your team's top 6 d-men ever...

[pappyline]

Blackhawks

Pierre Pilote
Earl Seibert
Chris Chelios
Bill Gadsby
Elmer Vasko
Bill White

Some might question chelios & Gadsby but both played 8 years with the Hawks

 

[MXD]

Blackhawks

Pierre Pilote
Earl Seibert
Chris Chelios
Bill Gadsby
Elmer Vasko
Bill White

Some might question chelios & Gadsby but both played 8 years with the Hawks

No room for Doug Wilson? I mean, the guy played 14 years with the Hawks - which is more than every guy you named, included Pilote (even though Pilote's place as best Hawks D-Men is undisputed)

 

[MortUWary]

Rangers:

1. Brian Leetch
2. Harry Howell
3. Brad Park
4. Ron Greschner
5. Reijo Ruotsalainen
6. Sergei Zubov

#6 was a toss-up between Jeff Beukeboom, James Patrick and Zubov, but he amassed 156 points in 165 games on the Rangers blueline from 1992-1995. That is damn impressive. The other two (Beuk and Jeep) each played over 500 games in a Rangers sweater, but I can't get over how good Zubov was at helping the PP in 1993-94. He also led the Rangers in points during the regular season that year when they ended 54 years of infamy.

 

[pappyline]

No room for Doug Wilson? I mean, the guy played 14 years with the Hawks - which is more than every guy you named, included Pilote (even though Pilote's place as best Hawks D-Men is undisputed)

My mistake. I completely forgot about Wilson & he should definitely be there (right behind Gadsby) which would drop White. Actually for #6, it is a tossup btween Vasko, White & Staplelton. I went with Vasko. Moose was a force out there & a lot of the reason that Pilote could go on offense so much.

 

[norrisnick]

I'd have Konstantinov out of this list and Quackenbush in. A pretty good point can be made that Quackenbush was better than Pronovost as well. Goodfellow is tricky, because he played a while with the Wings but wasn't always a D.

Konstantinov and Quackenbush had similar tenures with the Wings (6 full seasons a piece). It's a pick 'em but I prefer Konstantinov. He was instrumental to the rise of the modern era Wings. And he actually got to hoist the Cup in the Winged Wheel.

 

[MadArcand]

1) Mark Howe
2) Glen Wesley
3) Ulf Sameulsson
4) Aaron Ward
5) Adam Burt
6) Sean Hill
hm: Bret Hedican, Steve Chiasson, Risto Siltanen

I think, given another 4-5 years within the organization, Gleason and Pitkanen could crack the top 4. It gets a bit more dicey when trying to see them catch Ulfy though.

I thought about Howe, but he just hasn't played a significant portion of career here. I tried to choose only players who played a lot for Whalers/Canes.

And Aaron Ward? Not only did he not play much here, he definitely doesn't belong ahead of guys like Babych, Cote, Ladouceur, Zalapski or even Quenneville or Shaw.

 

[mercury]

I'll try for the Flyers, but A) I've only been a fan since the Legion of Doom era; and B) the Flyers haven't had the best luck defenseman-wise (no Norris winner as a Flyer; I think Coffey was the only Norris winner who ever played for the Flyers).


1) Mark Howe
2) Eric Desjardins
3) Kimmo Timonen
4) Kim Johnsson
5) Brad McCrimmon
6) Jim Watson


Someone older/with a better sense of history may want to correct me.

 

[The Perfect Human*]

Coffey Pronger
Huddy Souray
Visnovsky Lowe/Hamrlik

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Coffey Pronger
Huddy Souray
Visnovsky Lowe/Hamrlik

Souray and Visnovsky over Kevin Lowe? Really?

 

[Crossfire Hurricane]

Souray and Visnovsky over Kevin Lowe? Really?

Well, they have been instrumental in the Oilers' rise to almost being in the playoffs this year. Vis only played like four games in Edmonton over the last two years, and we've seen how bad they were in that stretch. The team just falls apart without those two.

 

[John Belushi]

Well, they have been instrumental in the Oilers' rise to almost being in the playoffs this year. Vis only played like four games in Edmonton over the last two years, and we've seen how bad they were in that stretch. The team just falls apart without those two.

While Visnovsky and Souray may be instrumental in the Oiler's rise to the playoffs, Kevin Lowe was instrumental in their Cup wins of the 80's. I'll let you decide who is more important.

 

[tony d]

1) Wade Redden
2) Zdeno Chara
3) Chris Phillips
4) Andrej Mezaros
5) Jason York
6) Karel Rachunek

 

[Sony Eriksson*]

Zubov
Tinordi
Hatcher (Pre-lockout)
Hartsburg
Matvichuk (Pre-lockout)

 

[Biscuit Bullet]

1) Scott Stevens
2) Rod Langway
3) Calle Johansson
4) Larry Murphy
5) Sergei Gonchar
6) Mike Green

These are the best defensemen to ever play for the Capitals. It doesn't necessarily mean they had their best years with the team (see Murphy/Stevens), but out of all blueliners who played for the Caps, these guys had/will have (Green) the best careers.

 

[Devil Dancer]

These are the best defensemen to ever play for the Capitals.

No Kevin Hatcher? I guess there isn't room for him, but he should at least get an honorable mention.

 

[Dark Shadows]

Blackhawks

Pierre Pilote
Earl Seibert
Chris Chelios
Bill Gadsby
Elmer Vasko
Bill White

Some might question chelios & Gadsby but both played 8 years with the Hawks

My mistake. I completely forgot about Wilson & he should definitely be there (right behind Gadsby) which would drop White. Actually for #6, it is a tossup btween Vasko, White & Staplelton. I went with Vasko. Moose was a force out there & a lot of the reason that Pilote could go on offense so much.

You watched a lot more Hawks games than I did back then Pappy, so ill take your word for it, but I always thought Stapleton was the best of those 3, with White close behind.

 

[JimmyPage]

Zdeno Chara
Wade Redden
Chris Phillips
Anton Volchenkov
Andrej Meszaros
Steve Duschene

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

I'll try for the Flyers, but A) I've only been a fan since the Legion of Doom era; and B) the Flyers haven't had the best luck defenseman-wise (no Norris winner as a Flyer; I think Coffey was the only Norris winner who ever played for the Flyers).


1) Mark Howe
2) Eric Desjardins
3) Kimmo Timonen
4) Kim Johnsson
5) Brad McCrimmon
6) Jim Watson


Someone older/with a better sense of history may want to correct me.

I'd rank the top four as Howe, Desjardins, McCrimmon and Jimmy Watson. The next two could be among many options. Timonen certainly grades high, as does Johnsson.

 

[DaveG]

I thought about Howe, but he just hasn't played a significant portion of career here. I tried to choose only players who played a lot for Whalers/Canes.

And Aaron Ward? Not only did he not play much here, he definitely doesn't belong ahead of guys like Babych, Cote, Ladouceur, Zalapski or even Quenneville or Shaw.

My basis for even having Ward is that he was the shut down defenseman for two cup finals runs and was the Canes #1 defenseman in 06 when they won. Solid, if underrated, guy that just never put up flashy numbers. But he could always be relied upon to shut down the oppositions top line.

I can see why you wouldn't have guys like Ward and Howe that only spent 4-5 years in Hartford or Carolina on your list though. But if I'm making a list of 6 guys that spent more then 2 or 3 of their prime years (hence no Coffey anywhere near this list) those would be my 6.

 

[bassassin]

Well if anyone thought their lists were bad, Tampa has just beaten it.

Dmen have never been the best part of the team and I think this list proves it

Kubina-Boyle
Hamrlik-Sarich
Ranger?-Meszaros?

I dont know much about the early years of the team, so if anyone wants to improve the list feel free, it can only get better right?

 

[bluemandan]

Flames (Calgary era):

MacInnes
Regehr
Phaneuf
Suter
Reinhart
Macrimmon

Who did I miss. Do not say Kari Eloranta.

I sit here in my St. Louis Blues Al MacInnis jersey with a C on the shoulder and wonder how someone can misspell the name of the Conn Smythe winner from the Flames' 88-89 Cup win.....


In no particular order for the St. Louis Blues:

Al MacInnis
Scott Stevens
Chris Pronger
Doug Harvey
Al Arbour
Barclay Plager
Bob Plager
Bob Gassoff

Ok, so it is more than six. I had trouble narrowing it down because some mean more to the franchise (Gassoff, Bob Plager) than some that were better but didn't spend a long time in St. Louis (Harvey, Stevens).

If I'm missing anyone, I'm sorry.

Edit: BTW, awesome thread idea.

 

[MXD]

I'd rank the top four as Howe, Desjardins, McCrimmon and Jimmy Watson. The next two could be among many options. Timonen certainly grades high, as does Johnsson.

Not that I really saw them play, but I'd rank Ashbee and Dailey ahead of Timonen. And Moose Dupont as well. Timonen just didn't play enough.

 

[CapsCrazyX17]

1) Scott Stevens
2) Rod Langway
3) Calle Johansson
4) Larry Murphy
5) Sergei Gonchar
6) Mike Green

These are the best defensemen to ever play for the Capitals. It doesn't necessarily mean they had their best years with the team (see Murphy/Stevens), but out of all blueliners who played for the Caps, these guys had/will have (Green) the best careers.

Good list but I'd put Hatcher or Iafrate on there before Gonchar or Green (at this point in his career).

 

[MarryMarner]

Borje Salming
Tim Horton
Brian Leetch
Tomas Kaberle
Pavel Kubina

 

[Canadiens Fan]

Borje Salming
Tim Horton
Brian Leetch
Tomas Kaberle
Pavel Kubina

Are you kidding ???

King Clancy
Tim Horton
Allan Stanley
Borje Salming
Hap Day
Red Horner