Blackhawks have the best top 4 dman in NHL?

[h X c Chris]

Apparently the fans in Chicago are claiming to have the best top 4 in the NHL. I personally dont think Brian Campbell and Niklas Hjarmalsson would crack most teams top 4 in the league but I guess I could be wrong. Regardless as far as caps go I definitely dont think Campbell or Hjarmalsson are worth 7.1mil and 3.5.

I think Duncan Keith carries their top 4. Without Keith, the defense looks average at best.

Heres a list of top 4's that in MY opinion are much more appealing, especially in terms of cap hits.

Bieksa-Edler-Erhoff-Ballard/Hamhuis 14.5mil

Doughty-Johnson-Drewiske-Greene/Scuderi 8.8mil

Timonen-Pronger-Carle-Coburn 17.8mil

Lidstrom-Rafalski-Stuart-Kronwall 19.1mil

Phaneuf-Kaberle-Beauchemin-Schenn 17.4

Martin-Michalek-Orpik-Goligoski 14.5mil

 

[beantownmaniac]

No the Bruins do. We also have the best wingers, centers, and goalies. We have the bets everything, even the owner

 

[pixburgher66]

as a pens fan i feel that our top 4 is better...and i certainly don't feel that the pens top 4 is best in the league, so obviously Chicago's isn't. best number one pairing?? maybe...personally i think, like you, that's it's all Duncan Keith in the back. i don't think Seabrook would be a top 2 guy in certain rotations...he just looks amazing with Keith.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

The hawks do and I think that it is a bit ridiculous to even put Pittsburgh on the list without even swing the new guys playing together yet. Their d was sub-par last season and until these investments play out a bit you can claim anything other than salary superiority. Michalek and Martin could turn into Redden and Morris for all we know.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

Apparently the fans in Chicago are claiming to have the best top 4 in the NHL. I personally dont think Brian Campbell and Niklas Hjarmalsson would crack most teams top 4 in the league but I guess I could be wrong. Regardless as far as caps go I definitely dont think Campbell or Hjarmalsson are worth 7.1mil and 3.5.

I think Duncan Keith carries their top 4. Without Keith, the defense looks average at best.

Heres a list of top 4's that in MY opinion are much more appealing, especially in terms of cap hits.

Bieksa-Edler-Erhoff-Ballard/Hamhuis 14.5mil

Doughty-Johnson-Drewiske-Greene/Scuderi 8.8mil

Timonen-Pronger-Carle-Coburn 17.8mil

Lidstrom-Rafalski-Stuart-Kronwall 19.1mil

Phaneuf-Kaberle-Beauchemin-Schenn 17.4

Martin-Michalek-Orpik-Goligoski 14.5mil

Maybe a bit above "average" but no where near the top. Campbell is good offensively but defensively has many flaws. If he is so good why have the Hawks fans been bitching about his contract and want him gone?

Good post Chris.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

I like the order as this:

1. Chicago
2. Philly
3a. LA
3b. Vancouver
5. Pittsburgh




11. Toronto





18. Pittsburgh

 

[HonusWagner66]

I like the order as this:

1. Chicago
2. Philly
3a. LA
3b. Vancouver
5. Pittsburgh




11. Toronto





18. Pittsburgh

Please list me the 17 teams that have a better top 4 than Martin, Michalek, Orpik and Letang.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

Sorry, we gotta close this thread down. It's the only thread in the top 7 that isn't labeled with "OT."

 

[ritari330]

Please list me the 17 teams that have a better top 4 than Martin, Michalek, Orpik and Letang.

He had Pit at 5 and 18, so I don't know which he really meant...

 

[h X c Chris]

Please list me the 17 teams that have a better top 4 than Martin, Michalek, Orpik and Letang.

hah I think you missed where he originally had Pittsburgh at 5, and 18 might be his hate rank >=]

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Please list me the 17 teams that have a better top 4 than Martin, Michalek, Orpik and Letang.

better than Orpik and Letang you mean. The other half of your list does not even have a jersey number yet and I do not put any emphasis on a defense with 50% in purchase futures.

I am sorry but I watched almost every Pens game last year and their defense was pedesatrian/middle of the pack at best(14-16 in the league). Orpik is tip top, without a doubt. Letang and Gologoski are flashy but fizzled more than they flared last season. Gonchar was dependable and calming and he is now gone. The defense as it stands is a GIGANTIC question mark. Two guys who have a decent pedigree and may fit the system have the Pens with the potential of a top notch defense, but when half of your teams top four are new that is not a good thing. You can not claim to be a top half defense, in my opinion, based on "what ifs" alone. Who is to say that this works? Wade Redden seemed like a sure fire signing. Derek Morris was the shit at the trade deadline two seasons ago. Their are other examples, I am sure. I do not predict on futures, especially when it comes to defensemen.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

5. was supposed to be Detroit, my bad.

 

[HonusWagner66]

better than Orpik and Letang you mean. The other half of your list does not even have a jersey number yet and I do not put any emphasis on a defense with 50% in purchase futures.

I am sorry but I watched almost every Pens game last year and their defense was pedesatrian/middle of the pack at best(14-16 in the league). Orpik is tip top, without a doubt. Letang and Gologoski are flashy but fizzled more than they flared last season. Gonchar was dependable and calming and he is now gone. The defense as it stands is a GIGANTIC question mark. Two guys who have a decent pedigree and may fit the system have the Pens with the potential of a top notch defense, but when half of your teams top four are new that is not a good thing. You can not claim to be a top half defense, in my opinion, based on "what ifs" alone. Who is to say that this works? Wade Redden seemed like a sure fire signing. Derek Morris was the shit at the trade deadline two seasons ago. Their are other examples, I am sure. I do not predict on futures, especially when it comes to defensemen.

So instead of basing your ranking on how Martin and Michalek have performed in the past, which is very good, you are basing it on the off chance they tank it and become Wade Redden. Makes sense.

 

[h X c Chris]

The hawks do and I think that it is a bit ridiculous to even put Pittsburgh on the list without even swing the new guys playing together yet. Their d was sub-par last season and until these investments play out a bit you can claim anything other than salary superiority. Michalek and Martin could turn into Redden and Morris for all we know.

I think Martin was overpaid, but even if he doesnt play to his contract numbers, he's still a solid dman and for Martin and Michalek combined is less than 2million more than Campbells contract alone.

Martehlek makes 9mil
Campbell makes 7.1 mill.

I dont think theres a team out there that wouldnt rather have 2 solid d at 9mil than power play specialist at 7.1mil.

Like I said its just my opinion, but Pittsburghs 14.5 mil cap hit vs Chicago's 19.4 cap hit is much more appealing to me. That 4.9 mil makes a huge difference.

 

[elocomotive]

He had Pit at 5 and 18, so I don't know which he really meant...

#11.5

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

So instead of basing your ranking on how Martin and Michalek have performed in the past, which is very good, you are basing it on the off chance they tank it and become Wade Redden. Makes sense.

I am basing it on the known, which is Orpik and Letang

Orpik is very very vry good. Letang is decent at best, uncomfortably akward at worst.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Here is the thing:

If you have to bring 2 new guys into the fold to fill out your top 4, there are huggggge question marks and there should be an uneasy feeling in Pittsburgh about the blue line. I read the papers and listen to the radio, so I know that there isn't among th fans and commentators, but I damn sure bet that there is in the coaches offices. When you add players, you never know what you are going to get. Martin has a good resume to look at and project from. Michalek is harder to judge based on the fact he spent the majority of his career on a bad team. Either way, it does not say much about your defense when your projected top 4 have guys that you had to bring in from elsewhere.

 

[elocomotive]

Orpik is tip top, without a doubt. Letang and Gologoski are flashy but fizzled more than they flared last season.

I agree with you on Orpick and Letang. Gogo had some embarrassing moments at times, but let's not forget Jeff Schultz was the same way. I think he'll turn into a fine D-man one of these days. I think we Caps' fans are just bitter that our team didn't go out and sign ONE D-man. Can this team win without it? Sure. But if added a Volenchenkov to our roster, we'd be able to add Volchenkov-Schutlz-Carlson-Green to the list above and we'd be scaring the living sh#* out of teams in 10-11. As it is, we aren't in the convo.

 

[HonusWagner66]

I am basing it on the known, which is Orpik and Letang

Orpik is very very vry good. Letang is decent at best, uncomfortably akward at worst.

Martin and Michalek have played enough for people to know what to expect from them, regardless of a team change. Your opinion though...

 

[HonusWagner66]

Here is the thing:

If you have to bring 2 new guys into the fold to fill out your top 4, there are huggggge question marks and there should be an uneasy feeling in Pittsburgh about the blue line. I read the papers and listen to the radio, so I know that there isn't among th fans and commentators, but I damn sure bet that there is in the coaches offices. When you add players, you never know what you are going to get. Martin has a good resume to look at and project from. Michalek is harder to judge based on the fact he spent the majority of his career on a bad team. Either way, it does not say much about your defense when your projected top 4 have guys that you had to bring in from elsewhere.

Our rookie wings are huggggggge question marks. Two of the top 5 FA defensemen are not. I'm not the least bit concerned with the blueline, and I doubt Bylsma is losing sleep over it either.