Adam Proteau ranks the top five NHL teams whose defense corps are better than most in this league full of parity. There's even a tie at No. 5.
With the NHL’s 2023-24 regular season mere days away, THN.com is evaluating the depth (or lack thereof) of NHL team rosters.
On Wednesday, we analyzed the NHL’s top five teams in terms of their top-six forward groups. Thursday, we identified the five teams with the weakest top-six forward groups.
Today, we’re rating the five best defense corps in the league. In reverse order, here are this writer’s choices for the five teams with the top groups of blueliners.
Honorable mentions: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues
5. (tie) Vegas Golden Knights and New York Rangers
Top six Golden Knights defensemen: Alec Martinez, Alex Pietrangelo, Brayden McNabb, Shea Theodore, Nic Hague, Kaeden Korczak
Top six Rangers defensemen: Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba, K’Andre Miller, Ryan Lindgren, Braden Schneider, Erik Gustafsson
It was quite difficult to separate the top 10 defense groups – the Blues, Sabres, Bruins and Flames all have valuable components – but even getting the list down to five teams was very tough. In the end, we’ve decided we like the Golden Knights and Rangers blueliners an equal amount for the fifth-best spot on this list.
Both teams have true elite two-way players. Vegas won the Stanley Cup last year in large part due to its big, punishing group of D-men. Meanwhile, the Blueshirts have a perennial Norris Trophy contender in Fox, a vicious defender in Trouba and a youngster with his prime still ahead in Miller.
The Golden Knights’ and Rangers’ defensemen will play a huge part in the success or failure of their season, and you have to give Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon and Rangers counterpart Chris Drury credit for assembling a well-above-average group of blueliners.
4. Dallas Stars
Top six defensemen: Miro Heiskanen, Ryan Suter, Esa Lindell, Jani Hakanpaa, Thomas Harley, Nils Lundkvist
The Stars are this writer's pick to win the Cup this year, and one of the key reasons why is the depth and overall caliber of their defense corps.
In Heiskanen, they have a player who will be a front-runner for the Norris for the foreseeable future. In Suter, they have a veteran presence with some snarl. In Lindell, they have an underrated force who reads plays well and makes adjustments easily. In Hakanpaa, Harley and Lundkvist, they have solid depth in their bottom-three defense group.
All in all, the Stars’ defense has a high panic threshold, an ability to get the puck out of their zone quickly and an excellent No. 1 goalie in Jake Oettinger who can deliver them out of any mistakes they might make. Dallas’ offense is dangerous, but because the defense more than carries its own weight, the Stars don’t need to score boatloads of goals every game. The ‘D’ take care of their own zone far more often than not, and that’s as crucial to their overall game plan as anything else.
3. New Jersey Devils
Top six defensemen: Dougie Hamilton, John Marino, Jonas Siegenthaler, Colin Miller, Luke Hughes, Kevin Bahl
We pegged the Devils’ top six forwards as the third-best in the NHL, and we see their defense corps as the third-best in the league as well. With veteran star Hamiltion, sturdy Marino and Miller, and up-and-comers Hughes and Siegenthaler, they’re dynamic and deep. Their time at the top of the profession is only beginning.
Three of the top-six defense corps on this list reside in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division, and New Jersey’s is about as good as it gets. The Devils are the sexy pick to win the Metro and a Cup this year, and if they do climb that hill, it will be in part because their defensemen pushed them to hockey’s ultimate heights.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
Top six defensemen: Dmitry Orlov, Jaccob Slavin, Brent Burns, Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, Tony DeAngelo
If they hadn’t made any additions this summer, the Hurricanes’ defense corps still would’ve been in the top five of any ‘D’ ranking. But bringing in UFA veteran Orlov made them the clear-cut best defense group in the Eastern Conference and the second-best in the NHL.
Along with fellow Canes newcomer DeAngelo, Orlov and every one of Carolina’s top six D-men averaged at least 21:49 of ice time per game last season, and five of their top six averaged at least 22:00 of ice time. That’s some phenomenal balance.
Should the injury bug bite into the Hurricanes’ back end, they have more than enough depth to pick up the slack and keep Carolina in the top tier of the standings. And if they do stay healthy, look out – this could very well prove to be the defense corps that earns the hoisting of a Cup next spring.
1. Colorado Avalanche
Top six defensemen: Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Samuel Girard, Josh Manson, Bowen Byram, Jack Johnson
Many believe Makar is the best defenseman on Earth, and we’re not here to tell you they’re wrong. But it’s the entirety of the Avalanche’s defense corps that makes the overall group the best in the game.
Toews has matured into an elite force at both ends of the ice, while Girard is still only 25 and has his best days ahead of him. Pulling up the rear are Byram (who had 10 goals in only 42 games last season), Manson (still a physical contributor at age 31), and Johnson (who averaged 19:09 of ice time last season).
There really aren’t any holes in Colorado’s defense. They have all-world talents, a terrific mix of youth and experience, and a recent Cup to their credit. They’re the gold standard of NHL bluelines, and they’ll almost assuredly continue to lead the way for all defense corps this season.