Top 10 all time Defensemen

[J0e Th0rnton]

Well, its been years since we had this discussion. I know its been done, but nothing like some old topics and new perspectives to get me going:)

Personally, I like to take all aspects into account. Era they played in reflecting their points. Their competition faced when winning Norris trophies, how good their teams were, etc
I do not consider Stanley cups to be a great measure of a defenseman. Its a team trophy, and some guys won it when 6 teams were in the league, others played in a watered down league on crappy teams where winning was harder.

It is impossible to compare certain defensemen because their era's were so different I know. usually, we judge them based on how they dominated their peers.

My top 10 all time NHL Defenseman List.

#1
Bobby Orr
#'s 2 and 3
Doug Harvey
Eddie Shore
#'s 4 and 5
Ray Bourque
Denis Potvin
#'s 6, 7 and 8
Nik Lidstrom
Larry Robinson
Brad Park
#9 and 10
Red Kelly
Chris Chelios

Honorable mentions:
Viacheslav Fetisov: If only he had played a full NHL career.
Paul Coffey: I consider being a 4th forward who didn't really play defense detrimental to success in this area.
Phil Housley: See Paul Coffey
Scott Stevens, Larry Murphy, Pierre Pilote, Rod Langway, Mark Howe, Brian Leetch, Al MaCinnis....
I could name some more honorable mentions, but let's hear your thoughts.

[rustybadcock]

1: Orr
2: Bourque
3: Robinson
4: Lidstrom
5: Macinnis
6: Stevens
7: Leetch
8: Murphy
9: Coffee (not necessarily for his defensive play either :laughing: )
10: Carlyle. (common, gotta have a jet in there somewhere. :boogie: )

[J0e Th0rnton]

1: Orr
2: Bourque
3: Robinson
4: Lidstrom
5: Macinnis
6: Stevens
7: Leetch
8: Murphy
9: Coffee (not necessarily for his defensive play either :laughing: )
10: Carlyle. (common, gotta have a jet in there somewhere. :boogie: )
I can see your list is for the 70's forward so I can see why no Shore or Harvey are there..........But no Park or Potvin?:eek:

[AtLossForWords]

Nicklas Lidstrom
Dennis Potvin
Bobby Orr
Doug Harvey
Ray Bourque

Red Kelly
Pierre Pilote
Eddie Shore
Scott Stevens
Scott Nidermayer

[rustybadcock]

I can see your list is for the 70's forward so I can see why no Shore or Harvey are there..........But no Park or Potvin?:eek:

I didn't want to COMPLETELY copy you man....:laughing: :eek: ;)

I basically took a very casual approach and had some fun....keep it up and I might have to put Weaver on this list k :eyebug:

Here's my list of emoticon D men

:conspire:
:mad:
:no:
:talkhand:
:curse:
:wicked:
:burning:
:cool:
:pimp:

Now, can you figure out who is who? :D

RB

[J0e Th0rnton]

I didn't want to COMPLETELY copy you man....:laughing: :eek: ;)

I basically took a very casual approach and had some fun....keep it up and I might have to put Weaver on this list k :eyebug:

Here's my list of emoticon D men

:conspire:
:mad:
:no:
:talkhand:
:curse:
:wicked:
:burning:
:cool:
:pimp:

Now, can you figure out who is who? :D

RB
In that case, I nominate Rory Fitzpatrick

[rustybadcock]

In that case, I nominate Rory Fitzpatrick
RONTFLMAO

not that again :nod: :nod:

RB

[gordphish]

Well, its been years since we had this discussion. I know its been done, but nothing like some old topics and new perspectives to get me going:)

Personally, I like to take all aspects into account. Era they played in reflecting their points. Their competition faced when winning Norris trophies, how good their teams were, etc
I do not consider Stanley cups to be a great measure of a defenseman. Its a team trophy, and some guys won it when 6 teams were in the league, others played in a watered down league on crappy teams where winning was harder.

It is impossible to compare certain defensemen because their era's were so different I know. usually, we judge them based on how they dominated their peers.

My top 10 all time NHL Defenseman List.

#1
Bobby Orr
#'s 2 and 3
Doug Harvey
Eddie Shore
#'s 4 and 5
Ray Bourque
Denis Potvin
#'s 6, 7 and 8
Nik Lidstrom
Larry Robinson
Brad Park
#9 and 10
Red Kelly
Chris Chelios

Honorable mentions:
Viacheslav Fetisov: If only he had played a full NHL career.
Paul Coffey: I consider being a 4th forward who didn't really play defense detrimental to success in this area.
Phil Housley: See Paul Coffey
Scott Stevens, Larry Murphy, Pierre Pilote, Rod Langway, Mark Howe, Brian Leetch, Al MaCinnis....
I could name some more honorable mentions, but let's hear your thoughts.

1. Orr
2. Harvey
3. Shore
4. Kelly
5. Potvin
6. Lidstrom
7. Bourque
8. Neidermayer
9. Robinson
10. Coffey

[AtLossForWords]

I can't believe Pilote is off so many lists. Wasn't he the all time leader in points by a defenseman until Bobby Orr stepped into the league?

[Matt Cooke]

No Particular Order...

Coffey
Bourque
MacInnis
Housley
Murphy
Leetch
Chelios
Robinson
Potvin
Stevens

[J0e Th0rnton]

I can't believe Pilote is off so many lists. Wasn't he the all time leader in points by a defenseman until Bobby Orr stepped into the league?
Red Kelly was scoring more except for Pilote taking 1 season to 59 points.

Red Kelly previously had 54 points in a season as a Dman, averaging between 45 and 54 points in 50-56. His higher stats in the 60's as a maple leaf do not count since he moved to center.

Pilote was good though. He is on my list between 11-13

Coffey
Bourque
MacInnis
Housley
Murphy
Leetch
Chelios
Robinson
Potvin
Stevens
Whenever I see Murphy, Housley and Coffey, I think 4th Forward, not defensemen. Those 3 were horrendous in their own zones. Housley being the worst and Murphy the best of the 3(Which means nothing since they all sucked in their own end).

When I see Stevens, I see a guy who was great Offensively, great defensively, but incapable of doing both at the same time. The second he was told to focus on defense first, he became THE best defensive Dman in the league, but his offense became non-existent.

[gordphish]

Red Kelly was scoring more except for Pilote taking 1 season to 59 points.

Red Kelly previously had 54 points in a season as a Dman, averaging between 45 and 54 points in 50-56. His higher stats in the 60's as a maple leaf do not count since he moved to center.

Pilote was good though. He is on my list between 11-13


Whenever I see Murphy, Housley and Coffey, I think 4th Forward, not defensemen. Those 3 were horrendous in their own zones. Housley being the worst and Murphy the best of the 3(Which means nothing since they all sucked in their own end).

When I see Stevens, I see a guy who was great Offensively, great defensively, but incapable of doing both at the same time. The second he was told to focus on defense first, he became THE best defensive Dman in the league, but his offense became non-existent.

For many years, Ray Bourque was infamous for brutal turnovers when attempting that first pass out of his own zone. Not because he was a piss poor defender, but just because he handled the puck so much. Leetch was the same. I can remember watching Coffey using his speed and hand-eye co-ordination to make great plays in his own end on many occasions, the best being when he broke up the 2-1 against Russia in the 84 Canada Cup Final and then started the play that set up the series winning goal.

[J0e Th0rnton]

For many years, Ray Bourque was infamous for brutal turnovers when attempting that first pass out of his own zone. Not because he was a piss poor defender, but just because he handled the puck so much. Leetch was the same. I can remember watching Coffey using his speed and hand-eye co-ordination to make great plays in his own end on many occasions, the best being when he broke up the 2-1 against Russia in the 84 Canada Cup Final and then started the play that set up the series winning goal.
Bourque had 1 or 2 bad years in that regard at worst, and they were not imfamous. He was widely considered one of the, if not the best defensive defenseman in the NHL for 20 years.

Coffey did make great plays on occasion, but more often was a huge liability.

[Matt Cooke]

Just think, any defensemen to ever come into the game and hold close to a point per game will most likely be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame at some point down the road barring they stay relatively injury free. The rule changes and new-look NHL has shafted blue liners the most, in my opinion. When will the day of a 100 point season by a defenseman be a reasonable feat again?

[AtLossForWords]

When will the day of a 100 point season by a defenseman be a reasonable feat again?

When every goal is a deflected shot from the point or a rebound.

[J0e Th0rnton]

Just think, any defensemen to ever come into the game and hold close to a point per game will most likely be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame at some point down the road barring they stay relatively injury free. The rule changes and new-look NHL has shafted blue liners the most, in my opinion. When will the day of a 100 point season by a defenseman be a reasonable feat again?
The problem is largely the junior training now. Anyone with that much offensive talent generally gets nudged to play forward positions by the coaches nowadays.

[CaiforniaSeal]

No Particular Order...

Coffey
Bourque
MacInnis
Housley
Murphy
Leetch
Chelios
Robinson
Potvin
Stevens
Where's Orr? This is like seeing the top 10 forward list without Gretzky's name on it.

[Vanfan]

1. Bobby Orr
2.Dennis Potvin
3.Eddy Shore ( only defenseman to win Hart trophy 4 times)
4.Larry Robinson
5.Paul Coffey
6.Serge Savard
7.Doug Harvey ( 7 Norris trophies)
8.Ray Bourque
9.Guy Lapointe
10.Brad Park

I left off anyone who is still playing and as you can see I put on three habs defensemen who played together in the 70's.Montreal had one of the most dominating defensive corps ever put together during the 70's and I think people lose site of how good these guys were as individuals.

* I put some notes beside 2 players on the list that I and probably most posters never saw play.Plus I have to put Eddie Shore there as he is my Great Grandpa Shore's cousin :)

[AtLossForWords]

Funny how there are so many Bruins on this list.