Best Canadian Casinos. 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, . Not bad. Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher sang Ellis' praises at the time of the deal, calling him "an excellent all-around defenseman." He's fifth in total points (94) over the, and has yet to reach his playing prime. With a few well-placed trades, you could build yourself the fastest line in NHL 22, zipping by even the speediest of teams. Unlike Burns and Karlsson, his point-per-game (0.83) over the. Bruce holds a Ph.D. in Education and formerly taught undergraduates as an adjunct instructor. He led them in short-handed ice time per game (2:35), was second in average ice time (23:47) per game andblocked shots with 534, and he was fifth with 167 points. 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? His puck-moving abilities and offensive instincts make him among the league's top rearguards. 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. You have to be able to defend," he told me. This list is a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen and Anna Dua. He has great offensive skills and instincts, but hes an undersized one-way defenseman who doesnt defend that well. Lindgren is also fourth at even-strength time per contest (17:16) and in blocked shots with 66. Quinn Hughes 86 OVR (Potential: Elite Med) Team: Vancouver Canucks Age: 21 Position: Left Defense Type: Offensive Defenseman Shoots: Left Contract: $0.915M, 0 Years Left, Two-Way Best Attributes: 93 Speed, 93 Deking, 93 He combines those with his 92 in passing, puck control, and offensive awareness, making him a fulcrum of any offensive attack hence why he is a playmaker. He is good in the skating and physical departments (mostly) with an 85 in durability and balance, 84 in strength, 81 in acceleration and speed, and 80 in agility. The saying goes that offense wins games, but defense wins championships. They turned around and signed him to a four-year, $25 million extension in October 2021. In those eight seasons, he's, behind Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson in total points among defensemen with 429. 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. RELATED:10 Best Badges For Centers In NBA 2K21. He has a 90 in deking and passing, a deadly combination when paired with his speed ratings. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Top 20 defensemen in the NHL for the 2022-23 season of the last four seasons with the exception being the shortened year in 2020-21. Your email address will not be published. Weegar emerged from Ekblad's shadow last season, netting a career-high 36 points in 54 games. Lightning. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. 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. Martin Fehervary just turned 26 on 6 October, but in NHL 22, he is still listed as 21, so he makes an appearance here. At the bottom of the page, you will find a list of the best young offensive defensemen in NHL 22. Nikita Kucherov is the only player with a speed score of 93 that does not have a 93 in all three speed ratings. He should remain among the league's high-scoring defensemen while skating with superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It didn't take Cale Makar long to secure his spot among the NHL's top stars. His aggressiveness and body checking are both 80, and his durability an 82. Fox led. among defensemen, and he's fifth in total points with 412 over the same period. 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. Two more had him third. He's led. This perk will increase the player's Shot Blocking, Def. He and his teammates also struggled defensively, giving up the third-highest, (33.4) and sixth-most goals-against per game (3.34). The season prior for the Ottawa 67s, he had 16 assists and three goals in 39 games. He should remain among the league's high-scoring defensemen while skating with superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. He also has an 89 in hand-eye, puck control, and slap shot power with the other three shooting ratings at 88. He became a key cog in their offensive attack last season, especially onthe power play. 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. Like Kukkonen, Bryce Montgomery will take time and patience to develop for your franchise. Awareness and Def. Thatll be worth monitoring to see how it plays out. His highest ratings come in deking and discipline, both of which sit at 95. Try a week on us. 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. Since last season, he's secondamong Rangers skaters in short-handed ice time per game (2:31) and inhits with 104. Hampus Lindholm, BOS18. He is also a good defenseman as his position would suggest with a 91 in stick checking, 87 in awareness, and 85 in shot blocking. Others, like the Colorado Avalanche's Cale Makar, excel on the attack. Matt Grzelcyk, BOS42. His hand-eye and slap shot accuracy are both 94. Tyson Barrie, NSH40. A return to his 40-point form this season could ensure a hefty raise as well as maintain his place among the league's elite offensive defensemen. It will also decrease the That's why it's crucial to have a strong first pairing to anchor a blue-line corps. His puck-moving abilities and offensive instincts make him among the league's top rearguards. 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. The 23-year-olds will be crucial to the club's push for a playoff berth this season. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Inject some speed into your NHL 22 lines to get an edge against all of your opponents. Awareness and Agility by 4 and 2 points. Grzelcyk may be small for an NHL defenseman at 5'9" and 178 pounds, but he possesses good puck-moving skills. 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. 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 . He is also one of five players with a speed score of 93, so the order of these five are interchangeable. Evan Bouchard, EDM (NEW)37. Is Evan Bouchard the PP1 guy now, or does Ekholm run the top group? Thats a down-the-road problem for a team currently out of the playoff picture. Roman Josi, NSH8. They have the best all-around defenseman in hockey in Victor Hedman, so that is always a big plus in giving your blue line an edge. Zdeno Chara's departure last winter via free agency left the Bruins without a regular defense partner for rising star Charlie McAvoy. 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. Gustav Forsling, FLA41. Fox is a talented all-around defenseman, logging ateam-leading24:42 of ice time per game and 102blocked shotswhile finishing second with 38 takeaways last season. With a minimum of twenty game played, here is a look at the top 10 NHL defenseman based on a PPG %. Ekholm is who hes always been; exceedingly solid in his own end, and a guy capable of doing the dirty work in the transition game. He became a key cog in their offensive attack last season, especially on. This perk will increase the player's passing power and accuracy for stretch passes. The second version of this perk will reduce the player's Endurance and Strength by 2 and 3 points, and defensemen will need their cardio and strength more than their agility. Stylistically, Ekholm is just what the Oilers need a big body that can play hard defensive minutes on the left side of the top pair, and take some of the pressure away from Darnell Nurse, who is currently eating probably too many minutes per night (23:51). Players who were ranked in the top 10 on each ballot were given a numerical score: No. Josh With McDavid and Draisaitl in their respective primes, tomorrow isnt nearly as critical for the Oilers. Ryan Graves, NJD48. 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. His slap shot accuracy is a 94 with both power ratings at 90. 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. What metrics best define value for scoring defensemen or "defensive" defensemen? Amid a breakout season with the Flyers 2. Montgomery did not appear for the London Knights last season, but during 2019-2020, he had two assists in 33 games. Rasmus Dahlin, BUF (INJ.) Adam Fox, New York Rangers. 2 earned nine points and so on. Maintaining an elite defensive pairing can mean the difference between a contender and a pretender. Though limited to 33 points in 48 games last season, Josi remains among the game's elite mobile blueliners. His offensive awareness is a staggering 98, but he also has a 92 in defensive awareness. Since 2013-14, he's come into his own as an offensive blueliner. The 24-year-old Werenski is a skilled and mobile blueliner, tallying 47 points as a rookie in 2016-17. Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below. The Predators are in transition longtime GM David Poile is calling the shots until the end of June, when his retirement becomes official. The trade. Only 22, Makar possesses the speed and offensive skills of a more seasoned NHL veteran. 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 has been on the plus side of puck possession in eight straight seasons. 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. (Photo: Danny Murphy / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). Through 15 NHL seasons, Kris Letang has been a mainstay on the Pittsburgh Penguins blue line. That includes a career-high 72 points (along with 20 goals) in 2018-19. This perk will apply to poke checks, but not for the ability to intercept passes with their stick. Foden's return to form helps mask De Bruyne's troubles. After Jamie Oleksiak's offseason departure to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, he also leads them in hits over that period with 134. The question, as always, is whether each end of the deal justifies its reason for being. It will also decrease the player's Wrist Shot Accuracy and Off. Drew Doughty, LAK22. The 30-year-old Barrie's offensive skills put him seventhamong NHL defensemensince 2013-14 with 381 career points. However, his output fell to just 27 points in 56 games last season, the lowest since his 12-point performance in 2007-08. Woos lines from last season with the Utica Comets saw him register three goals and two assists across 28 games. 1 power-play also was included in the deal. The 25-year-old had 22 points in 35 games in 2020-21 before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ac8a95dcd7c97b1d582a267662c16003" );document.getElementById("b90191b810").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Our survey respondents agreed that Hedman is, at the very least, the best defenseman in the world. Tyson Barrie Edmonton Oilers. It is also something that cannot be taught. He followed that up by becoming a finalist last season for theJames Norris Memorial Trophy. Thomas Chabot, D, OTT31. Four were game-winning though none were in overtime. He has a 93 in deking, passing, and puck control, though his hand-eye is lacking a bit (but still good) at 86. This perk will increase the player's Body Checking and Balance by 4 and 3 points. However, his output fell to just 27 points in 56 games last season, the lowest since his 12-point performance in 2007-08. Nevertheless, Hughes finished thirdamong Canucks scorerswith 41 points in 56 games. The pairing usually consists of a skilled puck-mover and a shutdown blueliner. Since his first full campaign in 2013-14, he's tallied 38-plus points eight straight times across stints with the Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers. Pairing Ellis with Provorov should give the Flyers one of this season's top defensive duos. Eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July, Klingberg could earn a lucrative new contract with the Stars or another NHL club. Some, such as the Tampa Bay Lightning's Victor Hedman, play a terrific two-way game, contributing to their team's scoring while playing a responsible defensive game. He did see a steep drop off in shots, 51 less of them in 2020-21, but he also played in 22 less games than the year prior. 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Team: New Jersey DevilsAge: 21Position: Left DefenseType: Defensive DefensemanShoots: LeftContract: $0.795M, 2 Years Left, Two-WayBest Attributes: 87 Slap Shot Power, 85 Balance, 85 Durability. Kucherovs biggest area of improvement in-game should be the physical side. However, concerning was his drop in shot percentage from 17.2 during his award-winning season to 11.4 during the 2020-2021 season. . He led all blueliners in scoring last seasonwith 48 points. Press J to jump to the feed. Fox is the better known of the two. 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. 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. Required fields are marked *. Also like Gaudreau, he excels in other areas. He has a 95 in deking, passing, puck control, offensive awareness, and wrist shot accuracy. That includes tallying 68 points in 2017-18, 70 points in 2018-19 and 75 points in 2019-20. David Pastrnak, like Gaudreau, has a 93 rating in acceleration, agility, and speed. He was also their leading scorer (26 points) in the2020 playoffs. Awareness, 95 Passing, 95 Off. His skating skills are a little better, but none are more than 76. Karlsson prevented goals because he always had the puck. Kucherov is in rather that Pastrnak as Kucherov has a higher overall rating, but both are fine as they have the same speed score. Alex Pietrangelo, VGK33. He also netted at least 40 points six times in the past seven seasons with the Bruins, Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes. Miska Kukkonen is rare for this list in that he has played all of his career for Finnish teams and the Finland national team. 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. Now, speed is not the only necessary skill a team needs, but it certainly helps bridge any gap or widen it for successful teams. This page will look at the best young up-and-coming defensive defensemen in NHL 22, with names like Kris Letang, PIT15. His defense is adequate, but still needs improvement. 2022-23 Mayfield 2022-23 Pulock 2022-23 Forsling 2022-23 Staal 2022 You can weigh in on this topic in the comments section below. 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. He's also tied for second among the Stars in takeaways with 22 and sits fourth with 65 blocked shots. That's the first time he was below 40 points in a season since 2014-15. Though sidelined by a recent injury, the 30-year-old has four points in his first three games whileaveraging 24:09 minutes per game. He leads the Panthers since 2020-21 in short-handed ice time per contest (2:46), while his 22:15 of time on ice per game ranks behind only Ekblad. If he can stay healthy, he should remain a perennial Norris Trophy candidate. At the bottom of the page, you will find a list of the best young defensive defensemen in NHL 22. Quinn Hughes, VAN12. Good offensively too but nobody really talks about how good he is in his own end. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. He was ranked No. Team: New York IslandersAge: 20Position: Left DefenseType: Defensive DefensemanShoots: LeftContract: $0.750M, 0 Years Left, Two-WayBest Attributes: 85 Balance, 85 Slap Shot Power, 85 Durability. During the 2019-2020 season with the Calgary Hitmen, he had 39 assists and seven goals across 64 games. Adam Fox New York Rangers. Continue reading this article and more from top writers, for only $9.99/mo. At the bottom of the page, you will find a list of the fastest players in NHL 22. Fehervarys hand-eye is only 71 with his other puck skills all at 77. It will also decrease the player's Passing by 4 points. Stick 'Em Up will allow the user to make defensive plays with their stick and intercept passes much more effectively. Team: Buffalo SabresAge: 21Position: Right Defense/Left DefenseType: Defensive DefensemanShoots: RightContract: $0.750M, 1 Year Left, Two-WayBest Attributes: 85 Durability, 82 Slap Shot Power, 82 Wrist Shot Power. Predators get: Defenseman Tyson One of the aspects of his game that doesn't get enough attention: That the Lightning have been able to play him with anyone and still Hedman excels. 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. So Ive been using the dangler for all positions in 3s. Erik Karlsson, SJS2. Makar's point totals would have been higher if not for injuries. Vince Dunn, SEA14. Ranking the NHL's top 20 defensemen for the 2022-23 season from Cale Makar to Brent Burns | Sporting News Canada BUF BOS 4:00p NSH FLA 4:00p PIT TB Check out all the fastest players in NHL 22 in the table below. 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 It didn't take Cale Makar long to secure his spot among the NHL's top stars. Their acquisition of Ryan Ellis this summer from the Nashville Predators should address that need. Keith, Chara, and (at least from what I remember then) Doughty could fill the shutdown description. Injuries make a player worse at just about everything, and that is never fun. Hedman's strong two-way game earned the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2017-18 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2019-20. Signed to a new. Since 2014-15, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been the NHL's top franchise. Since his debut in 2017-18, the 23-year-old McAvoy has steadily developed as the Bruins' top defenseman. He has a 93 in deking, passing, and puck control, though his hand-eye is lacking a bit (but still good) at 86. Makar's point totals would have been higher if not for injuries. Jett Woo, former second round pick of Vancouver, finds himself atop this list thanks to his Top 4 D Med potential grade. Choosing NHL 22s best young defensive defensemen. It's his offensive prowess, however, that draws the most attention. Jakob Chychrun, OTT19. Thanks to his powerful shot, he sits fourth among all rearguards with 94 total goalssince 2014-15. NHL.com ranks the top 50 fantasy hockey defensemen in standard leagues for the rest of the 2022-23 season. In just two seasons, Adam Fox has joined the ranks of the NHL's elite defensemen. On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Jakob for He also checks the boxes on the physical end. Your email address will not be published. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. 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. He had three game-winning goals and four power play goals. His puck skills range from 66-69. If he can stay healthy, he should remain a perennial Norris Trophy candidate. The Wild defender has been one of the leagues best defensive players for a while now. CS Media Limited All Rights Reserved. These perks can be used to either round out weaknesses in a build or highlighta build's strengths. The season before with Cushing Academy, a prep school, he had seven assists in 33 games. Theyre a better team now than they were a couple hours ago. NHLs Best Defense Pairs of 2021-22. Last season for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he had eight assists and six goals over 24 games. Hes a fan of the San Francisco Giants and 49ers, and the Philadelphia 76ers. The 29-year-old became the Dallas Stars' highest-scoring blueliner over thepast seven seasonswith 327 career points and is ninth overall amongall NHL rearguardsduring that period. Cale Makar, COL (INJ.) Jeff Petry, PIT49. RELATED:NHL 21, 10 Under The Radar Players To Acquire In Franchise Mode. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. His strength is a solid 86. 1. Instead of being a contractual bargain, he was now pricey and any contender looking to add him needed to consider his salary, his age, now 32, and decide if he was the same effective hard-nosed defender he was in his minute-munching prime. Dougie Hamilton, NJD7. That said, hes certainly worse than Ekholm and only a year younger, and the Oilers needed to send out money to make the deal work. Victor Hedman, TBL11. All of which is a long preamble into why when Ekholm was finally traded after 719 career games in a Nashville uniform it was just another in a long line of complicated financial transactions that required some jockeying on the part of both clubs to make the dollars work. Predators retain four percent of Ekholm remaining cap hit/salary, Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 28, 2023. For the Preds, this is a nice bit of business. "Hedman came in young. 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. His discipline is 75 with poise at 65 and offensive awareness at 63. The Lead Editor at OG, Bruce has been an avid gamer since childhood, owning the NES, SNES, N64, PS one, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Game Boy, GBC, GBA, DS, 3DS, and Switch throughout his life. But I just got back to dv1 and the elite badge players are playing the same l2 game and there's nothing wrong with that adding l2 into your game is a really useful skill. Theyre blowing things up. He exceeded the 40-point plateau again in 2018-19 and 2019-20. His deking, puck control, and awareness are at 96 while his hand-eye, passing, poise, and wrist shot accuracy are at 95. He also netted at least 40 points six times in the past seven seasons with the Bruins, Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes. Age: 24Rating: 95Position: CenterType: PlaymakerTeam: Edmonton OilersShoots: LeftBest Attributes: 98 Offensive Awareness, 97 Hand-Eye, 97 Puck Control. This perk will increase the player's Stick Checking, Def. On offense, Kuznetsov is a dangerous foe. Eight of his goals and 17 of his assists were on the power play. Bruce holds a Ph.D. in Education and formerly taught undergraduates as an adjunct instructor. His 85 in durability should keep him on the ice to learn and grow, and his 84 in both slap and wrist shot power makes him a good offensive force from the right defense. His discipline and poise are 70 while his offensive awareness is 69. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. Shawn enjoys discovering engaging stories, whether they be from movies, video games, books, or any other form in which they may be told. He has a fine shot, but his accuracies are paltry at 69 each. All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball. WebGet team defense stats for the 2022-2023 NHL season, including goals and shots against for the regular season and playoffs. Then you've got Karlsson and Burns who, well, no. However, the 36-year-old'spoint-per-gameproduction (0.59) over the past two seasons slid to 24th among NHL blueliners. He struggled at times with his new club last season, finishing with 32 points.