Thn did their top 100 and went orr, harvey, Lidstrom, shore, bourque.

I went with bourque number 2. Reason why: 19 year end all star team selections, so essentially 19 times was considered a top four defenseman in the league, 13 of those top 2. His 13 are more than total selection s for lidstrom/harvey which is absolutely insane to me. 5 Norris in arguably the toughest peer competition. Who does everyone else have?

Paul Coffey

We are all too young to remember Shore and Harvey. Actually I remember Harvey as Ranger and St Louis Blue.

From your list I would say Lidstrom, but I might say Denis Potvin. In Potvin's LAST season in 72 games, 19 goals 32 assists and a plus 26. He was great offensively and defensively and had mean streak when he had to be.

Bobby Orr. It's an unpopular opinion, but imo Lidström is the No. 1 all time.

Hockey was so different game back in the 1970s it's just not comparable to modern day hockey in any meaningful way.

That is just my opinion though. I won't say it's wrong to think otherwise.

Lidstrom is my n.1 too

Really? I don't know how you can look at Orrs offensive numbers and plus/minus (which actually meant something at his time) and say he wasn't the best d-man all time.

Orr is better hands down.

You have your opinion we have ours

I can live with someone selecting any of the five as number one, but for me the only reason there’s room for discussion is orr having his career cut short. He probably would’ve won at least 10 Norris

Simple pick here for me. Nick Lidstrom.
If I was to list off what some of my top 10 could look like it would be:
1. Bobby Orr
2. Nick Lidstrom
3. Ray Bourque
4. Chris Chelios
5. Doug Harvey
6. Paul Coffey
7. Larry Robinson
8. Scott Niedermayer
9. Chris Pronger
10. Eddie Shore
(HM to Denis Potvin)

My top 10:
Orr
Bourque
Lidstrom
Harvey
Shore
Potvin
Robinson
Coffey
Kelly
Pronger

I get what your saying

I mean, like you say, you can't compare eras, maybe Lidstrom is better.

That's fair, but Orrs numbers are just insane.

Yes they are.

Where is Scott Stevens?

Karl Alzner

how is Al Macinnis, Scott Stevens, Al Iafrate, not on this list

How do you have iafrate in that?

Macinnis and Stevens are both considerable, but Iafrate shouldn't be in these talks. He was a great defenseman, but not quite top 10 material IMO.

Pierre Pilote

Almost had him in my top 10, guy is never mentioned

I really like Lidstrom as a # 2, BUT, that's a big but. Eddie Shore has something significant that even Bobby Orr doesn't have. Eddie Shore has won the Hart Trophy 4 times. So, I have Eddie Shore as the second best D-man all time. Bourque, Lidstrom, Harvey never won the most valuable player award, Shore won it 4 times.

OEL...
whoops wrong thread!

Nope he was a forward playing defense, his defense was atrocious