Positional rankings: Projecting the NHL's top 25 defensemen in 2016-17
(Note: These rankings are based on players' projected performances in 2016-17. Players are listed at their official NHL position when the rankings were created.)
Here’s the Yahoo Sports ranking of the top 25 defensemen in the NHL for the 2016-17 season. Let us know what you think in the comments section.
1. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators: Just ask anybody, he’s the best defenseman in the league.
2. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings: Just ask anybody, he’s the best defenseman in the league.
3. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning: A beauty and a beast.
4. Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks: He’s logged a lot of miles on a not-real-big body, but who else would you rather have out there when it’s all on the line?
5. Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins: So smooth you take him for granted. Don’t.
6. P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators: Vive la difference. Right, Montreal?
7. Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks: Wookie of the year (and it wasn’t close).
8. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators: Nothing neutral about Swiss star’s game.
9. Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames: After a couple of Norris Trophy-caliber seasons were derailed by injury, he didn’t quite reach the same level last season. Still one of the best all-around defensemen in the game, though.
10. Shea Weber, Montreal Canadiens: They say he’s on the decline, but we’ve got big expectations for his debut season in Montreal.
11. Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues: His offense has leveled off the past couple of years, probably because he’s doing so much of everything else.
12. Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose Sharks: He’s not completely unheralded, but he should be much more heralded…if that’s a word. (It is. We looked it up.)
13. John Carlson, Washington Capitals: The best defenseman on the East’s best (regular season) team.
14. Anton Stralman, Tampa Bay Lightning: Not real big, just real good.
15. Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg Jets: Real big and real good. Did we mention that he’s real big?
16. Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers: He’ll be higher on this list next year, no doubt about it.
17. John Klingberg, Dallas Stars: He’ll be higher on this list next year, no doubt about it.
18. Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers: The captain is the straw that stirs the Rangers.
19. Jay Bouwmeester, St. Louis Blues: Actions speak louder than words.
20. Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild: Veteran leader keeps going and going.
21. T.J. Brodie, Calgary Flames: Drives Calgary’s offense from the back seat.
22. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes: Back-to-back 20-plus goal seasons is quite an accomplishment for an NHL defenseman in the 21st century.
23. Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo Sabres: Buffalo has a horse.
24. Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins: Think he’s done? You tell him.
25. Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg Jets: Just getting started.
(The next five: Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche; Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks; Jake Muzzin, Los Angeles Kings; Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers; Karl Alzner, Washington Capitals.)
MORE NHL COVERAGE ON YAHOO SPORTS:
