Who was the best defenseman of the 2000s? (Not named Lidstrom)

[FrankSidebottom]

Who was the next best after Lidstrom from 2000-2001 to 2009-2010?

Norris record:
Pronger: 3-3-5-5-7-8-10
Chara: 1-2-3-4-7-8
Niedermayer: 1-2-2-9-10 (+ Conn Smythe)
Gonchar: 4-4-4-5-6-7-9

Click to read more...

 

[Albatros]

I'll take Zubov even though his peak was more between the late 1990s and the mid-2000s.

 

[amnesiac]

Probably Pronger... almost single handed carried the 06 Oilers and 10 Flyers to the Cup Finals, and also wouldve won the Conn SMythe in 07 if he wasnt suspended for his elbow.

 

[JackSlater]

Easily Pronger.

 

[FrankSidebottom]

Pronger had a couple of bad timed injuries and suspensions that prevented him from at least 1 Norris and 1 Conn Smythe. Pure numbers and the Norris record don’t reflect good he was.

 

[centipede2233]

This is one of those rare instances where you xp dismiss the lack of accolades. This is Pronger. His blend of physicality and offenive prowess was unmatched

Pronger won the Norris in 1999/2000…we are not counting that year?

 

[FrankSidebottom]

This is one of those rare instances where you xp dismiss the lack of accolades. This is Pronger. His blend of physicality and offenive prowess was unmatched

Pronger won the Norris in 1999/2000…we are not counting that year?

No, we are starting here from 00-01. He also won the Hart that year.

 

[centipede2233]

No, we are starting here from 00-01. He also won the Hart that year.

Ok good to know. I still stick with Pronger. he Was kind of the Lindros of defencemen. A freak of nature in a good way.

 

[wetcoast]

Probably Pronger... almost single handed carried the 06 Oilers and 10 Flyers to the Cup Finals, and also wouldve won the Conn SMythe in 07 if he wasnt suspended for his elbow.

First glance it's Pronger but Niedermayer is getting overlooked which is the story of his career at times.

 

[amnesiac]

First glance it's Pronger but Niedermayer is getting overlooked which is the story of his career at times.

hes up there, but Pronger's injuries lowered his Norris voting, and the guy couldve honestly had 3 Conn Smythes (he was probably the best playoff performer in 06, 07, 10). Thats just something we dont ever see.

 

[tabness]

Pronger ainec

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Most Norris trophy votes, 2000-2009

Nicklas Lidstrom	675.6
Scott Niedermayer	223.6
Zdeno Chara	210.6
Chris Pronger	197.1
Rob Blake	136.3
Sergei Gonchar	112.4
Al MacInnis	90.3
Mike Green	80.1
Chris Chelios	79.0
Dion Phaneuf	54.7

Each year is adjusted to be worth the same number of votes.

Pronger is the obvious choice for me. He's only 4th in Norris votes, but he also won a Hart trophy, and he had two seasons where he could have won the Conn Smythe.

 

[jbeck5]

Pronger had a couple of bad timed injuries and suspensions that prevented him from at least 1 Norris and 1 Conn Smythe. Pure numbers and the Norris record don’t reflect good he was.

I'll give you injuries but suspensions are kind of his fault. That, and he didn't get suspended enough.

He took a Redwings players head and smashed it into the glass and only got one game and then just days later chicken wing elbowed Dean McAmmond and knocked him out and just got one game.

Sure, great player, but him being dirty is a knock and shouldn't be an excuse.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Damn, hard to really argue any of these. I was torn between Pronger and Chara, personally.

 

[Voight]

hes up there, but Pronger's injuries lowered his Norris voting, and the guy couldve honestly had 3 Conn Smythes (he was probably the best playoff performer in 06, 07, 10). Thats just something we dont ever see.

Can say the same about Keith in 10/13/15.

 

[Twisted Sinister]

Ima say Pronger. Niedermayer was something else too, but Pronger would dominate games.

 

[amnesiac]

Can say the same about Keith in 10/13/15.

Well no, the Blackhawks were eons better than the 06 Oilers and 10 Flyers. Pronger was the #1 reason those 2 teams got there. Ducks possibly dont win without him either.

Keith was great on a great team, much like Lidstrom, Doughty, Hedman.

 

[dirtydanglez]

i remember niedermeier being considered number 2 at the time but i wouldn't fault anyone on taking pronger or chara ahead of him. gonchar wasn't on the same tier as these guys.

 

[Albatros]

I'll give you injuries but suspensions are kind of his fault. That, and he didn't get suspended enough.

He took a Redwings players head and smashed it into the glass and only got one game and then just days later chicken wing elbowed Dean McAmmond and knocked him out and just got one game.

Sure, great player, but him being dirty is a knock and shouldn't be an excuse.

Plus even other Ducks players felt he was becoming a liability so the talk of him deserving the Conn Smythe is absurd.

 

[Boreal01]

Pronger

 

[tabness]

i remember niedermeier being considered number 2 at the time but i wouldn't fault anyone on taking pronger or chara ahead of him. gonchar wasn't on the same tier as these guys.

Actually a good point, Niedermayer had an absolutely wonderful stretch that decade, and he's a scouts dream. I still think Pronger is top dog even above Lidstrom at his best, but has ups and down, Pronger aikoc lol

 

[biturbo19]

It's probably Pronger, but i never liked him for a variety of reasons, and he wasn't a fun player to watch. So i voted for Niedermayer.

 

[LightningStorm]

Pronger might be as easy a choice for the #2 d-man of the 2000's as Lidstrom is for #1.

 

[LevelingSolo]

Votes for Pronger should be higher, it's him hands down

 

[winnipegger]

Pronger was a special player