Follow @james_tanner123 The NHL released it's top 20 defenseman list. As usual, it's a reputation based list that seems to be a popularity ranking rather than an actual ranking of who is the best player.
In case you need a closer look. #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/zhybLZseuE
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 27, 2017
The irony of Karlsson's public acceptance as the best D in the world comes when he started to block shots. Blocking shots has about as much impact on being a good defenseman as faceoffs have for being a forward. In fact, you'd like Karlsson to block zero shots and avoid injury. But suddenly the guy thinks he's Roman Polak and everyone starts acknowledging his greatness. Pretty predictable. Pretty dumb.
Anyways, the NHL list goes off the rails immediately.
Back to back 75 points seasons is awesome, but Brent Burns isn't exactly good without the puck. The offense is amazing, but he's not even giving you Karlsson level defense and I for one would much rather have Victor Hedman in the lineup, the actual second best defenseman in the NHL.
I won't argue if you wanna put Burns third.
But Doughty is just bizarrely overrated. He's good. Maybe bottom of the top ten. But #3 is ridiculous. I'd rather have OEL, probably even Dougie Hamilton and Giordano, the best pairing in the NHL and both are too lowly ranked.
I'd argue Ryan Ellis is way better than Roman Josi.
The most pathetic, embarrassing part of this list is having Letang (always injured, probably not top ten anyways) Weber and Suter (seriously?) in the top ten. These three rankings just prove 100% beyond a doubt that this list was made up partly using EA Sports ratings and partly using reputation. No statistical analysis was done.
First of all, it's not even within the realm of possibility that those three guys are current top-ten NHL defenseman. Jared Spurgeon is the Wild's best D, he's not even on this list.
OEL at 11? Are these cats smoking the crack?
Alex Pietrangelo, not the best D on his team.
The biggest insult of all, Cam Fowler #20? In what ______ _______ World?
Where is my boy Hampus Lindholm? Along with Dougie Hamilton, he has some of the best relative shot-attempt stats in the world. The ice practically tilts in their team's favor when these guys are out. They had great years last year, but somehow Roman Josi and Ryan Suter are better? Why even have a list if you're just going to pick it out of a hat?
Has anyone even heard of this guy called Oscar Klefbom? Marc Edward Vlasic?
Earlier this summer I published my top-ten NHL defenseman. I feel it is far more accurate and way less made-up. I actually attempted some form of statistical analysis when I made it.
1. Erik Karlsson 2. Victor Hedman 3. Oliver Ekman-Larsson 4. Brent Burns 5. P.K Subban 6. Colton Parayko 7. Hampus Lindholm 8. Oscar Klefbom 9. Jared Spurgeon 10. Marc Edward Vlasic
The only think I regret about this top ten, is I'd probably switch out Dougie Hamilton and Mark Giordano with Spurgeon and Vlasic. Anyways, because the NHL made me re-publish my much better list, I also have to re-publish my top-ten list of movies.
1. Back to the Future Trilogy 2. Die Hard 1 3. Lord of the Rings Trilogy ( Note: Needs more Treebeard + could have used some Tom Bombadil). 4. Lethal Weapon Quadrology 5. Total Recall 6. Batman 1-3 (Christopher Nolan) 7. Zodiac 8. Non-Stop 9. Paycheck 10. Terminator 1-2 + the TV Series
So there you have it. The NHL lists are dumb, and my list is better.
Thanks for reading.