What makes sports, and hockey specifically, unique and intriguing are storylines. In the NHL, it's the off-ice drama, milestone-chasing and pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
NHL players enter each season thinking it could be their best one yet. Sometimes, it is, but for others, it's a real struggle.
The struggles or shortcomings of these players put pressure on them to bounce back and prove to critics they are better than what they previously showed.
Here are five NHL centers who have the most to prove in the 2025-26 season.
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
The 2024-25 campaign was one to forget for the Canucks' Swedish star.
Pettersson finished the season with just 15 goals and 45 points in 64 games, and the 26-year-old looked lost offensively at times, looking unsure with what to do with the puck and lacking confidence when given the puck in advantageous situations. His shot rate dropped 1.7 per game from 2.52 in 2023-24 and 3.21 in 2022-23, and his shooting percentage also fell to 13.8 percent from 16.4 the year prior.
Pettersson dealt with a lot of off-ice issues, primarily coming from J.T. Miller, who is now with the New York Rangers. Pettersson received somewhat of a pass for his poor performance last year due to those issues and a couple of injuries, but he undoubtedly still faced a lot of heat.
If he can't bounce back this season, serious questions will need to be asked about his future in Vancouver, even though the full no-move clause on his contract kicked in this summer and runs through 2031-32 with an $11.6-million cap hit.
Pettersson possesses a deep offensive toolkit, as well as great defensive instincts, which give him all the makings of a No. 1 center. He's shown he could do it before, but he must prove it once again.
Elias Pettersson's Revenge Year Is Nigh With Vancouver CanucksVancouver Canucks star center Elias Pettersson is hungry for a season to be happy about.
Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
First things first: Barzal needs to stay healthy.
He's missed a large chunk of games in three of his first eight seasons in the NHL, which makes it incredibly difficult to remain consistently productive. In 2024-25, Barzal played in only 30 games and notched just six goals and 20 points.
The previous season, the 28-year-old netted 23 goals and 80 points in 80 games, scoring at a point-per-game pace for the first time since his stunning 85-point rookie season.
Barzal's speed and playmaking make him a threat each time he steps on the ice. Forming a duo with Bo Horvat as the Islanders' top two centers should allow Barzal to take advantage of easier matchups while Horvat takes on the opponent's top line.
Barzal has seemingly been written off of Canada's Olympic roster, but a strong start to the season could put him back in contention.
Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken
Like Barzal, Beniers has struggled to regain the form he had in his rookie season.
Beniers took home the Calder Trophy just three seasons ago, scoring 24 goals and 57 points in 80 games. Since then, Beniers has notched 37 and 43 points.
The 22-year-old has steadily improved on the defensive side of the puck, becoming one of the better two-way centers in the NHL. Playing under coach Lane Lambert should only enhance that aspect of his game.
What Beniers needs to do is start scoring again. The Kraken depend on him and Shane Wright to produce like top six centers, and if they are both scoring at just over 0.5 points per game, the Kraken's rebuild will be at a standstill for a long time.
Beniers signed a seven-year contract worth $7,142,857 annually that he needs to live up to, and the 2025-26 season is a prove-it year for the 2021 second overall pick.
Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks
For anyone who considers Bedard's first two seasons in the NHL as poor, they might want to take another look.
The 20-year-old has eclipsed the 20-goal and 60-point mark in each season, playing with players who are far below his talent level.
While there are some valid concerns about skating speed and underlying numbers that took a dip in Year 2, Bedard's talent is always apparent, and as he matures, the chances he creates will become goals.
With that being said, it is time for those chances to start becoming goals. It's not uncommon for highly drafted players like Bedard to break out in their third season in the NHL, as Jack Hughes, Aleksander Barkov, David Pastrnak and many others have. If Bedard shows out in the first half of the season, he could very likely find himself on Canada's Olympic roster.
Connor Bedard Is Ready To Become An NHL Superstar In His 20sEveryone in the hockey community will be wishing Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard a happy birthday on Thursday.
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Besides playoff success, there isn't much for Matthews to prove. He's won three Rocket Richard Trophies, a Hart Trophy, Ted Lindsay and a Calder Trophy. Matthews has also finished as a finalist for the Selke Trophy. Besides the Art Ross, Matthews has won it all in the regular season.
What's different this year is that he's expected to come into the season healthy and prepared to play without Mitch Marner. While the Maple Leafs' superstar has proven to be a play driver in short stints without Marner, he'll need to do it throughout an 82-game season.
The 27-year-old will also need to step up in the playoffs. He's done so before, but far too often, he hasn't taken a series by the reins and dominated, especially later in each round. If he can do both of those things this season, he'll have proven that he truly is among the greats.
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