Number One Defensemen in NHL

[ChiefWiggum]

There's a lot of talk about the Leafs not having a number one D man. So who what is a comprehensive list of the number one D in the NHL?

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[613Leafer]

I'd say a legit #1 defenceman is roughly equivalent to what the "average" #1 D on a Stanley Cup winning team is.

You get the odd SC winner like Pittsburgh last year (Letang injured) where there wasn't a clear elite defenceman, but they also have Crosby + Malkin to help make up for that, which virtually no other teams can match (two elite franchise centres).

Generally speaking, Doughty, Keith, Chara, Letang, Lidstrom, Pronger/Niedermayer, etc has been the calibre required. If your #1 D gives you a disadvantage against most top contenders in the league, then it's not a legit #1 IMO.

 

[ChiefWiggum]

I'd say a legit #1 defenceman is roughly equivalent to what the "average" #1 D on a Stanley Cup winning team is.

You get the odd SC winner like Pittsburgh last year (Letang injured) where there wasn't a clear elite defenceman, but they also have Crosby + Malkin to help make up for that, which virtually no other teams can match (two elite franchise centres).

Generally speaking, Doughty, Keith, Chara, Letang, Lidstrom, Pronger/Niedermayer, etc has been the calibre required. If your #1 D gives you a disadvantage against most top contenders in the league, then it's not a legit #1 IMO.

We all know what a number one d man is. But what are the current players who fit into the category of number one D men?

 

[bobholly39]

I'm not going to list them all but I think there are 15 or so around the league.

No - leafs don't currently have what I'd qualify as a #1 d. Nashville have 2

 

[Karl Eriksson]

List starts with Karlsson.

 

[Riptide]

I'm not going to list them all but I think there are 15 or so around the league.

No - leafs don't currently have what I'd qualify as a #1 d. Nashville have 2

I think there's a few more than that at this point. Maybe 20-25? But I agree that there's no one on the Leafs who I'd call a #1D at this point.

 

[ChiefWiggum]

Im thinking:

Karlsson
Doughty
Hedman

Suter
Subban
Josi
Burns
Pietrangelo
Vlasic
Weber
Keith

 

[AvsCOL]

I'd say at any given time, there are probably only 10-15 guys in the entire NHL. #1 defensemen are more rare than #1 centremen because they can be tasked with playing 25-30 mins a night.

Karlsson, Doughty, Hedman, Burns, Keith, Josi, Subban, Weber, OEL, Werenski etc..

Lot of guys are almost there, but it's a tough role to crack.

 

[613Leafer]

We all know what a number one d man is. But what are the current players who fit into the category of number one D men?

I think it's debateable who would fall onto that list. There are the clear obvious guys like Hedman, Karlsson, Doughty, etc, and then some more borderline guys.

The Leafs though don't even have a borderline guy, at least based on past seasons. Rielly is off to a hot start offensively this season, but he's still yet to maintain a high offensive output for a full year, and has still struggled at times on the defensive end of the puck.

I do think our blueline gets too much flak for the teams defensive woes. Goaltending hasn't been great, we have some forwards that are quite weak defensively, and nobody up front that would be confused with a Selke candidate. Doesn't mean I think our blueline is perfect, just that it's not the only problem when it comes to team defence.

 

[Statto]

List starts with Karlsson.

That's not what the OP asked for. We don't need another thread about who the best d-man is and how many Norris trophies they should have had. We already have 20-30 threads from the last month you can bump if you feel the need to discuss it again.

 

[whitstifier]

I'd say at any given time, there are probably only 10-15 guys in the entire NHL. #1 defensemen are more rare than #1 centremen because they can be tasked with playing 25-30 mins a night.

Defensemen can stretch their minutes more easily than centers. Might be helpful to weigh TOI differently.

 

[Legionnaire]

List starts with Karlsson.

Which list is that? The "I've never been better than Drew Doughty" list? The list is long my friend and has many, many members including Karlsson so don't feel too badly.

 

[AvsCOL]

Defensemen can stretch their minutes more easily than centers. Might be helpful to weigh TOI differently.

I agree, but having your best players on the ice is an advantage any way you look at it. Also aren't a whole lot of defensemen that can remain effective over 30 minutes, while playing with a bunch of different guys.

 

[joe dirte]

List starts with Karlsson.

I actually don't think he meets the qualifications. most of fhe number 1 dmen are much better 2 way and excel in every circumstance. he's improved and isn't a total liability in his own end anymore. but he's far from great. so my thoughts are he will never hoist the cup as the number 1 dman on any team.

but honestly more than anything I wish the karlsson krew would stop infiltrating every thread trying to convince everyone of his greatness. no one had to convince everyone if the greatness of the true greats. so the more you try, you'll only fail worse and worse.

 

[Agent Zub]

I actually don't think he meets the qualifications. most of fhe number 1 dmen are much better 2 way and excel in every circumstance. he's improved and isn't a total liability in his own end anymore. but he's far from great. so my thoughts are he will never hoist the cup as the number 1 dman on any team.

but honestly more than anything I wish the karlsson krew would stop infiltrating every thread trying to convince everyone of his greatness. no one had to convince everyone if the greatness of the true greats. so the more you try, you'll only fail worse and worse.

............

What

 

[mja]

I actually don't think he meets the qualifications. most of fhe number 1 dmen are much better 2 way and excel in every circumstance. he's improved and isn't a total liability in his own end anymore. but he's far from great.

Karlsson absolutely meets the criteria. He's much better in his own end than his detractors give him credit for, and anyway the biggest single thing a true # 1 defenseman is able to do is control the game when he's on the ice, which Karlsson absolutely does at a level that few other players in the league can rival.

 

[whitstifier]

I agree, but having your best players on the ice is an advantage any way you look at it. Also aren't a whole lot of defensemen that can remain effective over 30 minutes, while playing with a bunch of different guys.

Also true that not many centers can stay on the ice for ~25 minutes with play in all situations. I'm not sure how defensemen would handle center minutes.

 

[RememberTheName]

I actually don't think he meets the qualifications. most of fhe number 1 dmen are much better 2 way and excel in every circumstance. he's improved and isn't a total liability in his own end anymore. but he's far from great. so my thoughts are he will never hoist the cup as the number 1 dman on any team.

but honestly more than anything I wish the karlsson krew would stop infiltrating every thread trying to convince everyone of his greatness. no one had to convince everyone if the greatness of the true greats. so the more you try, you'll only fail worse and worse.

The hell is this

 

[joe dirte]

............

What

if your reading isn't good enough to getbitnon the first pass, try a few times more before you reply.

 

[Aladyyn]

I actually don't think he meets the qualifications. most of fhe number 1 dmen are much better 2 way and excel in every circumstance. he's improved and isn't a total liability in his own end anymore. but he's far from great. so my thoughts are he will never hoist the cup as the number 1 dman on any team.

but honestly more than anything I wish the karlsson krew would stop infiltrating every thread trying to convince everyone of his greatness. no one had to convince everyone if the greatness of the true greats. so the more you try, you'll only fail worse and worse.

I didn't think we needed more Karlsson threads but apparently we do because some people still don't understand.

 

[joe dirte]

Karlsson absolutely meets the criteria. He's much better in his own end than his detractors give him credit for, and anyway the biggest single thing a true # 1 defenseman is able to do is control the game when he's on the ice, which Karlsson absolutely does at a level that few other players in the league can rival.

you're free to your own opinion.

 

[gretskidoo]

............

What

I think he's trying to say that Karlsson's too good to be considered a number one defenseman, so he's a number zero defenseman.

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

A #1 defenceman is something the Leafs truly lack despite what the vocal homers would have you believe. Its one of the few things that will get in their way of a true run IMO.

 

[Agent Zub]

I actually don't think he meets the qualifications. most of fhe number 1 dmen are much better 2 way and excel in every circumstance. he's improved and isn't a total liability in his own end anymore. but he's far from great. so my thoughts are he will never hoist the cup as the number 1 dman on any team.

but honestly more than anything I wish the karlsson krew would stop infiltrating every thread trying to convince everyone of his greatness. no one had to convince everyone if the greatness of the true greats. so the more you try, you'll only fail worse and worse.

Ottawa: 47GF 50GA
Karlsson ON: 32GF 16 GA
Karlsson OFF: 15 GF 34 GA

these are Karlsson on ice/ off ice splits from the playoffs.

He literally carried his team single handedly to one goal of the finals, playing 30 minutes a night, but he isn't a number 1 defender?

 

[WeThreeKings]

If a thread about defenseman falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it..

Does it still get derailed with posts about Karlsson?