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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Could Sabres' Bowen Byram get traded again? 8 teams that should be interested
When the Buffalo Sabres traded Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram, general manager Kevyn Adams didn't know exactly how Byram would fit. The Sabres already had two young, left-handed defensemen anchoring their top two pairs. There wasn't an obvious spot for Byram, another offensively-minded lefty. Advertisement 'We were willing to kind of make that bet and say, 'Let's bring in a really, really good hockey player and see how it shakes out,'' Adams said after the season. The bet was that the Sabres would either end up with another top-end defenseman to strengthen their blue line or they would have a quality trade asset to move later on. In terms of performance, the Sabres have gotten the better end of the Mittelstadt for Byram swap. Byram, now 24, played 82 games last season and was, at times, an excellent defenseman for the Sabres. He looked his best when playing alongside Rasmus Dahlin. When Dahlin and Byram were on the ice together at five-on-five, the Sabres had 54 percent of the expected goals. Together, it was a pair of two elite puck-movers who helped drive play in Buffalo from the back end. His time in Buffalo on that top pair with Dahlin was the opportunity he never had in Colorado — to show he can shake it in more meaningful minutes. The trouble is, when Byram was on the ice without Dahlin at five-on-five, the Sabres had 44 percent of the expected goals. Given the injuries and lack of depth on Buffalo's blue line, that number isn't a complete indictment on Byram, since his other partners included Connor Clifton, Jacob Bryson and Henri Jokiharju. And in his minutes away from Dahlin, he didn't share the ice as often with the Sabres' top forwards, either. Some of those struggles may have been because Byram doesn't make as many puck touches in the defensive end. When he plays with Dahlin, it's his partner who tends to retrieve pucks to help shift play from defense to offense, and then either defender can break out with control and start rushing up the ice. So the big question is whether Dahlin was the driver of Byram's success in Buffalo this year, or if he can carry his own pair (without playing alongside replacement-level defenders). Advertisement The potential is still there for Byram at 24 years old, just entering the prime of his career, according to aging curve work done by The Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn. The contract situation just adds pressure to the situation. Byram is a restricted free agent. He's due for a significant raise on his $3.85 million salary. An extension in Buffalo, according to Evolving-Hockey, could be as high as eight years, at $7.99 million a year, on average. That would come in above his current market value, which doesn't project his full ceiling, either, since there isn't an obvious path to more power-play time in Buffalo. The other path is a shorter-term contract; a two-year deal, with the Sabres or elsewhere, which would come in around the $5.4 million mark. Some of his top comparables give insight into the player he can become. If he develops like Brandon Montour or Ryan Pulock, he could be worth investing in despite Buffalo already committing big money on long-term deals to Dahlin and Owen Power. But on the flip side, players such as Zach Bogosian, Jamie McBain and Andrej Meszaros show how south things can go. That trajectory, plus the Sabres' investments in their blue line, makes Byram a potential trade candidate, one that would have legitimate value around the league. Now it's decision time for the Sabres. Teams that could/should be interested in Byram: The Flames were better than expected last season, but this is still a rebuilding team. They've avoided tearing down the roster, but adding a 24-year-old defenseman with the offensive skill set Byram has would give them a valuable building block to pair with 2024 first-rounder Zayne Parekh. It would also fit in line with some of management's recent moves to add younger talent, just entering their prime. Byram would be a candidate to run Calgary's top power play. The Flames also have a lot of players who would interest the Sabres, who need a right-shot defenseman. Building a trade around Byram and Rasmus Andersson, who has one year left on his contract before unrestricted free agency, might make sense. Bryam is also from Western Canada and would likely welcome the move. Advertisement The Sharks have the No. 2 pick in the draft, so they're likely going to miss out on getting Matthew Schaefer as a potential No. 1 defenseman to build around. Sam Dickinson, San Jose's first-round pick from 2024, had a fantastic season in junior, but the Sharks could use another top-end defenseman after moving Jake Walman to Edmonton at the deadline. At 24, Byram's age fits into the core San Jose is building. The tricky part about the Sharks as a trade partner is what they have to offer that fits Buffalo's needs. The No. 2 pick is an attractive asset, but the Sabres would need to send more than Byram to get that pick. Mario Ferraro could add some defensive stability to the back end, but doesn't solve the left-handed logjam, either. Otherwise, the Sharks mostly have futures to offer, and the Sabres need to win now. If Ivan Provorov departs as a free agent, Columbus will be in the market for a left-handed defenseman. And the team should target someone more offensively inclined, like Byram. The tricky part is that there isn't a path to the top power-play unit or prime offensive minutes, with Zach Werenski leading the way. But Byram could still add a much-needed boost at even strength. Behind Werenski's 82 points, the next-best scoring defender in Columbus was Provorov at 33. The Blue Jackets have the cap space to sign Byram to a long-term deal. But most returns likely surround future assets, considering how many picks and prospects Columbus has. In the right deal, the Sabres may be able to target Cole Sillinger to add an up-and-coming forward ready to contribute. The Flyers acquired Jamie Drysdale in 2024, but a player like Byram would still be a nice addition to their top pair. Byram's path to being a top-pair player who gets power-play minutes would be clear in Philadelphia, based on how that blue line is constructed. He and Drysdale could even play together, potentially at even strength. The power play is one area that needs a major lift, after ranking last in expected goal generation last year, with an even lower goal rate of 5.14 per 60 to show for it. Philadelphia, another rebuilding team, has some pieces that could interest the Sabres. Owen Tippett doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract that carries a $6.2 million cap hit for the next seven years. He would bring some much-needed edge to Buffalo's forward group. That could be the start of a trade conversation. A left side of Carson Soucy, K'Andre Miller and Urho Vaakanainen is not going to cut it in New York if the Rangers have any hopes of getting back into the playoff picture. Byram would add much-needed puck skills to the back end behind Adam Fox, whether he slots alongside the Rangers' number one or is tasked with being the driver of the second pair with Will Borgen. He just wouldn't get to quarterback the first unit in New York, and would instead only see PP2 time. The key to the Rangers being in on Byram is a Miller trade, which seems like a real possibility this summer. While the Sabres likely aren't in the market for a lefty, a Miller for Byram trade could make sense, considering how different their strengths and roles are. Otherwise, the Sabres could try to get creative since there aren't many untouchables in New York. Advertisement Speaking of teams that need help on the left, Detroit is high on that list. The depth seriously lacks behind Simon Edvinsson. Byram would be a real step up from a defensive group that includes Ben Chiarot and Erik Gustafsson. The Red Wings' defensive woes have been well-documented, and sometimes, along with their red-hot power play, overshadows their even-strength offensive struggles. Detroit generated 2.38 expected goals per 60 in the regular season at five-on-five, which ranked 25th; the team's actual scoring rate of 2.08 per 60 was second-to-last. Byram could be a spark from the back end to help the team pick up the pace. Whether he could jump onto the top power-play unit is a question mark. It wouldn't hurt to take that off Moritz Seider's plate, considering how much the team leans on him, but that top unit had so much success last season that the team may want to build on. That's if these teams could find a fitting return — the Red Wings' NHL-caliber pieces aren't the most enticing, and the Sabres probably need more than just futures back. The Kings have a need for a younger, puck-moving defenseman on the left side. Whether Byram would have an obvious path to more power-play time would be a question with Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke there. But for a team that only scored 6.45 power-play goals per 60 in the regular season, the Kings should be willing to mix up their deployment. But Byram would be a top-four defenseman for them, whether he pairs up with Clarke as a more offensive duo, or even with Doughty for two balanced pairs split across the top-four. Since the Kings also have a surplus of right-handed defenseman, Jordan Spence would have the potential to pair with Power on Buffalo's second pair in return. The Hurricanes are positioned to have a big offseason, with a lot of cap space and trade assets at their disposal. While Carolina's top priority may be adding a true second-line center and another top-six winger, there's room for improvement on the back end. Byram could replace Dmitry Orlov in the top six, alongside Jalen Chatfield. While the Canes have two other lefties to choose from in that role, the coaches may prefer keeping Shayne Gostisbehere in a sheltered third-pair role and also might want to ease Alexander Nikishin in. The Canes aren't locked into a No. 1 quarterback on the top power-play unit, either. So there is room for Byram to take over that role. Advertisement The Sabres could swing big and try to scoop up right-handed defenseman Scott Morrow. Or, maybe Buffalo could target center Jesperi Kotkaniemi plus draft capital that can be used in future dealings. — Data via The Stanley Cap, CapWages, Evolving-Hockey, Hockey Stat Cards and Dom Luszczyszyn.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin added to Sweden's 2026 Olympic Roster
Rasmus Dahlin (via Getty Images) The 25-year-old NHL defenseman, Rasmus Dahlin, was among the initial six players announced on Sweden's preliminary 2026 Winter Olympics roster in Milano-Cortina, which the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation. Confirmation for every player from their respective country's National Olympic Committee is still pending before officially joining the Olympic roster. The 25-year-old captain has immense international experience, raising expectations for the Olympics next year. Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin is officially returning to the Olympic arena Rasmus Dahlin, a premium Swedish blue-liner in the NHL , adds depth of international exposure to the defense of Team Sweden. On Monday, the first six players from each of the 12 countries qualified for men's hockey were announced for the upcoming Olympics. He previously played for his nation at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang as a teenager, along with two IIHF World Junior Championships and two IIHF World Championships. Rasmus Dahlin 🥵 #nhl #hockey The captain of the Buffalo Sabres has been referred to as the most talented player available in the 2018 NHL entry draft class, and Rasmus Dahlin was selected first overall in the draft by the Sabres. Rasmus Dahlin most recently played in the 2024 Worlds and the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, where he recorded one goal in three games against elite opposition. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo In the 2016–17 season, Dahlin scored his first Swedish Hockey League (SHL) goal with Frölunda HC on 12 November 2016 in a game against Karlskrona HK. At just 16, he became the youngest player to ever dress for Sweden at the IIHF World U20 Championship and the youngest player overall in the 2017 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He also faced suspension for the first two games of the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, as Dahlin, along with his teammates, had removed their silver medals after receiving them during the medal ceremony. The Lidköping native has become one of the NHL's top two-way defensemen since being drafted first overall in 2018. He currently trails only Victor Hedman in goals and points among Swedish defensemen since entering the league, with 360 points (83 goals, 277 assists) in 475 games. This will be Dahlin's second Olympic Games and his first as a team captain in the NHL. Also read: NHL insider reveals Canucks block Noah Juulsen from free agency talks, fans stunned The rest of Sweden's Olympic team roster will be revealed in the coming months ahead of the February tournament. The men's hockey tournament in Milano-Cortina opens on February 6, 2026.
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Fixing Sabres' defense: Trade Bowen Byram, sign Aaron Ekblad and other options to explore
The Buffalo Sabres' blue line isn't built properly. The past few years have made that clear. It's not that the Sabres don't have talented players on defense. Rasmus Dahlin is a superstar worth the team's significant investment. Owen Power has gone through some growing pains, but his potential is still evident. Bowen Byram is fresh off a career-best season with 38 points. Advertisement The problem is that all three of those players are lefties. And all three are offensive-minded, puck-carrying defensemen. The Sabres ended the season with only two right-handed defensemen. And Connor Clifton is the only defenseman on the depth chart who plays a rugged game, but he's been a third-pairing player for most of his time in Buffalo. So, how do the Sabres go about fixing this? It's going to take more than one move, and it doesn't appear there are internal candidates in the prospect pool to solve all the problems next season. Here are the questions and potential solutions facing Buffalo's blue line this summer. We know Dahlin, the team's captain and best player, isn't going anywhere. So, if the Sabres were to make a trade to change the mix on defense, Power and Byram are the two most attractive trade chips at their disposal. Despite a recent injury, Power likely has more trade value since he is signed long-term, is a recent No. 1 pick and is already a proven and reliable point producer in the NHL. He's still working through some defensive deficiencies, but there's no doubt he would be sought after on the trade market. Byram is probably the easier player to trade. He's a restricted free agent this summer, so the Sabres are at a fork in the road with the 23-year-old. That's why it wasn't a shock to see Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman report that the Sabres are gauging the trade value for Byram, who recently changed agents. If they don't believe they have the proper role to maximize Byram's ability or the cap space to pay another left-handed defenseman big money, it makes sense to move him for someone who could fill a more obvious need in their lineup. The flip side is that Byram is one of the few players on the Sabres' roster who has playoff experience. He has shown leadership traits and played well when paired with Dahlin this season. On top of that, he stayed healthy for all 82 games this season. It's clear the Sabres got the better end of the Byram for Casey Mittelstadt swap. But the same question remains from the day general manager Kevyn Adams acquired Bryam: How does he fit long-term? Advertisement Mattias Samuelsson started to find his game toward the end of the season when he was back with Dahlin. Though every defenseman is going to look better when playing with someone of Dahlin's caliber, Samuelsson and Dahlin have been a solid match since Samuelsson got to the NHL. Dahlin prefers the right side, so Samuelsson's being a left-handed, stay-at-home type of defenseman fits well. But he's been unable to stay healthy the past few seasons and hasn't been nearly as physical and nasty as the Sabres need him to be consistently. That has made his $4.285 million cap hit tough to swallow. He might not have a ton of trade value at that number, and it's not worth buying out such a young player who still has some untapped potential. Aaron Ekblad is going to be the top right-handed defenseman on the free-agent market this summer. We must acknowledge the usual caveats that Ekblad could stay with the Florida Panthers or sign in a more desirable location than Buffalo. But he is exactly the type of defenseman the Sabres could use. He's playoff tested, plays with a physical edge and still has enough offensive skill to play high up in the lineup. He'd be an ideal partner for Power and would add some needed nastiness to the Sabres' lineup. Evolving Hockey is projecting Ekblad, 29, to get a six-year deal worth $7.7 million per year. That would likely have to be north of $8 million to convince Ekblad to come to Buffalo. But if you're going to overpay, you do it for a player who has the pedigree Ekblad does at a position of major need. Brent Burns is 40 years old and still searching for his first Stanley Cup. So if he continues to play, Buffalo probably won't be his preferred destination. He hasn't been quite as effective the past couple of seasons, but he might have another season left in the tank. He can't carry the puck like he used to, but Burns is still effective at denying zone entries. If his market isn't as strong as expected, maybe the Sabres could land him. Dante Fabbro was available on waivers earlier this year, and he landed with the Columbus Blue Jackets and played well, getting top-four minutes. He's not a slam-dunk option, but he played some of the best hockey of his career with the Blue Jackets. He's not overly physical, but Fabbro plays more of a stay-at-home style that could pair well with Power. Advertisement The New York Rangers could be a trade partner with the Sabres this summer, considering both teams are trying to change their mix after disappointing seasons. Braden Schneider, a 6-foot-4 right-shot defenseman, would slot comfortably into Buffalo's top four on defense. Schneider was top 20 among NHL defenseman in hits this season and top 30 in blocked shots. Though he's on the younger side, he would fit into the Sabres' timeline with their other young core pieces. The Rangers wouldn't be eager to trade Schneider, so it would take a significant package to make a deal work. Right-handed defensemen are major commodities in the NHL, so it might seem far-fetched that the Calgary Flames would trade one of these two proven players. But Rasmus Andersson is entering the final season of his contract. MacKenzie Weegar is 31 and might not perfectly fit Calgary's timeline. It also has Zayne Parekh coming through the system as a right-handed defenseman who will push for big minutes in the not-too-distant future. Andersson's contract situation and age make him a more likely trade target. Could the Sabres build a trade package around Byram? Maybe the Flames could include a veteran forward and the Sabres could include a prospect or young roster player to balance things out. The Utah Mammoth are also one of the rare franchises with right-handed defensemen to spare. Michael Kesselring took a noticeable step forward for Utah this season and plays with physicality. He got some time in Utah's top four and handled the task well. He's behind John Marino and Sean Durzi on the depth chart, so it's possible the Sabres could pry him away with a trade. He's a player worth asking about. The Blackhawks need to make room for some of their younger defensemen, so Connor Murphy could be a trade target this summer. He's 32, right-handed and has only one year left on a contract that pays him $4 million. Murphy would be a positive addition to the dressing room and plays with a physicality the Sabres have lacked at times. The big issue is that he's had trouble staying healthy in recent years. But he would make for a useful depth piece. If there's a defenseman in the system who is getting closer to being NHL-ready, it's probably Ryan Johnson. He's a restricted free agent this summer and should push for a roster spot next season. One complicating factor is the presence of Jacob Bryson, whom the Sabres signed to a one-year extension in March. Johnson and Bryson are lefties on a lefty-heavy depth chart. Johnson's game isn't overly physical, but he's effective at exiting the zone given his skating and passing ability. It's also fair to wonder if the Sabres might explore a Dennis Gilbert reunion after trading him to the Ottawa Senators at the deadline. Gilbert is an unrestricted free agent and became a favorite in the dressing room for his selflessness and toughness. But again, he's also a lefty, and the Sabres are already stocked with left-shot defensemen. (Photos of Bowen Byram and Aaron Ekblad: Marc DesRosiers and Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sabres Notes - Thompson At Worlds For USA, Amerks, Ex-Files
The Buffalo Sabres have not officially made any announcements regarding changes to management or the coaching staff for next season, but there is some news regarding some of their former and current players. As he mentioned at locker cleanout last month, Sabres leading scorer Tage Thompson is playing for Team USA at the IIHF World Championships in Sweden and Denmark. As one of the more experienced players on the roster, the 27-year-old is one of three assistant captains (along with Nashville's Brady Skjei and Vancouver's Conor Garland) with Utah's Clayton Keller as team captain. Tage Thompson dances to Free Bird three times today at the Men's Worlds Tournament Tage scores a hat trick vs Germany in Team USA's 6-2 win in Pre-Tournament play 🦅🇺🇸🏒🥅 — 2 Goalies 1 Mic (@2Goalies1Mic) May 4, 2025 Sabres team captain Rasmus Dahlin indicated that he likely would not be joining Team Sweden due to injury, while wingers JJ Peterka (Germany) said he would not play for Germany due to his contract status as a restricted free agent. The tournament begins on Friday with Team USA taking on Denmark. Other Sabres Stories Is Peterka In Prime Position For Big Payday? Sabres Ownership Ranked Worst In NHL By Survey In The Athletic Sabres Facing An Off-Season Of Change The Rochester Americans are awaiting the winner of the Laval-Cleveland series to see who they will face in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Rockets currently lead the Monsters 2-1 with Game 4 slated to go on Tuesday in Laval. If the Rockets win, the Amerks will open the best-of-seven series on the road. Here is how some former Sabres did in the playoffs on Monday: Sam Reinhart(FLA) -2, 22:07 TOI, 2 SOG Evan Rodrigues(FLA) 15:02 TOI, 1 SOG, 5 Hits Dmitri Kulikov(FLA) -2, 19:49 TOI, 1 SOG, 5 Hits Jake McCabe(TOR) 2A, +1, 19:27 TOI, 4 Hits Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
New York Times
03-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The NHL's top 10 most underrated defensemen and why they're so valuable
Who are the most underrated defensemen in the NHL? It's a topic bound to create ferocious debate because of its subjective nature. We have to inherently assume how highly the hockey world/public sphere rates every defenseman and then determine which players deserve more recognition. In an exercise like this, we have to be aware of the Aleksander Barkov effect, where if a player has been unanimously dubbed as underrated for many years, they're probably not underrated anymore. With that in mind, we're going to avoid names like Jaccob Slavin, Devon Toews, Miro Heiskanen and Shea Theodore. Advertisement I'd also argue that Chris Tanev has finally gotten his flowers as an elite shutdown defenseman after last year's tremendous playoff run with the Dallas Stars. Thomas Harley would have been perfect for a list like this, but I believe he turned heads and landed on the casual fan's radar with his impressive play subbing in for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. I debated whether MacKenzie Weegar has flown under the radar enough to be on this list, but fans voted him one of the game's most underrated players just a few years ago, and I saw lots of people clamoring for him to be brought in as an injury replacement for Team Canada at 4 Nations, so I leaned toward him being closer to being fairly rated now and left him off. I haven't included Josh Morrissey or Rasmus Dahlin, either. You could argue both deserve more attention, but they're still generally recognized as bona fide stars. Finally, I made a similar list a couple of years ago. I won't be repeating names from that story, which means no Mikey Anderson, Gustav Forsling, Jonas Brodin, Nick Jensen, Vince Dunn or Jake Walman, among others. Here's my personal take on the 10 most underrated defensemen in the NHL, presented in no particular order. LaCombe, a 6-foot-2 left-shot defenseman playing in his second NHL season, has blossomed as the Ducks' undisputed No. 1 defenseman. The smooth-skating 24-year-old is averaging a team-leading 21:58 per game this season. He's a budding offensive star, ranking in the top 20 among all NHL defensemen with 14 goals and 43 points in 67 games (a 52-point pace prorated over 82 games). It's extremely impressive that he's racked up those types of point totals considering how lackluster the Ducks are offensively and how abysmal their power play has been. LaCombe ranks sixth among all NHL blueliners in scoring 1.51 points per 60 at five-on-five (minimum 1000 minutes), behind only Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, Zach Werenski, Rasmus Dahlin and Adam Fox. Minimum 1,000 five-on-five minutes LaCombe is a dynamic, elite puck transporter. With his confidence and poise rushing the puck, he singlehandedly drives controlled breakouts and offensive entries. His zone exit numbers are in the same neighborhood as the league's best puck-moving defensemen, according to Corey Sznajder's tracking project. Here are two examples of him effortlessly beating heavy forecheck pressure to engineer breakouts with speed: Jackson LaCombe is fun to watch. — Félix Sicard (@Felix_Sicard) March 15, 2025 LaCombe's terrific play with the puck hasn't come at the expense of defensive warts, either. He breaks up plays defending the rush because of his ability to aggressively close gaps with his skating, he's positionally sound, and he logs major minutes on the penalty kill. Anaheim's two-way results in terms of controlling shots, scoring chances and actual goals significantly improve when LaCombe is on the ice. Advertisement He's breaking out as one of the league's premier top-pair puck-moving/offensive defensemen without much fanfare outside of SoCal. Samberg is enjoying a monster breakout season in which he's emerged as the Jets' clear-cut second-best defenseman. The 26-year-old left shot is averaging 21:25 per game and has been trusted by the coaching staff to eat the toughest matchups against top forwards of all Winnipeg blueliners. The Jets have controlled nearly 55 percent of expected goals and outscored opponents by a whopping 20 goals during his five-on-five shifts. Samberg is driving stellar short-handed results while averaging the most PK minutes per game on the team. He checks many boxes for a modern-day elite shutdown player: he's 6-foot-4 which gives him a massive reach/wingspan, he skates well which enables him to quickly gap up to eliminate time and space, his anticipation is impeccable and his active defensive stick is constantly breaking plays up. Here's an example of him making a defensive stop on Aliaksei Protas, the Caps' monster 6-foot-6 power forward: The amazing thing about Samberg is his passing and decision-making with the puck are very sharp and advanced for a player who's primarily focused on the defensive side of the game. You can always count on him to make poised, efficient decisions with the puck to connect plays in all three zones. In fact, according to Sznajder's tracking, Samberg has created more zone exits with possession per hour this season compared to his usual defense partner Neal Pionk, despite the latter having the reputation for being more dynamic and offensively involved. And as his confidence has grown, Samberg has become more ambitious with his playmaking. How many shutdown defensemen can join the rush and make a play like the one below, leading to a scoring chance? Samberg is the indispensable two-way linchpin of the Jets' second pairing. Gavrikov has long been a defensive dynamo, but he's putting together an especially outstanding campaign this season. The 29-year-old Russian was a massive reason why the Kings' blue line held its own for 47 games without Drew Doughty. Gavrikov averaged 23:56 through late January, which led the Kings and ranked top 20 among all defensemen. Despite being forced to regularly play the right side as a left-shot defenseman, he decisively won his minutes on the top pair playing with Mikey Anderson. Advertisement With Doughty back, Gavrikov is now driving the second pair on his natural left side. He's still responsible, however, for absorbing the toughest defensive matchups against top competition, with Doughty's pair handling slightly easier assignments. This season, Gavrikov is helping the Kings control nearly 56 percent of expected goals and has a plus-13 goal differential during his five-on-five minutes. Nearly all of that success comes from his elite defensive impact. Evolving-Hockey RAPM chart Gavrikov suffocates opponents' time and space offensively. He's a big body (6-foot-3 and 220 pounds) and leverages his massive wingspan and strong positional play to masterfully clog passing and shooting lanes on the inside. He also eats the most short-handed minutes on the Kings' top-10 penalty kill. Gavrikov is a below-average puck-mover, but the Kings have the right environment to insulate that. Fowler had been a great player in his prime but appeared to be rapidly declining when the Blues acquired him in mid-December at a reduced $4 million cap hit. His underlying metrics were ugly, with virtually every public analytical model suggesting his defensive game had fallen off a cliff and that he shouldn't be counted on for high-end top-four results. Fowler's point production had cratered to just four points in 17 games at the time of the trade, too. It's amazing, however, what a change in the on-ice environment can do to revitalize some defensemen. Fowler has scored nine goals and 30 points in 45 games (a 54-point pace prorated over 82 games) since joining the Blues. Twenty-five of those 30 points have come at even strength, which ranks top five among all NHL defensemen since the trade. Colton Parayko also benefited enormously from Fowler's arrival; 40-year-old Ryan Suter was struggling as Parayko's partner early in the season, and the five-on-five results instantly flipped once Fowler took that role. The Blues lost Parayko, their No. 1 defenseman, to injury in early March. Despite that, they've gone 11-1-1, with Fowler stepping up hugely in Parayko's absence. He's driven a commanding 58.1 percent of scoring chances and helped the Blues outscore opponents 14-7 during his five-on-five minutes since Parayko went down. Advertisement Adding Fowler has been one of the best bang-for-buck moves any team has made this season. Everybody focuses on the Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei signings when discussing the Nashville Predators' surprisingly catastrophic 2024-25 season. The huge offseason change people rarely talk about — one that gutted the defensive solidity of Nashville's top four this season — is the loss of Ryan McDonagh. That, in a nutshell, perfectly captures McDonagh's underrated reputation: People have always known he's a good top-four player, but you don't realize exactly how valuable and irreplaceable he is until he's gone. It's a lesson the Lightning experienced firsthand during the last two seasons without McDonagh, when the club's blue line and overall defensive structure suffered significantly in his absence. Even at 35, McDonagh is one of the best shutdown defensemen in the NHL. The Lightning have controlled 58 percent of high-danger chances and surrendered just 1.85 goals against per 60 during his five-on-five shifts this season, which is one of the best marks in the league. Tampa Bay has outscored opponents by a whopping 23 goals when McDonagh is on the ice at five-on-five. He's helped revitalize longtime partner Erik Cernak, whose game had regressed hard during the two years when the hard-nosed veteran was in Nashville. He's also the backbone of Tampa Bay's elite penalty kill. Dom Luszczyszyn's player card McDonagh is responsible for soaking up the hardest defensive matchups on Tampa Bay's blue line. His success in that daunting role has freed up Victor Hedman to spend about 20 percent fewer minutes against elite competition compared to last season, according to PuckIQ's data. And Hedman's two-way numbers have improved a ton now that he isn't carrying as large a defensive burden. Advertisement Kesselring first caught my eye as a rookie last season. The 6-foot-5 right shot skated well, made poised decisions against heavy forechecking pressure on breakouts and had good puck skills for such a big body. He was relatively sheltered as a third-pair contributor and his game was still raw, but his physical attributes and skill hinted at intriguing upside. With John Marino and Sean Durzi injured on the right side, Kesselring took on a much bigger role in the first half of the season and largely excelled in it. Kesselring averaged 19:04 of ice time through the first 48 games of the season. He was winning those matchups, with Utah controlling about 52 percent of high-danger chances and outscoring opponents 31-18 during his five-on-five shifts. In the clip below, you can see an example of Kesselring's mobility, range and underrated offensive chops. He begins the play by making a nice pass, carries the puck through the neutral zone when he gets it back, dishes it out to a forward and then drives to the net where he creates a Grade-A chance. Kesselring has faced challenges down the stretch since Marino and Durzi returned. The 25-year-old's ice time has been cut to the 15-to-16-minute range over the last couple of months, and he's made some defensive mistakes here and there. None of that should be overly alarming, however. It's normal for sophomore defensemen to face bumps in the road as they gain experience. Most encouragingly, his play-driving metrics have been dominant in this reduced workload, with Utah controlling a team-high 57 percent of shot attempts and 66 percent of high-danger chances during his five-on-five minutes since late January. Kesselring proved in the first half that he can succeed in a top-four role, yet he's mostly anonymous outside of Utah. He'll finish with just shy of 30 points this season, with 22 of those points coming at five-on-five, which ranks top 50 among all NHL defensemen. Massive right-shot defenders who can skate well and make plays are pretty rare commodities. As he matures, improves his positioning and learns how to leverage his size to defend better, he could grow into a valuable, full-time top-four defenseman. Advertisement I know what you're probably thinking: How can a player in a market as enormous as Toronto be underrated? McCabe deserves more attention around the league, however, for how indispensable he's been as a top-four workhorse. His rugged, hard-to-play-against, stingy defensive game has replaced some of the critical traits the Leafs lost when Jake Muzzin's career was derailed by injuries. McCabe's ability to munch big minutes (second among Leafs defensemen in average five-on-five ice-time) and win tough matchups (most minutes against 'elite' competition of all Leafs defensemen, according to PuckIQ) has been especially critical this season because Morgan Rielly hasn't played like a top-pair-caliber defenseman. Tanev and McCabe have been one of the best shutdown pairs in the NHL, helping the Leafs control nearly 57 percent of high-danger chances and 62.9 percent of goals in their shifts together. They've surrendered a minuscule 1.76 goals against per 60 despite defending against top lines. Here's an example of McCabe bodying Connor McDavid on a full-speed rush this season. McCabe gets the body on a speeding McDavid — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 2, 2025 Tanev is obviously a huge part of that pair's success, but while he's universally recognized as a top-flight player, McCabe's name is often overlooked. And for those who think McCabe is being carried by Tanev, keep in mind McCabe was still winning his top-four matchups last season when his primary partner was Simon Benoit, a fringe NHL player. Oh, and Toronto's record has taken a huge hit anytime McCabe has been out of the lineup. The Leafs have struggled without Jake McCabe in the lineup — Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) January 15, 2025 Kulak has long been one of my favorite third-pair defensemen in the NHL. The 31-year-old left shot is an effortless skater, breaks the puck out efficiently and is reliable defensively. Watch how he breaks a play up in the neutral zone and flips the puck ahead to his forwards, leading to a Grade-A chance. Kulak can singlehandedly win his minutes further down the lineup — last year he was posting terrific results despite being saddled with Vincent Desharnais, a slow skater who's really limited with the puck. He's been a strong playoff performer, comfortably handling 16-17 minutes in high-leverage games, which matters because coaches often feel the need to shelter some of their bottom-four defensemen during the postseason. Advertisement This year, Kulak has been elevated to top-four usage and is averaging a career-high 20:08 per game. He hasn't skipped a beat in this higher-leverage role. The Oilers have driven nearly 54 percent of scoring chances in Kulak's five-on-five minutes this season. That's included impressive work playing his off side with Darnell Nurse at times. Kulak is an underrated, versatile player whose puck-moving acumen allows him to thrive anywhere on a team's bottom four. Vegas' blue line has long been considered one of the best in the NHL. It's a deep, well-rounded group that can move the puck, play a heavy defensive style and chip in with offense. Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin get the majority of the spotlight on the back end, but McNabb's steady contributions as a defensive stopper often fly under the radar. McNabb is leaned on as the clear No. 4 on the blue line. He's consistently averaged 20 minutes per game and is tasked with handling tougher-than-league-average matchups. The 6-foot-4 defender is a dying breed/style of player in a couple of ways. Firstly, he's a punishing, explosive open-ice hitter. Alex Laferrier takes a crushing hit from Brayden McNabb.#GoKingsGo #VegasBorn #LAKvsVGK — LA Royalty (@LARoyalty1967) October 29, 2023 Secondly, and most importantly, he's found a way to drive effective defensive results despite being a really slow skater, which is impressive considering how fast and skilled the game is today. He protects the inside defensively with his smart reads, positioning, ability to clog passing and shooting lanes and the way he leverages his size to win battles down low and at the net front. McNabb is driving 54.8 percent of scoring chances and a plus-23 goal differential during his five-on-five shifts this season. He's surrendered just 1.71 goals against per 60, which ranks top 10 among all defensemen who've played in a full-time top-four role this season. Theodore is the perfect stylistic fit for McNabb as a partner because of his dynamic puck-moving and offensive talent. McNabb isn't just a Theodore merchant, however — he's played a ton of time away from him over the last three seasons because of Theodore's injuries, and his underlying numbers have still been pretty decent. Advertisement Making just $2.85 million against the cap for 2024-25 (with a new extension kicking in next season), McNabb has one of the best defenseman contracts in the league. Chatfield has blossomed into a capable second-pair option on a contending team without any fanfare outside of Carolina. Carolina lost Skjei and Brett Pesce in the summer. General manager Eric Tulsky signed Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere in free agency, but both have played together on the bottom pair. The Canes have weathered the top-four departures relatively well thanks to the success Dmitry Orlov and Chatfield have had stepping into a bigger role this season. Chatfield's rise in Carolina is a terrific story. The scrappy, hard-nosed 28-year-old right shot went undrafted and originally signed as a free-agent prospect in Vancouver. The Canucks let him walk in 2021 after a mostly underwhelming NHL campaign. He signed with the Hurricanes and has since developed into a solid defensive-minded No. 4/5 defenseman. Chatfield is ultra-reliable defensively. He's mobile and has a tenacious work rate, which allows him to aggressively kill plays and win battles. He defends the rush well, forcing dump-ins and breaking up entries at above-average rates according to Sznajder's tracking. He can make a clean first pass to drive quality zone exits, too. The Canes have controlled 56 percent of scoring chances and own a plus-10 goal differential during Chatfield's five-on-five minutes this season. The big key this year is he's proving he can maintain that success in a higher-leverage role. He's averaging nearly 19 minutes per game and handling significantly harder matchups compared to last season. — All stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick, collected prior to April 2 games (Photo of Michael Kesselring and Jackson LaCombe: Rob Gray / Imagn Images)
