Top 10 defensemen

[Avsfan1921]

To be fair, this was the argument used against Makar before he started pk'ing. Now that he is a regular, we as fans want the Avs to find someone else to eat those minutes so he can play where he impacts the game the most.

Fans will always fan. There's always an argument for or against. It doesn't matter if some people think Makar is mooching points. Just like to those people, it doesn't matter if I say the Avs offense flows through Makar and wouldn't be anywhere near as potent without him. He legitimately has the best wrist shot from the blue line in the league.

I agree that fans will be fans for sure, and we can make excuses or reasons for a players play. Last year Avs fans were shouting from the hilltops that Makar was injured and that’s why his play dippped, that he needed surgery in the offseason and it was the reason he couldn’t think straight. I called complete bs on that , he was struggling mentally and in his own head, trying to do too much. Yet Bednar continued to play him 30 mins a night because he viewed him as the best option.

I am not trying to take anything away from either of these players as they are both great.

However, the coach is making the decision and that’s why I’m wary. Coaches don’t save players for what-ifs. They do what they can, in the moment, to win the game. At least that is what I’ve always witnessed.

 

[Eggtimers]

Soon , when someone lists Hughes in their top 10 , they will have to specify which one … Quinn or Luke …

 

[Coffee]

Soon , when someone lists Hughes in their top 10 , they will have to specify which one … Quinn or Luke …

He’s already surpassed Quinn

 

[tabness]

1) ASP
2-10) who cares

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Makar
Hughes
Josi
Fox
Hedman
McAvoy
Heiskanen
Dahlin
Werenski
Carlson

 

[Coffee]

Makar
Hughes
Josi
Fox
Hedman
McAvoy
Heiskanen
Dahlin
Werenski
Carlson

Quinn or Luke

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Quinn or Luke

Maybe let Luke have a whole good season first?

I have gone very veteran heavy with my list considering multiple seasons

 

[Coffee]

Maybe let Luke have a whole good season first?

I have gone very veteran heavy with my list considering multiple seasons

You’re right

Good list

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Quinn or Luke

Guessing its the rookie and not the reigning Norris winner

 

[Coffee]

Guessing its the rookie and not the reigning Norris winner

I said good list.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

I keep hearing that Fox isn't the same guy this year (from Rangers fans) and that's part of the problem in New York.

Big part of the issue is he is paired with Lindgren, who is not good. Fox did better paired w K Miller, but for whatever reason, they don't like doing that.

This is not the first time a high-end Ranger defenseman is hampered by a bad partner.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Dahlin was hurt for 10 of Buffalo’s 13 losses. He is a top 5 defenseman.

Still on pace for 70 points despite having one of the worst run powerplays I’ve ever seen.

 

[benfranklin]

Ekholm?

And surprisingly Nurse has been damn good this year.


Uhhh.. how are the Oilers a good defensive team putting up good defensive numbers with the worst goalie in NHL history and no adequate defensemen?

Ekholm and Nurse are both middle pairing at best dmen on 90% of the teams in the league. Just because they have to play top-mid pairing minutes in Edm doesnt make them top guys.

Their "good" defensive numbers or analytics I assume you are referring to is a product of their system vs the dmen. Similar to Carolina. Kuznetsov last year was the teams worst corsi player at like 53/54%. Both teams drive play and shoot anything and everything causing analytics to look great. The difference between CAR/EDM is the two obvious big time finishers Edm has.

I dont know who youre referring to as the worst goalie in the NHL history. This season, that goalie now plays for the Sharks. Skinner is a high end backup in this league.

 

[JD1]

Habs fans not in here with their Hutson takes?

 

[tsujimoto74]

Just going to leave this here for the Dahlin deniers

 

[mab894]

Makar
Q Hughes
Pietrangelo
Heiskanen
Fox
Werenski
Hedman
Morrissey
McAvoy
Josi

 

[sabremike]

Just going to leave this here for the Dahlin deniers

View attachment 954477

He's doing this on a roster that's basically the post 1992 Hartford Whalers btw.

 

[Jabba11]

No specific order:

Cale Makar
Moritz Seider
Quinn Hughes
Victor Hedman
Gustav Forsling
Miro Heiskanen
Rasmus Dahlin
Adam Fox
Josh Morrissey
Zach Werenski

My favorite defenseman to watch: Moritz Seider

 

[Akrapovince]

No specific order:

Cale Makar
Moritz Seider
Quinn Hughes
Victor Hedman
Gustav Forsling
Miro Heiskanen
Rasmus Dahlin
Adam Fox
Josh Morrissey
Zach Werenski

My favorite defenseman to watch: Moritz Seider

I like your list.

Where do you have Sanderson, within top 30?

I have him in the middle of a tier with players like Theodore, Ekholm, Parayko etc.

 

[Jabba11]

I like your list.

Where do you have Sanderson, within top 30?

I have him in the middle of a tier with players like Theodore, Ekholm, Parayko etc.

Sanderson is top 15-20 for sure. He's pretty good all around and Sens are lucky to have him

The difference between him and the players you mentioned is that he's way younger. He has more time to develop into a two way beast

 

[SallyBalls]

This thread needs more Hutson.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Makar
Hughes

Fox
McAvoy

Heiskanen
Werenski
Morrisey

Hedman
Josi
Slavin

 

[BKarchitect]

I think most folks have pretty reasonable lists - I think the two things that stand out to me just as perception based arguments are:

1) Shocking number of folks who don’t have Dahlin in their top 10 let alone closer to the top 5. I think there is some general “Sabres stink” on his rep and a preconceived notion that he’s still a bumbling decision maker. His elite offensive game and physical tools are top 10 worthy on their own but the “oof” moments are becoming increasingly rare. He’s just an absolute thoroughbred out there and it’s pretty difficult at this point to say he’s doing anything but dragging this at times structureless franchise as much as he can.

2) Surprising number of folks who have McAvoy still in their top 10 (or even top 5 in some cases). I think you can make an argument he hasn’t been at that level in years…I don’t think Boston fans would disagree with that assessment. So it’s surprising that he’s gotten this long a rope to still be considered a Norris vote worthy superstar by the general fandom. On the plus side he’s still very much in his prime and both he and the B’s seem to be finding some life lately. But a top 10 blueliner in the league based on the last 30 months? That’s a hard case to make.

 

[cneely]

I think most folks have pretty reasonable lists - I think the two things that stand out to me just as perception based arguments are:

1) Shocking number of folks who don’t have Dahlin in their top 10 let alone closer to the top 5. I think there is some general “Sabres stink” on his rep and a preconceived notion that he’s still a bumbling decision maker. His elite offensive game and physical tools are top 10 worthy on their own but the “oof” moments are becoming increasingly rare. He’s just an absolute thoroughbred out there and it’s pretty difficult at this point to say he’s doing anything but dragging this at times structureless franchise as much as he can.

2) Surprising number of folks who have McAvoy still in their top 10 (or even top 5 in some cases). I think you can make an argument he hasn’t been at that level in years…I don’t think Boston fans would disagree with that assessment. So it’s surprising that he’s gotten this long a rope to still be considered a Norris vote worthy superstar by the general fandom. On the plus side he’s still very much in his prime and both he and the B’s seem to be finding some life lately. But a top 10 blueliner in the league based on the last 30 months? That’s a hard case to make.

McAvoy is having a down year by his standards, but was great last year and the year before.

He's been a legit number one and solid defensive player on one of the best defensive teams in the league while pacing for 52 points / 82 games for the last 3 years. If anything, he's becoming ridiculously underrated.

 

[ToDavid]

I can’t believe people have Hughes 1. How can you be the best “defenseman” in the NHL yet your defensive qualities aren’t good enough to kill penalties for your team. Same thing when the Canucks are defending leads late in the game. He legit doesnt play.

Among Canucks defenseman, Hughes is behind Soucy, Myers, Hronek and Juulsen on the TOI depth chart time played defending against a team with the goalie pulled.

7 Canucks defenseman have played more PK minutes than Hughes this year.

He’s beyond talented. He deserves plenty of accolades. But he isn’t the best defenseman in the NHL lol. It’s beyond laughable for anyone to say he is. Perhaps he’s the best defenseman in the NHL when factoring in his retrieval game, transition game and things he does with the puck on his stick. But thats not the topic at hand.

You cannot be the best defenseman in the NHL when you’re option 6 out of the gate for your own team when it comes to defensive situations.

Shocking that the Canucks don't see slapping pucks down the ice on the PK as the best use of Hughes' minutes.