The NHL's top defensive defencemen
by James Mirtle on Dec 1, 2009 8:56 PM CST
42 comments
As with the top defensive forwards list, this is the same Rod Langway Award business I've been putting out for a couple years now. It ranks players defensively based on (a) quality of competition at even strength, (b) goals against per minute played at even strength and (c) goals against per minute played on the penalty kill.
Players also have to have played at least 15 games and fill a significant role on their team's shorthanded unit. Credit, as always, to Behind The Net for the data.
Here are the top 25 a little past the quarter-way mark:
| NAME | TEAM | GP | QCMP | EVGA/60 | SHGA/60 | |
| 1 | CHRIS PRONGER | PHI | 24 | 0.12 | 1.38 | 4.41 |
| 2 | DUNCAN KEITH | CHI | 25 | 0.14 | 1.59 | 4.12 |
| 3 | JAY BOUWMEESTER | CGY | 26 | 0.08 | 1.39 | 4.51 |
| 4 | ROMAN POLAK | STL | 24 | 0.12 | 1.71 | 5.06 |
| 5 | PAVEL KUBINA | ATL | 23 | 0.06 | 1.71 | 3.38 |
| 6 | MIKE MOTTAU | N.J | 23 | 0.09 | 1.69 | 5.00 |
| 7 | COLIN WHITE | N.J | 24 | 0.11 | 2.06 | 4.63 |
| 8 | JEFF SCHULTZ | WSH | 20 | 0.09 | 1.38 | 6.08 |
| 9 | NICK LIDSTROM | DET | 26 | 0.08 | 2.15 | 3.83 |
| 10 | MIKE WEAVER | STL | 23 | 0.03 | 1.12 | 4.38 |
| 11 | BRENT SEABROOK | CHI | 23 | 0.17 | 1.50 | 6.84 |
| 12 | M-E VLASIC | S.J | 28 | 0.13 | 2.51 | 3.01 |
| 13 | ROB BLAKE | S.J | 17 | 0.18 | 2.58 | 3.85 |
| 14 | ED JOVANOVSKI | PHX | 18 | 0.08 | 2.35 | 1.24 |
| 15 | MILAN JURCINA | WSH | 20 | 0.16 | 2.26 | 5.60 |
| 16 | NIKLAS HJALMARSSON | CHI | 25 | 0.04 | 1.56 | 5.02 |
| 17 | ANDY SUTTON | NYI | 26 | 0.08 | 1.60 | 6.26 |
| 18 | ZBYNEK MICHALEK | PHX | 17 | 0.07 | 1.92 | 5.53 |
| 19 | ZDENO CHARA | BOS | 26 | 0.23 | 2.65 | 4.97 |
| 20 | RADEK MARTINEK | NYI | 16 | 0.10 | 1.81 | 6.47 |
| 21 | DARRYL SYDOR | STL | 18 | 0.05 | 1.19 | 6.75 |
| 22 | CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF | VAN | 26 | -0.06 | 1.31 | 3.52 |
| 23 | GREG ZANON | MIN | 24 | 0.06 | 1.81 | 6.31 |
| 24 | JOSH GORGES | MTL | 26 | -0.05 | 1.39 | 3.91 |
| 25 | WILLIE MITCHELL | VAN | 26 | 0.15 | 1.85 | 7.85 |
Pronger, Keith, Bouwmeester — sure, those are all names synonymous with tough defence. But how about Mike Weaver? Or Pavel Kubina?
It's early, but all of these players are playing significant defensive roles on their teams. Some benefit from having a great goaltender behind them, but there are a lot of blueliners here from weak teams, too.
Someone like Weaver, who has a really low profile, is considered by his coach a pretty big part of shutting down top opposition:
"I'd say Weaver is one of our best puck-movers," Murray said. "He's not a finisher, but in terms of moving the puck out of our zone and putting it in the hands of our forwards, he's pretty good. He's not a guy that contributes on the offensive side. But what is an amazing stat, he's plus-5. And for quite a while there, he and Roman (Polak) were playing the top line on every team. He's a plus-5."
Those are the sorts of guys I'm trying to highlight here, and for the most part, I think this works — even if there are some surprises. The real test is which guys can maintain play like this all season.
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Can't help but wonder...
…where Anton Volchenkov would find himself if he didn’t miss so much of this season with injury.
Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.
And where the hell Phillips is...
… and where he would be if his partner hadn’t been out.
by Peter Raaymakers on Dec 2, 2009 7:24 AM CST up reply actions
He was just off the list. 28th I think.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Dec 2, 2009 12:32 PM CST up reply actions
Canada's Olympic Blueline...
…looks to be in pretty solid defensive hands, considering the top 3 are (or should be) considered locks.
Yep. Pronger, Keith, and Schultz!!!???
Just kidding. But I don’t think Bouwmeester is a lock.
by red army line on Dec 2, 2009 9:30 AM CST up reply actions
Bouwmeester is the lockiest of the locks. Seriously, unless dude is injured, he’s on the Olympic team, fo’sho.
I got to see him quite a bit when he was with Florida, and I think he’s overrated with his offensive abilities and is probably closer to a “riding the line on the good side” as opposed to a “lock” like Pronger, Keith, or Niedermayer.
by red army line on Dec 3, 2009 7:36 AM CST up reply actions
Gorges’ numbers must be falling since he’s been paired up with Mara… they can’t move the puck out of their own zone at all.
Duncan Keith is the Norris frontrunner in my books by a long shot so far.
Kubina should be a shutdown D-man… Tortorella had him in that role when the Bolts won it all. He completely shut down top players all through the playoffs, culminating with Iginla in the Final.
Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.
Going to get ripped for this but...
Duncan Keith is, by far, the best defensive defenceman in the NHL right now and should win the Norris Trophy this season. It absolutely amazes me night in and night out how he is able to handle the puck within his own zone so effortlessly. He’s been (and according to reports will be for a long time) a treat to watch. The ’Hawks are extremely lucky to have him and Seabrook as a defensive duo right now.
It's never about the eventual destination, but rather the long journey and its challenging obstacles that are presented and what it takes to overcome them, that makes the taste of success all the more worthwhile!!!
I think you won’t get ripped for it. The only thing people might complain about is the “by far” part.
Silver Seven: the Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa Senators blogs.
I’ve been crowing about Keith for a while now… I think he’s been at the top of these lists since the start of last season basically. He’ll make Team Canada for sure.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Dec 2, 2009 12:23 AM CST up reply actions
Keith’s an interesting case for something like this. The math has always liked him, even when Chicago was awful, although in those days you had to adjust for team strength to see it.
While it is interesting to see surprising names in the top 25, isn’t it easy to point out that those surprising names (Weaver, Hjarmalsson, Gorges, and Kubina for example) all have the lowest Q-Comp? I mean, yes Weaver looks to be incredible at even strength, but the Boyes/Kariya/McDonald line aside, don’t the Blues have a pretty solid defensive forward corps*? And I’d wager that Kubina plays less time on the PK then a lot of guys around him in the list, contributing to his lower SHGAA.
*=I’m a Bruins fan, I genuinely don’t know.
by The Jumbotron (Gabe) on Dec 1, 2009 11:23 PM CST reply actions
Sure, but having a lower Q-Comp hurts them in the rankings, too. And Kubina’s played the 33rd most PK minutes among defencemen (3:13 a game) which isn’t exactly insignificant.
The thing about the PK numbers is that it’s so early that we’re only looking at like 70 minutes of play here. Anyone can have a great defensive performance over a 10-game stretch or whatever, but over the long haul, the best of the best rise to the top.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Dec 1, 2009 11:40 PM CST up reply actions
How on Earth is Pavel Kubina up there? I don’t think he ever played “defence” during his time in Toronto. Offence? Sure. Defence? Not a chance.
by Belligerent Burkie on Dec 1, 2009 11:39 PM CST reply actions
They’re loving him in Atlanta so far, I know that much. His plus-minus is very impressive, too.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Dec 1, 2009 11:41 PM CST up reply actions
Hey James, I replied to your comment over at Japers’ regarding some Schultz reading. I have no idea how often you check over there so I figured I’d link it. BTW, Jeff Schultz at #8 equals vindication for most folks over there.
"If you're gonna die after 24, might as well jump out at 23:59, no?"
by Laich It Or Lump It on Dec 2, 2009 8:11 AM CST reply actions
55’s the real deal. He’s not flashy. He’s not good in the offensive zone. But he does an extremely good job of pushing forward to the outside and keeping them there. He uses his stick better than most D. You very rarely see forwards able to make a pass or a move into the center of the ice against 55.
His Corsi/SAON/etc. is a little deflated by the Caps up-tempo style of play. But he’s the real deal.
Only thing we can’t figure out is how he plays guys like Malkin so well then fails against boys like Dubinsky.
by red army line on Dec 2, 2009 11:10 AM CST up reply actions
Yes we can: He had broken ribs against Dubinsky and tried to play through it. Why slam the guy for trying to man up?
(And I’ll certainly agree that the MD/his coaches should have not allowed him to try to play through the rib(s) when the injury rendered him ineffective.)
Not just Duby though. Others as well, whose names I cannot recall.
by red army line on Dec 2, 2009 2:17 PM CST up reply actions
Right, because his broken rib(s) only bothered him against Dubinsky. Against the other Rangers it was no big deal.
I think he meant against top players from other teams…
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
No, the top players he does well against. It’s the second-tier players he generally has trouble with.
by red army line on Dec 3, 2009 7:37 AM CST up reply actions
Fair enough. Call it my gut feeling then. I’d rather have him play Malkin than Staal.
by red army line on Dec 3, 2009 3:14 PM CST up reply actions
I am not sure of the math, but my hunch is that if you match this up with goals againsnt/goalie/team defense stats, then Lidstrom and the Wahsington players on the list would really stick out. How is Lidstrum still doing it with Osgood and Howard behind him.
Goaltending is a factor, for sure, one that would be difficult to remove. But a lot of these guys are huge minute defencemen and they’ll be influencing goals against and team defence a lot, too.
Some of the variables are hard to separate.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Dec 2, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions
I don't understand.....
the totals, sorry for being dense. How are they ranked? Am I supposed to add the three numbers together? That doesn’t seem to work, how is the order derived?
I have a formula that puts players who excel in all three categories at the top of the list.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
Nice!
Great to see two Islanders on this list, and I completely agree with both choices. Too bad as goof od a Defensive Dman as Martinek is, that boy cant help but get some freak injury almost every season. Suttons coming back in a few weeks though- thankfully!
Let Us Go, Islanders!
(Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
Gorges
I’m glad to see Josh Gorges on that list. He’s quietly doing an excellent job in Montreal. That Rivet for Gorges and a first round pick (Pacioretty) trade was one of Gainey’s best moves.
Also, Gorges has a cap hit of only 1.1 million until 2011.
http://softeuropean.wordpress.com
Gorges was the guy who surprised me most on the list. And maybe Sydor, who I thought had lost several steps.
Gorges has the 2nd weakes QCOMP on there, so he’s been doing extremely well against weak competition. In most cases over the course of the season, the date suggests that he himself is one of the better players on the ice.
I wouldn’t mind if the Habs paired him with Markov when he returns.
Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.
I think what Sydor’s doing is excelling in fairly limited minutes as a fifth or sixth d-man.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on Dec 3, 2009 11:44 AM CST up reply actions
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