Top NHL Defensemen

The Norris Trophy for outstanding defenseman goes to... a VERY short list of three candidates: Nicklas Lidstrom, Scott Niedermayer, and Chris Pronger. However, the NHL has many players that may have been overlooked. Not that those three aren't deserving, because they are. However, here's my list of top 20 defensemen that mean a lot to their respective teams.

Scott Niedermayer (Anaheim)

- Effortless skater. Great puck mover and passer. Dictates the flow. Puck control is outstanding. Has unbelievable recuperative ability in the defensive zone.

Chris Pronger (Anaheim)

- Tall and rangy, hard to beat 1-1. Punishing body checks. Great puck mover and passer. Excellent shot. Complete package.

Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit)

- Never out of position. Never seems to make any mistakes. Efficient and intelligent in both defensive and offensive situations. Accurate shot.

Sergei Zubov (Dallas)

- Outstanding puck mover and passer. Great puck control and skating agility. Powerplay quarterback. Makes things happen.

Zdeno Chara (Boston)

- Tall and very rangy. Loves to hit. Underrated offensive ability.

Mathieu Schneider (Detroit)

- Smooth lateral skater. Moves well with the puck. Great point shot. Powerplay quarterback.

Mattias Ohlund (Vancouver)

- Intelligent shutdown defenseman. Has size, skating ability, a blast from the blueline.

Brian Rafalski (New Jersey)

- Intelligent powerplay quarterback. Skates well. Steadying influence from the back end.

Wade Redden (Ottawa)

- Cool under pressure. Good skater, passer. Accurate point shot.

Dan Boyle (Tampa Bay)

- Creative powerplay quarterback. Steady defensively.

Sergei Gonchar (Pittsburgh)

- Has size, speed and a wicked shot from the point. Makes crisp passes to get out of the defensive zone or lugs the puck up ice with speed.

Dion Phaneuf (Calgary)

- Outstanding open-ice hitter. Booming point shot. Often compared to Scott Stevens.

Jay Bouwmeester (Florida)

- Strong skater. Has the size, intelligence, hockey smarts. Capable shutdown defender.

Bryan McCabe (Toronto)

- Aggressive defender. Great point shot. Powerplay specialist.

Rob Blake (Los Angeles)

- Physical with good size. Has a rocket of a shot. Powerplay specialist.

Ed Jovanovski (Phoenix)

- Has size, toughness and strength. Good offensive instincts.

Robyn Regehr (Calgary)

- Shutdown defenseman. Big and scary hitter. Powerful accurate point shot.

Sheldon Souray (Montreal)

- Known for his booming point shot. Clears the net well. Uses his size effectively.

John Michael Liles (Colorado)

- Plays beyond his smallish frame. Offensive defenseman with great puck possession skills.

Shea Weber (Nashville)

- All-around player with size and mean-streak. Big point shot and logs a lot of minutes.