brilliant, so it's no coincidence the Chicago Blackhawks remain undefeated this season.

Leading all centers with 24 takeaways, Toews continuously pressures opponents with his uncanny puck awareness and non-stop hustle. He is also a faceoff magician, winning over 60 percent of his near 400 attempts.

The young star has evolved into one of the most complete players in the NHL and should be considered the best shutdown center in the league.