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In this edition of the hotstove, we discuss which of Nashville's terrific defensemen is the best of the bunch.
Todd Cordell
I think it's P.K. Subban.
He puts up a lot of points, he moves the puck, he drives possession and is used by head coach Peter Laviolette on the top/shut down pairing against opposing team's best players.
He doesn't get a lot of credit for his defensive game because he's flashy and, like many players who have the puck a lot, turns it over sometimes but this season he was actually the best shot suppressor on Nashville's blue line and, in general, is really solid in his own zone.
James Tanner
I don't think there is a wrong answer between PK and Ekholm, but PK is close to my favorite player in the NHL - he's fun to watch, he's good at pretty much everything and he's always effective.
I think some stats might point you in the direction of Ekholm or even Ellis - both of whom are fantastic - but the difference can't be that great that P.K doesn't overcome it by being the Fonzie of the NHL. Which I realize isn't a great analytical take, but I love Subban.
Peter Tessier
It's Subban. Why do we even keep discussing this? He is the most dynamic and diverse player of the bunch. The problem is the Preds have a great group of defencemen and that muddies the waters to see who is best.
The issue here is narratives take over and even with statistics we can pigeonhole players to being something that might not be entirely accurate. What I find interesting in the Preds defence discussion is how that the collection of players is rarely seen as benefiting them all. Some would suggest that a great player benefits from being alone in talent on defence unlike forwards. I'd say having such depth only enhances how great players like Subban can be, because it becomes so obvious how much better he is than the average forward he faces. That depth means he faces less talented guys more often and he's excelling, so yeah, Subban.
Jan Levine
That may depend on how you define best? Is it bang for the buck? Is it the one with the most varied skill set? Is it the one who can make the biggest difference at a time on the ice?
Talent wise and the ability to make that one play which gets everyone in the stands standing on their feet, it has to be PK Subban. Overall skill set level to me is Roman Josi, as he has the offensive ability coupled with strong defensive skills. The most overlooked is likely Mattias Ekholm. But the player who has taken the biggest strides forward in the playoffs and the one with the biggest bang for the buck - making $2.5 mil for each of the next two years - is Ryan Ellis.
Figuring out which of the four is the best is a heck of a problem to have for Nashville and their fanbase.
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