Who's your best Defender?

[Hammer79]

Most potential to be a #1: Edler
All around D-man (hits, fights, puts up points): Bieksa
Best shot: Garrison
Defensive D-man: Hamhuis

It's a tough call. I guess I would go with Edler based on upside, but I've liked Bieksa's game this year. Garrison was probably the best D-man last year, but he's struggled on the PP this season. Hamhuis slumped at the start but he appears to have shook off the rust. The way I see it, we have four #2 D-men.

 

[Shinkaruk]

This is seriously a tough question to anwser, our backend has been incredible. Don't think they get enough credit defensively while they really help Luongo out. Probably the best top 6 we have had in years and I really hope Gillis doesn't trade anyone from it.
Best potential: Edler (he also eats up most the minutes and has looked a lot better this year)
Best defensive d-man: You could argue its Garrison or Hamhuis, but I still think the edge is on Hamhuis. Maan have Stanton and Tanev been impressive lately though.
Best offensive d-man: Obviously lies between Bieksa, Garrison and Edler. Garrison leads in points, Edler has best potential... both those guys have great shots (even if Garrisons hardly ever hit the net) but so far, I might actually go with Bieksa. He looks like a forward out there some games, which he's familiar with. I've been really impressed with him offensively.
Biggest surprise: Well this is a no brainer, we know potential in every guy but Stanton coming into the season, was probably the only one who left our mouths wide open. He's so smart, calm and has a potential to be another Hamhuis. Heard a lot of Hawk fans were mad when they let Stanton go, I now understand why.
Best overall d-man is a tough one cause they all bring so much to the team, it's our strong side and it's a reason why our bottom 6 forwards aren't completely failing out there. If I was to say overall best, I'd probably give it to Garrison or Hamhuis. But Edler has potential to be our best to and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do this season.

 

[maroon 6]

Edler
Hamhuis
Garrison
Bieksa
Tanev
Stanton
Garbageov
Trashinsky
Junksson
St. Dumpeaux


Alberts

 

[ohnoeszz]

Interesting Tanev-Sedinery compatibility theory also, considering those stats about points, maybe worth a look or two. The PP couldn't get much worse, so it'd be a low risk experiment most likely. Wasn't his first ever goal/ot winner with the twins on the ice also? Seem to remember it that way.

Yea I think he was set up by them off the rush. I do think his game meshes really well with the Sedins since he is such a huge boon to puck possession. I think he could be in the Kaberle mold in the Ozone once he gains more experience, and as you said, there isn't much to be lost by experimenting with the powerplay.

I also don't think Hamhuis is a bad choice to pair with Garrison as he's mobile and can setup/feed the shot better than Edler, but I just don't like Garrison on a powerplay that is based around pinpoint passing (as any PP with the Sedins should be). He's a bit rough with his puck handling and I think Edler has a comparable shot.

 

[vanuck]

Edler
Hamhuis
Garrison
Bieksa
Tanev
Stanton
Garbageov
Trashinsky
Junksson
St. Dumpeaux


Alberts

 

[Jack Tripper]

Edler
Hamhuis
Garrison
Bieksa
Tanev
Stanton
Garbageov
Trashinsky
Junksson
St. Dumpeaux


Alberts

i'm intrigued at the potential of st. dumpeaux, hopefully he doesn't crap it away

 

[DCantheDDad]

I really cant answer this question. I do like having four guys who are playing great, though. If only Edler would jump to his potential we would be laughing. And how 'bout that Juice this year. He doesnt scare the bejeezus out of me every time he touches the puck.

 

[GrogZilla]

The Gunslinger

Who do you want on the ice when the games on the line & the team desperately needs a goal.
Who do you want coming in from the blue line when there's a scrum behind the opponents net.
Even last year when he was playing poorly, the team won when he was in the lineup & lost when he was out.
Bieksa just brings so many things to the table, even when he's off his game he's incredibly valuable & when he's firing on all cylinders he's a monster.

 

[Shareefruck]

He's having a great year, but I think Bieksa is a tier behind the other three. When he's firing on all cylinders, he's as good as anyone (not significantly better or anything, though), but that happens less than half the time.

Hamhuis/Garrison is better on a game to game basis, and Edler's "beast mode" is way better than Bieksa's, for my money.

When he's not going, he's not much better than Tanev, if at all.

 

[yoss]

He's having a great year, but I think Bieksa is a tier behind the other three. When he's firing on all cylinders, he's as good as anyone (not significantly better or anything, though), but that happens less than half the time.

Hamhuis/Garrison is better on a game to game basis, and Edler's "beast mode" is way better than Bieksa's, for my money.

When he's not going, he's not much better than Tanev, if at all.

Why is his plus-minus off the charts then? He leads the team with a +10. For comparison, Edler is a -3, Garrison -2 and Hamhuis +2. I don't recall Edler's beast mode winning any games for us this year (yet) either.

 

[ohnoeszz]

Why is his plus-minus off the charts then? He leads the team with a +10. For comparison, Edler is a -3, Garrison -2 and Hamhuis +2. I don't recall Edler's beast mode winning any games for us this year (yet) either.

+/- and the specious "games Bieksa does/doesn't play" stats are of highly debatable value. Taking either at face value treats coincidence as non-existent, which is an absurd notion. Actually digging into a player's contribution to each + and - shows the abundant flaws in the stat - a goal for is a success by the player and a goal against is a failure for the player, yet we know that on many plays good defense is scored upon. At times defensemen change just before goals are scored on the rush or they watch as their partner fires a stretch pass for a breakaway goal.

+/- only starts to become of moderate value when looked at over the span of several seasons and even then there are so many mitigating factors that it is generally left on the stat page instead of in your head.

Edler had some games where he was dominating board play in the defensive zone. One or two of those he was also playing extremely physical and active. That is of huge value but it isn't as definable as Bieksa's end to end rush to set up the OT winner.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

This season only?

Bieksa
Garrison
Edler
Hamhuis

Never thought I would see this day.

 

[lawrence]

Alex Edler.

He has the tough responsibility of playing offence also. He also the capability of doing it, which sometimes exposes the defence.

While the others just sit back and defend. Way too easy. Hamhius or Bieksa, and GArrison will not get my vote. Have to appreciate an offensive dman, who is doing whatever it takes.

Not sure why he is not leading the votes. I can tell you guys right now, out of all our defencemens, Losing Edler will hurt us the most. We can lose a Hamhius or lose a Bieka, and we have others in that department, but we cannot lose a Edler.

 

[shortshorts]

Garrison is the weakest of the bunch.

The guy is not a good passer. I made mention of it a couple weeks ago. He's below average in his ability to move the puck.

It's extremely noticeable on the powerplay, and even more so on the breakouts.

 

[yoss]

+/- and the specious "games Bieksa does/doesn't play" stats are of highly debatable value. Taking either at face value treats coincidence as non-existent, which is an absurd notion. Actually digging into a player's contribution to each + and - shows the abundant flaws in the stat - a goal for is a success by the player and a goal against is a failure for the player, yet we know that on many plays good defense is scored upon. At times defensemen change just before goals are scored on the rush or they watch as their partner fires a stretch pass for a breakaway goal.

+/- only starts to become of moderate value when looked at over the span of several seasons and even then there are so many mitigating factors that it is generally left on the stat page instead of in your head.

Edler had some games where he was dominating board play in the defensive zone. One or two of those he was also playing extremely physical and active. That is of huge value but it isn't as definable as Bieksa's end to end rush to set up the OT winner.

Sounds convoluted and not sure what you're getting at. Bottom line, this season he is +8 above the next nearest top 4 d-man in plus minus. (After only 15 games) That's significant imo no matter how you slice it, they all eat up big minutes against the top players from others teams. Small sample size sure, but per the question asked in this thread it also is one reason a pretty good case can be made that he's been our best defender thus far.

 

[Shinkaruk]

I like the mixed answers, shows you how much depth we have at the back.

 

[ohnoeszz]

Sounds convoluted and not sure what you're getting at. Bottom line, this season he is +8 above the next nearest top 4 d-man in plus minus. (After only 15 games) That's significant imo no matter how you slice it, they all eat up big minutes against the top players from others teams. Small sample size sure, but per the question asked in this thread it also is one reason a pretty good case can be made that he's been our best defender thus far.

That's because +/- is convoluted. It has a massive margin for error. I mean, just take into account how many plays it actually accounts for compared to how many shifts a play takes in a single game.

 

[Dirkph]

Once Hammer gets into his usual rhythm, easily him. He's the most consistent by far, overall... and consistency is the name of the game when it comes to defines, imo.

 

[keslerbomb]

Bieksa with 9 votes including mine... jeeze. Bieksa is the heart and soul of our defense, he makes whoever he's paired with into our best shutdown line. He's also real good offensively, and probably the only player on our team that can flat out demolish guys in fights. So underrated by our fanbase.

 

[VeteranNetPresence]

bieksa is too inconsistent to be the best on the team

 

[Shareefruck]

Why is his plus-minus off the charts then? He leads the team with a +10. For comparison, Edler is a -3, Garrison -2 and Hamhuis +2. I don't recall Edler's beast mode winning any games for us this year (yet) either.

I already acknowledged that Bieksa is have a fantastic year, but I was speaking of what I typically see from them.

When Bieksa is playing like he currently is, he's as good as Hamhuis or Garrison when they're playing well (I wouldn't say better though). However, he's clearly alot more inconsistent than those two.

He's similarly inconsistent as Edler, but while I think they're equally bad when they're bad, I think Edler is significantly more dominant when they're both at the top of their game. Edler is capable of taking over games.

This is why I think Bieksa is a tier behind the other three. Hamhuis and Garrison are pretty consistently good/great. Bieksa is good/great when he's on and awful when he's off. Edler is awful when he's off, but is incredible/flat out dominant when he's on.

 

[PG Canuck]

Would help if there was actually some criteria to rank our defensemen, but I voted Hamhuis just based on the fact he's usually the most reliable, and the guy you use in any key situation.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

Garrison is unbievably over rated. Hes looked brutal on D a few times this year.

Love the guy but really calling him consistent is a stretch.

 

[PG Canuck]

Garrison is unbievably over rated. Hes looked brutal on D a few times this year.

Love the guy but really calling him consistent is a stretch.

Guess you can say the same for Hamhuis this year? And Edler..Bieksa...

 

[vanuck]

Garrison is unbievably over rated. Hes looked brutal on D a few times this year.

Love the guy but really calling him consistent is a stretch.

He's been about as consistent as can be since he adjusted to the system last year.