You know, maybe I'm wrong and Gudbranson really is worse than Pouliot. I'm still not 100% convinced because lul Pouliot but there is definitely an argument and I think I'm starting to lean that way.
I'm a big fan of possession players being the best defensive players as long as they're not complete inept in their own zone as you don't get scored on when you have the puck. That's why I preferred Bonino to Sutter. Despite Sutter's, supposedly, superior play in the defensive zone Bonino had the puck more. Pouliot is an absolute disaster in his own zone. He gets walked and when he has the puck in the stick he's a turnover machine. However, I like Hutton who gets walked and I think Gudbranson has a significantly better partner in Hutton than Pouliot does in Stetcher (not a knock on Stetcher, I like him but Hutton is better).
I tend to notice whenever our D makes a puzzling move it's Pouliot and I notice he's frequently on the ice for goals against, but I literally never notice Gudbranson until the puck is in the net and I spot him on the replay doing literally nothing, or I notice him when he does something Pejorative Slured in frame.
I think quiet defencemen are often underrated like Edler because you don't notice them except when they make a rare mistake, but Gudbranson sure makes noise frequently for a player who should be a low-event guy. Pouliot makes a lot of noise as well, but at least sometimes he can get the puck out of the zone when Gudbranson can't even get the puck. I think I might have just been victimized by this bias in a way I didn't expect and thus didn't pick up on.
I still maintain he's comparable to Alberts, but instead of a relative version of Alberts with the improved play in the NHL he might be if 2010 Alberts played in 2019 NHL. Also softer than Alberts.
It's close between Badbranson and Pouliot, and that's sad. It's kind of funny in a way though that at least 1 GM in the league said they would give Gudbranson a $4m contract "in a heartbeat". I wish I had the same type of connection these bozos do...
If Hutton is ever set free from this hell it's going to be like he's just emerged from the hyperbolic time chamber with a pretty solid power level. I hope he gets a long stretch with Stetcher or Edler so fans appreciate him and don't run him out of town.