WJC: Best defenseman in the WJC

[magic school bus]

Larsson - i cant wait to see him play in a US rink.

 

[CamDegs13]

Leddy, Marincin, Ellis, OEL, Larsson, Vatanen, deHaan, Merrill

 

[bottomofthefoodchain]

Ellis is just different class.

He was very good at falling down from what I saw last night

 

[Dave from Vancouver]

If you don't care about defense.

This is an assumption about as overblown as Kaberle's supposed terrible defense is.

What he doesn't have in natural defensive instincts he makes up for in commitment and leadership. It's just a shame he isn't a couple of inches taller.

 

[DoYouBeleaf]

How is this even comparable? Ellis is the obvious best. He's so good at both ends of the ice and is smart with the puck. He has a great shot and his size doesn't discourage the defensive aspect of his game.

 

[Berakos]

So i thought we should revisit this topic..

 

[ErsG1]

How is Patrick Wey doing? I havent been able to watch any of the games

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

Dmitri Orlov has been the best defenseman IMO.

His team, on the other hand...

 

[walle]

lol i kept on reading first page all those vatanen posts thinking "are u all that blind really"

thank god it was pre-tournament posts.

wont comment on this yet, real games are just about to start!

 

[Berakos]

How is Patrick Wey doing? I havent been able to watch any of the games

He's played pretty well, a couple bad pinch ins. But overall a pretty solid game so far.

 

[Nordic*]

How is this even comparable? Ellis is the obvious best. He's so good at both ends of the ice and is smart with the puck. He has a great shot and his size doesn't discourage the defensive aspect of his game.

Erixon has been better in both the exhibition game, and the last game against Canada. And that with absolutely no homer glasses on.

 

[vippe]

Three way horse race so far, Orlov, Ellis and Erixon are the three best players in the backend thus far...

 

[perry2]

How is this even comparable? Ellis is the obvious best. He's so good at both ends of the ice and is smart with the puck. He has a great shot and his size doesn't discourage the defensive aspect of his game.

Ellis weak against Sweden missed at the SO.
A Larsson havent showed enough yet.
Nr 5 i Check team FRK is the best Def. so far. Plays hard and scores goals, he is born 93 to.

 

[bottomofthefoodchain]

Ellis weak against Sweden missed at the SO.
A Larsson havent showed enough yet.
Nr 5 i Check team FRK is the best Def. so far. Plays hard and scores goals, he is born 93 to.

And he's a forward, so yeah

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

Dmitri Orlov has been the best defenseman IMO.

His team, on the other hand...

Orlov the best defenseman? What WJC are you following? As I pointed out numerous times, he looked good only against non-competitors and/or with the closest opposition player at 10 feet. And he overdoes searching for the big hit. His offensive performance has been ok, but he must work more on the own zone.

 

[pouskin74*]

Orlov the best defenseman? What WJC are you following? As I pointed out numerous times, he looked good only against non-competitors and/or with the closest opposition player at 10 feet. And he overdoes searching for the big hit. His offensive performance has been ok, but he must work more on the own zone.

offensively very good but yes you are right not very good at home.

 

[Minister of Offence]

Ellis has not been a top defensemen in this tournament. The way this shapes out will become much clearer as the top teams start playing eachother over the next 3 days.

 

[RoseTintedVisor]

Haven't seen enough of Canada. How has Calvin DeHaan looked?

 

[Minister of Offence]

Haven't seen enough of Canada. How has Calvin DeHaan looked?

Meh on both sides of the rink. To me, he really hasn't added anything to the PP other than a guy who can accept and return passes to and from Ellis.

He reminds of Brian Lee actually.

 

[cheerupmurray]

Patrick Nemeth has hardly been the best D-man in the tournament, but he has clearly the potential to be a great shutdown-guy. He is so damn big and calm and can really handle the big minutes hes been given so far.

 

[R S]

Very impressed with Erixon. This guy should make the NHL next year.

 

[HuskyFlames]

Very impressed with Erixon. This guy should make the NHL next year.

Due to everyone liking high scoring propsects I think the Flames D prospects have gone highly underrated for the last 2 years.

I also dont see the mad love for Cowen.Sure hes had knee injury but he looks very slow and at that speed would get eaten alive by NHL forwards in midseason form.

 

[BusQuets]

well jokipakka has been finland's best defender even better than vatanen

 

[The Saw Is the Law]

well jokipakka has been finland's best defender even better than vatanen

Yep.

Best in the tournament: Ryan Ellis

 

[Minister of Offence]

I also dont see the mad love for Cowen.Sure hes had knee injury but he looks very slow and at that speed would get eaten alive by NHL forwards in midseason form.

He's been Canada's best guy in the defensive zone, clearly. His prospect as an NHLer is probably even better at the NHL level because his skating will continue to evolve but he's got that size and wing span. You don't see too man 6'6 235 pounders at 19 move like he can. He's not the one being victimized by speed.