Top 14 NHL defensemen (NHL.com)

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Giordano comes in at #9 (one guy had him ranked at #4 while the other three had him ranked #12). I wonder which one watched the most Flames games last season (lol).

For those too lazy to click the link below, here are their rankings:

1. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
2. Shea Weber, Nashville Predators
3. Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
4. Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks
5. P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens
6. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
7. Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues
8. Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild
9. Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames
10. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
11. Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers
12. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes
13. Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose Sharks
14. Niklas Kronwall, Detroit Red Wings

Best defensemen in NHL for 2014-15 season led by Drew Doughty of Los Angeles Kings - NHL.com's Top 14 in '14-15

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Giordano comes in at #9 (one guy had him ranked at #4 while the other three had him ranked #12). I wonder which one watched the most Flames games last season (lol).

For those too lazy to click the link below, here are their rankings:

1. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
2. Shea Weber, Nashville Predators
3. Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
4. Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks
5. P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens
6. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
7. Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues
8. Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild
9. Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames
10. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
11. Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers
12. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes
13. Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose Sharks
14. Niklas Kronwall, Detroit Red Wings

Best defensemen in NHL for 2014-15 season led by Drew Doughty of Los Angeles Kings - NHL.com's Top 14 in '14-15

No Dion?

 

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No Dion?

I was more surprised to see no Jeff Petry, according to David Staples of the Edmonton Journal, he's just as good as PK Subban.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

he's just as good as PK Subban.

Pffftt.....

#5 on the list but #1 in my heart....

 

[DragonfromTO]

No Dion?

I'll say this about Dion, he's had a very interesting cast of characters as his partners for a guy that's been #1 on the depth chart. He's spent time with Aulie, Kostka, Holzer, O'Byrne, now probably Polak... Gunnarson looks like Doug Harvey compared to those guys.

 

[RP-29]

The headline for that article reads "Top 14 defensemen excel at both ends of the ice".

I call BS on that one. Karlsson and Subban are beasts offensively, but tend to leave a bad taste in your mouth if you like guys who play sound defense. Personally, I think at least Suter, Pietrangelo and Giordano should be ahead of both guys if you truly value a 2-way game.

 

[dash]

No Dion?

Well, he's paid like a top elite defenseman

 

[Hank Kingsley]

The headline for that article reads "Top 14 defensemen excel at both ends of the ice".

I call BS on that one. Karlsson and Subban are beasts offensively, but tend to leave a bad taste in your mouth if you like guys who play sound defense. Personally, I think at least Suter, Pietrangelo and Giordano should be ahead of both guys if you truly value a 2-way game.

Dee-troy-it would kill for a Subban.

 

[DragonfromTO]

The headline for that article reads "Top 14 defensemen excel at both ends of the ice".

I call BS on that one. Karlsson and Subban are beasts offensively, but tend to leave a bad taste in your mouth if you like guys who play sound defense. Personally, I think at least Suter, Pietrangelo and Giordano should be ahead of both guys if you truly value a 2-way game.

You don't have to play defense when you control the puck. They play defense by not having to play defense.

Darryl Sutter:

"The game’s changed. They think there’s defending in today’s game. Nah, it’s how much you have the puck. Teams that play around in their own zone (say) they’re defending but they’re generally getting scored on or taking face-offs and they need a goalie to stand on his head if that’s the way they play,”

Sidney Crosby (at the Olympics):

"Our defense were pretty good at skating themselves out of trouble, but I think everyone talks about our defensive play — we just have the puck for most of the game. I think we possessed the puck, and we were able to control the puck a lot in the offensive zone. When you do that, teams don't get a lot of time or energy to come against you.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I think all in all that's a pretty fair list

 

[RP-29]

Dee-troy-it would kill for a Subban.

Yes, the Wings would love a 1st-line defensemen, particularly a right-handed one like PK, to compliment Kronwall. I didn't say PK isn't good, I just say he's got some defensive zone deficiencies that contradict the headline of the article.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Yes, the Wings would love a 1st-line defensemen, particularly a right-handed one like PK, to compliment Kronwall. I didn't say PK isn't good, I just say he's got some defensive zone deficiencies that contradict the headline of the article.

Bah!!

 

[RP-29]

You don't have to play defense when you control the puck. They play defense by not having to play defense.

Fair points, but that's just a mask for the problem and only works on good teams that have other defensively-sound players that can cover for them. Karlsson is on a team that isn't so good and he wound up being -15 on the season despite leading all defensemen in scoring by a wide margin. Subban was on a good team that was able to possess the puck pretty well and still ended up a minus player.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Well, he's paid like a top elite defenseman

Here's the response I was looking for

 

[Comeds]

Were the Habs a good puck possession team?

 

[DragonfromTO]

Were the Habs a good puck possession team?

With Subban on the ice they were passable. With Subban on the bench they were lousy.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

With Subban on the ice they were passable. With Subban on the bench they were lousy.

Ipso fatso.....

 

[puckhead]

No Dion?

to be fair (reported) his list is different

 

[IPostedWhat]

Ipso fatso.....

The Habs are going after Marty?

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Vlasic should be higher. Before he got hurt the Sharks had the Kings beat. Hedman has no business in the top 10. Pietrangelo should be in the top 5. I'd give him Subban's spot.