NHL Network top 25 Dmen

[YamCork]

Where the hell is Lindholm?

This.

 

[Beville]

Taking nothing away from Chabot, but top 25 already?

Absolutely...

Even more so when you consider some of those on that list.

 

[Magic Mittens]

These are NHL defensemen. Not just Finnish defensemen.

I get the first year in NHL part, but Heiskanen averaged over 23 minutes a game on the second best defensive team last year that was without Klingberg for awhile

Offensively Heiskanen needs to get better (even though he was pretty good), but defensively he was a rock and I'd trust him over some of the guys on that list already at defending

 

[Avs44]

barrie and kerfoot really improved this summer

Barrie 100% belongs on this list. Since 13/14 he’s 9th amongst all D in points; 8th in even strength points; and since 14/15, of the 83 players to put on an Avs jersey in that timeframe, he played both the most even strength minutes and most even strength minutes/game of anyone on the Avs. He’s been very underrated in Colorado by the NHL as a whole. He’s a damn good player.

 

[izzy]

krug lmaooo

 

[aufheben]

1st thought: people are going to really dislike seeing Krug there. Hot take: possibly one of the most underrated players in the NHL.

2nd thought: Yandle.

Problem is that an increasing number of fans value players almost exclusively on points and zone entries. The concept of an elite shutdown defenseman means little to many -- regardless of what the playoffs show.

People also assume any defenseman who scores points can't play defense, and vice versa.

 

[Sypher04]

barrie and kerfoot really improved this summer

Barrie @ 19 for Sportsnet last year
Definitive ranking of NHL’s top 20 defencemen over three seasons - Sportsnet.ca

Barrie 21-25 for NHL.com last year
Defensemen on the bubble

And then he went out and did it again in 2018/19

But have fun with your totally bogus "only on the list because he's a Leaf now" narrative.

 

[DannyGallivan]

No Weber?!?!

Two Jets defensemen from last year make the list (Byfuglien and Trouba), yet Josh Morrissey was better than both of them. Morrissey should be there ahead of Trouba.

 

[My Special Purpose]

Tyson Barrie and Torey Krug are not top 25 defensemen in my opinion.

Alexa, where is Ryan McDonagh?

Not a terrible list, but none of Buf, Heiskanen or Barrie belong on here.

I appreciate Slavin getting some love, but Pesce is at least his equal, and where's Dougie Hamilton? One 18-goal season in Carolina and everyone forgets him?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Tyson Barrie absolutely belongs on this list. Funny reading people suggest he doesn't.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

Heiskanen can actually defend, so yes he is a top 25 defenseman. OEL couldn't stop a fifteen year old AAA player on a one on one.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Not a terrible list, but none of Buf, Heiskanen or Barrie belong on here.

Barrie is on there.

 

[Spargon]

Tyson Barrie absolutely belongs on this list. Funny reading people suggest he doesn't.

His jersey changed so now hes nothing but overrated trash according to HF.

 

[Taluss]

OEL is underrated smh

 

[Merrrlin]

Taking nothing away from Chabot, but top 25 already?

Yes.

Tyson Barrie and Torey Krug are not top 25 defensemen in my opinion.

Wrong. I would probably have Morrissey over either of them, but I don't think it would be them I bump.

Alexa, where is Ryan McDonagh?

Rightfully not on this list.

Heiskanen had a nice rookie year, but he absolutely does not belong here.

Disagree.

I think that Morrissey is better than Byfuglien or Trouba. He isn’t as flashy as those two, but he’s a better D-man.

Agreed, and I didn't think it was really a question.

Kudos to the Islanders who were the best defensive team in the NHL last season but don’t have anyone in the top 25 on defense.

I don't mind it. I can't make the argument for any of our guys over the ones on this list. Doesn't mean we don't have a very good team still.

 

[Krewe]

Maple Leafs have 2 #1 D and #1 C's per the NHL. Cup confirmed!

Lmao you’re right. Barrie is not a top 25D in the real world however

 

[Kamiccolo]

Lmao you’re right. Barrie is not a top 25D in the real world however

I am not sure he is either, but there are several names listed I would say that about as well so who knows anymore

 

[joe dirte]

Absolutely...

Even more so when you consider some of those on that list.

Lol no.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Disagree.

Krug and Barrie are not all situational defensemen. In my opinion the best defensemen in the game need to have the ability to impact every area and zone on the ice. Krug and Barrie are phenomenal offensive talents that need to be situationally isolated in order to be truly effective, if these guys are top 25, then so is a guy like Keith Yandle. You then also look at what a player like Erik Gustaffson can do with similar deployment to these two - and no one think's he a top 25 defensemen. I have both Barrie and Krug in the 30-45 range so I don't have a huge issue with it overall.

I would have guys like Ekholm, McDonagh, Morrissey, OEL, Spurgeon, Lindholm, Lindell, Weber (healthy), etc.. in over both of these guys.

And while I don't think Heiskanen and Dahlin are necessarily top 25 after last year, I do believe they will be this upcoming season so I have no issues with them being included.

 

[Esq]

Barrie is on there.

Right. I'm saying he shouldn't be.

 

[triggrman]

I’d take Matt Ekhom over a few on this list

 

[Merrrlin]

Krug and Barrie are not all situational defensemen. In my opinion the best defensemen in the game need to have the ability to impact every area and zone on the ice. Krug and Barrie are phenomenal offensive talents that need to be situationally isolated in order to be truly effective, if these guys are top 25, then so is a guy like Keith Yandle. You then also look at what a player like Erik Gustaffson can do with similar deployment to these two - and no one think's he a top 25 defensemen. I have both Barrie and Krug in the 30-45 range so I don't have a huge issue with it overall.

I would have guys like Ekholm, McDonagh, Morrissey, OEL, Spurgeon, Lindholm, Lindell, Weber (healthy), etc.. in over both of these guys.

And while I don't think Heiskanen and Dahlin are necessarily top 25 after last year, I do believe they will be this upcoming season so I have no issues with them being included.

I don't agree with you, but I respect that opinion.

My take would be that how they impact the game overall, and I take a Krug or a Barrie over a Lindell/Spurgeon/McDonagh (?)/Ekholm. Krug has 53 points (in just over 60 games...) and Barrie has two 55+ point seasons back to back. Barrie might struggle a bit more on Toronto but I'd still take them top 25.

I can see good arguments for OEL/Morrissey and Lindholm, though. They would all be in the top 30 if we expanded the list.

 

[Theodore450]

Barrie and Krug are laughable over Weber, oel, lindholm and McDonough

 

[Human]

Is that Pietrangelo as the best, or just a list?

Now that I look more I'm really hoping it's just a list.

To be fair, Weber hasn't played a lot recently, so that might skew the results. Couple that with the NHL network not being the smartest anyways.

obviously they are listed in alphabetical order, by their first names...

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

His jersey changed so now hes nothing but overrated trash according to HF.

Well no, if anything the opposite is true and he'll become extremely overrated soon enough.