Hockey is a game of flow and rhythm, and every great team has a skilled center on its top line. A great center will rack up points while also being a great distributor and elevating their teammates. Playing center in NHL 24 means being the centerpiece of the offense, and you’ll want the best center build in NHL 24 to dominate the competition in either Be a Pro or EASHL. Here’s our pick for how to make that happen.
NHL 24 Center Archetype
There are more legitimate options in archetype for forwards than there are for other positions in NHL 24. For example, the best goalie build is pretty straightforward. The right center build in NHL 24, however, will largely depend on your play style. Depending on how you play, there are four great options.
Playmaker
If you’re looking to model your NHL 24 play style after Sidney Crosby, playmaker is the choice for you. This build makes you an elite puck distributor, with strong passing and puck control attributes. Skating and agility are above average as well, making you very mobile on the ice. The downside with playmaker is pretty pedestrian shooting attributes and a lack of physicality that will make you an easy target on the ice. If you’re on an EASHL team with snipers on the wing, a playmaker at center can ignite the offense.
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Two-Way Forward
Two-way forward is for those players who want to be pretty good at everything and are okay with not being elite at anything. On the offensive side of the ice, they have good puck-moving skills and decent shooting, and their stick checking on the defensive end is strong. Two-way forwards are weak physically, though, so you won’t be laying down a bunch of huge hits. This archetype is recommended if you’re on an EASHL team with some cherry-picking buddies who think defense is boring.
Dangler
Want to channel your inner Connor McDavid? Dangler is the archetype for you. Danglers have exceptional puck control and deking ability. They’re the ankle breakers of NHL 24. A great dangler can be a dynamic force that takes over games, but a bad one quickly becomes a turnover machine. Danglers need to be in close to have their shots be effective. If you have a two-way forward or playmaker on your EASHL team, a dangler is the perfect complement and will help force the issue on offense.
Sniper
It’s the forever favorite of most NHL players. Everybody likes to score goals, and no archetype does it better than the sniper. They have exceptional shooting attributes and are good skaters, but are nothing short of a liability defensively. Try to resist the urge to run with multiple snipers at forward on your EASHL team — you’ll have some moments of glory, but also leave your defense and goalie out to dry more times than you probably want to. Against good teams, that’s a recipe for disaster.
There are other forward archetypes in NHL 24. The Grinder archetype is for those who want to live the life of the 4th-liner without any of the offensive glory. Power Forward is sometimes a popular choice for players, but each of the others we focus on have elements of that class with better upside in other areas.
Ultimately, we recommend playmaker for players who want to complement their teammates well, and sniper for the elite goal-scorers on EASHL teams. However, you can’t go wrong with any of the four archetypes we covered.
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The Best NHL 24 Center Zone Abilities
Your Zone Ability and Superstar Ability in NHL 24 help set your player apart from other players — even those who have the same archetype, like centers. Think of them as your player’s identity on the ice. Each one offers some benefits depending on how you play, but some are better than others. Here’s what we recommend based on archetype:
- Playmaker: Third Eye — Large increase to pass assist. Unlocked at Level 21.
- Two-Way Forward: Quick Pick — Exceptional at intercepting pucks off the ice, and improved range when intercepting. Unlocked at Level 43.
- Dangler: Close Quarters — Exceptional shot power and accuracy when close to the net. Unlocks at Level 50.
- Sniper: Heatseeker — Exceptional power and accuracy when taking wrist and snap shots from distance. Unlocks at Level 33.
The Best Center Superstar Abilities
Superstar Abilities are earned in the equipment bags you’ll get as rewards for leveling up in NHL 24. It’s a bit random, so early on in the game you’ll be equipping whichever Superstar Abilities you happen to have. You get to equip two of them, so there’s more to choose from than you’ll find with Zone Abilities. As you progress, though, there are some you’ll definitely want to have depending your player’s archetype.
- Playmaker:
- Send It — Increased Pass assist with advanced ability to auto-saucer long passes.
- Crease Crasher — Increased ability at corralling bouncing pucks off of rebounds.
- Two-Way Forward:
- Stick ‘Em Up — Outstanding defensive stick speed. Especially true when poke-checking against momentum or at speed.
- Big Tipper — Advanced speed, accuracy, and range when deflecting shots.
- Dangler:
- Shock and Awe — Advanced power and accuracy shooting out of, or shortly after a deke.
- Elite Edges — Advanced maneuverability with the ability to turn tight corners while retaining high speed.
- Sniper:
- Ankle Breaker — Advanced ability to deke opponents at top speed.
- Make It Snappy — Advanced power and accuracy when taking snap shots while skating.
The Best Center Boosts in NHL 24
Boosts are exactly what they sound like. Applying them offer direct attribute boosts to the affected skill. Like with the other categories, some are better than others depending on which archetype you’re using. As always, you should select the boosts that complement your play style the best. While there is no perfect answer on which to take, some have more impact than others, especially in online play. Here’s what we recommend for centers in the top archetypes:
- Playmaker:
- Controlled Passing — Gives you +4 Passing
- Shooting Threat — Gives you +4 Offensive Awareness
- Two-Way Forward:
- Stick Discipline — Gives you +4 Discipline
- Controlled Wrister — Gives you +2 Wrist Shot Accuracy
- Dangler:
- Controlled Deking — Gives you +4 Deking
- Unbreakable Strides — Gives you +2 Acceleration
- Sniper:
- Controlled Wrister — Gives you +2 Wrist Shot Accuracy
- Core Strength — Gives you +4 Strength
That’s our pick for best center build in NHL 24!
