It will also decrease the His puck skills range from 66-69. Awareness, 95 Wrist Shot Accuracy. Hedman, 30, has played every season with the Lightning since coming into the NHL as a 19-year-old in 2009-10. Awareness, 95 Wrist Shot Accuracy, 96 Deking, 96 Puck Control, 96 Off. His awareness and stick checking are 78 with a 76 in shot blocking, and unlike others on this list, his senses are good with an 80 in discipline and 78 in offensive awareness though the 70 in poise is concerning. The physical blueliner is also their leader with 96 blocked shots and 52 takeaways, and he's second in hits with 136. Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey. He has a 90 in deking and passing, a deadly combination when paired with his speed ratings. Stretch passes are long passes from the defensive zone into the neutral zone. If you want to still be able to bang some bodies, but not sacrifice a ton of speed/athleticism. His best skills outside of his speed are with the puck as he has a 94 in hand-eye and a 93 in deking, passing, and puck control. Finding the right combination isn't easy. The first version of this perk will reduce the player's Balance by 4 points instead of Wrist Shot Power, and Balance is more important for defensemen to make sure they're not knocked off the puck in their zone. Owen Power, BUF (rookie)36. Potential is not all that he possesses, though. The first-round pick is the prize, and Schafer sounds like an interesting piece to have around, too. His balance and durability should keep him on the ice as he will rarely fall, which would increase the risk of injury. But ask yourself does that matter? Player stats (accurate as of Oct. 29) viaNHL.com. Awareness by 4 and 3 points. Ryan Graves, NJD48. Dmitry Orlov, BOS (NEW)30. While Hedman is no doubt the beneficiary of having an incredible assemblage of offensive talent around him, he's also an integral part of that offense with his puck-rushing and passing skills. After nine seasons with the Boston Bruins, Krug signed with the St. Louis Blues in 2020. Awareness, 91 Passing, 91 Puck Control, 91 Stick Checking. No need to worry about 6 7 PFs with 88 puck control and balance skating circles in your zone. Scoring goals is the name of the game in hockey, but it's also important to limit an opponent's offensive opportunities. Age: 22Rating: 88Position: Right DefenseType: Offensive DefensemanTeam: Colorado AvalancheShoots: RightBest Attributes: 94 Agility, 93 Deking, 93 Passing. He also netted at least 40 points six times in the past seven seasons with the Bruins, Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, John Klingberg wasted little time establishing himself among the NHL's scoring defensemen, tallying 40 points in 65 games in 2014-15. His performance earned him an eight-year contract extension worth an annual average value of $9.5 million. The 23-year-old New York Rangers star took home the James Norris Memorial Trophy last season, joining Hall of Famer Bobby Orr as, Fox is a talented all-around defenseman, logging a, while finishing second with 38 takeaways last season. Two more had him second. Bruce holds a Ph.D. in Education and formerly taught undergraduates as an adjunct instructor. . 1 on 14 of the 20 ballots. 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You can weigh in on this topic in the comments section below. That includes tallying 68 points in 2017-18, 70 points in 2018-19 and 75 points in 2019-20. Check out all the fastest players in NHL 22 in the table below. Fox ledall NHL defensemenin 2020-21 with 42 assists while finishing second with 47 points. That includes a career-high 72 points (along with 20 goals) in 2018-19. Shore up his physical ratings and he could be the best player in NHL 22 for your team. Winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2016-17, Burns enjoyed five straight 60-plus point campaigns from 2014-15 to 2018-19, including a career-best 83-point effort. Adam Fox, NYR3. While he had no power play goals, he did have 19 assists on the power play. All rights reserved. The fourth overall pick from the 2017 draft, Makar has great puck skills. All Rights Reserved. Spurgeon also gets listed as underrated by players, hard player to get by despite being 5'7". The Oilers can stick him on the left side of their second pair, where he can help eat some tough minutes and lighten the load on Darnell Nurse, and forget about him. Being down a man on the ice is when a defender's abilities to neutralize opposing attackers and help out the goalie will be called upon more than any other. His puck-moving abilities and offensive instincts make him among the league's top rearguards. This list is a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen and Anna Dua. We canvassed 10 active NHL players -- seven skaters, three goaltenders -- and 10 individuals in team hockey operations, from coaches to general managers to player personnel executives. Bruce holds a Ph.D. in Education and formerly taught undergraduates as an adjunct instructor. In 20 I used a 59 186 Sniper so I could still pose a threat offensively and be big enough to knock most builds off the puck, this year it doesnt stand a chance Im curious to find a versatile build appreciate anyone who responds. The linchpin of the Washington Capitals defense corps, John Carlson's smooth skating and offensive skills make him an invaluable part of their scoring attack too. Welcome to NHL.com, the official site of the National Hockey League, Bienvenue LNH.com , le site officiel de la Ligue nationale de hockey, Tervetuloa NHL:n viralliselle nettisivustolle NHL.comiin, Vlkommen till NHL.com, NHL:s officiella web-sida, Vtejte na NHL.com, oficilnch strnkch National Hockey League, Vitajte na NHL.com, oficilnych strnkach National Hockey League, Willkommen auf NHL.com, der offiziellen Seite der National Hockey League, Bienvenido a NHL.com, el sitio oficial de la National Hockey League. Dougie Hamilton's offensive skills were apparent early in his NHL career with the Boston Bruins, exceeding 40 points for the first time in 2014-15. Gustav Forsling, FLA41. Miska Kukkonen is rare for this list in that he has played all of his career for Finnish teams and the Finland national team. Others, like the Colorado Avalanche's Cale Makar, excel on the attack. His offensive awareness is a staggering 98, but he also has a 92 in defensive awareness. This I's a trick alot of people don't no and I dont like telling lol but if u hold out poke check with r1 and u press in r3 u get an added poke. Quinn Hughes, VAN12. Acquired from the Islanders last October, Toews meshed quickly with Makar. Now 30, the long-time Lightning rearguard shows no sign of slowing down. That led to Miro Heiskanen becoming Lindell's partner. It didn't take Cale Makar long to secure his spot among the NHL's top stars. He has good skating skills with his non-balance ratings between 82 and 85. They turned around and signed him to a four-year, $25 million extension in October 2021. That was the beginning of seven straight seasons with 40-plus points, including a career-high 65 during his Norris Trophy campaign. Like Kukkonen, Bryce Montgomery will take time and patience to develop for your franchise. However, it's not unusual for there to be two swift-skating defenders who can also generate offense or two defensive-minded rearguards who can neutralize an opponent's top scorers. He led all rookies in points,finished fourthamong Canucks regular-season scorers and third with 16 points in postseason scoring. Respondents were asked to rank their top 10 players at center, winger, defenseman and goaltender, based on a predetermined list of the top 20 to 30 players at each position. Victor Hedman, TBL11. His 0.67 points-per-game average is second to Erik Karlsson (0.79), Letang is approaching the period in his career when his offensive output could start to decline. Team: New Jersey DevilsAge: 20Position: Left DefenseType: Defensive DefensemanShoots: LeftContract: $0.790M, 3 Years Left, Two-WayBest Attributes: 85 Durability, 85 Slap Shot Power, 85 Wrist Shot Power. It's his offensive prowess, however, that draws the most attention. 27 viidenmetrinmolo PHI - NHL 2 yr. ago I mean you can be the worst defensive player in the league but if you dominate possession, you prevent much more goals than a good defensive guy who's stuck in his own zone. Look at who gets paired with Norris nominees. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. This perk will increase the player's Slap Shot Accuracy and Slap Shot Power by 4 and 2 points. The saying goes that offense wins games, but defense wins championships. Our survey respondents agreed that Hedman is, at the very least, the best defenseman in the world. In 20 I used a 59 186 Sniper so I could still pose a threat offensively and be big enough to knock most builds off the puck, this year it doesnt stand a chance Im curious to find a versatile build appreciate anyone who responds NHL 21 Hockey video game Sports video game Gaming . Oilers get: Defenseman Mattias Ekholm (4 percent of salary retained by the Predators ), 2024 sixth-round pick. Rasmus Dahlin, BUF (INJ.)4. Jett Woo, former second round pick of Vancouver, finds himself atop this list thanks to his Top 4 D Med potential grade. This perk will apply to poke checks, but not for the ability to intercept passes with their stick. Cale Makar Colorado Avalanche. Its another trade where the outcome for Nashville will ultimately be determined by whether it can make those draft picks count. Esa Lindell and John Klingberg were the Dallas Stars' best defense pairing prior to this season. Noah Dobson, NYI21. Unlike Kukkonen, Montgomery is just 18. The 6'6", 241-pound Hedman is the complete package of size and overall skills. Depends on the Norris nominee, though. Winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2019-20, Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi is among the NHL's best defensemen. He led the Stars in playoff scoring with 26 points during their run to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. He trades a slight bit of speed for a little more agility. The players chosen for this list are all 21 and younger and chosen based on the grade in potential. Unlike Burns and Karlsson, his point-per-game (0.83) over the. His skating skills are a little better, but none are more than 76. Awareness, 94 Puck Control, 95 Discipline, 93 Puck Control, 93 Wrist Shot Accuracy, 93 Speed, 92 Acceleration, 91 Wrist Shot Power, 92 Passing, 92 Puck Control, 92 Off. Nashville, who are in rebuild mode now, gets a strong prospect, a first-round pick and capitalized on Ekholm while he has great value, and Edmonton gets a key piece it needs for the next few playoff runs. He is also someone who rarely spends time in the penalty box, having spent just six minutes there during the 2020-21 season and amassing a total of 106 minutes over eight seasons. Cale Makar, COL (INJ.)5. 0.97 PPG. Eight-year veteran Evegeny Kuznetsov still exhibits his fast legs even at 29 years of age, with a 93 in acceleration, agility, and speed. Awareness by 4 points each. Nevertheless, hetied for thirdamong defensemen last season with 45 points. For now, their priority was obvious they needed someone to strengthen their overall defensive play in front of goaltenders Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner. RELATED:NHL 21, 10 Prospects To Draft In Franchise Mode. It will also decrease the player's Passing by 4 points. NHL trade deadline: Winners and losers, including the Bruins, Devils and Bruce Boudreau? Those defensemen log the most ice time among their teammates, including in power-play and short-handed situations. The second version of this perk reduces the player's passing by 4 points instead of their Wrist Shot Accuracy, and defensemen will need to make a good outlet pass more often than they'll need to take an accurate wrist shot. Sometimes a duo that works well together can be split up to address weaknesses elsewhere on the blue line. Drew Doughty, LAK22. In other words, they didnt sacrifice either Evan Bouchard or Philip Broberg in the deal, two of their better young defensemen. Kucherovs biggest area of improvement in-game should be the physical side. Fantasy Hockey Staff, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. That's the first time he was below 40 points in a season since 2014-15. What metrics best define value for scoring defensemen or "defensive" defensemen? Now 31, Carlson continues to produce at a high level, tallying 44 points in 52 contests last season. He has an 80 in aggressiveness, body checking, and durability, though he does have an 87 in endurance and 86 in strength. Eric Duhatschek:It was only two years ago when the Nashville Predators Mattias Ekholm was at or near the top of everybodys trade board heading into the 2021 NHL trade deadline. First, goals allowed is the big one. Lidstrom retired in 2012, so he wasn't a voter in our survey. Keith, Chara, and (at least from what I remember then) Doughty could fill the shutdown description. His replacement, Barry Trotz, is already in place and presumably providing input into what comes next for a franchise that for now anyway is in deep sell mode. Through 15 NHL seasons, Kris Letang has been a mainstay on the Pittsburgh Penguins blue line. Speed, as they say, kills. His three highlighted attributes are his best, which should help keep him on the ice. . His hand-eye and slap shot accuracy are both 94. Team: Washington CapitalsAge: 21Position: Left DefenseType: Defensive DefensemanShoots: LeftContract: $0.790M, 2 Years Left, Two-WayBest Attributes: 87 Balance, 87 Wrist Shot Power, 87 Strength. If not, oh well youve got to ice a full lineup. We are the premier subreddit to talk everything hockey! He can improve his 76 in aggressiveness and body checking, and his 73 in endurance should be targeted quickly. Our survey respondents agreed that Hedman is, at the very least, the best defenseman in the world. Your email address will not be published. Jakob Chychrun, OTT19. Team: Vancouver CanucksAge: 21Position: Right DefenseType: Defensive DefensemanShoots: RightContract: $0.860M, 2 Years Left, Two-WayBest Attributes: 85 Durability, 84 Slap Shot Power, 84 Wrist Shot Power. Bouchard would be my choice. There are those, however, who are as renowned for their offensive skills as their defensive ones. But the poke check is back and actually useful/pretty balanced. He also sits second among their blueliners with 124 points. He has a fine shot, but his accuracies are paltry at 69 each. His physical and skating skills are better, but not by much. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. He had four different primary defensive partners -- Jan Rutta, Dan Girardi, Jake Dotchin and Anton Stralman -- during his four straight Norris nominations. Fehervary is already a solid all-around player. Your first click here will rank All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. NHL 2023. Someone every team would love to have. WebWho are the top defensemen in NHL 21. Where he could improve is on the defensive end, particularly since he plays a defensive position. Mmmm that Yotes Avs series is still too fresh for me to agree there, It's that weird thing teams outside of california do. With Lukko last season, he had nine assists and a goal over 51 games, while the previous season, he had two assists over 19 games. He's also the leader in power-play points (106) during that period. Josh Cale Makar, COL (INJ.) Need a lockdown defender for the future? Eight of his goals and 17 of his assists were on the power play. They are listed by left and right defense. One of two New Jersey players on this list, Okhotyuk gains the edge over Kevin Bahl who is rated higher overall thanks to the higher potential of the imposing Russian. Individual awards, experience and performance were among the items that factored into this ranking. Favorite additions though are adding practice for your club and a free skate mode when editing/testing different load outs. Inject some speed into your NHL 22 lines to get an edge against all of your opponents. He had a quick stint with New Jersey last season for seven games (two assists). Blockade will allow the user to block shots much more effectively, and the Durability boost will make the player less likely to incur an injury from blocking shots. Truth be told: The two guys in the top spots are really in a 1A Bahls non-balance skate skills all fall below 80, albeit only slightly. Team: Carolina HurricanesAge: 18Position: Right Defense/Left DefenseType: Defensive DefensemanShoots: RightContract: $0.750M, 0 Years Left, Two-WayBest Attributes: 82 Slap Shot Power, 81 Wrist Shot Power, 80 Durability. In just two seasons, Adam Fox has joined the ranks of the NHL's elite defensemen. Morgan Rielly, TOR27. Still, his point-per-game percentage over the. A skilled, young defenseman with considerable offensive ability, Quinn Hughes' 53-point performance in 2019-20 made him a finalist for the. Awareness and Durability by 6, 3, and 4 points. But who are the best shutdown beasts that come to mind for you? Nathan MacKinnon makes the list with the second fastest speed score, and is the only player aside from McDavid with a score above 94. Add those to his mediocre scores in senses with a 75 in discipline and a 70 in both offensive awareness and poise and its clear that it will take time, but that he can develop into a solid player. He's been a Norris Trophy finalist in four straight seasons, winning the award in 2017-18 for the first and only time. This Specialty is a great choice for defensemen, as stretch passes can be vulnerable to interception by the opposing team. For defensemen, they'll want their build to have perks that help them break up plays with their stick, make good hits, and make quick breakout passes out of their zone. John Klingberg wasted little time establishing himself among the NHL's scoring defensemen, tallying 40 points in 65 games in 2014-15. Awareness and Def. Victor Hedman Tampa By Lightning. I've made the case that the Lightning defenseman could be the best all-around hockey player in the world. Adam Larsson, SEA39. As a condition of using this website, you agree to hold the owner of this website harmless from any claims arising from your use of any services on any third party website that may be featured by Covers. , Hughes will be a significant contributor to the Canucks' offensive punch. Moritz Seider, DET26. Over 10 NHL seasons, Tyson Barrie has proved himself as a reliable point-producing defenseman. WebScott Mayfield and Ryan Pulock are tied for the most games by a defenseman this season, with 61 games. Sometimes, it can be that simple. RELATED:10 Best Badges For Centers In NBA 2K21. Lindgren's more defensive style complements Fox's puck-moving game. Then you've got Karlsson and Burns who, well, no. The 6'2", 215-pounder logged a team-leading 22:26 of ice time per game last season, finishing second in blocked shots with 106 and fifth with 97 hits. Hes a big, highly physical winger, with good hands and some goal-scoring touch. He is second to John Carlson of the Capitals in points-per-game average among defensemen since the 2017-18 season (0.83). Value has been quantified based on factors including but not limited to past production in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs, defense pairs, power-play usage, injury history or concern, age, contract status and overall upside for the rest of this season. An impressive rookie campaign earned the Colorado Avalanche defenseman the, in 2019-20. Interceptor will allow the user to not only intercept passes more effectively, but to get into position to make a good defensive play with the boost to Agility, as well. He is decent enough at defense with an 83 in shot blocking, 81 in stick checking, and 79 in awareness. Theyre blowing things up. Makar's point totals would have been higher if not for injuries. 1 in that span, ahead of Zdeno Chara (+82). Letang is approaching the period in his career when his offensive output could start to decline. K'Andre Miller, D, NYR (suspended)32. The Predators listened on Ekholm, but ultimately decided he had more value to them going forward. All Rights Reserved. 4 platypus_bear CGY - NHL 2 yr. ago He controls play in his own zone as a defensive stopper. Now the Rangers' undisputed top blueliner, Fox will face considerable pressure to follow up last season's impressive performance. His deking, puck control, and awareness are at 96 while his hand-eye, passing, poise, and wrist shot accuracy are at 95. Now 28, Hamilton faces the challenge of becoming a blue-line leader for the rebuilding Devils. Karlsson prevented goals because he always had the puck. Your email address will not be published. The 30-year-old Barrie's offensive skills put him seventhamong NHL defensemensince 2013-14 with 381 career points. Signed to a new. The linchpin of the Washington Capitals defense corps, John Carlson's smooth skating and offensive skills make him an invaluable part of their scoring attack too. Hampus Lindholm, BOS18. Since his debut in 2017-18, the 23-year-old McAvoy has steadily developed as the Bruins' top defenseman. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. As a sophomore, he tallied 44 points in as many games,leading the clubin power-play ice time per game (4:11) while finishing second with an average ice time per game of 24:19. This list has the best young defensive defensemen in NHL 22. Two more had him third. Crusher will allow theuser to make bigger bodychecks more often and stayon their feet more effectively. On Tuesday, the Oilers decided the answer was yes. But Hedman wasnt the only His discipline and poise are 70 while his offensive awareness is 69. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. He's led. However, the 36-year-old's. A strong skater who logs big minutes for the Maple Leafs, the 27-year-old Rielly reached or exceeded 27 points in each of his eight NHL campaigns. Recent performance, career offensive numbers and consistency factored into this compilation. The Predators are in transition longtime GM David Poile is calling the shots until the end of June, when his retirement becomes official. Playing a major role in those accomplishments was Victor Hedman, who. He is also one of five players with a speed score of 93, so the order of these five are interchangeable. Nevertheless, Hughes finished third, Entering his third NHL season, the 21-year-old should continue to shine as one of the league's best-scoring defensemen. On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Jakob for Josi made his NHL debut in 2011-12 but came into his own as a point producer in 2013-14 with a 40-point performance. Also like Gaudreau, he excels in other areas. In addition to his solid defensive game, his mobility, puck-moving skills and ability to log big minutes has contributed to his offensive success. He is a ridiculously talented player. Thomas Chabot, D, OTT31. He was also their leading scorer (26 points) in the, A two-time Norris Trophy winner, Karlsson netted at least 62 points six times in his 12 NHL seasons.