The 27-year-old all-around rearguard led the club in time on ice per game (24:46); tied with Makar and Mikko Rantanen for most takeaways with 32; finished second in short-handed ice time per game (3:06) and blocked shots (87); and was third in scoring among Avs defensemen with a career-best 31 points. But Hedman wasnt the only "That means you're playing all the power-play minutes but also have to have the ability to play against the opponents' top lines. He leadsall their skaters in time on ice per game (22:52) and total blocked shots(395) over his four-plus seasons. 1 on 14 of the 20 ballots. 2 earned nine points and so on. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The 24-year-old Flyers rearguard reached or exceeded 26 points in each of his five previous NHL campaigns. Eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July, Klingberg could earn a lucrative new contract with the Stars or another NHL club. Potential is not all that he possesses, though. Flyers' Nick Seeler has emerged as a hot name in NHL trade Fact-Checking, Corrections & DMCA Takedowns, NHL 22 Fight Guide: How to Start a Fight, Tutorials, and Tips, NHL 22 X-Factors Explained: Zone and Superstar Abilities, All X-Factor Players Lists, NHL 22 Player Ratings: Best Young Grinders, NHL 22 Player Ratings: Best Young Power Forwards, NHL 22 Be A Pro: How to Build the Best Two-Way Center, NHL 22: How to Win Faceoffs, Faceoff Chart, and Tips, NHL 22 Player Ratings: Best Young Left Wingers. Winner of the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2019-20, Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi is among the NHL's best defensemen. With his size, speed, hockey smarts and booming shot, he remains among the NHL's top offensive rearguards. Tyson Barrie Edmonton Oilers. Cale Makar, COL (INJ.) He should remain among the league's high-scoring defensemen while skating with superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Not bad. But the poke check is back and actually useful/pretty balanced. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. A defensive defenseman is your first step in establishing a top-line defense. However, even with that poise, his faceoffs are only a 77. He's also the leader in power-play points (106) during that period. He has a 93 in deking, passing, and puck control, though his hand-eye is lacking a bit (but still good) at 86. On the ice, change up your attack with all new moves, dekes, dangles and evasive maneuvers, inspired by the leagues most groundbreaking innovators. CS Media Limited All Rights Reserved. He scored 48 goals during the 2019-2020 season (with 47 assists) over 70 games, winning the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy as top goal scorer. Since last season, he's secondamong Rangers skaters in short-handed ice time per game (2:31) and inhits with 104. Hedman's strong two-way game earned the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2017-18 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2019-20. The Philadelphia Flyers missed the 2021 NHL playoffs due in part to the lack of a solid right-side defenseman to partner with Ivan Provorov on their top pairing. The 35-year-old Yandle sitsfourth overallamong defensemen with 600 points since his NHL debut in 2006-07. A broken leg cut short his 2020-21 season, but the 25-year-old has made a full recovery and collected seven points in as many games so far this campaign. Since last season, Fox has averaged a team-leading 24:43 of ice time. He might not be posting 70- or 80-point seasons anymore, but Erik Player stats (accurate as of Oct. 29) viaNHL.com. Oilers get: Defenseman Mattias Ekholm (4 percent of salary retained by the Predators ), 2024 sixth-round pick. Now 28, Hamilton faces the challenge of becoming a blue-line leader for the rebuilding Devils. 5 Must-Watch Young Defensemen This Season Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! He has good puck and shooting skills. No need to worry about 6 7 PFs with 88 puck control and balance skating circles in your zone. He's also their leader with 110 blocked shots and 47 takeaways. The former Stanley Cup champion had 20 assists and nine goals across 41 games during the 2020-2021 season. I once asked Hockey Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom how he evaluates other defensemen. 4 platypus_bear CGY - NHL 2 yr. ago Last season proved more difficult for Hughes and the Canucks as they, due in part to a slow start and a COVID-19 outbreak. All Rights Reserved. Stretch passes are long passes from the defensive zone into the neutral zone. Eight of his goals and 17 of his assists were on the power play. Barrie is signed for the rest of this year and next for a reasonable $4.5 million. 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. The saying goes that offense wins games, but defense wins championships. The list of defenders in NHL history with two Norris Trophies and a Conn Smythe Trophy includes only Bobby Orr, Larry Robinson, Brian Leetch, Nicklas Lidstrom The 6'6", 230-pounder isn't a physical blueliner, but he uses his long reach to strip opposing players of the puck and his big strides to move the puck up the ice. Chychrun is an extremely underrated but extremely good shutdown guy. He led the Stars in playoff scoring with 26 points during their run to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Inject some speed into your NHL 22 lines to get an edge against all of your opponents. Hes a fan of the San Francisco Giants and 49ers, and the Philadelphia 76ers. Whether its Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, the Rangers, the Devils theyre going to have to play someone from the Western Conference. It is also something that cannot be taught. Since 2014-15, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been the NHL's top franchise. The 2013 first overall draft pick and Calder Memorial Trophy winner had 45 assists and 20 goals in 48 games during the 2020-21 season. Erik Gustafsson, TOR20. Vince Dunn, SEA14. Mikhail Sergachev, TBL23. He has a fine shot, but his accuracies are paltry at 69 each. The former MVP and two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion had 52 assists and 33 goals over 68 games during the 2019-20 first championship season, adding 27 assists and seven goals over 25 playoff games. NHL trade deadline: Winners and losers, including the Bruins, Devils and Bruce Boudreau? In those eight seasons, he's, behind Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson in total points among defensemen with 429. A big, skillful all-around defender, the 27-year-old Lindell has led the NHL since 2018-19 in short-handed ice time (718:12) among players with 100-plus games played, averaging 3:21 minutes per contest. Eventually, the Oilers will get the injured Evander Kane back probably in about 10 days so their roster up front is probably deep enough, especially since playing 11 forwards and seven defensemen as often as they do just means more ice time for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Rasmus Dahlin, BUF (INJ.) 1 on 14 of the 20 ballots. Adam Larsson, SEA39. At the bottom of the page, you will find a list of the fastest players in NHL 22. 28. During the 2020-21 season, Pastrnak had 28 assists and 20 goals over 48 games with six of those goals and 14 assists coming on the power play. Age: 28Rating: 87Position: Left WingType: PlaymakerTeam: Calgary FlamesShoots: LeftBest Attributes: 95 Deking, 95 Discipline, 93 Speed. 2) Victor Hedman, Lightning 2020-21 Stats: 9 G, 36 A in 54 GP Hedman has been one of the league's top defensemen, particularly from an offensive standpoint, for He's been a Norris Trophy finalist in four straight seasons, winning the award in 2017-18 for the first and only time. WebAt Odds Shark, we rank the best defensive teams in the NHL in several important handicapping categories. "He's just a hell of a player," said one NHL coach. The second version of this perk reduces the player's Passing and Puck Control accuracy by 3 and 4 points, and defensemen need accurate shots less than they'll need to make plays with the puck on their stick. While his durability of 85 is fine, his other physical skills need improvement if he is going to make an impact. There are those, however, who are as renowned for their offensive skills as their defensive ones. RELATED:10 Best Badges For Centers In NBA 2K21. Last season proved more difficult for Hughes and the Canucks as theymissed the playoffs,due in part to a slow start and a COVID-19 outbreak. Awareness by 4 and 3 points. The season prior, he had ten assists and four goals in 56 games with Hershey, and one assist in six games with the Washington Capitals. Keith, Chara, and (at least from what I remember then) Doughty could fill the shutdown description. production (0.59) over the past two seasons slid to 24th among NHL blueliners. Entering his fourth year, Hughes helped Vancouver with 38 assists and three goals over 56 games during the 2020-21 season. "Hedman came in young. 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. They turned around and signed him to a four-year, $25 million extension in October 2021. The Colorado Avalanche began this season with Devon Toews sidelined by offseason shoulder surgery. 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. Woos lines from last season with the Utica Comets saw him register three goals and two assists across 28 games. They won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, reached the Cup Final in 2015 and won the 2019 Presidents' Trophy with arecord-tying 62 wins. They make mistakes. It didn't take Cale Makar long to secure his spot among the NHL's top stars. His plus-98 places him firmly at No. Where he could use improvement are his senses and puck skills. However, his output fell to just 27 points in 56 games last season, the lowest since his 12-point performance in 2007-08. Shawn has co-written and co-produced numerous plays, one of which was featured at the Ottawa Fringe Festival. It will also decrease the player's Off. Brady Skjei, CAR46. It is your sole responsibility to understand your local laws and observe them strictly. Over 44 games during the 2020-21 season, Makar had 36 assists and eight goals with only 12 penalty minutes. Dougie Hamilton, NJD7. 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. The rise of the Florida Panthers among the NHL's top teams since last season can be attributed in part to their first defensive pairing of MacKenzie Weegar and Aaron Ekblad. He became a key cog in their offensive attack last season, especially onthe power play. 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. WebMost valuable options at position for standard leagues; new podcast episodes. Moritz Seider, DET26. Work to improve those three to at least 85. Poke checking isn't typically the most effective method of defending in NHL 21, as it makes the user highly susceptible to tripping penalties if not executed properly. This list is a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen and Anna Dua. 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. His production from the blue line during the 2018 playoffs played a crucial role in their march to the 2018 Stanley Cup, A model of consistency, the 6'3", 215-pound Carlson has reached or exceeded 32 points in 10 of his 12 NHL seasons. Awareness and Balance by 3 and 5. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. His strength is a solid 86. If you wanted the fastest line incorporating a players secondary position, then your line would look like this: Johnny Gaudreau (93) Connor McDavid (96) Nathan MacKinnon (93) Quinn Hughes (93) Cole Makar (93.33). If you enjoy his writing, feel free to follow him on Twitter: @ShawnDoherty1, NHL 21, 10 Prospects To Draft In Franchise Mode, NHL 21, 10 Under The Radar Players To Acquire In Franchise Mode, NHL 21, 10 Tips To Win The Stanley Cup In Franchise Mode, Minecraft: The Best Level for Diamonds in 2023, Where To Find (& Catch) Thestrals In Hogwarts Legacy, Hogwarts Legacy: 10 Best Cloaks You Need To Find ASAP. For forwards, the search parameters were having a minimum of 91 in speed and acceleration with an 87 in agility. The Predators are in transition longtime GM David Poile is calling the shots until the end of June, when his retirement becomes official. He has a 93 in deking, passing, and puck control, though his hand-eye is lacking a bit (but still good) at 86. Rasmus Andersson, CGY29. Look at who gets paired with Norris nominees. The 24-year-old Werenski is a skilled and mobile blueliner, tallying 47 points as a rookie in 2016-17. 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. This page will look at the best young up-and-coming defensive defensemen in NHL 22, with names like Truth be told: The two guys in the top spots are really in a 1A Nikita Kucherov is the only player with a speed score of 93 that does not have a 93 in all three speed ratings. Esa Lindell and John Klingberg were the Dallas Stars' best defense pairing prior to this season. Still, his point-per-game percentage over the. 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. Sometimes a duo that works well together can be split up to address weaknesses elsewhere on the blue line. Nevertheless, he. 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. Last night I ran a 6"5 defensive defenseman with stick em up and defensive minded. Others, like the Colorado Avalanche's Cale Makar, excel on the attack. It's his offensive prowess, however, that draws the most attention. (0.57) to 21st overall during that period. Schaefer is a very good prospect. They won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, reached the Cup Final in 2015 and won the 2019 Presidents' Trophy with a, . He exceeded the 40-point plateau again in 2018-19 and 2019-20. Your email address will not be published. His two-career game-winning goals came during the 2019-20 season when he had eight goals and 45 assists over 68 games, pitching in 14 assists and two goals over 17 playoff games in his only postseason experience. This is a great deal for both sides. When it comes to gameplay, nothing groundbreaking. It will also decrease the in total points over the past four seasons with 257. Few players can keep up with the superstar Canadian. However, the offensive-minded Klingberg now skates alongside offseason acquisition Ryan Suter. With a minimum of twenty game played, here is a look at the top 10 NHL defenseman based on a PPG %. His physical skills could improve a little. Awareness by 4 points each. And they did this by giving up a decent prospect in Reid Schafer plus a first- and a fourth-round draft choice. The below table lists all of the best young defensive defensemen in NHL 22. In just three seasons, the 22-year-old Heiskanen blossomed into the Stars' best all-around defenseman. Only 22, Makar possesses the speed and offensive skills of a more seasoned NHL veteran. Brent Burns, CAR10. If you're able to handle that ice time and still perform, or even get better as the game goes on, that's very important.". Those abilities would make him the top defenseman in this year's NHL free-agent market, earning him a seven-year,$63 million contractwith the New Jersey Devils. He's fifth in total points (94) over the, and has yet to reach his playing prime. Fox ledall NHL defensemenin 2020-21 with 42 assists while finishing second with 47 points. They get fatigued. Entering his third NHL season, the 21-year-old should continue to shine as one of the league's best-scoring defensemen. Edmonton is trying to improve a defense that, improved numbers aside, doesnt pass the Cup contender sniff test. He can use improvement in all aspects, particularly puck skills and defense. Lindgren is also fourth at even-strength time per contest (17:16) and in blocked shots with 66. Log in here. That includes tallying 68 points in 2017-18, 70 points in 2018-19 and 75 points in 2019-20. 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. He had a longer runway than other young players," Lidstrom told me recently, "but boy, did he ever take off, in every aspect of his game.". This perk will increase the player's passing power and accuracy for stretch passes. The Predators listened on Ekholm, but ultimately decided he had more value to them going forward. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. That shouldve already been clear. It will also decrease the player's Wrist Shot Accuracy, Slap Shot Accuracy, and Deking by 2, 2, and 3 points. Johnny Gaudreau is fast with a 93 in acceleration, agility, and speed, but he is more than just a blur. This will allow them to be the best defenseman they can be without worry about taking penalties. His discipline is 75 with poise at 65 and offensive awareness at 63. among Canucks regular-season scorers and third with 16 points in postseason scoring. Signed to a newsix-year contract, Hughes will be a significant contributor to the Canucks' offensive punch. Seth Jones, CHI43. Bahls non-balance skate skills all fall below 80, albeit only slightly. While injuries limited Matt Grzelcyk to 37 games last season, he wound up seeing more playing time with McAvoy than any other Bruins blueliner. 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. As for Nashville, the Predators have now traded three contributing players off the roster Nino Niederreiter to the Winnipeg Jets and Tanner Jeannot to the Tampa Bay Lightning harvesting mostly draft choices, two young players and Barrie. The 30-year-old Barrie's offensive skills put him seventh, since 2013-14 with 381 career points. He was second among Isles skaters in short-handed ice time per game (2:14) and takeaways (25), third in ice time per contest (21:03) and fourth with 73 blocked shots. The youngest player on this list by one year, Quinn Hughes is also only the second defenseman who scored at least a 93 in speed score. Getting help on the blue line and more specifically getting the right kind of help leaps the Oilers near the front of the Pacific Division line, where only a handful of points separate the top five teams. He has also worked as a ghostwriter, but by definition, he can't prove it. Acquired from the Islanders last October, Toews meshed quickly with Makar. However, having a constant boost to poke checking ability whenever the defenseman is in their zone will improve the chances of poking the puck, and not the opponent's skates, when the time for a poke check inevitably arises. Age: 26Rating: 93Position: Center/Right WingType: PlaymakerTeam: Colorado AvalancheShoots: RightBest Attributes: 95 Acceleration, 94 Hand-Eye, 94 Offensive Awareness. Arguably the best player in hockey, Connor McDavid has lived up to the hype since being drafted first overall by Edmonton in 2015. So Ive been using the dangler for all positions in 3s. Erik Karlsson, SJS2. Is it more important for Edmonton to avoid an overpay in two years when theyve got McDavid and Draisaitl right now, in a conference where the top teams have seemed unwilling or unable to reach for the brass ring? This perk will increase the player's Body Checking and Balance by 4 and 3 points. All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball. Mattias Ekholm, EDM (NEW)38. The trade. Covers does not provide any advice or guidance as to the legality of online sports betting or other online gambling activities within your jurisdiction and you are responsible for complying with laws that are applicable to you in your relevant locality. However, concerning was his drop in shot percentage from 17.2 during his award-winning season to 11.4 during the 2020-2021 season. Paired together since 2019-20, they've swiftly emerged among the league's best blue-line tandems. Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below. (0.93) ranked second among defensemen with at least 100 games played. His physical ratings are good with an 83 in aggressiveness, body checking, and strength. Nevertheless, Hughes finished thirdamong Canucks scorerswith 41 points in 56 games. His mobility and puck-handling skills earned him three Stanley Cup rings and placed him among the league's highest-scoring defensemen. Oilers get: Defenseman Mattias Ekholm (4 percent of salary retained by the Predators), 2024 sixth-round pick, Predators get: Defenseman Tyson Barrie, forward Reid Schaefer, 2023 first-round pick, 2024 fourth-round pick. Choosing NHL 22s best young defensive defensemen. Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey. 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 followed that up by becoming a finalist last season for the, Only 22, Makar possesses the speed and offensive skills of a more seasoned NHL veteran. Tyson Barrie, NSH40. Dmitry Orlov, BOS (NEW)30. 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. Where he could improve is on the defensive end, particularly since he plays a defensive position. If you want to still be able to bang some bodies, but not sacrifice a ton of speed/athleticism. 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. Injuries make a player worse at just about everything, and that is never fun. Evaluating the top 10 defensemen in ESPN's 2021 NHL position-by-position rankings is a study in competing philosophies on how to properly evaluate the position. Awareness while on the penalty kill. Drew Doughty, LAK22. The Wild defender has been one of the leagues best defensive players for a while now. He has good awareness with offense at 93 and defense at 90, and he is good at stick checking with a 92. NHL The 24-year-old Werenski is a skilled and mobile blueliner, tallying 47 points as a rookie in 2016-17. He needs vast improvement in his senses and puck skills, and a bit more focus on his skating. You will need patience, but it will pay off. This perk will increase the player's Stick Checking, Def. At the bottom of the page, you will find a list of the best young defensive defensemen in NHL 22. Need a lockdown defender for the future? Hes been a big part of a top WHL team in Seattle over the last two seasons and played a limited role on Canadas World Junior team this winter. Still, his point-per-game percentage over thepast two seasons(0.93) ranked second among defensemen with at least 100 games played.