Is Brent Burns an elite defensemen?

[bigwillie]

I personally don't buy the argument that you have to be elite in all three zones to be considered an elite player. It's all about the net value you deliver. And even though Burns' defense is not elite, the net value he provides to his team in terms of the combined goals created (maybe the best in the league besides EK) and goals prevented (decent) Burns provides is elite.

 

[Church Hill]

There are like 25 teams on which he would be the best defenseman, so yeah he's elite.

 

[Alwalys]

Yes.

Burns is actually pretty decent in his own end; my "issue" with him is that in the offensive zone he often plays like a forward and neglects the fact that he is a defenseman.

This is actually not true at all, he plays quite traditional defense. He is very aggressive offensively as a defenseman, similar to guys like boyle, sneaking in on the off wing and getting glorious chances, but rarely does he actually play as a forward in the formation.

This is just bad conventional wisdom.

 

[ThatSaid]

Letang? Subban?

Those are some good d-men you named. Not in my top 3, but they're very good.

 

[Frank Drebin]

This is such nonsensical garbage.

Is Doughty "elite" offensively in your view then? There's like a 25 point difference between the two of them...

[MOD]Karlsson is elite

 

[Sureves]

This is actually not true at all, he plays quite traditional defense. He is very aggressive offensively as a defenseman, similar to guys like boyle, sneaking in on the off wing and getting glorious chances, but rarely does he actually play as a forward in the formation.

This is just bad conventional wisdom.

I really don't agree that he plays traditional defense. By far the most aggressive defenseman I can remember seeing play in terms of the offensive zone. He is routinely below the ringette line.

 

[Battle Lin]

hes not clearly in the top 5-10 best, hes close, but hes for sure among the elite Dmen in the nhl today

 

[jw2]

lol, no.

But he puts up great fantasy stats.

 

[Barrie22]

I really don't agree that he plays traditional defense. By far the most aggressive defenseman I can remember seeing play in terms of the offensive zone. He is routinely below the ringette line.

Yeah no. The only real time he leaves the point is if he is circling around the blue line with the puck and he sees an opportunity to blast past the defense for a shot on net.

 

[Bgav]

Easily

 

[malkshake]

When you watch the game with casual viewers during the World Cup and they mention all Burns does is immediately wrist shot the puck when he gets it into shin pads... which is all I ever think when I watch Burns play. This really made me laugh though, that casual viewers can see he is a one trick pony. Not elite in my opinion as I am baffled this guy made the team over Letang and Subban for a RHD. I just don't see it.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Letang beside Paul Martin was night and day when he was paired with orpik

Martin is not what he once was.

 

[Drew4u]

At the ppl saying hes not elite cause he isnt good defensivly. So that means karlsson isnt elite either? No logic there. Burns is 100% elite.

 

[LTIR]

Burns is an elite player... Defenseman I dunno

 

[Stuckinthe2ndround*]

Ah yes, the WCH.

Ok, he got the **** kicked out of him during the finals too.

 

[Barrie22]

When you watch the game with casual viewers during the World Cup and they mention all Burns does is immediately wrist shot the puck when he gets it into shin pads... which is all I ever think when I watch Burns play. This really made me laugh though, that casual viewers can see he is a one trick pony. Not elite in my opinion as I am baffled this guy made the team over Letang and Subban for a RHD. I just don't see it.

Watch him more then because you are obviously not watching enough.

 

[Barrie22]

Ok, he got the **** kicked out of him during the finals too.

Is that why he put up 4 points and +2 in the finals? Because he got the **** kicked out of him? But let me guess you will now say he did it all on the power play yeah nope.

 

[DrDangles]

I would put him on the same level as Letang.

 

[Brent Burns]

This narrative that he is somehow subpar defensively is completely unbased

Seriously, has anyone actually watched multiple Sharks games (not highlights)? He is very solid defensively

 

[Regal]

Yeah no. The only real time he leaves the point is if he is circling around the blue line with the puck and he sees an opportunity to blast past the defense for a shot on net.

He doesn't play down low regularly like a forward obviously, but he is very aggressive when he sees an opportunity for a shot. Watching video of all his goals last year, about half came below the ringette line.

 

[Alwalys]

He doesn't play down low regularly like a forward obviously, but he is very aggressive when he sees an opportunity for a shot. Watching video of all his goals last year, about half came below the ringette line.

collapsing the zone is what an impact player does, but he does not end up below the forwards -- that is what ignoring position would be.

 

[VainGretzky]

easily

 

[StLHokie]

No. He plays one end of the ice very well obviously, but can't be relied on for big time defensive minutes. Offensively he is very good (although probably not top 3 in the NHL) and defensively he isn't expected to carry much of the load, since the Sharks have Vlasic (who is an elite defenseman).

Is Dustin Byfuglien an elite defenseman? It's a similar question. They both have had similar careers, with the only difference being that this past year Burns had a career year.

I don't see how you can say a guy is an elite defensemen when he's been moved between forward and defense throughout his career. If he were elite at his position, no chance he ever gets moved up to a different one.

 

[StLHokie]

There are like 25 teams on which he would be the best defenseman, so yeah he's elite.

Chicago - No
Nashville - No
LA - No
St. Louis - No
Tampa - No
Montreal - No
Minnesota - No
Ottawa - No
Calgary - No
Arizona - No
Pittsburgh - No

?????

 

[AvroArrow]

Him and Vlasic both imo