Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Poll: Do the Flames have the best defense in the NHL?

Vancouver Canucks v Calgary Flames

CALGARY, AB - DECEMBER 23: Mark Giordano #5 of the Calgary Flames in action against the Vancouver Canucks during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on December 23, 2016 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)

Getty Images

This post is part of Flames Day on PHT...

The Calgary Flames have a number of quality forwards like Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan on their roster, but the team’s calling card is on defense.

Going into last season, the Flames were led by Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie and Dougie Hamilton. Before the trade deadline, they added Michael Stone from the Arizona Coyotes (they also signed him to a three-year contract extension this summer).

At the draft, they acquired another big piece, as they shipped three high draft picks to the Islanders for Travis Hamonic.

“I’m really excited,” Hamonic said, per NHL.com. “I have a pretty awesome opportunity in front of me.

“I think part of it is having the opportunity to play with those guys. Those are three of the best defensemen in the League, in my opinion. When you have all three of them on one team and you get to join a defensive core with those kind of players ... I think that aspect really excites me.”

Where do they rank in the league? Are they the best right now?

Of course, people in Nashville will likely take offense to this poll question. After all, they have P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis on their blue line, and they’re just coming off a trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

When we look at the best bang-for-your-buck, here’s how things shake out. Calgary spends just over $21 million on their top four blue liners. Giordano is the highest-paid player of the bunch at $6.75 million. As for Nashville, Subban is their highest-paid defenseman at $9 million, but no one else makes more than $4 million. Together, their top four defenders come with a cap hit of $19.25 million.

Another team that is loaded on defense, is the Anaheim Ducks.

They have Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen and Cam Fowler. It’s incredible to think that none of those three players have seen their 27th birthday yet (Lindholm is 23, Vatanen is 26, Fowler is 25). They also have Josh Manson, Brandon Montour and Jacob Larsson on the depth chart. And don’t forget, they traded a former first-rounder, Shea Theodore, to the Vegas Golden Knights this summer.

So, how does the Flames defense stack up against the rest of the league?

Feel free to vote in the poll below and make sure to leave your opinion in the comments section.

[polldaddy poll=9818070]