Speculation: WHO is the greatest defensive defenseman in Carolina Hurricanes history?

[VanIslander]

My friend says NONE.

He argues it's been a run-and-gun franchise from day one and that no defenseman has been defense-first in an impressive way since the franchise's founding!

The top-4 all-time dmen I can think of are not defensive-oriented.

Who are the candidates for awesome player-away-from-the-puck kuddos?

The top-10- scorers in 'Canes history are forwards and Irbe and & Ward rule any consciousnes of the crease.

But the blueline?

Click to read more...

 

[Anton Babchuk]

glen wesley. any other opinion is wrong.

 

[nobuddy]

what's a defenseman?

 

[VAcaniac]

Glenn Wesley was certainly defense-oriented so I'll assume you never heard of him.

 

[tarheelhockey]

VI, I know you know your history so I'm guessing you had a brain fart on Wesley. He's #2 in all time GP for the WhalerCanes franchise, won a Cup while wearing an A, and had his number retired. Barely scored 200 points in the process.

 

[Elsker]

His number hangs in our rafters.

 

[TheOllieC]

Here he is.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Joe Corvo

 

[VanIslander]

glen wesley. any other opinion is wrong.

When I think Wesley I think of his 10 NHL seasons before Carolina (Boston mostly).

Otherwise,.... the 'Canes have had run-and-gun Kananen, Hill, Corco...

I guess that's it?

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

 

[CioCio]

He looks like he'd been up about 72 hours straight in that photo.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

When I think Wesley I think of his 10 NHL seasons before Carolina (Boston mostly).

Otherwise,.... the 'Canes have had run-and-gun Kananen, Hill, Corco...

run-and-gun kananen is my favorite nhl defenseman. nhl defenseman corco is my second favorite.

hill was over the hill (#jok)

 

[the halleJOKEL]

this vanislander guy is a total joker

 

[Vagrant]

It's Glen Wesley by a pretty significant margin. Past him, we start getting into guys like Aaron Ward and Bret Hedican. While they were highly effective, they weren't elite level defenders. Wesley will never get the credit he deserves in the hockey world because of how much he played in Hartford and Carolina and how much his offense dried up away from Bourque. Will never forget that shift against Edmonton where he was a one man penalty kill. But for many, and many Hurricanes fans that are fans of just the team don't know this, but his legacy around the NHL is still largely tied up in a shot he missed. For this reason, I think his victory with us in '06 was probably the biggest demon exorcism on that entire team. Brind'Amour included.



And oddly enough, can't find that shift with all the blocked shots.

 

[Brock Anton]

He looks like he'd been up about 72 hours straight in that photo.

Or he's more likely been drinking.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Or he's more likely been drinking.

Hopefully just two 10 oz's

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

this vanislander guy is a total joker

total jorcorco

 

[Dishface]

total jorcorco

Never go full jorcorco

 

[DaveG]

Easily Wesley. 13 years for this franchise between Hartford and Carolina. The guy was simply a steady presence on the back end for so long in two ignored markets that he goes unappreciated in the grand scheme of things rather easily. Even if we're talking strictly Carolina, it's still Glen.

Past that though it's probably Steve Chiasson and Bret Hedican, and then we start getting into names like Tim Gleason, Nic Wallin, Aaron Ward, Curtis Leschyshyn, Danny Markov, Dennis Seidenberg... I mean **** it, at that point might as well just say Justin Faulk.

 

[bluedevil58*]

Um mm hello? Paul Coffey. Are you guys kidding me right now. You call yourselves knowledgeable fans? If we want to get technical I would also give Pronger the knod but not sure that counts.

Get on my level kids.

Paul Coffey

End of thread.

Wait a second! Defensive d man you say?!!!

Chris Pronger.

 

[What the Faulk]

I, too, enjoyed every one of Pronger's zero games played as a Hurricane.

 

[bluedevil58*]

Hartford is part of the Hurricanes history. Technically this counts...

 

[StormCast]

He argues it's been a run-and-gun franchise from day one and that no defenseman has been defense-first in an impressive way since the franchise's founding!

Tell him to dial his wayback machine to circa 2002. If by run-and-gun, he means clutch-n-grab and trapping, then he's right.

 

[Ole Gil]

Hartford is part of the Hurricanes history. Technically this counts...

Paul Coffey, defensive defensman known for his hard hitting style, and defensive zone coverage.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

Never go full jorcorco

what a disgusting avatar