List of best defensive defensemen

[VanIslander]

Has anyone mentioned Eddie Shore?

No one has mentioned Erik Karlsson. Shore was a RUSHING defenseman who was paired with a great defensive defenseman Lionel Hitchman, the 6'1 RCMP officer whose #3 jersey was the first one the Bruins would retire (the first NHL jersey as well) .

 

[overpass]

No one has mentioned Erik Karlsson. Shore was a RUSHING defenseman who was paired with a great defensive defenseman Lionel Hitchman, the 6'1 RCMP officer whose #3 jersey was the first one the Bruins would retire (the first NHL jersey as well) .

Shore was much more than a rusher. He won the Hart trophy in 1937-38 and finished 5th in Hart voting in 1938-39, when Hitchman had returned to the RCMP year-round.

Both years Shore scored fewer than 20 points, but he was the leader of the team with the best defensive record (by far) in the NHL. His skating, skill, vision, and toughness played just as well defensively as it did offensively. By all accounts from those seasons he belongs in a list of great defenders.

From the Montreal Gazette article announcing Shore as the 1938 Hart winner: “Stronger than ever in his blocking, Shore went on sustained offensives for which he was famous in other years only in crucial moments last season.”

 

[NyQuil]

I always thought Normand Rochefort was underappreciated.

 

[Bennie]

Who were the best defensemen at defending the rush, finishing checks and shutting down the opposition in their own end?

Tim Horton is generally underrated in my opinion

 

[crobro]

Al Arbour
Brian Englom
kasatonov
Gord Kluzak (when Healthy)

 

[VanIslander]

6'2 220 lbs. Alex Ragulin, the "Bear" who went skate to skate against Esposito.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

"Big Z". Who wouldn't you rather run into if you were bearing down on the other team's net?

this.

very few defenders have made the offensive zone disappear for 30min a night the way he did.

6'9 230 but could actually skate, turn, had agility and balance. the reach he had with his height and stick length are unmatched. his physical strength to rip anyone off the puck along the boards was a treat to watch every night (and still is)

he went 1-2-2-3-3-3-4-5 in Norris voting scoring "only" ~0.50 ppg. 1800 PIM in his career as well

 

[DannyGallivan]

Who were the best defensemen at defending the rush, finishing checks and shutting down the opposition in their own end?

Bobby Orr.

 

[Thenameless]

Wasn't Jimmy Watson a pretty good defensive defenseman for the Flyers?

 

[a79krgm]

Marcel Pronovost

On Pronovost .... "He was a big man in the upper body … when he hit you, you were hit" - Ted Lindsay.

 

[frisco]

I'm not a huge fan but Larry Robinson has to be in the discussion.

My Best-Carey

 

[MaxV]

The title of the thread is a bit confusing, as the term “defensive defenseman” refers to a specific type of player.

The real question is: who were the best defensemen at their own end?

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

I always thought Normand Rochefort was underappreciated.

Yeah, I liked him. He was a bit of an anomaly for a purely defensive player, given that he was easily one of the fastest skaters in the NHL at the time - you would've expected mad rushes from him. That combination of speed & defensive skill is what got him selected to play for Team Canada.

 

[Ivan13]

Being a fan of the Canadiens and watched quite a bit of footage from the glory days it is hard for me to put many above Savard.

 

[crobro]

Best tandem ever must be Ken Morrow and Dave Langevin

 

[streitz]

Langway for pure defense.

 

[Chili]

3 guys who were great defending a 5 on 3 powerplay....Zdeno Chara, Hal Gill and Kjell Samuelsson.

All 3 used their size to block shots, clear the crease, win the majority of their battles and take away the back door play, a favorite play on a two man advantage. Pretty tough to get around these guys in a confined space.

 

[ted2019]

Ed Van Impe and Joe Watson were pretty good at doing this.

 

[Vanzig]

ROD LANGWAY
BRIAN ENGLBOM
BRAD McCRIMMON

 

[brachyrynchos]

Craig Ludwig, I remember his giant shin pads, blocking shots like crazy
Joe Reekie
Jeff Beukeboom was great paired with Leetch in NY, more than capable of hanging back as Leetch would pinch or rush.

 

[FerrisRox]

Chris Pronger
Scott Stevens
Derian Hatcher
Adam Foote

Derian Hatcher was physical, for sure but defensively I would put him well below those guys.

 

[Vachon23]

Karl Alzner

 

[Killion]

Karl Alzner

Who is Karl Alzner when he's at home Rogie?

 

[Normand Lacombe]

Bob Baun. Tough, stay at home defender who would dole out punishing hits. More remembered today for scoring a winning goal in OT of the 1964 SC Final on a broken ankle and being an early player rights advocate.