I Try to Rank the Top 30 Defensemen in the NHL

[@LSA30]

Covering a hotly-debated topic while on vacation so he doesn’t have to see all the controversy? Brilliant move, Shannon!

[@mitchstarr]

​@@mannyoliveira776Kris Letang was snubbed on THG list

[@LetsTalkHockey9]

@@mannyoliveira776Morgan Rielly

[@spartannige3296]

@@mannyoliveira776Jonas Brodin needs to be there. One of the most underrated defensemen out there.

[@loganm4983]

THG's KZbin IQ is off the charts

[@duck.2849]

@@mannyoliveira776Hughes at 16? no shot lmao!

[@drexium4190]

An even 30:00 on a Top 30 list. So Satisfying.

[@peterolbrisch8970]

By all that's OCD, I agree.

[@JoBure10]

Doin it for the boys

[@peterolbrisch8970]

@@JoBure10 The boys with. OCD.

[@whatwespinning]

Devon Toews is quite the snub. He slots in over a number of these players IMO.

[@meke7777]

Yep, slots easily over most of the guys in 21-30. I was thinking during the top 10 surely Toews can't be this high, but he is still not on the list.

[@chanses7576]

Absolutely CRIMINAL to look over Toews on this list lol. Easily in the 15-20 range.

[@MIchaelMiii]

Hopefully Shannon doesn't see this comment, it'll ruin his vacation.

[@Oxmosh]

@@chanses7576 go make your own list, thank you

[@chanses7576]

@Oxmosh notice how the most commented thing on this video is Devon Toews being left off. Almost like it's a very common opinion that Devon Toews is a top D man in the league.

[@AstroTrain100]

Pietrangelo is very underrated because he is so well rounded. Blues were never the same after he left.

[@bgduqc6876]

Easy top 15 for me

[@chrisg1556]

If they were to pick team Canada today he would be on the top pairing. Hes easily better than most of the guys in the top ten on this list.

[@jrodjdcollectibles5930]

Agreed. Way too low on this list. Stanley cup in St. Louis. Leaves and goes to win another with Vegas. Def has the pedigree.

[@jackl52]

Agreed.

[@RandomPlaceHolderName]

@@jrodjdcollectibles5930 He lead both teams in playoffs minutes during those cup runs too.

[@LA-ly9mq]

It's criminal that Devon Toews is not on this list. He may not be top 5, or even top 10, but he is DEFINITELY top 30.

[@J5Bomb]

RIGHT!!??? I was just thinking the same thing, absolutely criminal not to have him on here, I would put him easily around 25

[@didjano]

It's funny because as an isle I thought man, this guy has potential to be an amazing offensive defenseman lol. Then he becomes the defensive conscience of a cup winner

[@Clappincardboard]

I kept watching thinking he’s got to be on here and then noooppppeee.

[@JT-yl9yt]

As a Sabres fan I have no idea how Power made the list tbh he wasn't even as good as Samuelsson for the Sabres.

[@johnsinglet575]

This. As someone who thinks Toews sometimes gets overated as a top 10 dman by some, he's unequivocally a top 30 dman. No debate.

[@frankhaula]

I've been watching you religiously for at least four years and I can't say that I've ever been this surprised. The fact that you would leave Devon Toews out of your top 30 list is truly mindboggling.

[@nathanbulla1]

And you somehow made it EXACTLY 30 minutes. Slow clap…

[@Oldpucker]

👏

[@robertshipp6414]

👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

[@jshing8387]

👏👏

[@SonOfTamriel]

29:59 here

[@philtorrez4198]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@ZackTheKack]

Cale at 1 makes sense. I think Byram and Toews will definitely be top 30 if everyone stays healthy. The avalanche blue line is ridiculous.

[@seanhartel5362]

Toews is already top 30. Makar doesn’t have the freedom he has on the blueline without Toews

[@ZackTheKack]

@@seanhartel5362 i agree. But not everyone else does.

[@MrPY4u]

Byram can't even finish an entire season. He's not top 30.

[@seanhartel5362]

@@MrPY4u the guy literally said, “if everyone stays healthy.” Can you read?

[@MrPY4u]

@@seanhartel5362 yes i can and i see all seasons incomplete. It's not a likely scenario that Byram finishes an entire season. Hence hes maybe top 50 defense in the league

[@joev953]

As a Pens fan I’m sad to see Letang didn’t make the list. Although he is getting up there

[@nneichan9353]

yeah me too

[@Seegster77]

Hes not really dropping off production wise. He understandably dropped off last season considering what he went through. But the season before last was one of his best. 68 points +20.

[@lelouchvibritannia4028]

Dude came back from two strokes. Might not be among the best, but certainly is one of the toughest.

[@Mattyice6969]

NO TANGER? NO TOEWS?

[@gablefisk-govphost817]

It was as if a million Yinzers cried out in pain, and were suddenly silenced...

[@steve.c.74]

Honestly I feel they should make a ‘best defensive player award’ not necessarily a defenseman, could even be a depth forward, just to recognize that side of the game (including blocked shots etc)

[@spencergiles4247]

How is Devon Toews not on this list???

[@jefflarson1652]

You mean the best defenseman on the Avalanche? Kind of shocking.

[@biffdanielson2820]

Because Shannon is still bitter about the move from Quebec.

[@kschro03]

Toews in the 31-35 range

[@Catho90]

It's come to my attention that Shannon doesn't rate Toews very highly. After Toews arrival in Colorado, Shannon made a projected line-up for the Avs and kept Toews out of it. When asked if he forgot Toews, Shannon replied with a "No". At this point I think he's rating him this lowly to save face.

[@4u2nvHock3y]

The best defensive defenseman definitely not best defenseman. That goes to makar.

[@Oldpucker]

I really like your up front philosophy Shannon about the comment section. “I’m on vacation” Love this and good for you dude. Enjoy

[@steamr0ll]

Shannon does more work to cover for his vacation than most people do at max effort. I really like these videos even if they make me a little twitchy here and there! Enjoy your holiday Shan!

[@andrewl4162]

Great list Shannon! As an avs fan, we’ve been spoiled with our current blue line. So glad I get to watch cale get better and better here in Colorado.

[@johnsinglet575]

Solid list overall (not easy to do). My nitpicks: -Toews should be on the list -Letang should be on lower range of list -Morrisey way too high -Hamilton a bit high -Dobson is honorable mention -Slavin should be a bit higher

[@JohnSmith-jb2jf]

Letang was arguably the Pens MVP in 2021 and 2022. Also the best defensive defenseman on the team during those years. Last year was a step back for sure, but let's see if that's the new norm.

[@YoYoYoYoYoYoPeace]

Letang was criminal

[@diggergeensen860]

Morrissey is a top 5 defenceman in the NHL. The Jets started out that Vegas series in a very competitive manner. We all saw what took place after Josh went down to injury. Winnipeg had no answer to the Vegas attack without him.

[@goon8058]

Don't mind the Morrisey take but not sure how much lower I'd drop him. Slavin, Pietroangelo, Rielly, Werenski are all around similar levels as Morrissey. He could use an upgrade as a partner since Trouba left Winnipeg's been missing another top 2 defensemen, probably biggest hole on the team is that position. Demelo, Pionk, Dillon Sanderson and Schmidt are more of a number 4 defensemen maybe a number 3 at best.

[@hellogoodbyeagain]

Relax guys. Everybody has his own list. This is just for fun. (I love this channel. Shannon has such a positive attitude, even in his (gentle) criticism of players, management, etc. A sports rarity in this internet era).

[@domh548]

The fact devon toews is not only not on the top 10 but not even on this list should be a crime against humanity.

[@jerbear5312]

Thank you

[@fubartotale3389]

Chill dude, first it's just a game, second it's one mans opinion. Your mileage may vary. As a Chicago fan, I can't help but remember that "he who shall not be named"☆ traded him away for nothing. ☆Stan Bowman...

[@jfkst1]

Agreed. Morrissey and Dunn are recency bias selections that wouldn't be top pairing on contenders. Burns and Carlson are defensive liabilities.

[@MrGerard0406]

I'm not an Aves fan but I do have Toews at #2 right behind Makar.

[@seanr.6596]

@@MrGerard0406You’re the only person in the world that has him ranked #2 in the nhl

[@Furcapper]

Great list and the only player that got robbed in my opinion is indeed Toews.

[@Cacuna]

I know people dont like plus minus stats but devon toews is at +120 in the last 3 season +28 ahead of the 2nd place

[@ac8274]

For the record, I love your list videos

[@tomasmackenzie5866]

Rasmus Andersson not even being an honorable mention is insane

[@saintsabbathi]

What suprized me about Power was, for how old he is... his poise. Looked like a vet out there, no panic in his game.

[@chrisv384]

He seems a bit insecure when I look at his games (about 10 or so this season) very solid d-fens but no show in offense.... not very puck friendly.

[@MrPY4u]

Sanderson is just as good. One of the most underrated players under age of 25.

[@salcrino]

​@chrisv384 that will come with time.... defensemen normally mature in the league a little slower. He showed great for a rookie season. Not to mention.... Buffalo doesn't need scoring, we need defense.

[@4u2nvHock3y]

Where's Matheson at? Were talking about paces and not mentioning him? He was on pace for 60 points on a trash Habs team and wasn't even playing 1st line for a lot of the time he was healthy. Underrated twd imo. Is he top 30? No. But if owen power apparently is then he could be. I think Matheson deserves an hm though just for his scoring last season. He had the most goals for any dman from all star games to the end. So he's not bad.

[@Mr-DieHard]

As an Isles fan I am shocked two of our defenseman are on this list. I am even more shocked that both of them are not named Adam Pelech. He is our best defenseman by FAR. Our team is a disaster without him.

[@BTBAMNYI]

Agreed. I was waiting for Pelech’s name to come up. He’s our best defenseman and has been for a while now.

[@20thCenturyManTrad]

I'm not an Isles fan at all and I thought Pelech belonged here.

[@MrGerard0406]

I personally have Pelech at 33. The next closest Islander is Noah Dobson at 53. But yeah, I do have Pelech as the #1 defenseman for the Islanders.

[@Mehole29]

@@MrGerard0406pelech is a top 20 bruh

[@MrGerard0406]

@@Mehole29 according to stats, nah

[@ericchambers3751]

Sanderson will be a top 15 defender in 2 years, the guy is amazing

[@brianjones7660]

Who is he?

[@Phoenix96886]

Slavin needs to be way way higher but other than that, great list

[@saiyansatan]

I can agree with this list. I was a little surprised to see Devon Toews miss the list but there are lots of great defensemen in the league

[@30AndHatingIt]

Dahlin is probably more Top 5, but again, opinions. Also wish there was an honorable mention section on this, cause the Sabres without Samuelson lost a TON of games, while seemed to play better while he was in.

[@michaelranney4693]

Agreed

[@aapokettunen8796]

I would put McAvoy and Heiskanen above Fox and Dahlin right after

[@ryankiesling2885]

no problemo with this list, enjoy your vacation Shannon!

[@MrWastedtalent34]

Now we know that Shannon is friends with Sakic and MacFarland, this video should definitely keep the Devon Toews extension in check.

[@ReplayValueMusic]

Was hoping to see Rasmus Anderson here. Very underrated D man but can’t argue with who you put on here

[@sakalaath]

He is fantastic. He is especially good at keeping the puck in the offensive zone, stopping clearing attempts.

[@NGC-7635]

People who aren't Wings fans think Seider is overrated but if you actually watch him, he's super smart and effective at his role whenever he's on the ice. If the puck ends up in his own net when he's out there it's very rarely a play he was involved with. And he's wicked on the powerplay.

[@billsouza4457]

Wings have a history of greatly overrated defensemen imho ;p

[@4u2nvHock3y]

No one's thinks he bad lol you guys just hype him up as this franchise defenseman when really he's probably going to be the worse version of reinbacher and simashev. His season this year was a down year. And he's more of an older Calder winner. I believe he won it at 21 or 20. Most are 19 18. So for a older rookie to be putting up those numbers with the experience he had isn't enough for me. 42 points isn't worthy of top 30. I don't see him or you mention toews and he had 45 points in 67 games.

[@nathanielwiens]

@@4u2nvHock3y I am a Wings fan so I'm clearly biased, and I agree it's way too early to really say anything definitive. However, Mo's been putting up the numbers breaking all Lidstrom's early records (fastest to blah blah blah, youngest to blah blah blah, etc) so he could end up being decent if he continues to plateau or he could be really, really good. Only time will tell. This last season he was really dragged down by a Chairot-shaped anchor for the first half of the season. I'm interested to see how he develops as we introduce some of the younger D guys coming up.

[@4u2nvHock3y]

Ok. I guess it's just a matter of time before we see what he does in this league really. I just think that reinbacher looks like seider. Picked in nearly the same spot. Known as a off the board pick. Similar size. Similar playstyle. Similar ceiling. I think reinbacher personally as a Habs fan won't be a star. Why I don't really consider seider one either. But who knows. Maybe seider is the better Lindstrom..

[@averyhendrick741]

Leaving out Devon Toews is insane. He's easily a top-10 defenseman. Ranks that way in every other list I've ever seen. Wondering if he was forgotten about

[@hiddenintheshadows4ever]

We need the lists videos to stay, the comments are gold

[@oldhab7890]

Interesting list. Who is the best defenceman is always a question of whether the offence or defence aspect of the game is emphasized. I think Shannon did a pretty good job of trying to balance the two.

[@chrisg1556]

This list is just a reminder that the NHL desperately needs 2 separate awards for defenceman. Norris should go to the best defenceman and they should have another award for best offensive defenceman. They have an award for best defensive forward so having one for best offensive defenceman is only logical.

[@Lee-f9w5v]

Ya you could do top points or goals scored as a defense . Then another award for top defensive .

[@bajjanitor]

If an award were to be added then it should be for best defensive defenseman. Norris being an award for best allround defenseman already heavily rewards points production because that's the only metric simple enough for the hockey journalists to understand.

[@oopopp]

Mattias Ekholm is soooo underrated.

[@matejstefansky7659]

Because there is simply too much competition. Even guys like Chychrun, Toews or Rasmus Andersson are not on THG list

[@MrGerard0406]

@@matejstefansky7659 I can understand a lot of guys, but MacKenzie Weegar not on the list, kind of confuses me. Not gonna lie haha. Maybe he was forgotten in the filth of Calgary.

[@SvechnikovPucks]

@@MrGerard0406 Weegar had a terrible year in Calgary, if he based it off the 21-22 season then yeah he easily makes this listing.

[@MrGerard0406]

@@SvechnikovPucks i mean i guess you could say that offensively but definitely not defensively. And he wasnt even that bad offensively

[@shawnthibodeau189]

He’s top 35 100%. Maybe over a full season he gets into the top 30

[@joelbeaudoin2761]

Enjoy your vacation Shannon!

[@rcl1955ca]

Glad you gave mention to the Rangers' Miller and Trouba. I might have put them in your list above Montour and Pulock.

[@4u2nvHock3y]

Montour just had 70 points buddy calm down

[@rcl1955ca]

@@4u2nvHock3y I just wonder if he can do that again? I know it won’t be this season but in the next full one when he’s healthy. Sometimes guys have career years and they never hit those heights again. And health has always been an issue with that guy.

[@davidchimes3464]

I can't believe I watched a list video and pretty much agreed with all of it. Mind blown. Lol

[@wannabefunnyman]

How to tell if a KZbinr is a pro: Drops bomb. Immediately goes on vacation.

[@Lukeee91]

Based on this video, Devon Toews is seriously underrated.

[@chrisault4575]

This may be an interesting list to do: The top defensemen you would want on the ice facing the 2022-23 Edmonton Power Play. Just a thought.

[@rylangregory5790]

Rasmus Anderson? Criminally underrated

[@TheLifeOfJim]

No love for Jonas Brodin is wild. No pun intended. Just a solid Defenseman.

[@nneichan9353]

have you ever done a ranking of each team based on all their defensemen?

[@jonahs52803]

i remember him ranking teams’ Top 4s going into the 2018 season i believe

[@nneichan9353]

thank you!@@jonahs52803

[@benjaminlynch9958]

This is a good list and these are always fun with fans arguing the #1 defenseman on their team should be higher than you have them listed. 😅 Somewhere in Canada Jeff Marek is outraged that Jonas Brodin isn’t on the list purely based on his backward skating skills. 😂

[@Siouxfan28]

I was thinking the same thing when I saw Brods wasn't on here. Marek is a simp for his skating abilities. Dude is always shutting down top line scorers like Mcdavid and Mackinnon with his speed going backwards.

[@whoshotashleybabbitt4924]

😂😂😂

[@jhedges8301]

I was here for Makar and I'm still here arguing that Devon Toews should be in there somewhere. Lol... ppl just want to argue for some reason.

[@Bum_Hip]

As a guy who watches Alex Pietrangelo 80 or more times a year, I’m a bit surprised he isn’t higher on the list. I mean he’s borderline HOF at this point. But that’s the fun of these lists, we get to see how others see our favorite players. Maybe I’m a bit bias.

[@Bouncer-id1rh]

No, you're right.

[@phillipfarrell1504]

Hope you’re having a great vacation! Thank you for your lists

[@Zander98]

Miro’s going to be top 2 eventually at some point in his career. Every season he takes another massive step forward.

[@PiYodTong]

If anyone gave a damn about Dallas they'd be green with envy (lol)

[@patrickgoulet8170]

I thought he should be higher

[@axe2grind244]

He just doesn’t have the offensive capabilities Dahlin/Makar/Hughes and Fox do. Those guys are legit point per game dudes.

[@PiYodTong]

@@axe2grind244 Well can't expect him to do literally everything, can we? The Stars aren't starved for scoring as of this last year.

[@Zilk9]

He tied Dahlin in points last year and finished ahead of fox despite playing 3 less games. He may not ever have a higher PPG than Makar, but he’s easily the best shutdown defenseman of them all. 73 points in 79 games while carrying an entire teams blue line is elite, top-5 caliber defense

[@pjp9310]

Thank you for all the content Shannon

[@ajfazz8773]

Diehard Islander fan and I LOVED Dobson when he debued in the NHL (I even was at the game with his first goal when he was 19) but I was severely disappointed this season that I said he should be on the trade block. He really needs to pick it up this season to regain my support.

[@skiinggator]

Pelech is the Isles best D-man

[@Roffi223]

Love that the top lists by position is back, awesome work!

[@svenusling]

My favourite part about the hate on lists like this is... someone who is third on the list, is considered to be the third best player in the world. That is a BIG achievement. It doesn't mean they suck, it just means there is two others who are better. It really seems to be an issue for some people.

[@axe2grind244]

Lol I love sports lists cuz people get so bent outta shape about them. We learned the difference between fact and opinion in 4th grade, millions of people must have been sick that day. I’d have Dahlin at 3 but Shannon has him at 9….nobody is right or wrong.

[@svenusling]

@@axe2grind244 How dare you have an opinion of your own? :D

[@axe2grind244]

@@trevoravery9270 Ok tell me what the “factual” list of 30 best Dmen are. And then explain to me in explicit detail how those became facts. I’ll be lying in wait….

[@Bouncer-id1rh]

@@axe2grind244 These aren't the 30 best defensemen in the league, they are largely 30 best offensive players who play on the defense. I mean, EK at #4. If he's the 4th best "defensemen" in the league, then maybe my grandmother should try out.

[@axe2grind244]

@@Bouncer-id1rh They are according to Shannon, and they are not according to you. And thats that.

[@Whisky_4_1]

great list. thanks for prerecording this prior to your trip.

[@garrettma5758]

Lindholm, Theodore and Montour. Gotta love the Anaheim Ducks representation.

[@duowithmrnukario1006]

Yeah and Manson is a pretty solid top four

[@patch8376]

I took most of 2023 off of hockey, burnt out from opinions, contracts, and douchebags. You're getting me back into it, damnit.

[@elasmith4218]

Honestly morrissey and montour had almost the same season both had a career high and their career path is basically the same, so i dont really get how they're not 10 & 11 respectively

[@saxonknight668]

Solid list. Well thought out. Thanks

[@Loam_Lord]

Not having Brodin on here yet have Spurgy is absurd

[@tegridy27]

Yea it’s insane

[@iamflat]

Jacob Slavin has proven on several occasions that he could be gifted offensively. It makes me wonder: if he weren't so committed defensively, could he achieve the points totals some of the other best defensemen have?

[@rosariocannistraro3561]

I mean he was that guy when he played at Colorado College so yeah! , He was always pretty decent defensively and could run a PP and put up points/anchor a top pair but something happened in a very short time from leaving NCAA and going pro he just became a defensive monster and exceeded my expectations by a lot even though I was really high on him .

[@WillSams]

​@@rosariocannistraro3561Yeah, he and Peace came in at their first training camp both flipped the script, committed themselves defensively and became the top pairing very quickly. As regards the list, 13 is fine if they keep pairing him with defensive sieves like Burns

[@crushdavis7048]

The thing I always find interesting when it comes to defenseman is that for guys like Karlsoon, when they get mentioned, they always have to bring up the caveat that he is not very good defensively. You barely ever see anyone bring up when a defenseman is a black hole on offense (as in they generate very little of it.) Offensive D Men get so much crap sometimes. If your team doesn't have one, you'll realize really quickly how fast that overall team offense dissipates. Not to say THG is doing it here, but just I here it so much in general from other people.

[@southpawjimmy9735]

Good point, but I'd add the opposite can be true too. No one will put a "black hole on offense" on this list in the first place.

[@nochera84]

Well, their first assignment is to take of the defending part. So unless you have/had a system like Boston or New Jersey that shelters the offensive defenders, then its down to their +/- impact even though it is a skewered stat. The good black holes can leave a positive impact on a team, because you know someone will always cover you back, and they will affect their goalies aswell.

[@MP-dn4bs]

bad defensive defensemen get skewered when they make a mistake that leads to the winning goal against. It's less obvious when the bad offensive defenseman contributes absolutely zero to the offense in a couple of 2-1 or 1-0 losses.

[@nochera84]

@@MP-dn4bs of course, the difference in their primary role.

[@Burnzie79]

Great video! Significantly better choices for a top 5 than Adam Wylde's of SDPN.

[@Kalthor99]

I think I personally would replace Power with Samuelsson at least for right now, Sammy was so important to Buffalo last season as seen by there record while he was injured, But I could see Power over taking him by this time next year.

[@tamarockstar45]

This is how reddit recently ranked defensmen in a poll. Not saying it's better or more accurate. If anything it's not a good ranking at all. Just thought it'd be an interesting comparison. 1 Cale Makar 2 Adam Fox 3 Victor Hedman 4 Roman Josi 5 Miro Heiskanen 6 Charlie McAvoy 7 Erik Karlsson 8 Rasmus Dahlin 9 Quinn Hughes 10 Jaccob Slavin 11 Moritz Seider 12 Alex Pietrangelo 13 Devon Toews 14 Aaron Ekblad 15 Dougie Hamilton 16 Morgan Reilly 17 Hampus Lindholm 18 Shea Theodore 19 Kris Letang 20 Drew Doughty 21 Mikhail Sergachev 22 Josh Morrissey 23 Jakob Chychrun 24 Mattias Ekholm 25 Zach Werenski 26 Brent Burns 27 Thomas Chabot 28 Mackenzie Weegar 29 Noah Hanifin 30 Vince Dunn

[@tomboustead7588]

As a Wild fan, Jonas Brodin needed to be at least an honorable mention

[@mcdbq_]

Fantastic list. Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour both feel underrated though. I don’t believe Montour just had a career year. He’s always been that good and finally was given the opportunity to show it. Will stay great for years to come.

[@smk20086]

Literally was about to comment where Montour and Theodore and Toews are?

[@smk20086]

I also beleive Pesce should be on it. His defense is next level, almost Slavin like.

[@brianwright4852]

I was hoping Seider would be top 15 but I understand based on how he played the first half being strapped to Chiarot.

[@Wattupaworkin]

Hey Shannon I want to say thank you for making a fun video! I enjoyed it and your picks. And yes there were only 2 picks I didn’t agree with. But I enjoyed it and loved it and laughed at you dreading the comments section😂 so here is a happy one for ya!!!!

[@hunterfirzsimmons4112]

Quinn Hughes over Dahlin is wild and where’s Devon Toews

[@billsouza4457]

100%

[@HandsomeDanVacationRentals]

THG watches more of my favorite team than nearly anyone but the team personnel. What team is that? Doesnt matter. He watches them more. In THG rankings we trust ;)

[@th3b0pper]

Finally someone sees how good Sergachev is, especially for his age.

[@Hawkeye-4077]

Your picks are actually pretty decent. Perhaps I’d have Slavin a bit higher but nothing seems that out of place.

[@jma.87]

Why is future HOFer Slavin only 13 on this list? 😏

[@TheOli4521]

Oooohhh where is Devon Toews??? Top 20 easy

[@MaverickWall238]

These are fascinating to rewatch a year later.

[@Tropicsmoker22]

Bro the most under rated d man is Jonas Brodin. Dude completely shuts down every one.

[@nottheguy4328]

Top 120 is crazy but 64 would be cool. In a perfect pairity league, what are the top pairings. Great list! Cant wait to see how it changes over the coming years.

[@SabresGuy87]

Dahlin being too low is a real debate, being too high is not

[@grapeabyss1744]

I don’t disagree with the personnel on the list, but I do disagree with some of the positions. Great work as always Shannon!

[@emperorggs3248]

I feel like Ekholm should be in the 10-20 range and Seider is also a bit low, but otherwise pretty decent list

[@hughjass1044]

If Shannon did a Top 120 list, the video would be 4x as long as this one. I'd still watch.

[@nellietolb420]

Toss up between Jonas Brodin and Jared . Spurgeon is clutch Brodin quietly does it all .

[@HolyPire]

Everytime I think I know Hockey.... THG comes in and says to me: Well you do not know that😂

[@haysbrickell9579]

I'm not much of a Toronto fan but have always liked Morgan Reilly. He definitely catches too much flack but is invaluable to the Leafs.

[@johnsinglet575]

Hockey channel ranking...Hockey Guy #1 AINEC Nice work Shannon.

[@brandonb.6099]

One of the reasons Spurgeon is underrated is because of his size. He is pretty good both offensively and defensively.

[@name-vi6fs]

I'd like to see a list based on playoff performance. Also, Pietrangelo should be in the top 10. A cup with two different teams while playing top minutes.

[@benmarshall5132]

Pietrangelo is top 5 imo

[@ChristianKrillz]

I think Makar/Fox/Dahlin are just going to be a cut above the rest for years to come

[@jma.87]

Quinn and Luke Hughes might have something to say about that, but I agree with those three you mentioned being in an elevated tier with or without the Hughes bros

[@tdfmtig]

Heiskanen gives everything those guys do but he’s Finnish so won’t get any media attention

[@jfkst1]

Fox has completely sucked in the playoffs. Not sure why he gets a pass. Makar is far better overall.

[@mattgauthier7216]

McAvoy and Heiskanen are the only other guys i could say that would join that bunch, with exception being Dahlin who isnt exactly a defensive stud.

[@ChristianKrillz]

@@mattgauthier7216 Dahlin is only in that same tier BECAUSE of his defensive play aswell because i doubt he can produce like Makar and Fox

[@andersbondensson2042]

Suggestion: Make the same list now, a year later, and start with the 30 players you have here on the board and see how they moved. Makar still on top, Karlsson taken off the board?🙂

[@palyze]

not sure why ekholm isnt on here.

[@jasonmoore9295]

List videos are the bomb!

[@knarf4083]

Chabot is overrated. Have you actually watched him play lately ? Typical is he scores a goal, assists on a goal, and gives the puck away for 3 against.

[@rileymills7887]

I love the mention of Adam and the SDPN: my two favourite sports channels!

[@dsc4178]

As a Leaf fan, Rielly and Chabot should trade places on the list. Both good, but Chabot can play in more situations and on the PK. Theodore I'd have higher as well as Pietrangelo, same reasons.

[@rozzer6501]

no, Rielly clears chabot easily. Rielly does play PK

[@isaacsalmi427]

Sometimes I think it's not about who is the top defenseman, it's who is the talented defenseman who is the best fit for a certain team.

[@CodHeadddd]

As a Tampa fan, if you need a shutdown shift I would pick Ryan McDonagh before Hedman. If there's a defensive defenseman who can shut down offences it's McDonagh. Top10 still although the offense is lacking and thus not an offensive dman.

[@coryray8804]

Vegas has the best core of defenceman by far fewest goals against , most blocked shots , best puck control , and most forwards have difficulty getting close to the Vegas net to score . We remain .

[@evanleatherbarrow]

Dahlin not being top 5 and no Devon Toews is crazy to me

[@hereis44more]

Thats absolutelly insane take if you think that Dahlin is better than Heiskanen💀

[@evanleatherbarrow]

@@hereis44more looking at advanced stats, points per game, any metric they had extremely similar seasons. id put them on the same level forsure and you’d be crazy not to. both are top 5 defensemen

[@benjaminh7257]

Amazing list

[@BirdsOfWar]

Letang should be on here for sure