Number One Defensemen in NHL

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

#1 Dmen qualities:

-Quarterbacks the power-play and is one of the leading scorers amongst dmen on his own team
-Used against other teams best players every shift
-Can be a one-man breakout in his own zone or makes seamless outlet passes
-Is a winner (International success, individual trophies, Stanley Cups and or post-season success)
-Leads by example
-Is durable
-Consistent.'

So who are they?
Doughty, Karlsson, Josi, Subban, Keith, Hedman, Burns, Pietrangelo, Weber, Letang

Good one

 

[SSJ3 Lunar]

Karlsson
Hedman
Josi

 

[Daveyyaunce]

Eh, it's how Toews has been graded most of his career, so why not?

Ehh yeah but the grading of Toews based specifically on that criteria is a very divisive point.

 

[HabsDood]

Where does Byfuglien fall in all this?

Look for a hole, when he falls it does that..

I know i'd take him on my team

 

[1Boliever]

There are around 20 who meet the criteria.

Tier 1 (in no order)

Karlsson
Doughty
Hedman
OEL
Burns
Subban
Josi
Keith
Weber
Pietrangelo
Vlasic

Tier 2

Slavin
Provorov
Lindholm
Parayko
Klingberg
Jones
Werenski
Trouba
Letang
McDonagh
Hamilton

At this point in time both Brodie and Gio are better than Hamilton, and are both #1's. Hamilton is slow starter offensively I do think he'll pick it up.

 

[Tripod]

jmho but when guys like Slavin and Provo are playing top pair minutes on perennial playoff teams then you've got a good case to make. but the bottom line to me is that high end hockey players tend to lead to some level of team success. Without that success it's kind of hard to compare them to guys that have had it

So Rielly is better than OEL because one is now on a playoff team and the other has been horrible again this year.

See how dumb that is?

 

[JD1]

So Rielly is better than OEL because one is now on a playoff team and the other has been horrible again this year.

See how dumb that is?

there are always going to be examples that break rules. And yes I certainly get that OEL is considered by many to be a true #1D.

but I didn't say Reilly was better than OEL. I didn' say that at all. Kinda dumb suggesting I did no?

 

[Tripod]

there are always going to be examples that break rules. And yes I certainly get that OEL is considered by many to be a true #1D.

but I didn't say Reilly was better than OEL. I didn' say that at all. Kinda dumb suggesting I did no?

It was to show that TEAM success has little to do with how good 1 guy is. OEL is very good and a #1, the team has been awful for years. It doesn't make him less of a player because his team loses.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

#1 Dmen qualities:

-Quarterbacks the power-play and is one of the leading scorers amongst dmen on his own team
-Used against other teams best players every shift
-Can be a one-man breakout in his own zone or makes seamless outlet passes
-Is a winner (International success, individual trophies, Stanley Cups and or post-season success)
-Leads by example
-Is durable
-Consistent.'

So who are they?
Doughty, Karlsson, Josi, Subban, Keith, Hedman, Burns, Pietrangelo, Weber, Letang

Suter checks all those boxes.

 

[izzy]

List starts with Karlsson.

no my list is going to be alphabetical thanks

 

[JD1]

It was to show that TEAM success has little to do with how good 1 guy is. OEL is very good and a #1, the team has been awful for years. It doesn't make him less of a player because his team loses.

team success is dependent on having quality players.

fans everywhere overrate their own players. OEL's situation with Arizona is a bit unique with all that franchise has been through.

look at someone like Pronger. He was able to tilt the ice for almost 30 minutes a night in his team's favour and as he went to or left teams you saw their fortunes change quickly. Thats the kind of impact elite 1D have.

 

[Daveyyaunce]

team success is dependent on having quality players.

fans everywhere overrate their own players. OEL's situation with Arizona is a bit unique with all that franchise has been through.

look at someone like Pronger. He was able to tilt the ice for almost 30 minutes a night in his team's favour and as he went to or left teams you saw their fortunes change quickly. Thats the kind of impact elite 1D have.

How is OEL an exception to this rule of yours? Great player on a bad team. Regardless of why thats the case, its still the same situation countless great players deal with. Shouldn't he be having a Chris MFing Pronger-like impact on his team?

 

[JD1]

How is OEL an exception to this rule of yours? Great player on a bad team. Regardless of why thats the case, its still the same situation countless great players deal with. Shouldn't he be having a Chris MFing Pronger-like impact on his team?

that team has been run on a shoestring budget his entire career

 

[Daveyyaunce]

that team has been run on a shoestring budget his entire career

Yeah but by your standards he should be able to elevate the play of his team regardless of the talent around him right? I mean, that's the standard you're applying to everybody else.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

There are around 20 who meet the criteria.

Tier 1 (in no order)

Karlsson
Doughty
Hedman
OEL
Burns
Subban
Josi
Keith
Weber
Pietrangelo
Vlasic

Tier 2

Slavin
Provorov
Lindholm
Parayko
Klingberg
Jones
Werenski
Trouba
Letang
McDonagh
Hamilton

#1A D: Keith, Doughty, Subban,, Karlsson, Piets, Hedman, OEL, Vlasic

#1B: Gio, Suter, Weber, Josi, McDonagh, Burns

Tough to judge until healthy: Letang, Lindholm. Though both have looked like #1A in spurts, particularly Letang.

Emerging/Pending: Jones, Slavin, Provorov, Werenski, Trouba, Rielly, Niskanen, Klefbom, Hamilton, Ekholm/Ellis, Fowler, Parayko- pending (too many to name off the top of my head)

There is Erik karlsson
And then there is Tier 1 and the seperation is significant.

Tier 1

Doughty
Hedman
OEL
Burns
Subban
Josi
Keith
Weber
Pietrangelo
Vlasic

Vlasic on the 1A list? He’s right up there defensively, but is he someone that can be that driver for a team offensively? He's struggled to crack 30 points in most years, and he’s played on some very talented SJ teams.

I feel the same way about Slavin and H. Lindholm.

 

[Rebels57]

Vlasic on the 1A list? He’s right up there defensively, but is he someone that can be that driver for a team offensively? He's struggled to crack 30 points in most years, and he’s played on some very talented SJ teams.

I feel the same way about Slavin and H. Lindholm.

Thats fair.

 

[Atas2000]

Karlsson, Karlsson, Karlsson...

Now that I'm done with the obligatory mentioning of Karlsson without reason... Yes, Leafs lack a 1D.

There are too few clear cut 1Ds in the league. Many recent promised ones couldn't quite reach the level. That is why the market is starving for quality D-men and a lot of D-men get overpayed.

Right now I'd say:

Doughty, Hedman, Keith, Burns, Karlsson

Even guys like Subban, Josi or Pietrangelo I see as borderline guys.

In the near future Werenski and Provorov could join the group.

 

[JD1]

Yeah but by your standards he should be able to elevate the play of his team regardless of the talent around him right? I mean, that's the standard you're applying to everybody else.

dont tell me what my standards are in an attempt to make me seem stupid. you're being an ass. you're going to extremes in an attempt to be seen as right.

OEL is in a different situation. He is a top notch player on a team that essentially cannot compete in the league they are in because they do not have the same resources as their competitors and that is a very different situation than what I've suggested.

 

[firstemperor]

Vlasic on the 1A list? He’s right up there defensively, but is he someone that can be that driver for a team offensively? He's struggled to crack 30 points in most years, and he’s played on some very talented SJ teams.

I feel the same way about Slavin and H. Lindholm.

It's just pedigree for me. Slavin could be a #1 right now but I'd like to see a greater sample size of consistency. Lindholm, to me, is a #1 when healthy but he's had inconsistencies due to health.

All three aren't great puck movers or offensive PMD, but they are good/great enough at defense that I overlook it. All three are solid enough at that aspect though.

 

[kings11]

Tons of defensemen meet that #1 criteria, I'm sure it would have been easier to have labeled the thread FRANCHISE defensemen.....
Doughty
Karlsson
Keith
Hedman
Subban
Pietrangelo
Josi
Ekman-Larsson
Vlasic
All other defensemen are either still playing their way up to this status Werenski, Provorov, Sergachev,

 

[Daveyyaunce]

dont tell me what my standards are in an attempt to make me seem stupid. you're being an ass. you're going to extremes in an attempt to be seen as right.

OEL is in a different situation. He is a top notch player on a team that essentially cannot compete in the league they are in because they do not have the same resources as their competitors and that is a very different situation than what I've suggested.

You've stated that you judge individual players based on their teams success.

 

[TheTechNoir]

So evaluate players on their teams success, not their own performance?

Right. If Edm misses playoffs, Mick David has to go back to the drawing boards. He isn't a legit 1C.

 

[TheTechNoir]

And the flyers weren't far off from making it. Do you genuinely believe that had they made it that it would have made the difference in whether or not a player on their team would have been elite? You genuinely think that is a logical measurement in an assesment of an individual players talent?

Right.
Man games missed with injury, coach, PDO/luck, goalie, supporting cast, etc. Play absolutely no role.

It's why Tampa's start this season is so confusing. As of right now, Kucherov isn't in the upper echelon of the NHL.

 

[zar]

There are 31 #1 Dmen in the NHL.

There a fewer Elite #1 Dmen:
Karlsson
Burns
Doughty
Hedman
Suter
Weber
Josi
Vlasic
Pietrangelo
Keith
Letang

Then you have some very good #1 Dmen who could be considered Elite in any given year:
Subban
Giordano
McDonaugh
Lindholm
Fowler
OEL
Klinberg

…. and some young Dmen who are trending very favorably and will likely move into the Elite category as they seem to have all of the tools:
Jones
Werenski
Slavin
Ekblad
Parayko
Ristolainen?
Trouba?

Provorov?
McAvoy?

 

[joe dirte]

You mean the kind of defenseman who can carry his team to one goal of the finals with his best teamate being Bobby Ryan? Being his team's best offensive and defensive player?

Or do you mean the kind of defenceman who can go two best on best tournaments without being on for a single goal against? The kind of defenceman who can carry a depleted Sweden squad to one goal from Olympic gold?

I'm just curious what kind of defenceman you mean.

i thought I was clear. the type of dman that can lead his team to a cup. sorry. hopefully that's better.