The key to being a successful team in the big leagues is depth in all positions. One of the most crucial and effective positions is the center position. They facilitate the offense, they play on both sides of the ice, and they’re in the dot for faceoffs.
Last season, the AHL saw a handful of centers stand out, and they likely caught the attention of their NHL clubs. Here are a few AHL centers with a chance to make it to the NHL next season.
Luca Del Bel Belluz has played parts of two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Cleveland Monsters. In the AHL last season, he saw a big jump in offensive production.
In his first year in Cleveland, he scored nine goals and 31 points in 58 games, finishing sixth on the team in scoring. Last year, the 21-year-old registered 27 goals and 53 points in 61 appearances, good enough for third-best on the Monsters’ roster.
Despite playing 16 NHL games across those two years, Del Bel Belluz has played his way into the conversation of playing even more games with the Blue Jackets next year.
Alex Steeves has been a top player in the AHL for several seasons now. Since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization in 2021, he has played four seasons with the Toronto Marlies.
In each of those seasons, Steeves has been a top-three scorer on his team. Last year was his best, as he scored 36 goals and 62 points in 58 games, finishing second in the AHL in goals and eighth in points. In addition, Steeves became the Marlies’ all-time leader in goals (105) and points (216).
With those accolades and consistency, Steeves should be destined to get a full NHL season with the Boston Bruins, who signed him in free agency to a one-year deal.
Bradley Nadeau and Ryan Suzuki are both in a similar position when it comes to where they stand for the Chicago Wolves and their chances with the Carolina Hurricanes.
These centers, who are also capable of playing the wing, finished one point away from each other last season in the AHL. Nadeau scored 32 goals and 58 points in what was his rookie season, while Suzuki recorded 12 tallies and 59 points, leading the Wolves in scoring.
One distinguishable attribute between these two players is that Nadeau, 20, is far younger than Suzuki, 24. If either of these players gets an honest look in the NHL, it could all depend on how management sees the situation. One could be called up because they have more experience, or the other may get that opportunity because they have shown more promise at a younger age.
Check out our AHL to KHL signing tracker and AHL Free Agency signing tracker.
