NHL teams ranked by defense group - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

ST20 · 09-27-2018, 08:34 AM

I tried to combine this with the goalie thread but don't know how to edit the title. Calgary places well here at number 9. No surprises who is one and two (San Jose, Nashville) and the king's and ducks are also in the top 10 putting 4 Pacific teams in the top 10 :/

I think these rankings are fair. I'd put the flames higher except we haven't seen gio and Brodie 2 in regular season action and it's hard to tell whether or not the second pairing will have chemsitry.

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/2...fenseman-group

Cali Panthers Fan · 09-27-2018, 08:56 AM

Tampa, Anaheim, and Carolina are all underrated. Tampa might be in my top 3 and Carolina probably top 5.

LA is ranked too high because Quick makes them look good. Sure Doughty is a stud, but the rest of the group isn't overly impressive and their style of play reduces their goals against more than anything.

I think everything else is relatively fair (maybe slot the Panthers a few spots higher, but I'm biased).

Mass_nerder · 09-27-2018, 10:26 AM

The line about Hanifin-Hamonic being an average second pairing seems a little off-base. The only team they have listed ahead of us, that I take issue with is Minnesota.
Suter is declining, and Spurgeon and Dumba are not great defensively.

dino7c · 09-27-2018, 10:32 AM

Oilers and Leafs are too high

SuperMatt18 · 09-27-2018, 10:34 AM

Carolina and Boston are too low IMO.

They underrate Brett Pesce - he was already on the top pairing with Slavin last year. Not sure he really has to "emerge" anymore.

Boston's defence may be young but they were top 5 in GA last year for a reason and are a solid d-core.

ForeverFlameFan · 09-27-2018, 10:37 AM

Top 5 for me:

Nashville
San José
Carolina
Columbus
Tampa Bay

I’d have teams like Winnipeg, Anaheim, Calgary, LA, Washington, Minnesota, St Louis following suit in no order. I’d have us in the #8-12 range, agreeing with the ranking given. It really depends on Brodano returning to form and how Hanifin does with Hamonic.

Enoch Root · 09-27-2018, 10:52 AM

Winnipeg, Toronto and Edmonton are too high.

ST20 · 09-27-2018, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

The line about Hanifin-Hamonic being an average second pairing seems a little off-base. The only team they have listed ahead of us, that I take issue with is Minnesota.
Suter is declining, and Spurgeon and Dumba are not great defensively.

I take this as an indictment of Hamonic's play last year. It's hard to tell how the two will work together this year so I almost take average as they could be great or they could be what they were with Brodie last year.

BigSmoke · 09-30-2018, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dino7c

Oilers and Leafs are too high

Leafs were 12th in GA but 17 is too high? (Edmonton tied for 5th worst)
They also had the NHL's 5th best goal diff. And Andersen only posted his career avg stats.

GranteedEV · 09-30-2018, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

The line about Hanifin-Hamonic being an average second pairing seems a little off-base. The only team they have listed ahead of us, that I take issue with is Minnesota.
Suter is declining, and Spurgeon and Dumba are not great defensively.

Uh, Spurgeon is excellent defensively.

Strange Brew · 09-30-2018, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Uh, Spurgeon is excellent defensively.

That guy is so underrated.

Enoch Root · 09-30-2018, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigSmoke

Leafs were 12th in GA but 17 is too high? (Edmonton tied for 5th worst)
They also had the NHL's 5th best goal diff. And Andersen only posted his career avg stats.

BigTuna's back!

Anderson carried the Leafs. Yes, 17th is too high. This article was rating defenses, and the Leafs' D is weak.

BigSmoke · 09-30-2018, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

BigTuna's back!

Anderson carried the Leafs. Yes, 17th is too high. This article was rating defenses, and the Leafs' D is weak.

Andersen had very average stats FYI. That's not carrying a team.

Enoch Root · 09-30-2018, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigSmoke

No, TorontoGuy 17.

Andersen had very average stats FYI. That's not carrying a team.

He had average stats because the D in from of him sucked. He carried them as much as he could, but too many quality chances against. Night after night, Anderson kept games close that the Leafs should have lost.

BigSmoke · 09-30-2018, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

He had average stats because the D in from of him sucked. He carried them as much as he could, but too many quality chances against. Night after night, Anderson kept games close that the Leafs should have lost.

All I am is hearing excuses. He carried them witha save % outside of the top 10 for starters.

3rd best GA in the East. 1st in GA in the East after jan 1st. Tampa allowed more GA,, as did Washington.

You are badly underrating the Leafs D.

Enoch Root · 09-30-2018, 04:52 PM

Or you are under-rating Anderson's impact, but I'll stop there.

BigSmoke · 09-30-2018, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Or you are under-rating Anderson's impact, but I'll stop there.

Based on what stats? He was good last season but far from elite.
You are trying to spin it as he kept them in the playoffs.

dieHARDflameZ · 09-30-2018, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigSmoke

Based on what stats? He was good last season but far from elite.
You are trying to spin it as he kept them in the playoffs.

Dude, Ron Hainsey is currently slotted on the top pair in Toronto, that’s saying something.

If not for Andersen, I don’t think the Leafs even make the playoffs last season. Trust me, if any fan base knows about how great goaltending can hide a lot of warts, it’s Flames fans.

djsFlames · 09-30-2018, 06:00 PM

Hanifin, Valimaki, Andersson and Kylington are gonna be beauties. They just need a couple years to develop.

BigSmoke · 10-01-2018, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieHARDflameZ;6805325[B

]Dude, Ron Hainsey is currently slotted on the top pair in Toronto, that’s saying something.
[/B]
If not for Andersen, I don’t think the Leafs even make the playoffs last season. Trust me, if any fan base knows about how great goaltending can hide a lot of warts, it’s Flames fans.

You mean the Hainsey who was top-pairing on the 2016 Pens cup champs?

Leafs had the 5th highest goal differential in the NHL. They had 6 50+ point scorers (No other team had that).
Don't you think you are overrating Andersen quite a bit? What team would leap them? They finished way ahead of Florida for 3rd. It wasn't even close.

This is a very talented team. Trying to spin it Andersen was the only reason they made it is ridiculous. They were the only team witha 60+ point scorer on the top 3 lines.

Most elite goalies which carries teams don't have a terrible entire month of October which costs the team lots of points and plays so bad in April, and was the #1 reason they lost in the 1st round (.896 save %).