If Malkin and Stamkos, Crosby and Giroux are the best of the centers Jonathan Toews and John Tavares have to be 1A. The captain of the Chicago Blackhawks and the leading scorer of the New York Islanders are both part of an overlap of stars that will keep the NHL exciting for years to come. While the first round of your NHL draft is littered with the names we all recognize, there shouldn’t be a surprise to see either of these two names going sooner than later

Toews at 24 and Tavares, just four days shy of his 22nd birthday emerged last season as capable successors to the perennial production kings that traditionally occupy the top of the NHL scoring race. Both are quiet leaders who let their play on the ice set the tone in the locker room.  Each are coming into their own statistically and starting to approach their productive peak.

Though his Islanders missed the playoffs yet again, Tavares announced his arrival into superstardom with an 81-point effort. It was another exponential increase from his previous year, and leaves us wondering if we have even seen the best of the young Islander center.  A career plus/minus of minus-37 should hardly scare you away from the slick skating Mississauga, Ontario native. 

He’s all offense on a historically offensive team. Tavares hit career highs (so far) in goals, assists, points, game winning goals and shots. He isn’t the best in the faceoff circle, but the other numbers make Tavares a second round steal and a first round bargain.

Captain Serious is the moniker assigned to the Blackhawks captain because of his intense expression while he’s on the ice. Toews was headed for a career season last year before a concussion abbreviated his regular season. Being dealt a far better deck of cards with his franchise, Toews has already captained a Stanley Cup team. Toews entered the league two years prior to Tavares and their numbers are almost identical through their first two seasons.

Where Toews separates himself in the fantasy world is with his play at both ends of the ice. A career plus-87, Toews can still put up the offensive numbers while keeping opponents honest in the defensive zone. He’s excellent in the faceoff circle and a solid special teams producer.

Honestly you can’t go wrong with either guy. You’re more likely to get bigger offensive numbers from Tavares whose Islanders seem like they are on the verge of a breakout. Toews is hardly a slouch and if you have to “settle” for him by all means you aren’t really settling.