How would you rank these top young defenders?

[Critical13]

I tried to put together a list of the #1D type D that are within the last few drafts. I am sure I missed some good players, so feel free to add them to yours lists.

Please rank by how you foresee them developing in the next few years. Who will be tops by 2021?

Also, free free to add tiers if you want to. Here is the list of players:

• Provorov
• Werenski
• Sergachev
• McAvoy
• Girard
• Makar
• Chabot
• Dahlin
• Jokiharju
• Heiskanen

----------------------------

My rankings:

1. Dahlin
2. Heiskanen
3. Chabot
4. Provorov
5. Werenski
6. McAvoy
7. Makar
8. Jokiharju
9. Girard
10. Sergachev

Click to read more...

 

[maacoshark]

I tried to put together a list of the #1D type D that are within the last few drafts. I am sure I missed some good players, so feel free to add them to yours lists.

Please rank by how you foresee them developing in the next few years. Who will be tops by 2021?

Also, free free to add tiers if you want to. Here is the list of players:

• Provorov
• Werenski
• Sergachev
• McAvoy
• Girard
• Makar
• Chabot
• Dahlin
• Jokiharju
• Heiskanen

----------------------------

My rankings:

1. Dahlin
2. Heiskanen
3. Chabot
4. Provorov
5. Werenski
6. McAvoy
7. Makar
8. Jokiharju
9. Girard
10. Sergachev

How can you rank Dahlen and Heiskanen that high already. They havent done anything yet.

 

[Critical13]

How can you rank Dahlen and Heiskanen that high already. They havent done anything yet.

In the post I say:

Please rank by how you foresee them developing in the next few years. Who will be tops by 2021?

 

[BillNy]

Defense is so hard to project and you've got guys who've barely played in the NHL yet. Not really a fan of this. I think Dahlin ends up #1 by a huge margin, and after him I take Werenski and... idk? They all look really good.

 

[maacoshark]

In the post I say:

So its a guessing game.

 

[Sting]

This is probably the most difficult list to predict. Development for defense varies wildly...a lot of high potential guys fizzle out and settle into #3/#4 roles. Even looking at Dahlin/Heiskanen, I would guess chances are one of those two don't hit the potential people think they have.

I'd probably agree with your list as is right now though.

 

[TeddyBare]

Sergachev is a tough one.
He's never really dominated by himself in my opinion.
wjc - nope
junior - nope
Playoffs in Junior - Nope
Memorial cup - nope

He's always had the benefit of playing on great teams. So I completely understand him being at the bottom on some peoples lists.

 

[Canada Drai]

Makar
Sergachev
McAvoy
Werenski
Chabot
Provorov
Dahlin
Heiskanen
Girard
Jokiharju

My Oilers bias has Bouchard at #1 because he's a beautiful 30 year old man.

 

[EdJovanovski]

1. Heiskanen
2. Dahlin
3. McAvoy
4. Chabot
5. Werenski
6. Provorov
7. Makar
8. Sergachev
9. Girard
10. Jokiharju

 

[Critical13]

So its a guessing game.

Yes, thanks for taking part...

Sergachev is a tough one.
He's never really dominated by himself in my opinion.
wjc - nope
junior - nope
Playoffs in Junior - Nope
Memorial cup - nope

He's always had the benefit of playing on great teams. So I completely understand him being at the bottom on some peoples lists.

He's the one I struggle with too. Him and Girard - I have no idea. Both seem to have that #1D potential statistically, but then I end up watching them and I waver. Somone like Valimaki might pan out better, who knows. Listed 10 just for tidiness but there are quite a few guys that could be in the conversation.

 

[Emerz]

1. Dahlin
2. McAvoy
3. Chabot
4. Heiskanen
5. Provorov
6. Werenski
7. Girard
8. Jokiharju
9. Makar
10. Sergachev

 

[Critical13]

Defense is so hard to project and you've got guys who've barely played in the NHL yet. Not really a fan of this. I think Dahlin ends up #1 by a huge margin, and after him I take Werenski and... idk? They all look really good.

To be honest, I am mostly curious if anyone has guys way higher or lower than what I expect. There are some people out there who are really high on some of these players (Girard and Joki come to mind). Is anyone so high on them to have them up near Heiskanen? Or does anyone have Chabot in the top 2? McAvoy was once thought of as the premier D prospect, is he still in that top 3 group?

 

[MackAttack26]

1. Dahlin

2. Provorov
3. Chabot
4. Heiskanen
5. McAvoy
6. Werenski

7. Makar
8. Sergachev
9. Girard
10. Jokiharju

 

[Bounces R Way]

1. Provorov
2. Heiskanen
   
3. Chabot
4. Dahlin
   
5. Werenski
6. Makar
   
7. McAvoy
   
8. Sergachev
9. Girard
10. Jokiharju

Tons of quality young defenders coming into the league. Might still take them longer to peak than forwards do but I think the notion that they need a lot of seasoning to be NHL ready is a thing of the past.

 

[triggrman]

In 2005 Phaneuf would been ranked miles ahead of Weber

 

[Dzonna]

I’m so bad at ranking D that I’m not even going to try. Good question though. Can’t wait to see Makar play.

 

[Kcb12345]

By 2021:

3-6 were very difficult to rank so I put them in order of how much I like their game right now lol

1. Dahlin
2. Heiskanen
3. Provorov
4. Werenski
5. Chabot
6. McAvoy
7. Jokiharju
8. Makar (tough to judge until he hits this level so he doesn't really fit in this list yet - Valimaki would've made more sense, although I still feel he could/will be better than Girard and Sergachev)
9. Girard
10. Sergachev

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Heiskanen
Dahlin
Provorov
Werenski
McAvoy
Jokiharju
Chabot
Makar
Girard
Sergachev

 

[Not Jared Cowen]

Dahlin
Heiskanen
Provorov
McAvoy
Chabot
Werenski
Sergachev
Makar
Girard
Jokiharju

 

[AvsFan29]

Makar hasn't played on any level higher than college. He looks extremely promising, but it's hard to say where he would land on this list. I think any of those players have the potential to be 1st on that list during any given week. It's too difficult to rank defensemen this young.

 

[Elitersson]

Dahlin
Heiskanen

Makar
Provorov
Chabot
McAvoy

Girard
Werenski
Jokiharju
Sergachev

Separated it into 3 tiers. Tough list to make. I think all will be top pairing defencemen, if not true #1's

 

[TT1]

Sergachev has so much upside if he puts his d-game together, offensively he's a wizard.. haven't seen someone walk the line and float dangerous wristers on net the way he does in a long long time. He's really good at walking the line and finding open shooting lanes, one of the best in the game.

Defensively he's too passive and puck watches for too long tho. Looks lackadaisical at times, which, unfortunately is an aspect he's carried over from his junior days.

I'll go with:

1. Dahlin
2. Chabot
3. Werenski/McAvoy/Heiskanen
4. Werenski/McAvoy/Heiskanen
5. Werenski/McAvoy/Heiskanen
6. Provorov
7. Sergachev
8. Jokiharju
9. Makar
10. Girard

I think McAvoy is criminally underrated and I'm a Habs fan. His d-game is excellent and he's also good offensively. McAvoy, Werenski and Heiskanen are close at #2/#3/#4 for me, they're in their own tier and are interchangeable atm (until i see them play some more).

I dunno who i like more between Jokiharju and Sergachev right now, offensively i'd pick Sergachev but defensively i'd pick Jokiharju. For now i have Sergachev ahead until i see more of Jokiharju.

Offensively Chabot is elite but like Sergachev he needs to work on his d-game, he processes the game fast tho (unlike Sergachev, another aspect he needs to improve on) so I think he has higher defensive potential than Serg, which is why i have him much higher up.

Imo Girard is a bit out of place on this list, it's not that he's a bad player or anything but he's a tier below everyone else. Can't say much about Makar until i see him in the NHL but he's been tearing it up in the NCAA this year, he looked great at the U20's last year as well. I have him at 9 over Girard at 10 but thats just based on potential and a small viewing sample (only his international matches).

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Really tough but if I had to guess I think it ends up:
Dahlin
Heiskanen
Provorov
Chabot
McAvoy
Makar
Werenski
Girard
Jokiharju
Sergachev

 

[typicalsavage]

Young men always get overhyped when they enter the league and never match the expectations fans have for them. I remember Trouba had a lot better start to his career compared to Rielly and Jets fans were claiming Trouba was way better and was a future Norris trophy winner and Rielly wasn't worth anything near him. Now, Rielly is definitely the better dman. My point is its hard to predict how good these guys will be 5 years from now. Sergachev could easily develop to be better than everyone.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Young men always get overhyped when they enter the league and never match the expectations fans have for them. I remember Trouba had a lot better start to his career compared to Rielly and Jets fans were claiming Trouba was way better and was a future Norris trophy winner and Rielly wasn't worth anything near him. Now, Rielly is definitely the better dman. My point is its hard to predict how good these guys will be 5 years from now. Sergachev could easily develop to be better than everyone.

I don't think either are near Norris. Trouba is probably better 2-way defenseman.