NHL 22 Be A Pro: How to Build the Best Two-Way Center

While not the most glamorous player type in NHL 22, anyone who can play well as a Two-Way Center can quickly become the stud of their team. For this build, it’s all about winning faceoffs, retrieving the puck, keeping possession, and firing a high volume of shots on goal.

Here, we’re going through the best build for a Two-Way Center step-by-step, from their height and weight to the best Abilities and the Skill Tree to focus on if you want to be a future Selke Trophy contender.

Before delving into the specifics, here’s an outline of how to build the best Two-Way Center in NHL 22:

• Position: Center
• Height: 191cm
• Weight: 98.3kg
• Archetype: Two-Way
• Key Skill Trees: Faceoff Wizard, Defensive Genius, Sensational
• Zone Ability: Quick Draw
• Superstar Abilities: Quick Pick, Shutdown, Tape to Tape, Wheels, Yoink!

Building the best Two-Way Center in NHL 22

When building your Two-Way Center, you’ll want to ensure that they’re big enough to outmuscle foes in the faceoffs circle but also not be so big that they can’t hustle their way down the ice relatively swiftly.

So, to achieve this balance, we’ve gone for a range of between 185cm (6’0’’) and 191cm (6’2’’) in height, as well as between 98.5kg and 99.2kg in weight. For a bit of fun and to use your frame on occasion, change the Fighter option to ‘Sometimes.’

Naturally, you’ll need to select Center for your player’s primary position. For the secondary position, to help you get some easy shots on goal – if you start off being played on the wing – go with the opposite wing to your handedness (such as by picking the right wing if you’re going to be a left-shot).

Finally, select the Two-Way Archetype. This offers you a very well-balanced starting slate, but with a bit more in defensive awareness, offensive awareness, shot blocking, and stick checking. Even though faceoffs are down as a weakness, the rating is actually rather strong from the get-go.

Skill Trees to upgrade for the best Two-Way Center in NHL 22

Being able to play a 200-foot game is essential for a Two-Way Center to be successful. Unfortunately for gamers trying to build a player, this means that there are several areas that you need to upgrade on the Skill Trees. Equally, it does mean that you can earn helpful experience in games via almost any successful play.

Overall, you can improve your Two-Way Center by upgrading the following: faceoffs, defensive awareness, stick checking, shot blocking, hand-eye, passing, offensive awareness, poise, endurance, speed, acceleration, durability, strength, puck control, slap shot accuracy, and wrist shot accuracy.

From those listed above, you can work your way down four Skill Trees to unlock points for the more essential attributes which will make you solid in the fundamentals of being a Two-Way Center:

• Faceoff Wizard: Faceoffs
• Defensive Genius: Shot Blocking, Defensive Awareness, Stick Checking
• Sensational: Poise, Offensive Awareness
• Power Skater: Endurance

Once you’ve worked your way down two or three levels of the Skill Trees and branches shown above, dabble in the following:

• Pass Master: Hand-Eye, Passing
• Power Skater: Speed, Acceleration
• Soft Hands: Soft Hands II, Puck Control
• Braun: Durability, Strength
• Marksman: Slap Shot Accuracy, Wrist Shot Accuracy

So, focus on working your way down the first four Skill Trees as a priority, but then pick up the second tier Skill Trees when you find your player a bit lacking – particularly if a lack of speed starts to become an issue.

Zone Ability for the best Two-Way Center in NHL 22

Quick Draw is the best Zone Ability for you to pick for your Two-Way Center build. All of the best Two-Way Centers prize their ability to dominate in the duel, and in NHL 22, your ability to win faceoffs most of the time will make you an option in all situations.

In its Zone Ability form, Quick Draw has the effect of exceptional quickness on faceoff draws, greatly increasing your effectiveness on tie-up wins, and it makes you great at defensive zone draws. Once you can add the Zone Ability, it’ll give you a huge boost in one of the essential parts of playing as a Two-Way Center.

Superstar Abilities for the best Two-Way Center in NHL 22

Along with the game-changing Zone Ability, you can add up to five Superstar Abilities to enhance your Two-Way Center build in critical areas. Below are the five that we’d suggest, with their Challenges listed so that you can target them when making decisions and progressing along the story in Be A Pro.

Quick Pick

Interceptions are key to being a strong two-way player, with puck retrieval just as important as keeping possession. So, Quick Pick and its effect of “Great Puck Interceptions” is a must-add.

Shutdown

While you will be expected to contribute on offence, you’ll often find yourself backchecking through the neutral zone, trying to box-out rushers. Shutdown and its effect of “Elite Rush Defending” will help you here.

Tape To Tape

One of the trickier Superstar Abilities to obtain as a Two-Way Center, Tape To Tape is well-worth adding as keeping the puck is essential to your role. Tape To Tape grants “Great Passing Within Vision,” which can give you a decent boost in attributes that you likely won’t focus too much on early on in the build.

Wheels

Speed always makes the difference in NHL 22, so whenever you can add a bit more to your build, even as a Two-Way Center, it’s worth doing. So, add Wheels and its “Great Skating with Puck,” as it’ll add to your options: making you a more assertive puck carrier as well as one who can pick out accurate passes.

Yoink!

The Yoink! Superstar Ability grants the effect of “Great Defensive Stick Lift,” which can give you a bonus defensive manoeuvre when chasing a puck carrier or defending around the crease. This can be particularly useful if you don’t quite have the speed to get in range of an on-the-money poke check.

Of course, in the early stages of your Two-Way Center build, you may unlock other Superstar Abilities before those listed above, which you could still utilise, but the above are the best to target. Also, Unstoppable Force is a viable option if any of the above don’t suit your intended career path.

Much of your development into an elite Two-Way Center will be on the ice as you play more games, tick the boxes of the coaches, and put up increasingly strong stat lines. Still, as you build your skater with Abilities and Skill Tree unlocks, be sure to focus on those highlighted above.