Over the past few weeks, I've used this Monday space to give you a couple of top 10 lists. I gave you my top 10 centers. I know there were some Philadelphia Flyers fans who didn't like that one. I followed that with my top 10 goaltenders. That list caused less of a stir. There were some New York Rangers fans that thought Henrik Lundqvist should have been a bit higher, though.
I've come to realize that my bosses love lists. And, from what I can make of things, you seem to like lists, too.
So I figured I'd give you my top-10 list of puck-moving defensemen. These are guys who can skate and pass the puck out of their end to ignite the attack. I thought I'd separate them from the more stay-at-home, shut-down types. With the playoffs less than 10 days away, I'll define my list by saying I put these guys in order of who I think could lead a team to a Stanley Cup this spring, all things being equal.
1. Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings (9 goals, 39 assists, 48 points, plus-23): Watching the six-time Norris Trophy winner, you'd never know he'll be turning 40 later this month. He remains a silky smooth performer. The lanky Swede has etched his name on the Stanley Cup four times. If I'm picking a skilled puck-mover for my Cup run, I'm still starting with Lidstrom.
To see the rest of E.J.'s top-10 list, including a group of grizzled veterans plus one rising star, you must be an ESPN Insider.
E.J. Hradek
Senior Writer, ESPN The MagazineABOUT THIS BLOG
E.J. Hradek
E.J. Hradek is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine, joining the staff prior to its launch in 1998. He began covering hockey as a writer/editor for Hockey Illustrated in 1989. The following year, he beat the Stars to Dallas (by three years), taking over as the editor of Beckett Hockey Monthly. When the Stars finally did arrive in Big D, he hosted a weekly hockey radio show and tried (unsuccessfully) to convert ESPN's Skip Bayless to the greatest game on ice.
In 1996, Hradek left Dallas, but not the Stars. Relocating back to the New York area, he became a part-time pro scout for the club, seeing more than 100 NHL/AHL games for each of the next two seasons. The scouting gig was a great learning experience, offering a different view of the game.
Hradek grew up in Tuckahoe, N.Y., about a 40-minute train ride from New York City. Despite the proximity to the Rangers, Hradek embraced the Islanders when the expansion franchise debuted in 1972. Eight years later, he was part of the sellout crowd at the Nassau Coliseum that witnessed the Islanders' first Stanley Cup championship.
