I've got to say Nashville Anaheim or Chicago.
What do you guys think?
The Hawks are stacked.
Not many Hawks fans realize our issue last season was D and that has been addressed.
What team has the best defensive core going into 2016-17?
- Thread starter Club
- Start date
The Hawks are stacked.
Not many Hawks fans realize our issue last season was D and that has been addressed.
Paulie Gualtieri
R.I.P. Tony Sirico
- May 18, 2016
- 12,365
- 3,076
Most individually skilled Top 4: Predators
Most individually skilled Top 6: Sharks
Best assembled defence: Pittsburgh
Most individually skilled Top 6: Sharks
Best assembled defence: Pittsburgh
End of Line
Registered User
- Mar 20, 2009
- 24,800
- 2,401
DoobeeDoobeeDoo
The Doobster
- Jul 3, 2013
- 1,509
- 9
Although I agree that the Predators & the Blackhawks have the 2 best dmen, I must say that the Flames have a pretty good group with Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Dougie Hamilton, & Dennis Wideman.
DoobeeDoobeeDoo
The Doobster
- Jul 3, 2013
- 1,509
- 9
Pretty good group. No superstars besides Letang, but they're all talented dmen and they compliment each other well. Plus they're not really asked to shut anyone down, just force opposing forwards to go wide & try to cut off passing/skating lanes until their speedy forwards can catch up on the backcheck.
DoobeeDoobeeDoo
The Doobster
- Jul 3, 2013
- 1,509
- 9
Shaftception
Registered User
- Apr 6, 2011
- 4,060
- 1,617
In Pit's case, a better classification would be team defense, as outside of Letang their defensive roster individually obviously doesn't have the pedigree of the teams already mentioned, even with a couple promising young players. Since the thread specifies core, this implies a focus on the individual talent making up the group, thus it's logically correct to not list Pit among the more individually talented cores despite their recent success.
However, what Pit's defensive core did excel at was filling their roles in their defensive system adequately enough when aided by the forwards to combined produce at an elite team defensive level.
It probably says something about the current accepted norms of how we evaluate defensive groups when the reigning cup winners aren't thought of as among the top defensive groups even though they performed at an elite level during their end of season run. Either they're better than they're given credit for (which I'd argue is true in Dumoulin's case), or more likely, the way in which most commonly evaluate defense needs to still evolve further to encompass a more broad view of what impacts team defensive performance, and how the individual makeup of a group contributes to that.
LetsGoBLUES91
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2013
- 9,158
- 3,096
LetsGoBLUES91
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2013
- 9,158
- 3,096
Nashville and STL. Probably give it to Nashville just because the top end of Subban/Josi is better than Pietrangelo/Shattenkirk. Even if the bottom 4 of STL is a bit better.
The title of the thread is "What team has the best defensive core going into 2016-17?", so age is essentially irrelevant unless this is the year it finally catches up with Campbell.
If scoring 14 goals and 49 points is your definition of "lost it", then yes, Seabrook has definitely lost it. He is still a very good player in the offensive zone, just a little slow to be as effective in all zones as he once was. With Keith-Hjalmarsson taking the majority of the tough assignments and defensive zone starts, I see Seabrook's decline being much less pronounced this year.
Blackhawkswincup
RIP Fugu
Gecklund
Registered User
Best D Depth for the season
Who has the best defensive depth to start the season?
In my opinion the top 3 are:
San Jose
Washington
Tampa Bay
Any of these could be argued in any order though in my opinion.
Whos your top defensive depth?
Who has the best defensive depth to start the season?
In my opinion the top 3 are:
San Jose
Washington
Tampa Bay
Any of these could be argued in any order though in my opinion.
Whos your top defensive depth?
FlamesFan18
Frank the Tank
I think Ekblad Demers Yandle Matheson Pysyk Petrovic will be solid.
Josi Subban Ellis Ekholm is solid.
Josi Subban Ellis Ekholm is solid.
Makar Goes Fast
grocery stick
Sidney the Kidney
One last time
- Jun 29, 2009
- 55,761
- 46,798
I might be in the minority, but I don't think Washington's defense deserves to be among the top. They're a solid core, but they lack that true #1 elite guy that most "top defense corps" have.
I think that's one of the things that constantly holds them back in the playoffs. They don't have that one guy on the back-end that can take over a game or series in their favor.
San Jose
Nashville
Tampa Bay
That would be my top three, in no particular order. Chicago's a dark horse, but they're a little bit iffy after their (strong) top four.
I think that's one of the things that constantly holds them back in the playoffs. They don't have that one guy on the back-end that can take over a game or series in their favor.
San Jose
Nashville
Tampa Bay
That would be my top three, in no particular order. Chicago's a dark horse, but they're a little bit iffy after their (strong) top four.
CanadianPantherFan
Cats are Here!
Florida is 9-10 deep plus another budding star McCoshen waiting in the wings. Only question is a little grit missing ? That can be traded for mid season though.
CanadianPantherFan
Cats are Here!
PWJunior
Stay safe!
With the addition of Brian Strait and the absence of Trouba... Winnipeg! 
The Isles defense corp is underrated, they go 8 deep and with some quality. They may not have that true blue star #1D, they make up for that with a solid bunch with different skillsets that can be mixed and matched. Leddy/Hamonic/Boychuk/de Haan/Pulock/Hickey with youngsters Mayfield and Pelech has a little bit of everything.
The Isles defense corp is underrated, they go 8 deep and with some quality. They may not have that true blue star #1D, they make up for that with a solid bunch with different skillsets that can be mixed and matched. Leddy/Hamonic/Boychuk/de Haan/Pulock/Hickey with youngsters Mayfield and Pelech has a little bit of everything.
WesMcCauley
Registered User
- Apr 24, 2015
- 8,616
- 2,600
