Staal 19th Best Defensive Defenseman
James MIrtle of the Globe & Mail has a breakdown of which defensemen have excelled in their own end, calling it the "Rod Langway Award" for a fictional NHL trophy dedicated to the league's top defensive defensemen. Marc Staal, who won the fictional award last year, is currently 19th.Brooks Orpik is #1.
MIrtle ranks every defenseman who plays in defensive situations by the quality of players they face (QCMP) and how many goals they are on the ice for at even strength and while shorthanded.
...while Staal was great last year, you would assume he'd still be #1 based on how much better he is this year. I guess the stats don't lie.
...h/t to reader Christian F.
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2 comments
I absolutely agree 100%. Watching Staal this year I just don't think he's as good in our zone as he has been in the past. He's chasing the puck behind the net (when Girardi is usually there) and he's not blocking as many passes. Yes, he is definitely putting up more points, but he's not the same defensively. I'm not saying I'm totally against him being more offensive and maybe take a little off in his own zone, but I'm just sick of everyone praising him and kissing ass because of what he's done in the past. I just don't think he's the same player.
@trueblue31 I agree that in the beginning of the year he wasn't as good, but for the last month or so I think he's been one of the best defenders in the game.
