HOCKEY : Lindros Looms as Central Figure

It’s appropriate that Eric Lindros, a Mark Messier-type center in the Canadian juniors, will be the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft this summer.

In this unparalleled age of offense, centers have become the dominant force in hockey.

“It certainly is our glamour position now,” said David Poile, the general manager of the Washington Capitals. “These are the most talented players, the most creative players.”

Last season, no less than 10 of the top 13 scorers were center icemen -- including league-leader Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings. This season, Gretzky again leads in scoring, followed by John Cullen, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ center who was an early-season sensation.

Although such right wingers as Brett Hull, Cam Neely and Rick Tocchet are having outstanding seasons, teams generally look to centers for their main support these days.

If the 1950s were a golden age for wingers and goaltenders, this age could be considered platinum as far as centers are concerned.

“The center position always has been the very high-profile skill position,” said Buffalo Sabres general manager Gerry Meehan. “But the game has opened up more and the development of centers has followed that.”

While defensemen, wingers and goaltenders are generally stereotyped by size, centers come in a variety of packages -- from the 6-foot-4 Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins to the 5-10 Denis Savard of the Montreal Canadiens.

And a variety of styles -- from Gretzky to Messier.

“Gretzky is the finese player,” says Edmonton coach John Muckler, “and Messier is the intimidating, hard-shooting, physical player.”

In the 1950s, the classic centers were Jean Beliveau, Henri Richard and Sid Abel. But great as they were, they only produced one scoring title between them -- Beliveau’s in the 1955-56 season.

Gretzky has already won eight and Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux won two before his recent back problems. The last non-center to win a scoring title was Hall of Fame winger Guy Lafleur with Montreal in 1978.

Gretzky is given some of the credit for the recent proliferation of outstanding centers. As in other sports, young players emulate the headline-makers.

“I think people patterned themselves after him,” said Neal Smith, the general manager of the New York Rangers.

Phil Esposito also had that effect with his goal-scoring exploits in the 1970s.

He showed that centers don’t always have to be silky-smooth skaters who in most cases set up the other forwards for scoring. Unlike the classic centers of old, Esposito found most of his action in front of the goaltender, where he shoveled in goal after goal. He won five scoring titles.

Esposito became the first center in NHL history to score more than 50 goals in a season. Actually, Esposito scored 76 in 1970-71, a league record until Gretzky’s spectacular 92 in 1981-82.

Esposito in some ways redefined his position, just as Gretzky brought a different dimension to center. Certainly each of them is out of a different mold. Esposito worked in front of the net, Gretzky works behind it.

“He’s done so much to revolutionize the game and give the playmaker a whole different meaning,” said Edmonton forward Craig Simpson of Gretzky. “He’s the epitome of the playmaker. His presence changes the complexion of a game.”

Lemieux would likely be among the scoring leaders this season had he not hurt his back. And Messier, the Edmonton star who was the league’s Most Valuable Player last year, would be, too, except for injuries.

Still, there are a plethora of sharp-shooters with such as Detroit’s Steve Yzerman, Quebec’s Joe Sakic, the Islanders’ Pat LaFontaine, Calgary’s Joe Niewendyk and Chicago’s Jeremy Roenick among the scoring leaders.

And NHL teams acknowledge that there are more quality centers on the horizon. Lindros, a star with the Oshawa Generals of the Central Hockey League, is the foremost prospect.

“More players are gravitating toward center,” says Darcy Regier, assistant coach with the New York Islanders. “Center is a controlling situation, and coaches make sure their best players are there.”