Wild Player Grid | Day 6: Best Defender (All-Time)
September 19, 2024
Minnesota’s 4th overall selection in the 2005 NHL Draft, Benoit Pouliot, ran away with the vote yesterday for Most Wasted Potential.
Next up – which Wild defender do you consider as best in franchise history?
32 comments
Spurgeon. Next topic.
I think Faber will own this soon, but the way Brodin navigates McDavid and Barkov to the corner is magic to watch.
If we’re going off defensive ability not an offensive d-man than it’s definitely gotta be Brodin. One of the few guys in the league who can skate backwards and match guys like mcdavid and McKinnon
Ryan Suter. He was a Norris finalist
Edit: I’m not saying he isn’t a trash human, however he *was* a world class defender
He has some stupidly ridiculous +/- all time (24 points ahead of Brodin at #2, and 55 ahead of Suter…), plays well in all situations, and was consistently the best two-way defenseman until the injury. Faber has a LONG way to go to reach what Spurgeon has. Brodin is #2, so Faber even has to get past him too.
As for the Spurgeon/Suter/Brodin debate, Suter had 314 assists, Spurgeon had 274, while Brodin had 186. Spurgeon is also the only defenseman in the Top 10 with 110 goals, tied with Nino. Offensively, you could say Suter has a slight edge, Brodin probably defensively, but all around? It’s Spurgeon in a 1-person race.
Spurgeon is the best defencemen, but Brodin is the best defender
If defender means overall defenseman, then it’s Suter. Spurgeon is close to Suter in this, but I think prime Suter was better than prime Spurgeon.
If defender means defender, then it’s Brodin, hands down
Brent Burns. Next question. Legit Norris winner that we unfortunately (but understandably at the time) moved on from.
Brodin if you truly meant defender, Spurgeon if it’s overall defenseman. Suter should get some love, but meh.
For your consideration, one of my favorite players ever, one nick Schultz.
Brodin
Spurgeon is the best all around defenseman. Brodin is the best defensively.
It’s gonna be Spurgeon/Brodin, but let me take “defender” away from position and give some love to Marcus Foligno.
Since arriving in Minnesota in 2017-18, he has the 11th-highest defensive impact of any player in the NHL. That includes defensemen.
In fact, the only 10 names ahead of him are all defensemen (including Brodin and Spurgeon), per Evolving-Hockey. He’s been the best defensive forward, and has out-performed even elite defensive defensemen like Colton Prayko, Hampus Lindholm, and Esa Lindell over that time.
According to EH’s player charts, here is Foligno’s percentile ranking in defensive impact for each season:
Consistently the best for half a decade and still elite now. Tons of great defensive talent in this club’s history, but I need to make sure Foligno gets his flowers.
As much as I hate to say it, Suter was the best defensemen in franchise history. Faber could dethrone him, but this one is Suter’s imo.
BRODIN!!! My man will finally get some love ❤️
Jonas Brodin is my pick.
Is this the same pouliot I saw score a hat trick one playoffs for the rangers?
I am assuming OP’s focus is on our best defenseman of all time. If we have a more narrow view of best defender (irrespective of offensive ability), than it’s Brodin, with honorable votes to Spurgeon, Koivu, Ek, and Schultz.
But if we are talking about best overall defenseman, it’s still gotta be Suter, with all due respect to Spurgeon. Like I said a few days ago during the over-rated thread. . I hate that I’m actually going to defend this turd, but the question isn’t asking us to judge these players as good/bad people. What I wrote about Suter from a few days ago during the ‘overrated’ discussion:
—————
I’ve been a massive Suter critic for the last ~5 years, but I think it’s recency bias to call him overrated, as many are pointing out here.
The reality is that we signed this guy to be a top D. Did he deliver?
Per eye test, the dude along with Parise immediately gave our team legitimacy. He was at or near the top of top minutes/game among D league wide for nearly his whole tenure with us. In his prime, he was solid defensively, though in his waning years definitely benefitted from an emerging and underrated Spurgeon.
His breakouts, transition, and stretch passing were elite, and when he actually was in his prime and a younger skater WAS a good PP1 quarterback – his average shot was compensated for by good lateral movement to find soft spots to throw tippable pucks.
He is currently 32nd all time among defenseman in scoring, and he’s got more total points than other same-era players like Weber, Pietrangelo, Duncan Keith, Chara, John Carlson, Drew Doughty, Keith Yandle. . . The only active D with more points than him are Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Letang, Hedman, and Josi.
Starting in 2009-2010 season, he finished 10 straight seasons earning Norris votes, with the following finishes: 11, 15, 8 (last year in Nashville), 2, 4, 9, 8, 5, 13, and 18 (2018-2019) last.
That’s 5 top 10 finishes in Norris voting starting with his first Wild season, and that 2nd place season was to PK Subban, which was a coin flip – he lost 1266 to 1230!
He is currently top 10 in games played among D all time, will likely finish at #7.
I don’t think think he earns a trip to the Hall of Fame, he doesn’t have any personal hardware nor a deep playoff run to leverage. But he was in the conversation for the first half of his Wild contract with other D in this league who are all 1st ballot HoF’ers!
He left a sour taste in our mouths because he turned into a pylon the last couple seasons with the Wild, and he had a smug attitude to go along with failing to be a part of a core to deliver us a deep Cup run.
Jonas brodin has been part of this team as long as I’ve watched hockey. He’s so solid
Brodin is one of the best defenders I’ve really ever seen. We appreciate him but don’t appreciate him enough
Brodin for certain
Defender? Koivu.
My apologies here, but who is the player with most wasted potential ? I don’t recognize his face.
Anti-answer: Matt Dumba. Left us with the phrase “Dumba doing Dumba things…”
Brent Burns
Burns
Has to be brodin. Very few defenceman cam make mcjesus look human and he seems to do it with ease
32 comments
Spurgeon. Next topic.
I think Faber will own this soon, but the way Brodin navigates McDavid and Barkov to the corner is magic to watch.
If we’re going off defensive ability not an offensive d-man than it’s definitely gotta be Brodin. One of the few guys in the league who can skate backwards and match guys like mcdavid and McKinnon
Ryan Suter. He was a Norris finalist
Edit: I’m not saying he isn’t a trash human, however he *was* a world class defender
Nate Prosser
Spurgeon
[https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MIN/leaders_career.html](https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MIN/leaders_career.html)
He has some stupidly ridiculous +/- all time (24 points ahead of Brodin at #2, and 55 ahead of Suter…), plays well in all situations, and was consistently the best two-way defenseman until the injury. Faber has a LONG way to go to reach what Spurgeon has. Brodin is #2, so Faber even has to get past him too.
As for the Spurgeon/Suter/Brodin debate, Suter had 314 assists, Spurgeon had 274, while Brodin had 186. Spurgeon is also the only defenseman in the Top 10 with 110 goals, tied with Nino. Offensively, you could say Suter has a slight edge, Brodin probably defensively, but all around? It’s Spurgeon in a 1-person race.
Spurgeon is the best defencemen, but Brodin is the best defender
If defender means overall defenseman, then it’s Suter. Spurgeon is close to Suter in this, but I think prime Suter was better than prime Spurgeon.
If defender means defender, then it’s Brodin, hands down
Brent Burns. Next question. Legit Norris winner that we unfortunately (but understandably at the time) moved on from.
Brodin if you truly meant defender, Spurgeon if it’s overall defenseman. Suter should get some love, but meh.
For your consideration, one of my favorite players ever, one nick Schultz.
Brodin
Spurgeon is the best all around defenseman. Brodin is the best defensively.
Defender (any position) Koivu, defenseman (Brodin)
It’s gonna be Spurgeon/Brodin, but let me take “defender” away from position and give some love to Marcus Foligno.
Since arriving in Minnesota in 2017-18, he has the 11th-highest defensive impact of any player in the NHL. That includes defensemen.
In fact, the only 10 names ahead of him are all defensemen (including Brodin and Spurgeon), per Evolving-Hockey. He’s been the best defensive forward, and has out-performed even elite defensive defensemen like Colton Prayko, Hampus Lindholm, and Esa Lindell over that time.
According to EH’s player charts, here is Foligno’s percentile ranking in defensive impact for each season:
17-18: 98th
18-19: 99th
19-20: 97th
20-21: 99th
21-22: 96th
22-23: 85th
23-24: 87th
Consistently the best for half a decade and still elite now. Tons of great defensive talent in this club’s history, but I need to make sure Foligno gets his flowers.
As much as I hate to say it, Suter was the best defensemen in franchise history. Faber could dethrone him, but this one is Suter’s imo.
BRODIN!!! My man will finally get some love ❤️
Jonas Brodin is my pick.
Is this the same pouliot I saw score a hat trick one playoffs for the rangers?
I am assuming OP’s focus is on our best defenseman of all time. If we have a more narrow view of best defender (irrespective of offensive ability), than it’s Brodin, with honorable votes to Spurgeon, Koivu, Ek, and Schultz.
But if we are talking about best overall defenseman, it’s still gotta be Suter, with all due respect to Spurgeon. Like I said a few days ago during the over-rated thread. . I hate that I’m actually going to defend this turd, but the question isn’t asking us to judge these players as good/bad people. What I wrote about Suter from a few days ago during the ‘overrated’ discussion:
—————
I’ve been a massive Suter critic for the last ~5 years, but I think it’s recency bias to call him overrated, as many are pointing out here.
The reality is that we signed this guy to be a top D. Did he deliver?
Per eye test, the dude along with Parise immediately gave our team legitimacy. He was at or near the top of top minutes/game among D league wide for nearly his whole tenure with us. In his prime, he was solid defensively, though in his waning years definitely benefitted from an emerging and underrated Spurgeon.
His breakouts, transition, and stretch passing were elite, and when he actually was in his prime and a younger skater WAS a good PP1 quarterback – his average shot was compensated for by good lateral movement to find soft spots to throw tippable pucks.
He is currently 32nd all time among defenseman in scoring, and he’s got more total points than other same-era players like Weber, Pietrangelo, Duncan Keith, Chara, John Carlson, Drew Doughty, Keith Yandle. . . The only active D with more points than him are Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Letang, Hedman, and Josi.
Starting in 2009-2010 season, he finished 10 straight seasons earning Norris votes, with the following finishes: 11, 15, 8 (last year in Nashville), 2, 4, 9, 8, 5, 13, and 18 (2018-2019) last.
That’s 5 top 10 finishes in Norris voting starting with his first Wild season, and that 2nd place season was to PK Subban, which was a coin flip – he lost 1266 to 1230!
He is currently top 10 in games played among D all time, will likely finish at #7.
I don’t think think he earns a trip to the Hall of Fame, he doesn’t have any personal hardware nor a deep playoff run to leverage. But he was in the conversation for the first half of his Wild contract with other D in this league who are all 1st ballot HoF’ers!
He left a sour taste in our mouths because he turned into a pylon the last couple seasons with the Wild, and he had a smug attitude to go along with failing to be a part of a core to deliver us a deep Cup run.
Jonas brodin has been part of this team as long as I’ve watched hockey. He’s so solid
Brodin is one of the best defenders I’ve really ever seen. We appreciate him but don’t appreciate him enough
Brodin for certain
Defender? Koivu.
My apologies here, but who is the player with most wasted potential ? I don’t recognize his face.
Anti-answer: Matt Dumba. Left us with the phrase “Dumba doing Dumba things…”
Brent Burns
Burns
Has to be brodin. Very few defenceman cam make mcjesus look human and he seems to do it with ease
Willie Mitchell
Brodin!
Jonas Brodin. The king of the little things.