Derek Stepan is clearly the New York Rangers number one center, and with that comes a high price tag. Stepan was able to ink a six-year contract worth $39 million in the summer of 2015. This price tag, however, has recently gained some criticism, especially after Stepan’s poor postseason performance.
In order to understand if Stepan is underperforming compared to his market value, his market value should be analyzed. Below is a quick breakdown of top centers in the league with similar contracts to Stepan.
| Name | Cap Hit | Age | Signed Until | Games Played | Career Average PPG | Career Plus/Minus | Highest Point Total |
| Nicklas Backstrom | $6. |