Why aren't offensive defencemen called two-way defencemen?

[Laineux]

The best defensive forwards are always called two-way forwards so we should start calling D like Karlsson and Burns the best two-way defenders in the league in order to gain them more respect.

Discuss.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

the forwards who are best at both ends of the ice are called two way forwards. specialists are called defensive forwards. you should be calling for us to call players like Kessel offensive forwards or something

 

[Its a Trap]

What sort of nonsense is this? By your own definition we should have been calling Mike Green a two-way defenseman this entire time instead of the offensive defenseman that he is. That is outrageous.

 

[triggrman]

Some are, Burns is not one of those

 

[Laineux]

What sort of nonsense is this? By your own definition we should have been calling Mike Green a two-way defenseman this entire time instead of the offensive defenseman that he is. That is outrageous.

Mike Green is a great two-way defenceman... what he misses in defence he more than makes up in offence. He's practically the Bergeron of defenders and we should all respect his game more. You see the point is that all defenders play defence because of the position but only few can impact the game offensively.

 

[Its a Trap]

Mike Green is a great two-way defenceman... what he misses in defence he more than makes up in offence. He's practically the Bergeron of defenders and we should all respect his game more. You see the point is that all defenders play defence because of the position but only few can impact the game offensively.

Good lord I hope this is entirely sarcastic and I just can’t tell because it’s text.

Oh, no it’s not your the OP. You poor soul.

 

[ottawa]

Offensive defenseman: defenseman thinks offense first and sacrifices his defensive game (i.e. Marc-Andre Bergeron, Mike Green)

Defensive defenseman: defenseman foruses on defense first, and sacrifices offense (i.e. Ryan McDonagh, Marc-Edouard Vlasic)

Two-way defenseman: Defenseman puts close to equal emphasis on both offense and defense (i.e. Victor Hedman, Drew Doughty)

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Mike Green is a great two-way defenceman... what he misses in defence he more than makes up in offence. He's practically the Bergeron of defenders and we should all respect his game more. You see the point is that all defenders play defence because of the position but only few can impact the game offensively.

every player plays in the offensive and defensive zones. They all have different skillsets and specialties though, and are labeled accordingly

 

[Laineux]

They are...if they're good defensively.

Explain why a mediocre offensive talent like Jere Lehtinen is touted as one of the best two-way forwards of all time despite being absolutely horrible offensively... never breaking 53 points even playing with a Prime Mike Modano.

 

[ottawa]

Explain why a mediocre offensive talent like Jere Lehtinen is touted as one of the best two-way forwards of all time despite being absolutely horrible offensively... never breaking 53 points despite playing with Prime Mike Modano.

Said no one ever.

That title belongs to Federov.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Explain why a mediocre offensive talent like Jere Lehtinen is touted as one of the best two-way forwards of all time despite being absolutely horrible offensively... never breaking 53 points even playing with a Prime Mike Modano.

wow he got worse offensively in the time it took you to write that sentence I guess

 

[Laineux]

Said no one ever.

That title belongs to Federov.

Wrong, here's an Official quote that says Lehtinen was the best two-way forward of his time...

Lehtinen, a three-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the game's top two-way forward, was that and more, adding a unique -- some would say perfect -- counterweight to the Hall-of-Fame skill of Hull and Modano.

Lehtinen's lasting impact on Stars greater than words can describe

 

[CartographerNo611]

Have you seen Karlsson play “defense” when the puck is not on his stick. Hint: It’s below average and not Norris material. That’s why there is offensive d-man lol.

 

[Its a Trap]

Wrong, here's an Official quote that says Lehtinen was the best two-way forward of his time...



Lehtinen's lasting impact on Stars greater than words can describe

An “official quote” from former ESPN hack Scott Burnside? In an article published celebrating his jersey retirement? That’s your argument? And that statement is describing the award, not the player pal. Read more carefully next time.

 

[ottawa]

Wrong, here's an Official quote that says Lehtinen was the best two-way forward of his time...



Lehtinen's lasting impact on Stars greater than words can describe

You said:

"Explain why a mediocre offensive talent like Jere Lehtinen is touted as one of the best two-way forwards of all time"

Don't be that guy...you said of all-time, not of his time. That title belongs to Federov.

An “official quote” from former ESPN hack Scott Burnside? In an article published celebrating his jersey retirement? That’s your argument? And that statement is describing the award, not the player pal. Read more carefully next time.

He actually said something completely different and is trying to switch it up now.

 

[Laineux]

You said:

"Explain why a mediocre offensive talent like Jere Lehtinen is touted as one of the best two-way forwards of all time"

Don't be that guy...you said of all-time, not of his time. That title belongs to Federov.



He actually said something completely different and is trying to switch it up now.

Los Angeles Kings: Top 5 All-Time Two-Way Forwards

Names like Steve Yzerman, Doug Gilmour, Guy Carbonneau, Jere Lehtinen, Sergei Fedorov etc.—they pepper the list of the greatest two-way players of all time.

If Jere Lehtinen with horrendous offensive ability is given the Respect as one of the greatest two-way players of all time Erik Karlsson deserves that mention too despite his defensive short comings...

 

[Scott Malkinson]

Look up Andy Delmore.

 

[Its a Trap]

I love how he follows up the burnside jersey retirement article with a bleacher report article as if that’s some Better support for his claim.

 

[Ducks DVM]

I don’t want to live in a world where a guy who was over 20 goals 7 times and 40 points 8 times is considered “horrible offensive ability”

 

[Hynh]

How about we follow the Swedish and start calling them "backs". Offensive back, puck moving back, defensive back etc.. I sometimes wonder if the large number of talented Swedish backs in the league is the result of linguistic determinism.

 

[Koivu11]

Mulletman?

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

The best defensive forwards are always called two-way forwards so we should start calling D like Karlsson and Burns the best two-way defenders in the league in order to gain them more respect.

Discuss.

Is this a troll post?

Both of the guys you mentioned are considered among the best D-men in the league. How in the world are you trying to argue about rhetoric in order to gain them “more respect”?

And also, Brent Burns is a defenseman in label only. He doesn’t play the back half of the ice nearly well enough to earn the “two way” label.

 

[Laineux]

I don’t want to live in a world where a guy who was over 20 goals 7 times and 40 points 8 times is considered “horrible offensive ability”

Zach Hyman could score 40 points playing with a premature Auston Matthews. Zach Hyman is heavily criticized for destroying Matthews offensive game, who should otherwise be challenging McDavid in points... Lehtinen played with a Prime Mike Modano who is the greatest American forward ever and could not score 53 points.

 

[Ducks DVM]

Zach Hyman could score 40 points playing with a premature Auston Matthews. Zach Hyman is heavily criticized for destroying Matthews offensive game, who should otherwise be challenging McDavid in points... Lehtinen played with a Prime Mike Modano who is the greatest American forward ever and could not score 53 points.

Could he score 20 goals 7 times? No? Then hush.

 

[67 others]

The best defensive forwards are always called two-way forwards so we should start calling D like Karlsson and Burns the best two-way defenders in the league in order to gain them more respect.

Discuss.

The term "Two way defenseman" and "Offensive defenseman" are separate to explain the difference of a Nick Lidstrom/Ray Bourque to a Paul Coffey/Phil Housley.