Fully healthy defencemen ranking of all playoff teams

1. Canes
2. Avs
3. Devils
4. Kings
5. Golden Knights
6. Wild
7. Oilers
8. Jets
9. Lightning
10. Leafs
11. Capitals
12. Senators
13. Panthers
14. Blues
15. Stars
16. Canadiens

I think the Devils are too high with both Siegs and Hams on IR.

Siegs is very underrated and seems to make his partners better.
 
I think the Devils are too high with both Siegs and Hams on IR.

Siegs is very underrated and seems to make his partners better.
Hence I said full power. If we factor injuries, Stars are easily the worst AINEC. But even with Heiskanen, I only take their blueline above the Habs.
 
Hence I said full power. If we factor injuries, Stars are easily the worst AINEC. But even with Heiskanen, I only take their blueline above the Habs.
I see what you're saying now.

I read it as a "full list of power rankings".
 
I'm going to question how it is that the Canes can be first. Maybe there just aren't any real elite D groups right now.

Slavin is obviously amazing for a playoff series. Burns and Orlov are good not great. But then Chatfield, Gostisbehere, Walker? That's a dropoff. Not the deepest group. Nikishin might help a lot, I don't know if that's clear yet.

By the way "full power" was not clear to me. I didn't think you meant rankings at full health.
 
Here is the ranking by goals against (obviously goalies and team defence factor in, but just for interest's sake):

1. Jets
2. Kings
3. Lightning
4. Devils
5. Stars
6. Golden Knights
7. Panthers
8. Hurricanes
9. Capitals
10. Senators
11. Avalanche
12. Maple Leafs
13. Blues
14. Oilers
15. Wild
16. Canadiens
 
How are the Oilers so much higher than the Leafs? Actually how are they higher than the Jets and Lighnting too? Are you an Oilers fan? lol
Oilers defense numbers have been great for most of the year, goaltending and lack of finishing is what is sinking them, not defense, its not 2021 anymore.
 
Here is the ranking by goals against (obviously goalies and team defence factor in, but just for interest's sake):

1. Jets
2. Kings
3. Lightning
4. Devils
5. Stars
6. Golden Knights
7. Panthers
8. Hurricanes
9. Capitals
10. Senators
11. Avalanche
12. Maple Leafs
13. Blues
14. Oilers
15. Wild
16. Canadiens
this tracks better
 
If we are assuming health, and Im obviously biased, I dont know how you rank anyone ahead of the Avalanche. Makar is that good to offset anything else. Toews is up there with Slavin for pure defense. Girard and Manson is a great 2nd pairing. Lindgren and Malinski/Johnson is a solid bottom pairing.

But Makars gamebreaking ability is so far ahead of everyone other team.
 
How are the Oilers so much higher than the Leafs? Actually how are they higher than the Jets and Lighnting too? Are you an Oilers fan? lol

The argument for putting the Oilers ahead of the Leafs would seem strongest to me. Ekholm - Bouchard is a high end top pair, the Leafs don't really have anything like that. The Leafs look to have one good defensive pair in McCabe - Tanev and then one maybe okay pairing in Reilly - Carlo, but no elite pairing. Reilly and Carlo (separately) have both been a disaster for most of this season so a lot is riding on their chemistry. The Oilers have gotten a lot more out of Nurse and now Walman. That's an enviable top 4. And I would take Kulak as a #5 over most players in that role, including OEL.

The Jets should definitely be ahead of both. Morrissey - DeMelo and Samberg - Pionk are both excellent and lift you at both ends. The Lightning are a bit iffy. Who is the fourth best D on the Lightning? They rely on Hedman completely carrying a pairing by himself and that at times is too much to ask.
 
If we are assuming health, and Im obviously biased, I dont know how you rank anyone ahead of the Avalanche. Makar is that good to offset anything else. Toews is up there with Slavin for pure defense. Girard and Manson is a great 2nd pairing. Lindgren and Malinski/Johnson is a solid bottom pairing.

But Makars gamebreaking ability is so far ahead of everyone other team.
Colorado had a decent defence but it’s nothing to write home about after Makar. And that depends on which version of Makar shows up in the post season
 
fully healthy florida is a top 5 defense

Forsling-Ekblad
Mikkola-Jones
Schmidt-Kulikov

People like to shit on Jones but hes been a very solid add and when we actually had this healthy lineup before ekblads suspension we were shutting down teams offensively. Recently weve been without two defensemen (and a few starters on forward) so everyones out of place, and even as of late not many teams score more than 2 even though weve been coasting till playoffs,
 
fully healthy florida is a top 5 defense

Forsling-Ekblad
Mikkola-Jones
Schmidt-Kulikov

People like to shit on Jones but hes been a very solid add and when we actually had this healthy lineup before ekblads suspension we were shutting down teams offensively. Recently weve been without two defensemen (and a few starters on forward) so everyones out of place, and even as of late not many teams score more than 2 even though weve been coasting till playoffs,
It’s a downgrade from last year but pretty solid still. They won’t have Ekblad till game 3 correct?
 
1 Avs
2 doesnt care
3 thread is confusing close threads pls

Wait did you mean ranking of teams with the most healthy defensemen?
 
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Jets. should be #1 . they may not have the "best" single guy...but in terms of Depth and quality? easily #1

Top end talent you got Morrisey... he's easily a top 5 D man in the league. year in year out

Pionk is better than the fancy stats say and this year he's been a killer.

Samberg, healthy finally , has been a revelation...a legit top 4 on any contending team in the league.
DeMello...a great stay at home guy who has the partner he has needed for a while.

Schenn? the Human eraser...he's playing some of his best hockey here. stay at home, crush bodies, and get it out!

Then Miller Fleury, Stanley, have all slid in and been effective in big games with multiple partners and combos...
 
Colorado had a decent defence but it’s nothing to write home about after Makar. And that depends on which version of Makar shows up in the post season
Toews is no slouch and would be a 1A on most teams on this list. To have him chilling back there while Makar supermans around the rink is massive.

Jets/Stars are the only ones I think that can somewhat match up well becuase of depth and Miro or Harley/Morrisseys ability to go big time, but still not even remotely close to Makar. Jets fall off hard after Morrissey, but all solid and obviously Helle makes them all look better. Stars are pretty great with Miro/Harley/Lindell, but without Miro, it looks rough as weve seen agains the Canucks lol.
 
The argument for putting the Oilers ahead of the Leafs would seem strongest to me. Ekholm - Bouchard is a high end top pair, the Leafs don't really have anything like that. The Leafs look to have one good defensive pair in McCabe - Tanev and then one maybe okay pairing in Reilly - Carlo, but no elite pairing. Reilly and Carlo (separately) have both been a disaster for most of this season so a lot is riding on their chemistry. The Oilers have gotten a lot more out of Nurse and now Walman. That's an enviable top 4. And I would take Kulak as a #5 over most players in that role, including OEL.

The Jets should definitely be ahead of both. Morrissey - DeMelo and Samberg - Pionk are both excellent and lift you at both ends. The Lightning are a bit iffy. Who is the fourth best D on the Lightning? They rely on Hedman completely carrying a pairing by himself and that at times is too much to ask.
this is just looking at names, since Carlo has joined the Leafs Rielly - Carlo is the 6th best pair in the NHL by xGF% and 8th in high danger%

It's a perfect fit and has completed the top 4 with 2 strong pairings
 
Toews is no slouch and would be a 1A on most teams on this list. To have him chilling back there while Makar supermans around the rink is massive.

Jets/Stars are the only ones I think that can somewhat match up well becuase of depth and Miro or Harley/Morrisseys ability to go big time, but still not even remotely close to Makar. Jets fall off hard after Morrissey, but all solid and obviously Helle makes them all look better. Stars are pretty great with Miro/Harley/Lindell, but without Miro, it looks rough as weve seen agains the Canucks lol.
Colorado also has some rough looking defence unless they are playing a perfect game. Which any team will struggle to do in the post season
 

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Hutson > Bouchard
Guhle > Nurse
Matheson > Kulak
Carrier > Emerson
Struble > Dineen
Savard < Stecher

I know, I'm a homer etc. Oilers are the better overall team but I don't agree that their defence is better than the Habs.

Edit: Forgot Ekholm and Walman are hurt, yeah that changes things.
 
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Colorado also has some rough looking defence unless they are playing a perfect game. Which any team will struggle to do in the post season
Kiefer Sherwood is their kryptonite lol.

But in all seriousness, these rankings to me is like if we had to rank forward cores if healthy. The Oilers would be at a top 1-2-3 of everyones lists right? 2 dudes can heavily carry a bunch of meh. Im not selling Manson/Girard/Malnski/Johnson/Lindgren as anything amazing, but Toews/Makar are that good. Makar is head and shoulders the best dman left in the playoffs and Toews is arguably as good as everyone else defensively and fortunate for the Avs, dont need to see him run a PP ever.
 

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