Zdeno Chara

[smack66]

Is big Z a top ten all time NHL defenseman? Obviously, this is tough to gauge and his career isn't over but I personally think he's done enough to get into the top ten. There as some obvious choices above him, Orr, Harvey, Bourque, Lidstrom but then its gets challenging. I think many will say Big Bird Robinson and big point getters like Coffee and perhaps Pronger. I think if Z plays another solid year and you end up looking at his total games played and how he has influenced games he might be in the top ten. He will clearly never have the point totals but his ability on the defensive side and even to a certain extent intimidate, compounded with everything else puts him top ten for me. I'd be interested to see a list of top ten from those who say he's not in the top ten.

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[Tkachuky]

Chelios
Niedermayer

Would be on list I would think.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Nope. Top 20 maybe.

 

[tgo0]

Not top 10.

Top 20-25 is reasonable

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I'd kill to have him on the Avs, think he'd help Zadorov take the next step to being an impact defender.

Don't think he's a Top-10 guy, but Top-25 maybe.

 

[rocketdan9]

1st ballot hof

 

[smack66]

Nope. Top 20 maybe.

curious for those who don't have him top ten who they would list above Z

 

[Jacob]

I think he’d be behind Orr, Chelios, Harvey, Robinson, Potvin, Bourque, Lidstrom, Coffey, Pronger and MacInnis.

 

[Patmac40]

Orr
Harvey
Bourque
Lidstrom
Shore
Potvin
Robinson
Kelly
Park
Chelios

Those would be the ones I put on my top 10.

He'd be in the 20-25 range for me likely.

 

[Neely2005]

Top 25 seems more accurate IMO.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

15-20 is pretty much where he falls for me.

In his own era, he's 2nd only to Lidstrom.

Arguably one of the most physically imposing defenders in history, and one of the best defensively in his prime. At his peak, the D zone was shut down when he was out there. And he was seemingly always out there logging 26-28 min a night.

Norris record of 1-2-2-3-3-3-4-5 is no joke
3x AS-1
4x AS-2

he also contributed more offensively than he is remembered for. 199-440-639 in 1,477 games. His +254 and 1,900 PIM speak to the defense and physical intimidation.

Plus he is one of the best captains/leaders of his era. He has been the man in the Boston locker room since day 1.

edit: embarrassment of riches moment, he's only the 4th best defender in Bruins history behind Orr, Bourque, Shore

 

[Hockeyholic]

curious for those who don't have him top ten who they would list above Z

In no particular order: Chelios, Lidstrom, Bourque, Orr, Coffey, Harvey, MacInnis, Robinson, Savard, Potvin, Pronger, Stevens, Niedermayer, Shore, Horton, Leetch, and Park.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

In no particular order: Chelios, Lidstrom, Bourque, Orr, Coffey, Harvey, MacInnis, Robinson, Savard, Potvin, Pronger, Stevens, Niedermayer, Shore, Horton, Leetch, and Park.

easy no on the bolded

 

[weaponomega]

No he's not. Maybe top 20-25.

This is a good list,

Orr
Harvey
Bourque
Lidstrom
Shore
Potvin
Robinson
Kelly
Park
Chelios

 

[Machinehead]

easy no on the bolded

And there's still ten up there. Slam dunk Hall of Famer, but not top ten.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Top 20 I'd say. Could have two Norris trophies as well.

In terms of shutdown defensemen, one of the all time greatest.

 

[izzy]

if it didnt take him so long to develop into a true impact dman, maybe. probably somewhere around #20?

 

[b in vancouver]

Harvey and Shore and then go modern...

Orr
Bourque
Potvin
Lidstrom

- then in no order just as I thought of them (and probably missing a few)
Robinson
Chelios
Park
Coffey
Pronger
Langway
MacInnis
Karlsson
Niedermeyer
Stevens
Keith
Leetch
Salming
M. Howe

He's somewhere in that second group and I'd have him higher than a lot of those guys.
It really depends on how much you value the shutdown defence aspect of a defence man's game. He's also got the intimidation factor, the physicality and leadership.

Looking at those guys again ... I'd have him somewhere from 10-15

 

[BruinsBtn]

People think he's outside the top-20? I challenge anyone to name 20 better. I don't think he's top-10 but he's got an argument for around #10 and certainly top-20. He's ahead of Stevens and Horton without a doubt. Pronger had a higher peak but a worse career. I'd put him ahead of Robinson but I'm probably a minority there. I don't see an argument for Neidermayer ahead of him.

Anyway, you never get a fair reading on a guy until awhile after his career is over.

 

[Cellee]

Scott Stevens = underrated.

 

[newfy]

curious for those who don't have him top ten who they would list above Z

Hes definitely not top 10 all time.

Orr, Lidstrom, Bourque, Harvey, Potvin, Robinson, Red Kelly, Chelios, Pronger, Stevens are all ahead of him off the top of my head. Is he actually better than Duncan Keith? Tough guy to compare with but basically anywhere that takes history into account is going to rank Eddie Shore as a better all time dman than him. Theres guys like Fetisov who were better but didnt get a long time in the NHL. I think most rankings would have him ahead unless theyre ridiculously NHL biased. Then you have a few of the ~80s guys like Leetch, Macinnis, Mark Howe who all are likely better than Chara.

At the end of the day I'm guessing hes around 20th give or take a couple when you take older generations into account. In his own generation Chara is behind Lidstrom, Pronger and likely Keith as well. So 4th best from the guys he mostly played against do you really xpect him to be top ten of all time? Not much of a chance. The guys in the top 10 are multiple award winners. Chara is a one time cup and Norris winner being ranked against guys with multiples Norrises, Smythes, MVPs, cups and even Art Rosses. Hes not top ten

 

[Hockey Outsider]

In the ongoing Top 100 players project on the history forum, Chara was recently ranked the 89th greatest player in hockey history, which ranks him 23rd among defensemen. Personally I think this is a bit low; I'd have him in the high teens (say 17-19).

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Chara is probably the best defensive defenseman ever. And he's had some great offensive years.

 

[Patmac40]

Harvey and Shore and then go modern...

Orr
Bourque
Potvin
Lidstrom

- then in no order just as I thought of them (and probably missing a few)
Robinson
Chelios
Park
Coffey
Pronger
Langway
MacInnis
Karlsson
Niedermeyer
Stevens
Keith
Leetch
Salming
M. Howe

He's somewhere in that second group and I'd have him higher than a lot of those guys.
It really depends on how much you value the shutdown defence aspect of a defence man's game. He's also got the intimidation factor, the physicality and leadership.

Looking at those guys again ... I'd have him somewhere from 10-15

I think guys like Red Kelly and Pierre Pilote would both go in the top 15, Cyclone Taylor, King Clancy, Earl Seibert, and Tim Horton would likely be included in that list also.

 

[Kamiccolo]

It's impossible to rank all time IMO. Different eras and everything not everyone has watched all these guys, biases from certain times in their life, etc.

I think he falls into the same category of the Sedins in we likely never see it again for a long time. How many #1 D are that size and play the way he does?