Brayden Point was once again one of the Tampa Bay Lightning's best players during the 2023-24 season. In 81 games, he had a team-leading 46 goals and finished second on the club with 90 points. While Nikita Kucherov’s sensational season has understandably been talked about more, Point was excellent himself.
The NHL Network clearly views Point as one of the game's best players, as they gave him the No. 7 spot on their most recent Top 20 centers list.
The only centers who ranked ahead of Point on the NHL Network’s list include Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs), Leon Draisaitl (Oilers), Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers), and Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins). Some big-name centers he was ranked ahead of are Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights), Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils), and Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks).
When noting that Point had another outstanding season, it is understandable that the NHL Network has ranked him so highly. His goal-scoring ability is among the top tier in the sport, as his 97 goals over the last two seasons effectively display.
Nevertheless, it will be fun to see what kind of year Point has in 2024-25 from here. Perhaps his first career 100-point season could be in the cards if he stays healthy.
