Editor In Leaf
Fansided

Toronto Maple Leafs: Ranking the NHL’s Top 5 Defensemen

By James Tanner

Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche shoots against the Seattle Kraken during the third period in Game Six of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Climate Pledge Arena on April 28, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche shoots against the Seattle Kraken during the third period in Game Six of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Climate Pledge Arena on April 28, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
Toronto Maple Leafs
Adam Fox of the New York Rangers speaks with the media at the 2023 NHL Awards  (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

#3 Adam Fox

Drafted in the 3rd round, 66th overall, Adam Fox is the kind of late-draft hit that the Toronto Maple Leafs have been missing for the entirety of the Auston Matthews Era.

Fox was drafted by Calgary, then traded to Carolina and eventually New York where he established himself as one of the NHL’s premier blue-liners.

Weirdly, Fox refused to sign with either Calgary or  Carolina, and the Rangers ended up getting him for just 2 x second round picks.

Rarely has such a  trade been so much of a steal, and Fox is now the 3rd best defenseman in the NHL.   He might even be higher than that, since one of the players ahead of him is so old and injury prone.

Fox had 42 points as a rookie, then improved on that in the shortened season where he was nearly a point per game player.

His last two seasons have seen him post 74 and 72 points.

As you can see from the above chart, he’s not only a great offensive defenseman, but he is also excellent defensively.

Fox is only 25 and should be one of the premier defenders in the NHL for the next decade or so.

Home/Maple Leafs News