5 Best Defensemen in NHL History

In light of the huge number of pucks scored, beautiful feints, points scored and effective offensive actions, we forget about the defensive players who make sure that the opponent’s forwards do not break through to their goal. This is a difficult and not always visible job in the statistics of the numbers after each match. But there are those who are the best in their role and have contributed greatly to the team result and even inspired developers for slots at PlayAmo Casino Canada. So, these are 5 best defensemen in NHL history.

Doug Harvey

Doug Harvey, you could say, was the best defenseman of his era. There was hardly anyone to rival him in the distant 50s and 60s of the last century. Despite his small number of points he scored in 1,113 games, he was the benchmark defender. After all, he was in an era when defensemen didn’t particularly like to go offensively. But six Stanley Cups and seven Norris Trophies can dispel that fact? Which of today’s defensemen are capable of doing that?

Chris Chelios

5 Best Defensemen in NHL History
Feb 14, 2018; Gangneung, South Korea; United States coaches Scott Young, Chris Chelios and Ron Rolston in Men’s Hockey Group B play during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at Kwandong Hockey Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Chelios is the benchmark for a long-time defenseman, as Chris finished his professional career at 48 years old in Atlanta. He accomplished just that by working out on a stationary bike, where he sat even after the game. His athletic accomplishments are best summed up in statistics. After playing on three teams during his career, Chelios won three Stanley Cups with Montreal and Detroit. His 1,651 career NHL games are the sixth most in league history and first among defensemen. What’s more, his 948 points are tenth among defensemen.

Brian Leetch

5 Best Defensemen in NHL History
Feb 8, 2019; New York, NY, USA; Former New York Rangers captain Mark Messier associate catains Brian Leetch and Adam Graves look on during the ceremony honoring the 1994 Stanley Cup Championship New York Rangers team at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Unlike the previous two hockey players, Leetch has been known for his zeal on the offensive end. He was sometimes criticized for it, but he made up for it by his excellent play near the net and assists to the forwards. Not without reason, his statistics confirms it. He scored 70 or more points seven times in his career, and in the 91/92 regular season he scored a phenomenal 102 points. That’s why he was the only guard from the US to do so.

Larry Robinson

Another defenseman who is unlikely to be remembered by the current generation of hockey fans. But it was simply impossible not to include this player in our top. There’s hardly a player of that format nowadays who combines unprecedented physical power with great skating on the ice. By the way, Larry Robinson holds one of the unique NHL records of +722 for his entire career. Hardly anyone can beat Robinson in that regard. But that’s not the limit of a defensive player’s dreams. Only Robinson and Orr could afford triple-digit +/- seasons. In the 76/77 season, Larry set a record for himself with +120. As for playoff games, he has a lot to be proud of here as well. You have to agree, 144 points in 227 games is just crazy. Even the top forwards aren’t capable of that nowadays.

Denis Potvin

Along with our past hero, considered one of the best defensemen of his time. He can be credited with four Stanley Cups, won with the Islanders dynasty in the early 80s. Dennis Potvin scored over 30 pucks three times in a season, and that’s a defenseman! He also scored 60 points a season 10 times, including 101 points in the 78/79 season. By the way, Potvin became the first defenseman in league history to score 300 pucks and 1,000 points in a career. In fact, 15 seasons for that famed Islanders is worth the price of admission to the top defensemen in the league.

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