NHL 19 Ratings: Best Two-Way Forwards

(Image Credit: EA Sports, via Twitter)

It can be rare for top-class, two-way forwards to emerge as they don’t tend to put up as many of the big flashy numbers, such as goals and assists. What they do, however, is take the form of a playmaker in the offensive end, be hard to beat in the neutral zone, and lock down like a defensive defenseman in front of their own net. 

In NHL 19, not many two-way forwards have breached the elite-level of overall rating, but there are plenty of young guns making their way up the list. These are the best two-way forwards in the game, ranked by their overall rating.

Patrice Bergeron (90 OVR)

Team: Boston BruinsPosition: CenterAge: 33Nationality: CanadianHeight: 185cmWeight: 88kgShoots: RightBest Stats: Faceoffs 95, Stick Checking 95, Defensive Awareness 94, Offensive Awareness 92

Fans of the NHL will know that no other player could kick off these rankings. The four-time Frank J. Selke Trophy winner continues to work both ends of the ice to an elite-level. In NHL 19, and many of the previous editions of the EA Sports franchise, he is the best in the duel, rocking 95 for faceoffs and 90 for poise. His defensive awareness of 94 and offensive awareness of 92 couple nicely to show how balanced Patrice Bergeron’s game is. 

Anze Kopitar (90 OVR)

Team: Los Angeles KingsPosition: CenterAge: 31Nationality: SlovenianHeight: 191cmWeight: 101kgShoots: LeftBest Stats: Defensive Awareness 93, Passing 92, Puck Control 92, Offensive Awareness 92, Slap Shot Power 92, Wrist Shot Power 92. 

While the defensive side of the game is well covered by Anze Kopitar’s 93 defensive awareness, 90 stick checking, and 90 strength, his ability in the offensive end cannot be understated. With 92 passing, 92 puck control, and 92 power on both forms of shot, the Kings captain is a weapon at both ends of the ice.

Brad Marchand (88 OVR)

Team: Boston BruinsPosition: Left WingAge: 30Nationality: CanadianHeight: 175cmWeight: 82kgShoots: LeftBest Stats: Offensive Awareness 92, Wrist Shot Accuracy 92, Aggressiveness 91, Slap Shot Accuracy 91, Hand-Eye 90, Passing 90, Puck Control 90

Brad Marchand is one of those wings who gets as much joy from scoring a goal as he does laying out a huge hit along the boards. He works both ends of the ice very well, has a knack for scoring goals, and will speed back with 88 acceleration and 88 speed to lay out an 89-graded body check. 

Aleksander Barkov (88 OVR)

Team: Florida PanthersPosition: CenterAge: 22Nationality: FinnishHeight: 191cmWeight: 96kgShoots: LeftBest Stats: Stick Checking 92, Passing 92, Puck Control 92, Deking 92, Offensive Awareness 92

It took a little longer than expected, but Aleksander Barkov has officially arrived as a top-class two-way center. Improving year-on-year, much like many of his fellow Panthers, Barkov’s ability to control the play at both ends of the ice hasn’t gone unnoticed. With an overall five-star rating in his defense, puck skills, and shooting, it’s clear that in NHL 19, Barkov will continue to grow into possibly the best two-way player in the game. 

Jonathan Toews (87 OVR)

Team: Chicago BlackhawksPosition: CenterAge: 30Nationality: CanadianHeight: 188cmWeight: 91kgShoots: LeftBest Stats: Poise 95, Defensive Awareness 93, Stick Checking 93, Durability 90

The Chicago Blackhawks captain is a defense-first, no-nonsense kind of center. Jonathan Toews is great in the duel, boasts a rating of 88 in hand-eye coupled with a colossal 93 in stick checking to enable him to dispossess any runaway forward. 

Sean Monahan (87 OVR)

Team: Calgary FlamesPosition: CenterAge: 23Nationality: CanadianHeight: 191cmWeight: 88kgShoots: LeftBest Stats: Offensive Awareness 90, Passing 90, Puck Control 90

Sean Monahan’s ability in all phases of the game is undeniable in NHL 19. The young center boasts 89s in deking and hand-eye as well as an 88 in defensive awareness and 89 in stick checking. He also boasts an 89 in strength, which is utilized in his 89 slap shot power. 

Sean Couturier (87 OVR)

Team: Philadelphia FlyersPosition: CenterAge: 25Nationality: Canadian-AmericanHeight: 191cmWeight: 96kgShoots: LeftBest Stats: Defensive Awareness 92, Offensive Awareness 90, Passing 90, Stick Checking 90

This season, the Philadelphia Flyers are hoping that their younger players, such as Sean Couturier, continue to develop on their strong showing from last season. Couturier is developing into a very trusty two-way center, and in NHL 19, that sentiment is reflected. His 88 in shot blocking, 87 in body checking, and 90 in stick checking show that he pulls off his defensive plays, while the 90 passing and 87s in shooting accuracies hold him as a threat in the offensive end. 

Other NHL 19 top two-way forwards