In just two seasons, Adam Fox has joined the ranks of the NHL's elite defensemen. Kucherovs biggest area of improvement in-game should be the physical side. Martin Fehervary just turned 26 on 6 October, but in NHL 22, he is still listed as 21, so he makes an appearance here. He has a 93 in deking, passing, and puck control, though his hand-eye is lacking a bit (but still good) at 86. He struggled at times with his new club last season, finishing with 32 points. That suggests he still has some productive seasons left in him. They won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, reached the Cup Final in 2015 and won the 2019 Presidents' Trophy with arecord-tying 62 wins. "He's just a hell of a player," said one NHL coach. He and his teammates also struggled defensively, giving up the third-highest, (33.4) and sixth-most goals-against per game (3.34). If you wanted the fastest line incorporating a players secondary position, then your line would look like this: Johnny Gaudreau (93) Connor McDavid (96) Nathan MacKinnon (93) Quinn Hughes (93) Cole Makar (93.33). He followed that up by becoming a finalist last season for theJames Norris Memorial Trophy. The fourth overall pick from the 2017 draft, Makar has great puck skills. Miska Kukkonen is rare for this list in that he has played all of his career for Finnish teams and the Finland national team. Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher sang Ellis' praises at the time of the deal, calling him "an excellent all-around defenseman." He and his teammates also struggled defensively, giving up the third-highestshots-against per game(33.4) and sixth-most goals-against per game (3.34). 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. A two-time Norris Trophy winner, Karlsson netted at least 62 points six times in his 12 NHL seasons. Since his debut in 2017-18, the 23-year-old McAvoy has steadily developed as the Bruins' top defenseman. Your email address will not be published. Lighting defensemen Victor Hedman tops this list, as he received a 91 OVR rating from the NHL team. in total points over the past four seasons with 257. The play of top-pairing defensemen Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock has been a significant contributing factor in the club's early success. The 25-year-old had 22 points in 35 games in 2020-21 before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Through 15 NHL seasons, Kris Letang has been a mainstay on the Pittsburgh Penguins blue line. Last season for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he had eight assists and six goals over 24 games. 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. Spurgeon also gets listed as underrated by players, hard player to get by despite being 5'7". It will also decrease the player's Wrist Shot Power and Puck Control by 4 and 2 points. His discipline is 75 with poise at 65 and offensive awareness at 63. Eight-year veteran Evegeny Kuznetsov still exhibits his fast legs even at 29 years of age, with a 93 in acceleration, agility, and speed. Predators get: Defenseman Tyson Two more had him third. All rights reserved. Not bad. The Arizona Coyotes unloaded another top player prior to the NHL trade deadline, sending defenseman Jakob Chychrun to the Ottawa Senators.. Ottawa is sending a 2023 first-round draft pick, a 2024 conditional second-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick to Arizona. Fox ledall NHL defensemenin 2020-21 with 42 assists while finishing second with 47 points. It will also decrease the player's Agility by 3 points. Getting help on the blue line and more specifically getting the right kind of help leaps the Oilers near the front of the Pacific Division line, where only a handful of points separate the top five teams. His puck-moving abilities and offensive instincts make him among the league's top rearguards. He had four different primary defensive partners -- Jan Rutta, Dan Girardi, Jake Dotchin and Anton Stralman -- during his four straight Norris nominations. Josh Morrissey, WPG6. 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. Awareness, and Discipline by 2, 3, and 2 points. Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey. Using this list, you should be able to find some quality young talent around which to build your defense for years to come. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Awareness, 95 Wrist Shot Accuracy, 96 Deking, 96 Puck Control, 96 Off. Copyright 1995 - 2023 An impressive rookie campaign earned the Colorado Avalanche defenseman the, in 2019-20. Letang is approaching the period in his career when his offensive output could start to decline. The Colorado Avalanche began this season with Devon Toews sidelined by offseason shoulder surgery. Since last season, he's secondamong Rangers skaters in short-handed ice time per game (2:31) and inhits with 104. This perk will increase the player's Body Checking and Balance by 4 and 3 points. All Rights Reserved. K'Andre Miller, D, NYR (suspended)32. Whether its Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, the Rangers, the Devils theyre going to have to play someone from the Western Conference. Injuries make a player worse at just about everything, and that is never fun. A model of consistency, the 6'3", 215-pound Carlson has reached or exceeded 32 points in 10 of his 12 NHL seasons. No defenseman has as many as Karlsson's 468 assists since he entered the league in 2009-10. . If you want to still be able to bang some bodies, but not sacrifice a ton of speed/athleticism. The first version of this perk will reduce the player's Balance by 4 points instead of Wrist Shot Power, and Balance is more important for defensemen to make sure they're not knocked off the puck in their zone. 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. Since 2013-14, he's come into his own as an offensive blueliner. Stick 'Em Up will allow the user to make defensive plays with their stick and intercept passes much more effectively. Since his sophomore campaign, he's been their overall leader in time on ice time per game (22:55). 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. Shea Theodore, VGK17. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. However, concerning was his drop in shot percentage from 17.2 during his award-winning season to 11.4 during the 2020-2021 season. 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. A defensive defenseman is your first step in establishing a top-line defense. 0.85 PPG. When it comes to gameplay, nothing groundbreaking. Only 22, Makar possesses the speed and offensive skills of a more seasoned NHL veteran. But Hedman wasnt the only Shore up his physical ratings and he could be the best player in NHL 22 for your team. While his discipline is fine at 80, his offensive awareness is 77 and his poise a meager 70. WebGet team defense stats for the 2022-2023 NHL season, including goals and shots against for the regular season and playoffs. Still, his point-per-game percentage over the. The season before with Cushing Academy, a prep school, he had seven assists in 33 games. On the ice, change up your attack with all new moves, dekes, dangles and evasive maneuvers, inspired by the leagues most groundbreaking innovators. Beyond his speed, the two-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner as MVP boasts incredible puck skills with a 97 in deking, hand-eye, and puck control with a 96 in passing. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. After nine seasons with the Boston Bruins, Krug signed with the St. Louis Blues in 2020. Here's everything we know, The paths of KD and Kyrie: How one month changed three franchises and two superstar legacies. Gaudreau had 30 assists and 19 goals across 56 games for Calgary during the 2020-21 season. Like Kukkonen, Bryce Montgomery will take time and patience to develop for your franchise. What metrics best define value for scoring defensemen or "defensive" defensemen? Gustav Forsling, FLA41. But that wasnt nearly enough to squeeze in Ekholm which is why Tyson Barrie, the quarterback of the Oilers No. He has a 77 in shot blocking, which is decent, and better ratings with 85 in awareness and 87 in stick checking. among defensemen last season with 45 points. Thats a down-the-road problem for a team currently out of the playoff picture. Someone every team would love to have. Like his counterpart from Edmonton, MacKinnon excels in every aspect of the game. It will also decrease the player's Passing by 4 points. He can use improvement in all aspects, particularly puck skills and defense. However, it's not unusual for there to be two swift-skating defenders who can also generate offense or two defensive-minded rearguards who can neutralize an opponent's top scorers. Crusher will allow theuser to make bigger bodychecks more often and stayon their feet more effectively. He followed that up by becoming a finalist last season for the, Only 22, Makar possesses the speed and offensive skills of a more seasoned NHL veteran. At the bottom of the page, you will find a list of the best young defensive defensemen in NHL 22. WebThe best defence is a good offence. Miro Heiskanen is only 21-years-old but has already made a big impact in the NHL as an integral defenseman for the Dallas Stars Stanley Cup Final run in 2020. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. Devon Toews, COL24. Though limited to 33 points in 48 games last season, Josi remains among the game's elite mobile blueliners. The physical blueliner is also their leader with 96 blocked shots and 52 takeaways, and he's second in hits with 136. While his durability of 85 is fine, his other physical skills need improvement if he is going to make an impact. . The fastest line to play in NHL 22 is as follows, with each player selected on their speed score and preferred position: Johnny Gaudreau (93) Connor McDavid (96) Nikita Kucherov (93) Quinn Hughes (93) Cale Makar (93.33). Though limited to 33 points in 48 games last season, Josi remains among the game's elite mobile blueliners. Your email address will not be published. During the 2019-2020 season with the Calgary Hitmen, he had 39 assists and seven goals across 64 games. 1 power-play also was included in the deal. Awareness, 91 Passing, 91 Puck Control, 91 Stick Checking. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2023. That includes tallying 68 points in 2017-18, 70 points in 2018-19 and 75 points in 2019-20. He does have good defensive ratings otherwise with an 87 in stick checking and 85 in awareness, which may help mitigate his lower rating in shot blocking. Dougie Hamilton's offensive skills were apparent early in his NHL career with the Boston Bruins, exceeding 40 points for the first time in 2014-15. Sean Gentille:Dont let the multiple elements in play here confuse you; each teams respective goal is obvious. The youngest player on this list by one year, Quinn Hughes is also only the second defenseman who scored at least a 93 in speed score. 27 viidenmetrinmolo PHI - NHL 2 yr. ago I mean you can be the worst defensive player in the league but if you dominate possession, you prevent much more goals than a good defensive guy who's stuck in his own zone. Inject some speed into your NHL 22 lines to get an edge against all of your opponents. 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. Since last season, the 27-year-old leads all Bruins defensemen in power-play ice time per game (2:30) and sits second to McAvoy in points with 20. 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. He also netted at least 40 points six times in the past seven seasons with the Bruins, Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes. NHL trade deadline: Winners and losers, including the Bruins, Devils and Bruce Boudreau? He's fifth in total points (94) over thepast two seasonsand has yet to reach his playing prime. 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. His balance and durability should keep him on the ice as he will rarely fall, which would increase the risk of injury. The season prior for the Ottawa 67s, he had 16 assists and three goals in 39 games. Awareness, 93 Speed, 96 Deking, 95 Off. Where he could improve is on the defensive end, particularly since he plays a defensive position. Karlsson prevented goals because he always had the puck. Defensively, Montgomery needs a lot of fine-tuning as his stick checking is 71, shot blocking a 68, and awareness a 67. 1 in that span, ahead of Zdeno Chara (+82). Since 2014-15, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been the NHL's top franchise. Is Evan Bouchard the PP1 guy now, or does Ekholm run the top group? 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. His two-career game-winning goals came during the 2019-20 season when he had eight goals and 45 assists over 68 games, pitching in 14 assists and two goals over 17 playoff games in his only postseason experience. Which non-quarterback group will define each top-25 team's season? Our survey respondents agreed that Hedman is, at the very least, the best defenseman in the world. Awareness by 4 and 3 points. After missing all of the 2020-21 regular season recovering from surgery, Kucherov joined Tampa Bay for the playoffs and had 24 assists and eight goals over 23 games in another championship season. The Def. Hamilton says Mercedes a long way off pace, LIVE Transfer Talk: Bayern still keen on Kane despite new Choupo-Moting contract, Previewing the 2023 college baseball season: Teams and players to watch, key storylines, Road to the men's Frozen Four: Conference tournaments at a glance, Top moments from Brady, Manning, Jordan and other athletes hosting 'Saturday Night Live', Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, could be the best all-around hockey player in the world, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The 24-year-old Werenski is a skilled and mobile blueliner, tallying 47 points as a rookie in 2016-17. The Preds? Last night I ran a 6"5 defensive defenseman with stick em up and defensive minded. But who are the best shutdown beasts that come to mind for you? Bruce holds a Ph.D. in Education and formerly taught undergraduates as an adjunct instructor. Dougie Hamilton, NJD7. The fourth overall pick from the 2017 draft, Makar has great puck skills. His deking, puck control, and awareness are at 96 while his hand-eye, passing, poise, and wrist shot accuracy are at 95. This list has the best young defensive defensemen in NHL 22. However, the 36-year-old's. He plays the right side, same as Roman Josi, last years Norris Trophy runner-up, so it remains to be seen how the Predators sort out the minutes and the responsibility going forward. For the Preds, this is a nice bit of business. You will need patience, but it will pay off. Thats 19th highest among NHL defensemen. In just four NHL campaigns, Heiskanen has established himself as a talented offensive rearguard. Hampus Lindholm, BOS18. Traits come in versions one or two and will decrease other attributes depending on which version is chosen. The second version of this perk will reduce the player's Def. Ranking the NHL's top defensemen: Why Victor Hedman is so far ahead of his peers, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, 'Not going out this way': Nets, down 28, stun C's, Scherzer tries to test pitch clock limits, gets balk, Sources: Patriots tell QB Hoyer he's being cut, Garber: MLS would be flexible for Messi move, Shiffrin, in fifth, gets 'big goal' with overall title, Ledecky sees 9-year win streak in U.S. snapped, Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Inside the long-awaited return of Jon Jones and his quest for heavyweight glory, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Fact-Checking, Corrections & DMCA Takedowns, NHL 22 X-Factors Explained: Zone and Superstar Abilities, All X-Factor Players Lists, NHL 22 Player Ratings: Best Young Defensive Defensemen, NHL 22 Player Ratings: Best Young Goalies, NHL 22 Be A Pro: How to Build the Best Two-Way Center, NHL 22 Player Ratings: Best Young Defensemen, 95 Acceleration, 94 Hand-Eye, 94 Off. "Hedman came in young. He has good senses with a 94 in offensive awareness, 91 in defensive awareness, and 90 in poise. A strong skater who logs big minutes for the Maple Leafs, the 27-year-old Rielly reached or exceeded 27 points in each of his eight NHL campaigns. Hes a fan of the San Francisco Giants and 49ers, and the Philadelphia 76ers. The second version of this perk reduces the player's passing by 4 points instead of their Wrist Shot Accuracy, and defensemen will need to make a good outlet pass more often than they'll need to take an accurate wrist shot. CS Media Limited All Rights Reserved. Team: Carolina HurricanesAge: 18Position: Right Defense/Left DefenseType: Defensive DefensemanShoots: RightContract: $0.750M, 0 Years Left, Two-WayBest Attributes: 82 Slap Shot Power, 81 Wrist Shot Power, 80 Durability. However, even with that poise, his faceoffs are only a 77. Your first click here will rank His awareness is only a 77, and both shot blocking and stick checking are 80. Eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July, Klingberg could earn a lucrative new contract with the Stars or another NHL club. This does not apply when both teams have taken a penalty (4-on-4 or 3-on-3). He became a key cog in their offensive attack last season, especially on. If not, oh well youve got to ice a full lineup. He exceeded the 40-point plateau again in 2018-19 and 2019-20. 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. He's also the leader in power-play points (106) during that period. 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. They cleared cap space and added a first-round pick to the haul they received for Jeannot. Victor Hedman Tampa By Lightning. Favorite additions though are adding practice for your club and a free skate mode when editing/testing different load outs. The 2019-20 Rookie of the Year is entering his third season, but has already made an impact in his first two. He recently returned to practice and could make his season debut soon. Despite missing time because of injuries throughout his career, the 34-year-old, among NHL blueliners since his debut, with 582 in 853 games. Signed to a new. A broken leg cut short his 2020-21 season, but the 25-year-old has made a full recovery and collected seven points in as many games so far this campaign.