Chapter 1: The Honourable Mentions (00:00)

• Justin's "Just Missed" List: Claude Giroux, Brock Boeser (too inconsistent), and Bryan Rust.
• Mark's "Just Missed" List: Patrick Kane (ranked #26), Matthew Coronato, Conor Garland, and Timo Meier.

Chapter 2: Kicking Off the Countdown: #25-22 (04:08)

• Justin's Picks: #25 Troy Terry, #24 Drake Batherson, #23 Patrick Kane, #22 Gabe Vilardi.
• Mark's Picks: #25 Bryan Rust, #24 Alex Tuch, #23 Ricard Raquel, #22 Drake Batherson.

Chapter 3: Climbing the Ranks: #21-18 (11:37)

The first major disagreement of the episode emerges as the guys debate the true ranking of a Columbus Blue Jackets sniper.

• The Kirill Marchenko Debate: Justin has Marchenko at #21, expressing hesitation due to his one breakout year. Mark has him much higher at #13, citing his elite even-strength goal-scoring and consistent improvement.
• Justin's Other Picks: #20 Seth Jarvis, #19 Alex Tuch, #18 Martin Necas.
• Mark's Other Picks: #21 Valeri Nichushkin, #20 Andrei Svechnikov, #19 Seth Jarvis, #18 Martin Necas.

Chapter 4: The Middle of the Pack: #17-15 (22:01)

Mark and Justin find common ground in the mid-tier, agreeing on three players in the exact same order, including a dynamic duo from the Utah Mammoth.

• #17 Travis Konecny: The hosts agree on his ranking, praising his two-way game and role in Philadelphia.
• The Utah Duo: Both Mark and Justin have #16 Dylan Guenther and #15 JJ Peterka, discussing how their defensive development will be key to Utah's playoff hopes.

Chapter 5: High Ceilings & Top-10 Potential: #14-12 (28:19)

The debates heat up as the hosts discuss players on the cusp of the top 10, including a Canadiens star with 50-goal potential and a uniquely physical Capitals forward.

• Jordan Kyrou: Justin places him at #12, while Mark has him at #14.
• The Cole Caufield Debate: Justin is hesitant, placing him at #13. Mark has him in his top 10, seeing him as a future 50-goal scorer.
• Other players discussed: Tom Wilson (Justin #14) and Adrian Kempe (Mark #12).

Chapter 6: Cracking the Top 10: #11-9 (34:33)

The lists diverge significantly as the hosts make their cases for who belongs in the elite top 10.

• Mark Stone: Justin has the Vegas captain at #11 due to injuries. Mark places him higher at #8, calling him a "contender-making" player even if he only plays 55 games.
• Tom Wilson: Mark makes a passionate case for Wilson in his top 10 at #9 due to his one-of-a-kind impact.
• Lucas Raymond: In a surprise pick, Justin places the Red Wings forward at #9, projecting a near 100-point season and praising his defensive growth.

Chapter 7: The Elite Tier: #8-4 (41:26)

The hosts discuss the same group of elite players but shuffle the order based on playoff performance versus regular-season dominance.

• William Nylander: Both agree on him at #7.
• The Marner vs. Rantanen vs. Reinhart Debate:
  • Mark's Order: #6 Mitch Marner, #5 Sam Reinhart, #4 Mikko Rantanen. He knocks Marner for his playoff struggles.
  • Justin's Order: #6 Sam Reinhart, #5 Mikko Rantanen, #4 Mitch Marner. He argues Marner's elite two-way game places him higher.

Chapter 8: The Unquestionable Top 3 & Final Thoughts (50:15)

Mark and Justin align perfectly for the pinnacle of the right winger position, crowning the undisputed king and wrapping up the series.

• #3: David Pastrnak
• #2: Matthew Tkachuk
• #1: Nikita Kucherov

In this episode of Overtime Hockey Talk, we dive into our much-anticipated list of the top 25 left wingers for the upcoming NHL season. We discuss our criteria for player rankings, the challenges of positional designations, and how recent performances and potential future impacts have influenced our choices. Key players like Clayton Keller, Alexander Ovechkin, Jason Robertson, and Kirill Kaprizov are analyzed in-depth, with arguments for their rankings in our lists. Join us for a thorough breakdown of elite talent and hockey insights.

01:51 Ranking the Top 25 Left Wingers
02:14 Challenges in Player Positioning
03:02 Sources and Methodology for Rankings
05:28 Just Missed the List
06:56 Top 25 Left Wingers: 25-21
16:19 Top 25 Left Wingers: 20-17
23:31 Top 25 Left Wingers: 16-13
32:39 Top 25 Left Wingers: 12-11
34:02 Ovechkin's Ranking Controversy
34:25 Washington's Season and Ovechkin's Future
35:41 Brandon Hagel's Unique Position
39:55 Philip Forsberg and Nashville's Prospects
41:08 Matt Boldy's Potential
44:01 Brady Tkachuk's Intangibles
45:02 Top 10 Left Wingers: Robertson and Hagel
48:57 Top 5 Left Wingers: Gensel and Keller
55:54 Top 3 Left Wingers: Connor, Panarin, and Kaprizov
01:03:38 Concluding Thoughts and Future Episodes

In this episode of Overtime Hockey Talk, we dive into our ranking of the top 25 centers in the NHL. We recap our recent lists of top goalies and defenders, and then debate the criteria for ranking centers, considering positions and fantasy value. We discuss notable players who just missed the cut, including Robert Thomas and Mika Zibanejad, and then count down our top 25 centers. Discussions include analysis of Sidney Crosby’s potential trade value, Auston Matthews' health concerns, and the breakout potential of Connor Bedard and Jack Hughes. We also preview our upcoming episodes focusing on right and left wingers.

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00:00 Introduction and Overview
00:54 Criteria for Ranking Centers
05:16 Just Missed the List
07:09 Top 25 Centers: 25 to 21
13:57 Top 25 Centers: 20 to 16
19:31 Top 25 Centers: 15 to 11
27:14 Top 10 Centers: Mark Scheifele and Connor Bedard
30:17 Jack Hughes and Injury Concerns
31:10 Braden Point and Tampa Bay's Prospects
32:59 Austin Matthews: Talent and Health Issues
35:41 Jack Eichel's Potential Breakout
37:28 Sidney Crosby's Future and Trade Speculations
39:41 Top 4 Centers: Barkov, Draisaitl, McKinnon, and McDavid
47:48 Upcoming Episodes: Wingers and Team Breakdowns