There is no denying the fact that the New York Rangers’ biggest question mark is at center. After Mika Zibanejad, the second line center ice slot is up for grabs. Brett Howden may be the answer.

The big question when it comes to the New York Rangers is who will center the second line? The team has no fewer than seven centers on their roster, but no one candidate is a lock for that slot. The common thinking is that it will be either Ryan Strome or Filip Chytil, but just as he surprised everyone by making the team last fall, Brett Howden could be the surprise answer to that question.

Why Howden?

While the center ice position on the second line is up in the air, it does look like the wingers will be Chris Kreider, Vitali Kravtsov or Pavel Buchnevich. If so, putting the puck in the net will not be the priority for the center, it will be setting up those scoring wingers. That’s where Howden may be a better fit than Chytil, Strome or Vlad Namestnikov.

Goal scoring is at a premium in junior hockey and everyone was impressed by his 38 goals in 58 games in 2016-17 while with Moose Jaw in the WHL. What may be more impressive were his 51 assists in 49 games the following year. Through his four year junior career in the WHL, Howden averaged 0.43 goals per game while his assist per game average was 0.54. What matters is that his assist average got better each year.

In his rookie season with the Rangers, Howden averaged 0.26 assists per game. That compares favorably to Strome with a 0.24 APG average and Chytil with 0.16. Granted, Strome and Chytil spent a lot of time on the wing while Howden was exclusively used at center, but based on his history, he seems to be a natural set up man compared to the other two players.

Throughout his career, Strome’s goal numbers have been close to his assist totals. Last season, Strome scored at an unworldly 0.29 percentage and while it’s doubtful he will replicate that this season, he is still more of a goal scorer than as assist producer.

On the other hand, Chytil is a pure goal scorer. Every season in his entire career in the Czech development leagues, he had more goals than assists. Last season with the Rangers, he scored 11 goals to his 12 assists. One developmental issue for the Rangers is that Chytil seemed more comfortable at center ice than on the wing, especially later in the season, but perhaps he could grow into the role as the third line center.

But there is one are that Howden clearly excels.