Honest question, why are many 30+ Defensemen struggling

Leafs87

Mr. Steal Your Job
Aug 10, 2010
14,712
4,777
Toronto
A lot of these guys grew up playing a different game and developed to play a different game. Many had to alter their ways with the changes in recent years. Some did it well, while others didn’t
 

b in vancouver

Registered User
Jul 28, 2005
7,840
5,693
When I turned 30, I abruptly declined physically also. And I play a defensive position in my rec league sport. It's just a magic number. I felt like a world-beater at 27, but when I hit 30, plunk.

I never really felt a decline until my late 30s. I play d most of my life and, although other things disappeared, my skating never started declining until I was well into my 40s. I was still fine with 20 year-olds a few years removed from juniors at that point.

NHL physicality is a different animal. I also think the focus that they have to bring every day is a big part of it.
 
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b in vancouver

Registered User
Jul 28, 2005
7,840
5,693
I also think these Covid lay-offs and protocols are affecting some veteran players, both d-men and forwards, more than the younger guys.
 

Poppy Whoa Sonnet

J'Accuse!
Sponsor
Jan 24, 2007
7,221
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The NHL has eliminated the pylons from rosters, in particular from the youth -> NHLer pipeline, and now all dmen can play the puck, especially inside their own zone. Some of the 30+ guys with puck skills could play until 40 because they had rare-ish skillsets, but that's no longer the case, especially on the margins.

I also do think it's a case of two of the most high profile 30ish dmen falling off due to injury (Subban/Karlsson) and extrapolating a trend from that. Weber can still play, Giordano had a norris season at 35, it's not like 30 is the end of the road for every dman.
 

SenzZen

RIP, GOAT
Jan 31, 2011
16,896
5,952
Ottawa
It all ends when they get married and have kids.
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Nsjohnson

Hockey.
Jun 22, 2012
4,814
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Miami
All of us 30 somethings here (or older) are raising our hands slowly going 'well when you're our age...' lol
 

supsens

Registered User
Oct 6, 2013
6,577
2,000
There weren't any teams in the league rolling 4 lines back then. Bottom sixes were filled with junk players for years and years. Now some times have fourth lines that would be 1st lines in the 90's. Game is too fast for oldies to stick around, forwards and defenseman alike.

Some of those worthless bottom sixes had players that could be and were used to shut down top lines. The fourth lines hardly did anything but beat the crap out of each other. The 'skilled' third line players don't mean a lot and no not one fourth line in the NHL would be close to a first line in the 90's
 

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