Most Elite Defense Core of the Last 10 Years

[RickyHP]

Just outside the decade but post lockout. 2006 Sabres. They get overlooked because the team lost in the ECF. However, 4 of their top 6 were injured for all or part of the ECF vs Carolina. The group was deep, mobile, and moved the puck well. They were the reason the post lock out Sabres were able to skate and score so well. They freed up Briere, Drury, and the rest of the forwards to take a lot of offensive chances.

Jay McKee - Brian Campbell. Top pairing with a legit 1D puck mover. McKee brought a physical veteran presence.

Henrik Tallinder - Toni Lydman. Mobile puck movers who were also the Sabres shutdown pair.

Dmitri Kalinin - Teppo Numminen. Second pairing playing as a third pair.

By game 7 against Carolina, McKee, Tallinder, Kalinin, and Numminen were all hurt. Sabres fans are convinced that if that doesn't happen, the team wins game 7 and goes to the finals.

I've always thought that the black and red era sabers had put together some monster teams. I still can't get over the fact that they lost in 2006, but I agree and I think they should have had 2 stanley cups under their belt between 96-06

 

[Terry Yake]

2007 Ducks is by far #1

Niedermayer-Beauchemin
Pronger-O'Donnell

Late 2000s Wings had a great core as well

 

[Hawksfan2828]

As the title says, what is the best/most elite defense core thats been put together in the last 10 years?

The Hawks certainly are up there with Keith, Seabrook and Hammer.. Since we're talking "core" and I take that to mean players that stick for some time.

Not many teams have had quality like that for any extended period of time.

Difficult question tho because of teams overturning players every few seasons.

Does Nashville count with Suter and Weber? do we include Josi in that? Obviously Suter and Weber are gone...

LA is another team.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Muzzin/Doughty
Mitchell/Voynov
Martinez/Greene

Rock solid. Also back in 2012 when LA had Scuderi paired with Doughty.

Only one of those players was elite. Beyond him, it was the system that made the others as good as they were. I don't think that the OP is asking which defense corps played the best system, though, but which had the best players. Lots of defense corps have had better individual players than those groups that LA had.

They were all playing at the top of their games too. Consider also that guys like Scuderi and Mitchell are just on their way out so people think they suck now, but forget at one point that Scuderi was one of the premier shutdown d-men in the league and that Mitchell spent his entire career criminally underrated. Top to bottom, that d-core was insane--and having Martinez as a #5 was like having a secret weapon, especially because prime Matt Greene was a very good player too. Definitely not as glamorous as some of the other names, but something has to be said for Martinez-Greene not allowing an even strength goal that entire run, Quick and system or not, that's what you dream of from your bottom pairing.

So on paper, maybe not TOO crazy good, but in performance...dear god.

 

[Joey Moss]

Pronger and Niedermayer....

 

[rodney dangerfield]

Wasn't necessarily thinking it was the most elite, but it definetly has potential.

none of those names have any upside of being a legit 1 or even 2D.

 

[Misleader]

Here's the icetime in the playoffs when the Ducks won:

Beauchemin - 30:33
Pronger - 30:11
Niedermayer - 29:50
O'Donnell - 20:20
Huskins - 11:44
DiPenta - 8:02 / Jackman 6:04

The third pairing was awful on paper, but they recieved minutes they could handle. I don't remember them being a problem at all during the entire playoffs. Huskins was a better player than you'd think. He didn't become a whipping boy until later in his career.

He was particulary good for Anaheim in 07/08 and 08/09. In fact, he played so well that he was gonna get payed in free agency. The Ducks traded him at the deadline and the Sharks re-signed him to a 2 year deal worth $1.7 mil/year. I'm too lazy to do the math, but I'm guessing that translates to somewhere around $2.5 mil in todays market.

And I will always remember this goal by Huskins:

 

[damacles1156]

Doughty/Scuds
Mitchell/Slava
A-Mart/Greene

In 20+ years of watching Kings hockey, no other D came close to how good these pairings played in 2012.

 

[Sensinitis]

CF% for the 2008 Wings

Lidstrom - 59.9
Rafalski - 59.6
Kronwall - 58.6
Chelios - 58.1
Lebda - 58.1
Lilja - 57.4

Jesus. Tap-dancing. Christ.

Like, why bother getting on the ice?

Stuart was at 47.7% but keep in mind he actually spent most of that year on Colorado who were 23rd in the league.

He played for LA that year