The 10 best NHL defensemen of all time who shaped the game

There's a famous saying in sports that a good attack will win you games, but a good defence will win you championships. This is also true in the NHL, as the competitive nature of the league makes good defenders valuable assets. Today, we delve into a list of the best NHL defensemen of all time.

In ice hockey, most of the defensive burden is left to two positions, the right defenseman and the left defenseman. These two are the last line of protection in front of the goalkeeper, and their main task is nullifying the opposition.

Best NHL defensemen of all time

10. Chris Chelios

Chelios had a long playing career spanning from 1981- 2010. He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Redwings, Chicago Wolves, and the Atalanta Thrashers. Chris also featured in 11 major tournaments for the US men's national team, winning the World Cup of Hockey in 1996. Chelios holds the NFL record for the most games played in the regular season by a defensive linesman with 1651.

9. Scott Stevens

Stevens is one of the best NHL defensemen to come out of Canada. Scott won 3 Stanley Cup trophies and the 1991 Canada Cup during his career.

8. Larry Robinson

Larry Robinson, aka ' Big Bird', is a two-time NHL defensive player of the year. After an illustrious playing career, where he won the Stanley Cup 6 times, he became a coach winning the Stanley Cup in the 1999-2000 season with New Jersey Devils.

7. Chris Pronger

Chris was drafted into the NHL in 1993 and played until 2011. He was known for his leadership skills and captained three different NHL teams. He was the NHL's most valuable player in the 1999-2000 season. He also won two Winter Olympic gold medals with Canada.

6. Denis Potvin

Potvin won the Norris Award for the NHL's best defenceman three times. He captained the famous New York Islanders side of the 1980s that won four Stanley Cup Championships. After his playing career, he worked as a TV colour commentator.

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5. Paul Coffey

Coffey was a defenseman with the rare accolade of being a prolific scorer. He holds the record for the most goals by an NFL defenseman in one season, scoring 48 in the 1985-1986 season. He also won three Canada Cup trophies with the Canadian national team.

4. Doug Harvey

Doug was one of the best NHL defensemen of the 1960s. He was voted the best defenseman in the league seven times. He won the Stanley Cup six times and served as a scout and a coach after retiring. He passed away in 1989.

3. Ray Borque

Despite being Canadian, Ray made his name and legacy with the Boston Bruins. He was voted the best NHL defenceman five times in his career. Ray is easily the best Bruins defenseman of all time though he won the Stanley Cup trophy with the Colorado Avalanche.

2. Nicklas Lindstrom

Lindstrom played twenty seasons in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings from 1991 to 2011. He was the first European captain to win the Stanley Cup and the NHL playoffs MVP title. Lindstrom won a total of 4 Stanley Cups and 7 Norris titles. He currently serves as vice president of the Detroit Red Wings.

1. Bobby Orr

Bobby Orr is the best NFL defenseman of all time. He changed the position forever by becoming a prolific attacking player despite being a defender. Bobby won the league's most valuable player award three times. He also won the Norris trophy a record eight times. Orr won the Stanley Cup twice before retiring aged 30 due to injury.

Defensemen are the bedrock of every successful ice hockey team. These ten players redefined the position and created innovative ways of playing the game. That is why it is essential to name the best NHL defensemen of all time.