What does it really look like to be a “good defensive center”? The public hears the phrase all the time; we hear it from coaches and commentators and players alike. They all greatly value centermen, they all greatly value defensive play, and so the defensive center, well, goll-lee, isn’t that just the most highly praised unicorn in the sport? But it’s awfully tough to catch enough good defensive moments to tell who’s really good in that end because sometimes it can be tough to really tell what a “good defensive moment” is.



If I say “name a good defensive center” to a person who pays close attention to the NHL, the “Survey says” moment on a Patrice Bergeron guess would undoubtedly light up the very top spot on the board. For those of you too young to get the “Family Feud” reference, here’s a less fun sentence: Bergeron has been arguably the best defensive center in the game over the past decade,...