Lightning center named No. 8 right now by NHL Network

The NHL Network this week released their Top 20 Centers right now ahead of the 2025-26 season and a Lightning fan-favorite ranked in the top 10, veteran Brayden Point who NHL Network ranked as their No. 8 center right now in all of the NHL heading into the 2025-26 season.

Point, the 29-year old from Calgary, Alberta, CAN is coming off his third best season as a member of the bolts. In 77 games, he scored 42 goals, had 40 assists, accumulated 82 points, and was +17 on the season. 

Point also had his fifth best face off percentage, winning 48.5 percent of the face offs he participated in.

In the 2024-25 playoffs, Point scored two goals, accumulating a total two points in five games and was -1 in the postseason.

Point has been with the Lightning since they drafted him in the third round (Pick No. 79 overall) of the 2014 NHL draft. In 2014 he signed a three-year entry level contract with the club, one he never looked back on.

Over the course of his career, he has skated in 657 games, scoring 306 goals, recording 329 assists, for 635 total points, and had a career +77. His face-off percentage on his career is 48.9, showing his aggressiveness and ability to win the puck in a battle against the defenders.

He was a WHL East First All-Star Team member in 2015 and 2016, and in 2018 played in the the NHL All-Star Game.

Point was a part of both the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup Champion Lighting teams and was a big part of them winning in 2020. That year he led all players in the postseason with 14 goals, including a power play goal at 12:23 of the first period in Game six, which ended up being the goal that ultimately led Tampa Bay to winning the cup.

 After being a huge impact player for the Lightning that season, Point and the Lightning front office agreed upon an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 average annual value) that would keep Point in Tampa through 2028.

In 2022, Point scored 51 goals, which led the Lightning and was the fifth most goals among any player in the NHL.

Point skated in his 500th career game in 2023, becoming just the 11th Lightning player to reach 500 games.

Off the ice, Point is known for his humility and the way he gets involved in the community. He cares deeply for others, and has made the Special Olympics a nonprofit focus of his, always helping, supporting, and showing up for the organization and the athletes.

Point also always makes a point to acknowledge the fans. He’s usually always the last one to leave the arena, making a point to sign for fans and take pictures. He is known for the way he builds relationship with the community, cares about his teammates, their families, and the greater Tampa Bay community as a whole.

As the 2025-26 season begins, the Lightning are expectant of another big year from their center and the NHL Network No. 8 center right now in all of the NHL according to NHL Network.

The Tampa Bay Lightning kick off preseason action on September 22 against the Hurricanes and open the regular season on October 9 against the Senators.