All-time best Russian defenseman in the NHL?

[Pyrophorus]

I know I’m probably wrong and nostalgia blinds me, but Kostantinov was one of my favorites. If he didn’t have that accident, I think he could be up there. Just a monster of a player.

For once 100% agree.

 

[Midnight Judges]

To be honest I’m more curious to see how people think the guys after the top couple stack up. Zubov, Gonchar, and Markov and are generally seen as the three best careers in the NHL, with Konstantinov in that group for peak, and Fetisov is generally the best outside the NHL. But how do people think Zhitnik, Tverdovsky, Malakhov, the Mironovs, etc. stack up, and even some recent ones like Provorov, Orlov, Voynov

Orlov is a solid and underappreciated player who doesn't get points because a) he has a left shot that doesn't fit the Caps power play; and b) he sometimes plays with puck movers (like Justin Schultz) who are green-lighted to pinch whereas Orlov gets more of the stay-home assignment. He plays hard minutes and takes on tougher 5v5 match-ups than Carlson. He does have offensive capabilities - he can move the puck and he can bomb it. He's reasonably physical. Doesn't PK much.

There might be a lack of opportunity for him in Washington that is holding him back from being in this conversation. He's 30 now. We'll see how he ages.

 

[McDavid is too whiny]

Sandis Ozoliņš

 

[Regal]

Orlov is a solid and underappreciated player who doesn't get points because he has a left shot that doesn't fit the Caps power play. He plays hard minutes and takes on tougher 5v5 match-ups than Carlson. He does have offensive capabilities - he can move the puck and he can bomb it. He's reasonably physical.

There might be a lack of opportunity for him in Washington that is holding him back from being in this conversation. He's 30 now. We'll see how he ages.

Yea, I’ve always liked Orlov. He and Niskanen on the shutdown pair were a big part of the Caps win.

 

[lawrence]

Sandis Ozoliņš

dude's Latvian.... one of the greatest Latvian players of all time.

 

[newfy]

I know I’m probably wrong and nostalgia blinds me, but Kostantinov was one of my favorites. If he didn’t have that accident, I think he could be up there. Just a monster of a player.

Youre not wrong. Konstantinov could hang with anyone up there and was just coming into his own when the accident happened. He had just finished 2nd in Norris voting and finished 4th the year before that with a econd team all star. Zubov is running away with this poll but his best finishes were a 3rd and 4th place with a 2nd team all star.

Zubov had a long career and was very good, but I really doubt he wins this poll over a healthy Konstantinov. At their best in the NHL, I'm taking Konstantinov but Zubov was too good for too long to not vote for here

Fetisov was the best, he just couldn’t go to North America early enough. I think he came over when he was like 30 or something

I took the poll was who was the best IN the NHL. Fetisov would be the highest ranked all time dman in hockey history on this list, but not the best NHL defender. He actually didnt come over until he was 31

 

[Bounces R Way]

Never understand why Gonchar gets so underrated. Guy has eight 50+ point seasons. Three 60+. One of the best powerplay QBs in hockey history imo. Very productive player.

Sure he wasn't incredible defensively, but he was passable.. for most of his career at least.

 

[MaxV]

What do you guys would be the top 10?

Maybe something like:

1. Zubov
2. Gonchar
3. A. Markov
4. Konstantinov
5. Fetisov
6. Malakhov
7. Yushkevich
8. Kravchuk
9. B. Mironov
10. Zhitnik

 

[newfy]

Never understand why Gonchar gets so underrated. Guy has eight 50+ point seasons. Three 60+. One of the best powerplay QBs in hockey history imo. Very productive player.

Sure he wasn't incredible defensively, but he was passable.. for most of his career at least.

Losing a poll to who he is isnt getting underrated though. I think anyone you talk to will agree with what you said. But the question doesnt vote on how big the gap is, just who is the best. People could consider Gonchar really close and still not vote for him but hes third for a reason. Hes really good but so are some of the other guys

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Guess I'm wrong to vote Gonchar

 

[Hatter of the Beach]

It's either Zubov or Vladdy. Zubov had the best career obviously, but Konstantinov is falling victim to small sample size due to the limo crash. He was a monster and in my opinion had the best peak by a mile.

+185 in 446 games, is absurd. For reference, Zubov had +146 in 1068.

Konstantinov had a second team ALL NHL nomination, and was peaking as the Norris Runner up the year he went down, the highest of any guy on this list. For both these years, he finished ahead of his teammate, Nick Lidstrom in both AS voting and Norris. In Detroit, he was considered the better defender.

From what I can see Zubov's best finish was 3rd.

I do not see an argument for any other player than these two. Maybe Konstantiov falls off with a longer career, his play style certainly took a toll, but at the very best, he was better than any of them.

Gonchar is close to those two, but a noted step below.