The most underrated defensemen in the NHL

[aufheben]

Who doesn't think Fox is a top 5 dman in the league? Unless you think he's the indisputable best in the league, there really isn't much room between how he's perceived and how good he really is

I don’t know I got into an argument on Reddit yesterday about Fox being an offensive defenseman. Maybe HFBoards stays ahead of the curve. I think Fox gets plenty of respect here.

 

[Zub]

Dahlin, Heiskanen, Forsling

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Guys like Tanev and Ekholm are decidedly not underrated. Everyone knows who they are. Everyone knows they're defensive monsters.

By definition, the most underrated player is somebody really nobody mentions at all. I'll go with like Brett Kulak. Just does his job, gives them some solid minutes, and doesn't get outscored while letting EDM's big boys get a breather. About as much as you can ask of a 4/5D.


This. You literally cannot be "underrated" if many people think you're pretty good.

Ekholm's offensive game has always been underrated. His defensive game for sure isn't underrated. Heck in the later years of Nashville days, I'd argue his defensive game was overrated and despite being compared to the likes of Brodin and Tanev, his defensive game was clearly nowhere as good as those two. He's completely regained his defensive game again and his offensive game is criminally underrated since coming to Edmonton.

 

[ShootIt]

Forsling is so underrated even his agent didn't know his true worth lol

 

[Sdevils42]

He’s not a #1 on a Cup team but he literally won the biggest prize in the game for a defenseman and is routinely a top 5 defenseman in the league?

That’s a take. Good chance it’ll be tested this year too.

Tested, proven... again. Forsling clears with his impact on D and O.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Tested, proven... again. Forsling clears with his impact on D and O.

This has to be a literal joke.

He’s playing on some significant knee injury. You come here and try to say this after his team takes their worst position in the playoffs from 15 damn playoff games while your team has been on the golf course for at least three months.

You started a war you’re not going to like.

 

[CanadienShark]

A very binary way of thinking.

Agreed, there are 50 shades of grey... Sorry, I mean great.

 

[Sdevils42]

This has to be a literal joke.

He’s playing on some significant knee injury. You come here and try to say this after his team takes their worst position in the playoffs from 15 damn playoff games while your team has been on the golf course for at least three months.

You started a war you’re not going to like.

Significant knee injury? He sure looks fine in the O zone.

Trust me, any NYR/NJD "war" you want I'm here for it.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

This has to be a literal joke.

He’s playing on some significant knee injury. You come here and try to say this after his team takes their worst position in the playoffs from 15 damn playoff games while your team has been on the golf course for at least three months.

You started a war you’re not going to like.

Oh shit guys, the internet is serious business. Keyboard Pavel Buchnevich going hard at the Forsling stans, look out! Kendrick, where Kendrick at?

Oh, and it pains me to say it, but.. Heiskanen is real good. Better than Adam Faux or whatever claim led to this whole argument. I wanna type angrily too.

 

[GOALOFSSON]

Looking at the top 20 thread it seems that Dahlin would be a good choice

 

[airforceones25]

Gudas

 

[BoHorvat 53]

Harley and Forsling are both elite, but don't get the recognition in hockey circles that they deserve (although that is changing with Forsling).

 

[Golden_Jet]

Faber

 

[Dirty Dan]

Ekholm is the guy they should have gotten for Hall

 

[DougBodger]

Jake Middleton

 

[Realgud]

Seider is not perfect but he's being tasked with carrying an absolutely terrible defense and his overall game took a hit as a result. Give him a better defense and it would ease up the matchups for him and he would be dominant. I would think a lot of people didn't find him good this season hence why I think he's probably underrated.

 

[GOilers88]

Jake Middleton

Googled my way to this thread, haha.

How's he been this season? I feel like this thread needed or needs more names like this.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

JJ Moser

 

[Adam da bomb]

Pionk

 

[Al Lagoon]

Truly underrated? Jonas Brodin.

 

[CarolinaBlueJacket]

Zach Werenski

Ok so a homer vote, but I think he gets lost because he plays in Columbus.

If he played on a large market or winning team, he would get a lot more love.

 

[McPoyle]

Why Darnell Nurse of course.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Seth Jones

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

Gudas

Tend to agree with this. People think he's just a useless slug of a goon, but he's actually a quality defender who can surprise you offensively, and certainly isn't what I would consider a dirty player anymore.