NHL Network released its annual top 20 centers list this week, and it has stirred up debate, as lists like this often do. One take involves Auston Matthews being ranked just ahead of Nick Suzuki — Matthews at No. 8, Suzuki at No. 9. Podcast host Sid Seixeiro went off on the idea that Matthews, at this point in time, is a better center than Suzuki, suggesting Canadiens fans should have a right to be upset.
Seixeiro called it “asinine” that Matthews would rank above Suzuki given how last season actually played out.
“The Nick Suzuki move has gotten people in Montreal a little upset,” said Seixeiro. He added, “Nick Suzuki is a healthier player than Auston Matthews. Yes. Nick Suzuki, having won the Selke Trophy, is a better defensive center than Auston Matthews. Yeah. Nick Suzuki had 100 points last season. Did Matthews? Nope. In what world is Auston Matthews, right now, a better center than Nick Suzuki? Someone explain that to me.”
While some will argue for past seasons and a total overall NHL resume when putting together a list like this, the numbers back up Seixeiro’s frustration.
Suzuki set career highs across the board in 2025-26, posting 101 points on 29 goals and 72 assists, adding 43 power-play points, and winning the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward. He helped Montreal reach the Eastern Conference Final. Matthews, meanwhile, was limited to 60 games by injury and finished with career-low totals of 27 goals and 53 points. The Maple Leafs missed the playoffs and underwent a roster and front-office overhaul this summer.
Do Fans Agree with Seixeiro’s Take on Matthews?
The fan response split hard along team lines.
Maple Leafs supporters dismissed Seixeiro outright, suggesting this was just another of his many bad takes. One fan even called him “a moron” and pointed to his past controversial takes as reason to ignore this one too. Matthews’ supporters argued his peak still separates him from Suzuki regardless of one down year.
But plenty of fans sided with Seixeiro, arguing Matthews “hasn’t earned that spot” in two to three years and that a healthy version of him is now the exception rather than the rule. Is Matthews’ standing dropping like a fly in the eyes of many who once placed him among the NHL’s elite?
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