Elite D more important than elite forwards?

[Ben White]

What's more important?

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[Xokkeu]

I think forwards

 

[Drew4u]

Elite D.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

D is super important. You can have the best forwards but if you're D can't get the puck to them it won't matter

 

[UnrefinedCrude]

It's way more important to have a mix of both than to focus solely on one or the other.

Being one dimensional is the best way to lose a tonne of games.

 

[Murky]

Neither. It depends on the situation, tactics of the team, age as in dead puck era vs. fire wagon etc., but ultimately it is about balance and the right mix. Also I think that a very good group of forwards can hide flaws in the defensemen and vice versa.

 

[lakai17]

We'll see how Sweden and Canada do.

 

[Pavels Dog]

One elite D-man can play up to 30 minutes per game, few forwards will ever be over 20-21 minutes. Thus if I had to choose between one elite d-man or one elite forward, I'd choose the d-man since he'll impact the team for a larger % of the game.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Elite grinders.

 

[Neutral Hockey Fan]

Basically Russia vs Sweden

I'll take Sweden in a tournament

 

[EK47]

Elite grinders.

Yeah preferably hand picked by Tortorella.

 

[Confucius]

D, and the thing is it's easier to defend. Only problem players want to score...

 

[dechire]

Nearly all elite D have great offense with the exception of shutdown D. How many elite forwards have comparable defensive abilities ?

 

[Ainec]

Elite D always

 

[Mr Positive]

wisdom says elite D, but Pittsburgh won with only 1 D that I would call above average. At the very least, they are clearly based on elite forwards moreso than D. Meanwhile teams biased towards D like Nashville and St.Louis usually don't push far in the playoffs.

 

[jaric1862]

Elite D definitely. I think a team that is stacked on D and weak up front will do much better than a team stacked up front but no D. Also think a 1D is more Valuable/Rare than a 1C

 

[Nordic*]

We'll see how Sweden and Canada do.

Canada has both though.

 

[habsterr]

D >>>> F anyday.

 

[Stubu]

Elite hitting, yapping, and fighting.

 

[JackSlater]

Elite defence can cover up for a bad goaltender and also significantly contribute to the offence. If it's 12 elite forwards vs 6 elite defencemen though, I might take the forwards.

 

[Confucius]

Elite defence can cover up for a bad goaltender and also significantly contribute to the offence. If it's 12 elite forwards vs 6 elite defencemen though, I might take the forwards.

I believe 6 elite D would shutdown 12 elite forwards 4 out of 7 times.

 

[snipes]

Elite D generally.

Another thing, an elite D man can play 30 mins/game. You can play them every other shift. Elite forwards typically play 20 mins/game.

 

[lakai17]

Canada has both though.

I won't argue with that.

Perhaps North America could be compared to Russia with the elite offense. Russia maybe higher end top 6 on offense but north America's bottom 6 on offense have the edge to balance them out.

 

[snipes]

I won't argue with that.

Perhaps North America could be compared to Russia with the elite offense. Russia maybe higher end top 6 on offense but north America's bottom 6 on offense have the edge to balance them out.

NA have better D as well, I still think Russia wins it though.

 

[Sam Spade]

Defensemen are like gold. Forwards are almost irrelevant in today's game, unless you are in the Toews, Kopitar, Bergeron mold.