*This submit was initially printed in 2019
The 2010s have come and gone, and as we embark on a brand new decade, the hockey world has been reminiscing on the best objectives, saves and gamers of the last decade. Most of these gamers embody high-octane scorers and acrobatic netminders, however what concerning the defenseman who performs 20 minutes an evening, blocks photographs and has an underappreciated impression all through the course of a season?
Associated: The Finest NHL Defensemen Ever
These are the gamers who will seem on this listing. They’re not going to blow you away with their velocity or artistic passes, however they’re a constant presence within the lineup and a ache for his or her opponents to play towards. It’s not a glamorous job by any means, but it surely’s a obligatory one, and the gamers that fall into this class love each little bit of it.
With that stated, let’s check out the most effective defensive defensemen of the 2010s.
No. 5: Alex Pietrangelo
Though he’s by no means completed as a Norris Trophy finalist, Alex Pietrangelo has been some of the constant defensemen up to now decade. He has performed a minimum of 70 video games in each full NHL season and has averaged near 25 minutes of ice time per sport because the 2010-11 season. The St. Louis Blues counted on him for 40 factors a season, in addition to a shutdown defensive sport.
Pietrangelo was third in defensive level shares since 2010 at 47.2, in addition to sixth in takeaways (315) and thirteenth in blocks (1,005). A standard theme for all of the gamers on this listing is consistency, and Pietrangelo is correct there with the most effective of them. Above all, if he weren’t with the Blues, one might argue they wouldn’t have received the Stanley Cup.
No. 4: Mark Giordano
Earlier than final season, Mark Giordano had a career-high 56 factors in 2015-16 and was at all times a gentle presence on the Calgary Flames blue line. He exploded 2018-19 for 74 factors in 78 video games, however he by no means forgot his defensive tasks. He had 144 blocks, a career-high 73 takeaways and 5.9 defensive level shares — the variety of factors contributed by a participant on account of his protection — which was the second-best of his profession.
In the course of the 2010s, Giordano ranked eighth in defensive level shares at 40.9. He was additionally fourth in blocks (1,102), ninth in takeaways (299), and thirteenth in Corsi-for share (52.8). Many Flames followers clamored for his identify to be talked about within the Norris Trophy voting, and he lastly received the award in 2019.
Because the Flames captain, he introduced a degree of consistency not often seen from defensemen in immediately’s sport, and he has been doing it properly into his age-39 season.
Honorable Mentions
In no explicit order, listed here are some shutdown defensemen who earned some consideration however didn’t fairly make it on this listing:
No. 3: Ryan Suter
Ryan Suter was a workhorse all through the last decade, averaging greater than 27 minutes of ice time per sport. He had over 400 factors in 700-plus video games through the decade and was merely Mr. Consistency for the Minnesota Wild.
Suter was second amongst defensemen in defensive level shares with 51.6, solely behind the aforementioned Doughty. On prime of that, his complete level shares — each offensive and defensive — have been sixth amongst defensemen. He was among the finest shutdown defensemen within the sport, plain and easy. He has solely had one top-10 end for the Norris Trophy and hasn’t received a Stanley Cup but, however his ice time and the variety of video games performed over the earlier decade present loads about how precious Suter was to the Wild protection.
No. 2: Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Marc-Edouard Vlasic has been a mainstay on the San Jose Sharks’ blue line, taking part in in over 700 regular-season video games through the decade. He has by no means been a prolific scorer — he has profession highs of 11 objectives and 39 factors — however what makes him irreplaceable is his capacity to close down the opponents’ prime line evening in and evening out.
Amongst defensemen within the earlier decade, Vlasic was seventh in defensive level shares with 41.3. He was additionally ninth with a plus-92 score and a 54.9 defensive zone begin share, seventh with 1,075 blocks, and twenty first with 15,103 minutes performed. He’s been each constant and dependable all through his profession, each of that are huge causes he was frequently chosen to characterize Canada on the worldwide stage.
In immediately’s sport when defensemen are inspired to leap in on the push, Vlasic has confirmed every evening that there’s nonetheless a spot within the sport for a stay-at-home defenseman.
No. 1: Zdeno Chara
After Zdeno Chara performed a sport in 2020, he performed in 4 totally different a long time. The 6-foot-9 defenseman has a laundry listing of accomplishments that vary from being a seven-time All-Star to successful the 2011 Stanley Cup. Above all else, he was probably the most constant presence on the Boston Bruins’ blue line through the 2010s and was one of many hardest defensemen to play towards in NHL historical past.
Chara was fourth within the decade amongst defensemen in defensive level shares (46.9), however the listing doesn’t cease there. He’s first general with a plus-198 score, sixth in penalty minutes (631) and Corsi-for share (53.5), thirteenth in time on ice with 16,064 minutes performed, and thirteenth in defensive zone begin share at 54.4. He has been a Norris Trophy finalist six occasions — he received the award in 2009 — and used his lengthy attain to close down even the most effective shooters and puck handlers.
Associated: Might This Be Chara’s Final Season?
As an athlete, he’s virtually superhuman. Chara was nonetheless over 21 minutes per sport into his 40s. And the way can we neglect when he got here again to play with a damaged jaw within the Stanley Cup Closing in June?
Even properly previous his prime, Chara was the most effective shutdown defenseman within the earlier decade.
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