As preparations for the World Cup of Hockey 2016 hit high gear leading up to the start of the tournament on Sept. 17 in Toronto, NHL.com looks at how the teams stand. Seven writers who will cover the two-week event at Air Canada Centre were asked to rank the teams from 1-8 in various categories. Today, we look at which team has the best defensive forward.
International hockey is usually defined by the offensive exploits of the game's best players sharing the same stage. But the tournaments often are won by the team that can best shut down the opponents' top player.
For that reason, having an elite defensive forward is key to team's success in a short tournament like the World Cup of Hockey 2016. The eight-team competition will be loaded with forwards who understand the importance of playing in their own end.
Best World Cup defensive forward ranked by NHL.com
Selke winners Patrice Bergeron of Team Canada, Anze Kopitar of Team Europe tie for top spot
![Anze Kopitar_Patrice Bergeron](https://media.d3.nhle.com/image/private/t_ratio16_9-size20/f_auto/prd/lonfyytulx8ikwaq2zaa.jpg)
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