The Calder Memorial Trophy winner in2014-15, Aaron Ekblad has five seasons with at least 36 points, including a career-best 41 points in 2019-20. Scoring goals is the name of the game in hockey, but it's also important to limit an opponent's offensive opportunities. On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Jakob for Dougie Hamilton, NJD7. No need to worry about 6 7 PFs with 88 puck control and balance skating circles in your zone. During the 2019-2020 season with the Calgary Hitmen, he had 39 assists and seven goals across 64 games. He recently returned to practice and could make his season debut soon. All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball. If you want to still be able to bang some bodies, but not sacrifice a ton of speed/athleticism. Ignore the fact that they used one of their three salary retention slots to absorb a whole 4 percent of Ekholms deal; they got out from under most of it, and good as Ekholm still is, he had zero functional value for a franchise that is moving into the next phase of his existence. 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. 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. The second version of this perk will reduce the player's Def. , Hughes will be a significant contributor to the Canucks' offensive punch. 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. Signed to a newsix-year contract, Hughes will be a significant contributor to the Canucks' offensive punch. Nathan MacKinnon makes the list with the second fastest speed score, and is the only player aside from McDavid with a score above 94. The 6'6", 241-pound Hedman is the complete package of size and overall skills. Nevertheless, hetied for thirdamong defensemen last season with 45 points. That includes tallying 68 points in 2017-18, 70 points in 2018-19 and 75 points in 2019-20. The fourth overall pick from the 2017 draft, Makar has great puck skills. 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. Vince Dunn, SEA14. In NHL 21, players can choose from a varied selection of Traits and Specialties that will boost the attributes of their player loadout for online World of CHEL modes. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Thats a down-the-road problem for a team currently out of the playoff picture. He had three game-winning goals and four power play goals. RELATED:10 Best Badges For Centers In NBA 2K21. The 24-year-old Werenski is a skilled and mobile blueliner, tallying 47 points as a rookie in 2016-17. He's ledall NHL defensemenin total points over the past four seasons with 257. Cale Makar, COL (INJ.)5. 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. It didn't take Cale Makar long to secure his spot among the NHL's top stars. NHL Hockey - Defensive Rankings & Statistics - March, 2023 Theyre blowing things up. . However, the 36-year-old'spoint-per-gameproduction (0.59) over the past two seasons slid to 24th among NHL blueliners. The first version will reduce the player's Strengthby 5 points instead of Balance, andStrength is more valuable to defensemen, as it willincrease the power ofnot only body checks, but also shots. Some are established veterans, while others are young blueliners rising quickly among the ranks of the game's elite puck-moving rearguards. Awareness, 93 Puck Control, 93 Off. The pairing usually consists of a skilled puck-mover and a shutdown blueliner. 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 . First, goals allowed is the big one. NHL 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. Top Need a lockdown defender for the future? Samuel Girard, COL28. Awareness, 95 Wrist Shot Accuracy. 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. Instead, his speed is lower at 92 while his agility is higher at 94, with acceleration at 93. By DylanFremlin @dylanfremlin May 17, 2021, 8:00am CDT Share this story He is second to John Carlson of the Capitals in points-per-game average among defensemen since the 2017-18 season (0.83). A Norris Trophy winner in 2015-16, Doughty had exceeded the 40-point plateau seven times in his 13 NHL seasons. The trade. His discipline and poise are 70 while his offensive awareness is 69. The 26-year-old rearguard netted 46 points in 71 games in 2019-20 and 42 points in 53 games last season. Individual awards, experience and performance were among the items that factored into this ranking. NHL Defensemen Scoring Leaders 20222023 1 2 3 4 5 6 OverallTime on IceGoalsAssistsPointsper 60per GameShotsDefensiveFaceoffs NHL defenseman stats Which non-quarterback group will define each top-25 team's season? Potential is not all that he possesses, though. The 31-year-old's point-per-game production (0.56) declined over the past two seasons to 29th among all rearguards as the Kings rebuilt with younger talent. Choosing NHL 22s best young defensive defensemen. However, his output fell to just 27 points in 56 games last season, the lowest since his 12-point performance in 2007-08. 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. Hes a big, highly physical winger, with good hands and some goal-scoring touch. 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. 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. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. He also has an 89 in hand-eye, puck control, and slap shot power with the other three shooting ratings at 88. Jett Woo, former second round pick of Vancouver, finds himself atop this list thanks to his Top 4 D Med potential grade. Drew Doughty, LAK22. Specialties will boost specific abilities in specific situations. This perk will increase the player's Shot Blocking, Def. Tj Brodie is great but he's certainly not a shut down defensemen, Ahhh yes, Jan Rutta the legendary shutdown defenseman alongside Hedman /s, From our team it is definitely Brodin and Spurgeon, Suter is still solid too. Barrie is signed for the rest of this year and next for a reasonable $4.5 million. The season prior for the Ottawa 67s, he had 16 assists and three goals in 39 games. In those eight seasons, he'sthird overallbehind Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson in total points among defensemen with 429. 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. The fourth overall pick from the 2017 draft, Makar has great puck skills. Recent performance, career offensive numbers and consistency factored into this compilation. Tyson Barrie (David Kirouac / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). This perk will increase the player's Off. On Tuesday, the Oilers decided the answer was yes. Truth be told: The two guys in the top spots are really in a 1A Work to improve those three to at least 85. His plus-98 places him firmly at No. The surveys were conducted over the past two months. Already an ESPN+ subscriber? In those eight seasons, he's, behind Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson in total points among defensemen with 429. That's the first time he was below 40 points in a season since 2014-15. 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, . Quinn Hughes, VAN12. He changes the complexion of the Oilers blue line and furthers their bid as a legit Stanley Cup contender. Still, his point-per-game percentage over the. Awareness, 93 Speed, 96 Deking, 95 Off. 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. The Wild defender has been one of the leagues best defensive players for a while now. This year is the first year of that extension, which changed the arithmetic as it related to Ekholm as a trade chip this time around. His strength is a solid 86. He followed that up by becoming a finalist last season for theJames Norris Memorial Trophy. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? That was the beginning of seven straight seasons with 40-plus points, including a career-high 65 during his Norris Trophy campaign. These are the best perks for defencemen who want to shut down opponents. 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. NHL 22 Player Ratings: Best Young Defensive Defensemen, NHL 22 Strategies: Complete Team Strategies Guide, Line Strategies & Best Team Strategies, NHL 22 Franchise Mode: Best Young Players, NHL 22 Franchise Mode: Best Free Agents to Sign, NHL 22: Best Teams to Rebuild in Franchise Mode, NHL 22 Player Ratings: Best Young Centers. , Aaron Ekblad has five seasons with at least 36 points, including a career-best 41 points in 2019-20. 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. Like Kukkonen, Bryce Montgomery will take time and patience to develop for your franchise. Amid a breakout season with the Flyers Shore up his physical ratings and he could be the best player in NHL 22 for your team. Erik Karlsson, SJS. 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. Rasmus Dahlin, BUF (INJ.)4. David Pastrnak, like Gaudreau, has a 93 rating in acceleration, agility, and speed. It feels as if the Predators could potentially flip Barrie at some point. Grzelcyk may be small for an NHL defenseman at 5'9" and 178 pounds, but he possesses good puck-moving skills. Brandon Montour, FLA13. Here's our ranking of the best defensive pairings for the 2021-22 season. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Part of the New York Rangers' recent rebuilding process, Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox have been together since their first full seasons in 2019-20.