Best defending defensemen all-time?
- Thread starter Winged Wheel Willy
- Start date
Pavels Dog
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Winged Wheel Willy
Minister
lol, have them at even, but didn't want to come off as a homer. splitting hair anyway.Bourque ahead of Lids?
robsenz
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- Apr 15, 2007
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Looks like you're aging yourself a bit here, hardly a wild claim.Bourque ahead of Lids?
DamonDRW
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I've never seen anyone better than Lidstrom or Pronger. However, I followed hockey for the last 35 years only.
Fatass
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- Apr 17, 2017
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Orr
Guy was the best offensively and defensively.
Guy was the best offensively and defensively.
The NHL should make this an award. These defencemen have a huge impact on the game and receive no recognition for it.
I’d be curious who the nominees would be in today’s game.
I’d be curious who the nominees would be in today’s game.
The Winter Soldier
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- Apr 4, 2011
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2 time Norris winner Rod Langway, even has an NHL trophy named after him for best defensive Defenceman.
BLNY
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If we're talking purely defense, and using your list, it's Langway. He won his first on the back of a three goal season in 1982-83. Before Langway, you could go back to Pierre Pilotte who had similar numbers when he won three in a row with the Hawks from 63-65.
The Winter Soldier
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In his prime Chara woud be a worthy choice.
Right now I would go with Slevin, Ekblad, or Pietroangelo.
Right now I would go with Slevin, Ekblad, or Pietroangelo.
norrisnick
The best...
- Apr 14, 2005
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They are largely even overall. But Nick was better defensively and Ray better offensively.
Chris Tanev is the best defenseman at defending I’ve seen on the Flames in my lifetime
Canadiens Ghost
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- Jun 22, 2018
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Lidstrom, Robinson, Langway, Pronger, Orr all good choices
Hockey Outsider
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- Jan 16, 2005
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A quick (and completely subjective) top ten list:
If the question is the best "pure" defensive defensemen (ie their focus was almost entirely on defensive play) - Rod Langway would be a good choice. Other candidates - Valeri Vasiliev, Serge Savard, Rod Langway, Craig Ludwig, Vladimir Konstantinov, Derian Hatcher, Adam Foote.
- Doug Harvey
- Tim Horton
- Larry Robinson
- Denis Potvin
- Ray Bourque
- Scott Stevens
- Chris Chelios
- Nicklas Lidstrom
- Chris Pronger
- Zdeno Chara
If the question is the best "pure" defensive defensemen (ie their focus was almost entirely on defensive play) - Rod Langway would be a good choice. Other candidates - Valeri Vasiliev, Serge Savard, Rod Langway, Craig Ludwig, Vladimir Konstantinov, Derian Hatcher, Adam Foote.
For pure defense these are my picks
Langway
Lindstrom
Vlasic (I think he had an amazing peak although short.)
Chara
Stevens
Mark Howe
Leo Folgolin
Konstantinov
Chelios
Langway
Lindstrom
Vlasic (I think he had an amazing peak although short.)
Chara
Stevens
Mark Howe
Leo Folgolin
Konstantinov
Chelios
Chris Tanev is the best defenseman at defending I've seen on the Canucks in my lifetime
Also, I recall him being a step above in the World Championships. I feel pretty strongly that he is one of the most underrated players of his Era.
That may not put him in the all-time conversation but he should be in the same category as Vlasic IMO for their era. Currently Slavin is the best from what I see.
OgeeOgelthorpe
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McCrimmon needs to be up there. So does Larry Robinson and late career Mark Howe.
Derian Hatcher was terrific in the DPE but probably not top 5, but maybe top 10 or near it. Vlad Konstantinov from 1991 to 1997 was phenomenal.
Bourque was a great all around defenseman but I wouldn't put him in the top 10 defensively all time. It just wasn't his game. He was very much a possession guy and could own the puck when on the ice but wasn't that shutdown kind of guy, IMO. Very good defensively but guys like Chelios, Pronger, Konstantinov, Hatcher and Lidstrom were for sure better defenders on the rush, in the corners and around the net. Where Bourque really shined was turning a dump in attempt into a rush going the other direction.
Derian Hatcher was terrific in the DPE but probably not top 5, but maybe top 10 or near it. Vlad Konstantinov from 1991 to 1997 was phenomenal.
Bourque was a great all around defenseman but I wouldn't put him in the top 10 defensively all time. It just wasn't his game. He was very much a possession guy and could own the puck when on the ice but wasn't that shutdown kind of guy, IMO. Very good defensively but guys like Chelios, Pronger, Konstantinov, Hatcher and Lidstrom were for sure better defenders on the rush, in the corners and around the net. Where Bourque really shined was turning a dump in attempt into a rush going the other direction.
Moose Head
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In coaches polls, I recall Bourque winning best defensive dman at least once or twice in the late 80’s/early 90’s, so he was really damned good defensively at his peak.
OgeeOgelthorpe
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And that's what I have trouble reconciling. I watched a lot of 80s and 90s hockey. Bourque was terrific and no doubt one of the best defensemen of all time but I never thought, "Wow, Bourque really shut down that guy!"
I remember a lot of Bourque leading a rush up ice after retrieving the puck on a dump in. Or someone finding him in the slot for a shot, or Bourque ragging the puck in the opposition zone, or when a forechecker was coming after him in his own zone. I remember Sweeney and Wesley as the shutdown guys on those 90s Bruins teams.
- Apr 27, 2005
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It takes a lot of viewings to evaluate a player's defensive acumen, so I will stick to guys who I've seen extensively in their primes. For that, there are two guys that stand out - Nicklas Lidstrom and Jaccob Slavin.
Honorable mention to guys like Chara, McDonagh, Tanev, Pronger, and Larsson.
Honorable mention to guys like Chara, McDonagh, Tanev, Pronger, and Larsson.
