The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs have been loaded with great performances from defensemen.
Not surprisingly, the Stanley Cup Final is flush with top-tier defensemen. The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers each have elite players at the position who have made huge impacts this postseason.
Who is the most impressive defenseman among the 12 expected to suit up in Game 1 of the Final at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS, CBC)?
We asked 10 NHL.com staffers who have covered at least one round of the playoffs and will cover the Stanley Cup Final.
Here, in alphabetical order, are their choices.
Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers
The 24-year-old has 27 points (six goals, 21 assists) in 18 playoff games. Not only is that first among defensemen, but that’s third among all skaters behind teammates Connor McDavid (31 points; five goals, 26 assists), and Leon Draisaitl (28 points; 10 goals, 18 assists). Only the sixth defenseman in NHL history to record 20 assists in a postseason, Bouchard also leads all skaters with a plus-14 rating. Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling is next at plus-11, and has been excellent defensively. But he has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 17 games. The gap in offensive production is too big to ignore. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
Hard to argue against Bouchard, who leads defensemen in goals, assists and points, and is also third in average time on ice (24:33) among all skaters who played at least 15 games. My heart says Forsling, who has enjoyed an offensive spurt this postseason with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 17 games, but Bouchard’s numbers are better. -- William Douglas, staff writer
Bouchard is not a Norris Trophy nominee this season, but judging on his performance in the playoffs, should be in the coming years after developing into Edmonton’s top defenseman in his third full NHL season. Bouchard plays in all situations and outplayed Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes in the second round and was better than Dallas Stars standout Miro Heiskanen in the Western Conference Final. Bouchard is a big reason the Oilers are in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. -- \Derek Van Diest, staff writer \
After having the pleasure of watching Bouchard’s evolution in person the past two rounds, I think he's about to show the hockey world he can be the marquee defenseman in the Final. Consider the legendary names he’s being mentioned with these days: With his two assists during Edmonton's 3-1 Game 5 victory against the Stars in the Western Final, he became the third-fastest defenseman to reach 50 career playoff points (45 games) in NHL history, trailing only Bobby Orr (39 games) and Brian Leetch (41 games). He followed that up with a two-assist performance in Edmonton’s 2-1 elimination of the Stars in Game 6, moving him past Kevin Lowe and Randy Gregg on the team’s all-time postseason points list for defensemen with 53, trailing only Paul Coffey (103) and Charlie Huddy (77). The fact Coffey is now his position coach with the Oilers only increases his ceiling. And when you’re in the same conversation as Leetch, Orr, Coffey, that’s saying a lot. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers
The Carolina Hurricanes have to be kicking themselves. The Panthers got one of the all-time waiver wire steals in Forsling, who has been perhaps the best defenseman in the playoffs and certainly the best remaining defenseman. Just to pick one moment of Forsling’s brilliance: In Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers, New York forward Chris Kreider had the puck on his stick as he took a pass and got ahead of Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad. But there was Forsling, diving, all out, to bat the puck away before Kreider could even get a chance on goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. He’s been unbelievable and I expect more of the same in the Stanley Cup Final. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
Forsling has developed into one of the best all-around defensemen in the NHL and certainly the best one who will play in the Stanley Cup Final. Though he’s regularly matched against opponents’ top offensive players, Forsling leads all players in the postseason with a plus-119 shot attempts differential at 5-on-5. Despite rarely playing on the power play, he’s fourth in scoring among defenseman in the playoffs. That includes timely goals such as his game-winner in a series-clinching 2-1 victory in Game 6 of the second round against the Boston Bruins and tying goals in Games 3 and 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Rangers. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
There are two things I love: a feel-good story and reminding Chicago Blackhawks fans about former players who are now excelling elsewhere with the ol’ “you all remember him” mention on X. And with that, I’m taking Forsling for this entry. I mean, what a story, right? He was only 21 when he played with the Blackhawks, and obviously had to grow into his game. He’s done that now, and if going from waiver-wire pickup to top-line defenseman who’s been a key part of his team advancing to the Stanley Cup Final isn’t a Cinderella story, I don’t know what is. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
Forsling gets my vote because of who he had to help shut down in each of the three rounds. Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, who had a League-leading 144 points in the regular season, did not score a goal in five games. Bruins forward David Pastrnak, who had 47 goals in the regular season, did not score an even-strength goal in six games in the second round. Rangers forwards Kreider and Mika Zibanejad each did not score an even-strength goal in six games in the conference final. Forsling, partnered with Ekblad, was matched against each forward. Forsling also has 10 even-strength points (four goals, six assists) in three rounds. It's been a masterclass on how to defend against the NHL's best players. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer
Brandon Montour, Florida Panthers
I’m going with Montour not only for what he does on the ice, which is pretty special. Through the first three rounds of the playoffs, he leads all Florida defensemen in average time on ice per game (23:24), is second in blocked shots (28), takeaways (eight), goals (three) and points (nine). But he's also a huge contributor off the ice, keeping the players loose with his constant chirps and barbs. He is the perfect example of what the Panthers are all about -- hard-hitting and having fun doing it. -- \Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief \
Watch Montour skate. It is a thing of beauty and it will help the Panthers counter the elite speed of the Oilers' top-end forwards. According to stats from NHL Edge, he has 16 speed bursts over 20 mph, which is better than three-quarters of the players at his position this postseason, and has skated 57.8 miles in the playoffs. But he always looks fresh because his skating stride is effortless. He's smooth and effective, if not always noticeable -- just what an impact defenseman should be. -- \Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial \
