Top Scoring Defensemen Over Age 40
By: Adam Gretz
Earlier this week the folks at Japers' Rink put together a sensational breakdown (you can view the entire analysis right here) on how the Detroit Red Wings have "protected" their older defensemen in recent years, particularly Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski, and how it relates to the Capitals and their own offensive-defenseman, Mike Green.
Basically, what the Red Wings did was split the two veterans apart (in past years Lidstrom and Rafalski were typically paired together) and made their new partners, usually Jonathan Ericsson and Brad Stuart, go back retrieve the puck in the defensive zone and take the physical pounding from oncoming forecheckers. By doing so they limited the number of hits Lidstrom and Rafalski had to take over the course of a game and season, further allowing them to be among the most prolific scoring defensemen in the league. It didn't necessarily increase their offensive ability, but it may have saved a few unnecessary hits, which is always a good thing for players in their mid-late 30's and early 40's.
