Top 10 Offensive Defenceman in the NHL?

[Merrrlin]

Best offensively is what we're looking for here.

I think I got all the contenders...let's see how the votes shake out.

Click to read more...

 

[amnesiac]

if youre gonna put Nate Schmidt or Provorov you should at least have Shea Weber

 

[The Moose is Loose]

You know who was 11th in points this year and is 3rd in points over the past decade for all defensemen?

Keith Yandle. He's a top 10 offensive defensemen.

Not going to get into the rest but he's underrated as always.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Hard to discern offense from transition, but I went with:

• Burns
• Carlsson
• Karlsson
• Hedman
• Makar
• Chabot
• Josi
• Krug
• Hamilton
• Werenski

Also, you should list players in alphabetical order to avoid bias.

 

[The Macho King]

You know who was 11th in points this year and is 3rd in points over the past decade for all defensemen?

Keith Yandle. He's a top 10 offensive defensemen.

Not going to get into the rest but he's underrated as always.

Agreed - Yandle absolutely should be.

I ran some numbers once Hedman hit 50 points this season. Hedman has 5 50 point seasons. I think EK65 is the only active player above him with 6 50 point seasons. Burns and Yandle were the only other players to have 5.

Four players with 5 or more 50 point seasons from the back end (active) - those four have to be on your list.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

In no order:

• Burns
• Karlsson
• Carlsson
• Hamilton
• Hedman
• Hughes
• Makar
• Chabot
• Josi
• Krug

 

[wintersej]

I'm going to speak to Krug because he is a weird case.

I don't think there is a d-man that is better in the 5 on 4 situation at moving all over the zone and being able to run different looks and break down the opponents box. 1st in PP points this year and top 5 or better for most of the years prior to that. The Bruins were a mediocre powerplay with guys like Savard, Seguin, Horton, Bergeron, and Krejci. And then Krug came out of no-where as a college UFA, and since the Bruins have only had a lower PP% than the Pens and the Caps. He is a true difference maker at 5 on 4 and absolutely elite in that scenario.

But...

At 5 on 5? He is a volume shooter from the point with shot charts that look like a defensive defenseman pounding shots from his point position. He does not venture around the offensive zone like some of the other guys here adding a lot of 5 on 5 scoring.

Part of that is the Bruins being conservative by nature. Less so than under Julien, but they are still a very low event team. Some of it is that he just doesn't have the speed to get back if he is caught out of position. The net is that at even strength, Krug was outscored by his partner Brandon Carlo at 5 on 5 this season and really has never put up impressive numbers at even strength.

Not to say he doesn't have the offensive skill, but his limitations defensively, and the fact that he is on a team that is more interested in hiding those limitations than dealing with their cost means he has never been a big point guy at 5 on 5. At least in the regular season. In the playoffs, we have seen him add an extra gear in aggressiveness offensively when the points are harder to come by and his teammates back check if he does get caught have some more desperation. But, I am not sure that limited sample helps him so much here.

I still am going to put him in my top 10. But, I am not sure if he sure fire belongs in that group sure he is top 6 in points for a d-man over the past three (and four and five) years. And 8th this year. But at even strength he is down in the 40s with guys like Fowler and Severson. Not exactly Carlson, Josi or Makar. An elite elite role player. Of course, the points still count whenever you score them... but all things being equal, I think the guy that can do it 5 on 5 should have the edge.

 

[CanadienShark]

In no order:

• Burns
• Karlsson
• Carlsson
• Hamilton
• Hedman
• Hughes
• Makar
• Chabot
• Josi
• Krug

I had Rielly and Klingberg over Krug and Hamilton, both were tough calls, otherwise my list is identical.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

these are the top 10 dmen in offensive gar over the last two seasons fwiw

 

[Merrrlin]

Hard to discern offense from transition, but I went with:

• Burns
• Carlsson
• Karlsson
• Hedman
• Makar
• Chabot
• Josi
• Krug
• Hamilton
• Werenski

Also, you should list players in alphabetical order to avoid bias.

It’s an hfboards poll, I’m not too concerned. Started with a list of top ppg across two seasons then started to expand.

 

[SillyRabbit]

Had to scroll so far to find Hughes, he’s definitely top 10.

 

[wintersej]

I had Rielly and Klingberg over Krug and Hamilton, both were tough calls, otherwise my list is identical.

Specifically comparing guys like Rielly and Krug is so difficult to me. Krug plays on a team that is a lot more uptight than Rielly's. How many points would Rielly score if he was asked to play a more conservative game at 5 on 5 like Krug (and McAvoy for that matter) are asked to play in Boston? I literally have no idea.

 

[Merrrlin]

Specifically comparing guys like Rielly and Krug is so difficult to me. Krug plays on a team that is a lot more uptight than Rielly's. How many points would Rielly score if he was asked to play a more conservative game at 5 on 5 like Krug (and McAvoy for that matter) are asked to play in Boston? I literally have no idea.

To flip that, would Mo produce more on the league's best power play?

The two seem pretty close to me. Both are top 10 in my opinion.

 

[wintersej]

To flip that, would Mo produce more on the league's best power play?

The two seem pretty close to me. Both are top 10 in my opinion.

heck, if McAvoy got an extra 20 points from being on PP1, how many more votes would he have here? Its VERY hard to compare d-men offensively just based on points!

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Carlson
Josi
Makar
Hughes
Karlsson
Hamilton
DeAngelo
Werenski
Hedman
Pietrangelo

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Werenski is getting underrated that guy can score goals. He was a fantastic fantasy pickup for me when healthy this year.

 

[stevo61]

Werenski is getting underrated that guy can score goals. He was a fantastic fantasy pickup for me when healthy this year.

Yeah he gets overlooked since its tough to gauge a guys offense on a team that doesnt score a lot. He led defensemen in goals comfortably and 1 off the team lead in which is pretty crazy but he has a low assist total so it looks bad on paper, the on ice product is different however.

 

[Merrrlin]

Yeah he gets overlooked since its tough to gauge a guys offense on a team that doesnt score a lot. He led defensemen in goals comfortably and 1 off the team lead in which is pretty crazy but he has a low assist total so it looks bad on paper, the on ice product is different however.

Much like many Islander players, I think Werenski would be much higher profile in a different market and system. Put him in Q. Hughes spot, Makar's spot, or Rielly's spot and he'd be hitting 65+ points.

Amazing that a dman with 20g in 60 something games won't be considered a top 10 D offensively despite playing on the 3rd worst offence in the league.

 

[LeafsNation75]

heck, if McAvoy got an extra 20 points from being on PP1, how many more votes would he have here? Its VERY hard to compare d-men offensively just based on points!

In the 2018-19 season when Rielly had 20 goals and 72 points, he only had 3 power play goals and 18 power play assists.

Morgan Rielly Stats | Hockey-Reference.com

 

[wintersej]

In the 2018-19 season when Rielly had 20 goals and 72 points, he only had 3 power play goals and 18 power play assists.

Morgan Rielly Stats | Hockey-Reference.com

Yup! He also shot triple his career average shooting percentage.

 

[wintersej]

View attachment 350665
these are the top 10 dmen in offensive gar over the last two seasons fwiw

I forget if that is 5 on 5 or all situations.

 

[Love]

Yup! He also shot triple his career average shooting percentage.

Actually he didn’t even shoot double his career shooting percentage, but ok let’s go with triple why not.

 

[aufheben]

Are people unaware that Seth Jones scored 46 points last season and 30 points this season?

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Are people unaware that Seth Jones scored 46 points last season and 30 points this season?

What Seth Jones actually did doesn't matter.

 

[aufheben]

What Seth Jones actually did doesn't matter.

Dare I say it, but is he overrated? His regular stats and fancy stats are not amazing.