Fully healthy defencemen ranking of all playoff teams

Hilarious how everyone is putting Habs last when they have the biggest gamebreaking talent aside from Makar at the position.
Ghule is healthy right now.
Struble is decent.
Matheson would be fine as an offensive D-man if he isn't asked to do too much.
Carrier is fine.
Only Savard and Xhekaj are the weak links.

Certainly not a top D-core by any means but closer to 10th place or something like that.
Hutson is a rookie so I think plenty of folks expect some acclimation to the playoffs. Similar to how it took him a bit to acclimate to the regular season. He is light years better now than at the beginning of the year. I'd expect some need for a reset in the playoffs which may hold the team back this season. Maybe he's ready right from the first puck drop but it's not unreasonable to say wait and see with such a young group. Regardless of where they are now their best days are in the future.
 
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Oilers left side

Ek nurse walman kulak

Top 5

Oilers right side

Bouch Stecher Emerson gus

Bottom 5

If I'm an opposing coach.. I base my entire attack on the oilers right side.
 
You know I said the same thing when word came that the Leafs were targeting Carlo. I thought they would fit perfectly together. But you're still going to have your share of Rielly turnovers in the playoffs.
I think that's just part of Rielly's game that we'll have to accept. If he's producing enough offensively it can offset the turnovers he'll have by playing that style
 
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.

Moser is the 4th best D-man on TB which is pretty damn good. Not many teams can do better than Hedman-McDonagh-Cernak as a top 3, one of the top 10 dmen in the game and one of the best shutdown pairs in the league. Their bottom pair is middle of the pack at worst, and you have a 40+ point guy fighting for a regular spot.

TB is laughably low on OP's list, they are top 5 at least.
 
Was looking at whether to count it from the TDL or do the whole season, chose the whole season as it's a larger sample.

5v5 xGA/60 (so removing the goaltending from a team, just the chances a team gives up. Used /60 because of different amount of games played)

1744459271116.png


1744459350776.png


Obviously some teams have added players at the TDL, if you wanted to count just from March 7th, it'd be listed as follows :

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

Just using the 16 in now with there still being some spice level left for the end of the regular season. Not a definitive ranking but at least it takes out goaltending.
 
Was looking at whether to count it from the TDL or do the whole season, chose the whole season as it's a larger sample.

5v5 xGA/60 (so removing the goaltending from a team, just the chances a team gives up. Used /60 because of different amount of games played)

View attachment 1012107

View attachment 1012109

Obviously some teams have added players at the TDL, if you wanted to count just from March 7th, it'd be listed as follows :

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

Just using the 16 in now with there still being some spice level left for the end of the regular season. Not a definitive ranking but at least it takes out goaltending.
Not sure how you ranked them, but the order doesn’t match with the yellow highlights numbers.
 
This is a tough one to call.

I'll focus on Central teams, then West.

I think Colorado has the best defense,

Followed by Winnipeg. Coach Scott Arniel has had positive impacts on Pionk and Samberg and this could be their breakout. Luke Schenn was the kind of d-man the Jets need for the playoffs.

St. Louis next, with a healthy Parayko, Fowler, Broberg, and some vets with a lot of playoff mileage I think the Blues are sneaky good.

Dallas without Heiskanen does not have the same level.

Minnesota is going to need a lot out of Faber, Brodin and Spurgeon are probably the lowest ranking of top 3 d-men, but maybe Jiricek or Buium get in these playoffs, not sure either are ready for the prime time.

Vegas has a very good defense in the West, but not better than Colorado in my opinion.

Kings have a great structure, and some young guys who could break out. Drew Doughty is a great leader.

Oilers without Ekholm seem doomed. That's a big hole to fill. Almost equivalent to Tampa losing Hedman.
 
Insane take of the day. I agree Ek is our most important D. But our left side will still be very good and I think walman takes those minutes on stride.

Nurse, walman and kulak is a very good left side.

I haven't changed my views on the right side at all.. it sucks lol
 
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Consensus here is that the Caps' defense is bottom-half among playoff teams. Consensus on the polls section is that Ovechkin is their MVP.

HFBoards is really bad at watching Washington games... (ignore that game today against Columbus please)
 
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Hilarious how everyone is putting Habs last when they have the biggest gamebreaking talent aside from Makar at the position.
Ghule is healthy right now.
Struble is decent.
Matheson would be fine as an offensive D-man if he isn't asked to do too much.
Carrier is fine.
Only Savard and Xhekaj are the weak links.

Certainly not a top D-core by any means but closer to 10th place or something like that.
One offensive rookie doesn't change the fact that the only positive you mentioned in your post from your other dmen are "Decent" & "Fine"

Habs are easily the worst team in the playoffs defensively on paper
 
One offensive rookie doesn't change the fact that the only positive you mentioned in your post from your other dmen are "Decent" & "Fine"

Habs are easily the worst team in the playoffs defensively on paper
I can agree with Habs being the worst team on paper in the playoffs. However this is about D-men and a top 4 of Hutson, Ghule, Matheson, Struble has a nice mix of skill, offense, physicality, speed, shutdown play. Even if the bottom pair is weaker, no way we are 16 out of 16.

Now if we were talking about forwards then we are 16/16 by far.
 
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I can agree with Habs being the worst team on paper in the playoffs. However this is about D-men and a top 4 of Hutson, Ghule, Matheson, Struble has a nice mix of skill, offense, physicality, speed, shutdown play. Even if the bottom pair is weaker, no way we are 16 out of 16.

Now if we were talking about forwards then we are 16/16 by far.
Which team is below the habs in terms of Dmen?
 
The actual typed out ranking is from the TDL on. Didnt wanna paste more pictures. The pictures are ranked from best to worst in xGA/60 for the whole season.

Was looking at whether to count it from the TDL or do the whole season, chose the whole season as it's a larger sample.

5v5 xGA/60 (so removing the goaltending from a team, just the chances a team gives up. Used /60 because of different amount of games played)

View attachment 1012107

View attachment 1012109

Obviously some teams have added players at the TDL, if you wanted to count just from March 7th, it'd be listed as follows :

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

Just using the 16 in now with there still being some spice level left for the end of the regular season. Not a definitive ranking but at least it takes out goaltending.

xGA eliminates the goalies, but not the forwards, which makes it less than useful for a comparison about just the defensemen. Does having a Selke winning 1C on the roster, like LA or Florida, really mean the defense is better?
 
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