Best Shutdown Forwards

[Saw Jiris Tlusty]

We've heard about the 2 way guys like Yzerman, Sakic, Clarke, Messier, H. Richard etc. Now how about the totally defense first forwards?

Bob Gainey immediately comes to mind as do Jere Lehtinen and Guy Carbonneau, but I know there are other forwards who solely focused their game on defensive play. Who would send out on the PK or to downright just shutdown teams offensive lines?

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[TheDevilMadeMe]

John Madden is the most recent of the well known shutdown forwards. If he had more offensive ability, he would have won more Selkes.

Craig Ramsey is a guy who many here argue was better than Gainey while playing around the same time period.

 

[Dark Shadows]

We've heard about the 2 way guys like Yzerman, Sakic, Clarke, Messier, H. Richard etc. Now how about the totally defense first forwards?

Bob Gainey immediately comes to mind as do Jere Lehtinen and Guy Carbonneau, but I know there are other forwards who solely focused their game on defensive play. Who would send out on the PK or to downright just shutdown teams offensive lines?

Off the top of my head, not including those you already mentioned.

Frank Nighbor, Nick Mets, Marty Pavelich, Joe Klukay, Claude Provost, Dave Keon, Ed Westfall, Craig Ramsay, Bobby Clarke.......

I could probably name many more. I know Keon, Clarke and Nighbor might be considered "Two way" forwards, but they were so good defensively that they need mention

 

[Stevedave]

How about Dave Poulin from the Bruins And Flyers

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

We've heard about the 2 way guys like Yzerman, Sakic, Clarke, Messier, H. Richard etc. Now how about the totally defense first forwards?

Bob Gainey immediately comes to mind as do Jere Lehtinen and Guy Carbonneau, but I know there are other forwards who solely focused their game on defensive play. Who would send out on the PK or to downright just shutdown teams offensive lines?

Steve Kasper, John Madden, Doug Jarvis, Gaetan Duchesne, Don Marcotte, Ed Westfall, Craig Ramsey.

 

[Big Phil]

Steve Kasper, John Madden, Doug Jarvis, Gaetan Duchesne, Don Marcotte, Ed Westfall, Craig Ramsey.

Kasper brings me back to a memorable quote. When Gretzky was asked who was the most difficult to play against or who checked him the best he had ever dealt with it was Kasper that he named. He was so good at that, the Kings traded just to get him.

For 2-3 seasons Peca was the best in the NHL. A defensive pest who could score 20 goals.

Another memorable quote:

"He shadowed me so well I thought he'd follow me into the bathroom."
- Jeremy Roenick on Bob Bassen after the Hawks were swept in the '93 playoffs. Roenick had a woeful series because of Bassen. Bob Bassen isn't the first name that comes to mind, but I just I would add that in

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Joel Otto also comes to mind. One of the best at the faceoff circle, also a very good fighter who could hold his own against the heavyweights.

 

[sunb]

There needs to be a distinction between a top "Shutdown Forward" and an elite "Defensive Forward." It is a lot different, imo.

To me, a shutdown forward is someone who shadows a star offensive player and covers him like a glove. He is aggressively making life difficult for that offensive player by following him, containing him and basically "shutting him down." These guys constrain through any means necessary. Some use speed, some use physical checking but they all play a gritty and tenacious game. For example, Jere Lehtinen is one of the best defensive forwards ever, but he is not a great shut-down forward. One of the best shutdown fowards I've seen is a guy like Bobby Holik. Holik is a great strong centerman who had the reach to shadow and neutralize top players (some who are also 6'4'') like Mario Lemieux and Mats Sundin. He was tenacious but also had the cerebral game to anticipate the moves of some phenomental offensive talents.

An outstanding defensive forward like Jere Lehtinen may not need to be as physical and tenacious to play an overall extraordinary defensive game. They can use their speed and mental game to make broader impact, as opposed to shadowing one player. These guys could cut off passing lanes, position a left-wing lock strategy, aggressively forecheck, skate back to break up developing offensive plays, play a last man back, create turnovers / takeaways by reading plays, etc...

The effects of a great shutdown forward is immeasurable. It can literally break a team's morale when one team's 3rd line center can effectively neutralize another team's superstar. For example, Shayne Corson on Alexei Yashin or Bobby Holik on Lemieux & Sundin.

 

[Franzenstein]

There needs to be a distinction between a top "Shutdown Forward" and an elite "Defensive Forward." It is a lot different, imo.

To me, a shutdown forward is someone who shadows a star offensive player and covers him like a glove. He is aggressively making life difficult for that offensive player by following him, containing him and basically "shutting him down." These guys constrain through any means necessary. Some use speed, some use physical checking but they all play a gritty and tenacious game. For example, Jere Lehtinen is one of the best defensive forwards ever, but he is not a great shut-down forward. One of the best shutdown fowards I've seen is a guy like Bobby Holik. Holik is a great strong centerman who had the reach to shadow and neutralize top players (some who are also 6'4'') like Mario Lemieux and Mats Sundin. He was tenacious but also had the cerebral game to anticipate the moves of some phenomental offensive talents.

An outstanding defensive forward like Jere Lehtinen may not need to be as physical and tenacious to play an overall extraordinary defensive game. They can use their speed and mental game to make broader impact, as opposed to shadowing one player. These guys could cut off passing lanes, position a left-wing lock strategy, aggressively forecheck, skate back to break up developing offensive plays, play a last man back, create turnovers / takeaways by reading plays, etc...

Sounds like a good way to describe the differences between Zetterberg & Datsyuk

 

[Oilers1*]

I always thought Jere Lehtinen was overrated. For his era, I would take Peca over him.

 

[sidewayzLEAFS]

bobby holik and john madden are two good devils
bobby clarke too

 

[oilsands]

MacT

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

holik was phenomenal as a shutdown guy, as was otto, whom holik always reminded me of. another old smythe division guy, esa tikkanen, comes to mind. on top of his skating ability, the quick stick, and the little hooks and cheap shots, his mouth was always open. i always hoped jarkko ruutu would develop into a tikkanen-type shadow, minus the offensive ability.

 

[DFF]

Joe Otto: big, strong, great faceoff, some offense, can fight.

 

[overnath]

There needs to be a distinction between a top "Shutdown Forward" and an elite "Defensive Forward." It is a lot different, imo.

To me, a shutdown forward is someone who shadows a star offensive player and covers him like a glove. He is aggressively making life difficult for that offensive player by following him, containing him and basically "shutting him down." These guys constrain through any means necessary. Some use speed, some use physical checking but they all play a gritty and tenacious game. For example, Jere Lehtinen is one of the best defensive forwards ever, but he is not a great shut-down forward. One of the best shutdown fowards I've seen is a guy like Bobby Holik. Holik is a great strong centerman who had the reach to shadow and neutralize top players (some who are also 6'4'') like Mario Lemieux and Mats Sundin. He was tenacious but also had the cerebral game to anticipate the moves of some phenomental offensive talents.

An outstanding defensive forward like Jere Lehtinen may not need to be as physical and tenacious to play an overall extraordinary defensive game. They can use their speed and mental game to make broader impact, as opposed to shadowing one player. These guys could cut off passing lanes, position a left-wing lock strategy, aggressively forecheck, skate back to break up developing offensive plays, play a last man back, create turnovers / takeaways by reading plays, etc...

The effects of a great shutdown forward is immeasurable. It can literally break a team's morale when one team's 3rd line center can effectively neutralize another team's superstar. For example, Shayne Corson on Alexei Yashin or Bobby Holik on Lemieux & Sundin.

When I think "shutdown guy" I always think of the job he did on Yashin

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Holik is a quality player and forward ... but he was almost never used as a defensive specialist.

During the Devils frist Cup win, he centered the "crash" line with Peluso and McKay .. they were the Devils energgy/4th line. Madden was their primary shutdown center.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Unfortunately, Holik got it in his head after the 1995 Cup that he was some kind of offensive star and somehow managed to convince the Devils to let him take a more offensive role in the late 90s, one of the main reasons they couldn't score in the playoffs.

Holik was the Devils' primary shutdown guy at even strength for their 2000 Cup and 2001 trip to the finals and did an excellent job (especially in 2001, when he would have been a legit CS candidate if they had won). But he rarely played the PK even at this time - he wasn't fast enough.

Then for some reason the Rangers got it in their heads that Holik could handle a bigger role (like he failed to do in the late 90s), and the rest is history.

 

[Classic Devil]

Holik is a quality player and forward ... but he was almost never used as a defensive specialist.

During the Devils frist Cup win, he centered the "crash" line with Peluso and McKay .. they were the Devils energgy/4th line. Madden was their primary shutdown center.

Not in 2000-2001. The best Devils championship team of all time featured Holik as the shut-down guy. He ate up players like Sundin those two years.

Holik and Madden were both elite shutdown centermen. The Devils have had three, really. Carpenter in 1995, although the whole Devils team in 95' was basically a shutdown team, Holik in 2000, and Madden in 2003.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Not in 2000-2001. The best Devils championship team of all time featured Holik as the shut-down guy. He ate up players like Sundin those two years.

Holik and Madden were both elite shutdown centermen. The Devils have had three, really. Carpenter in 1995, although the whole Devils team in 95' was basically a shutdown team, Holik in 2000, and Madden in 2003.

Personally I think both Madden and Holik are highly overrated defensively. Stevens was the Devils shutdown player.

For someone supposed to be great defensively, Holik almost never killed penalties. That being said, Holik and McKay were both underrated offensively.

 

[Leafs Forever]

Frank Finnigan is another guy; master shadower and defensive player, 3 time retro selke winner..and I hear that Ultimate Hockey named him “Best Defensive Forward†and “Best Penalty-Killer†of the 1930s

 

[+73*]

We've heard about the 2 way guys like Yzerman, Sakic, Clarke, Messier, H. Richard etc. Now how about the totally defense first forwards?

Bob Gainey immediately comes to mind as do Jere Lehtinen and Guy Carbonneau, but I know there are other forwards who solely focused their game on defensive play. Who would send out on the PK or to downright just shutdown teams offensive lines?

i thought Michael Peca pre-2003 was consistently the best shutdown forward in the game along with Lehtinen.
obvious current answers would be Zetterberg and Datsyuk.
i'd also go with Ryan Kesler, Mike Richards plus Simon Gagne.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Personally I think both Madden and Holik are highly overrated defensively. Stevens was the Devils shutdown player.

For someone supposed to be great defensively, Holik almost never killed penalties. That being said, Holik and McKay were both underrated offensively.

Don't think you saw enough of Madden.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Don't think you saw enough of Madden.

As a Flyers fan, season ticket holder and center ice subscriber, I saw more than enough of John Madden.

 

[Fish on The Sand]

When I think "shutdown guy" I always think of the job he did on Yashin

I came here to post the same thing.

 

[lextune]

Just felt like taking a second to give my two cents. It has already been said but here it is again:
Bob Gainey.