NHL Power Rankings: 15 Best Shot Blockers in the NHL

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NEW YORK - JANUARY 25: Sergei Gonchar #55 of the Pittsburgh Penguins battles for the puck against Dan Girardi #5 and Marc Staal #18 of the New York Rangers on January 25, 2010 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Penguins defeated the Rangers 4-2.

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In today’s games in the NHL, the dirty, gritty work falls onto the blue liners who don’t hesitate to sacrifice their body to block shots.

When such a heavy responsibility falls on the goaltenders of the league, the defenders who risk their physical well being to help out their goalie between the pipes are often understated in their importance.

The following 15 defenders are ranked by their abilities to find ways to contribute both by blocking shots, but also in other ways.

15. Andrew MacDonald

UNIONDALE, NY - MARCH 24: Andrew MacDonald #47 of the New York Islanders passes the puck during an NHL hockey game against the Atlanta Thrashers at the Nassau Coliseum on March 24, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

Paul Bereswill/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: New York Islanders

Games Played: 60

Blocked Shots: 160

Points: 27

Jump-starting our list is Andrew MacDonald at the 15^th slot, who missed 22 games last season with two separate injuries. The first was a hand injury early in the season, and the second cut his season seven games short with a hip injury.

Andrew MacDonald averaged 2.67 blocked shots per game played. All in all, this New York Islander defender is a strong defender on both sides of the ice and is willing to stop shots for his goalie’s sake.

14. Brett Clark

TAMPA, FL - MAY 19: Brett Clark #7 of the Tampa Bay Lightning reacts after the Boston Bruins scored a first period goal in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at St Pete Times Forum on May 19, 2011 in Tamp

Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Tampa Bay Lightning

Games Played: 82

Blocked Shots: 157

Points: 31

With a team like the Tampa Bay Lightning that is so heavy on the offensive firepower, Brett Clark was a great change of pace on their roster with such impressive statistics defensively.

Clark also put up 9 goals and 22 assists contributing on both ends of the ice. All in all, Brett Clark had an impressive season last year and is expected to just get better next season.

13. Anton Babchuk

CALGARY, CANADA - FEBRUARY 7: Anton Babchuk #33 of the Calgary Flames skates against the Chicago Blackhawks on February 7, 2011 at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Dale MacMillan/Getty Images)

Dale MacMillan/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Carolina Hurricanes + Calgary Flames

Games Played: 82

Blocked Shots: 156

Points: 35

Anton Babchuck split last season between Carolina and Calgary, and is definitely an interesting player on this list for one key reason. With 156 blocked shots, he only had 19 hits last season.

With 11 goals, he was a high scoring defender who found other ways to keep players away from his goal tallying an impressive +14. Standing at 6’5, it’s interesting to find a player who doesn’t have an excessive number of hits, but Babchuk finds other ways to prove his worth.

12. Francois Beauchemin

ANAHEIM, CA - FEBRUARY 27: Francois Beauchemin #23 of the Anaheim Ducks skates against the Colorado Avalanche at Honda Center on February 27, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Toronto Maple Leafs + Anaheim Ducks

Games Played: 82

Blocked Shots: 182

Points: 17

Francois Beauchemin of the Anaheim Ducks is in our 12^th seat with impressive high numbers in both blocked shots and hits, but struggled more offensively this season than what is expected out of him.

Beauchemin, who spent most of the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, was ranked 5^th among all NHL players with 182 blocked shots last season.

11. Dennis Seidenberg

VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 15: Dennis Seidenberg #44 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game Seven of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena on June 15, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Can

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Boston Bruins

Games Played: 81

Blocked Shots: 174

Points: 32

Dennis Seidenberg of the Championship Boston Bruin team was ranked 8^th in blocked shots among all NHL players in the regular season. At age 30, he has proven his talents to five different teams in the NHL but signed a longer deal with Boston where he seems to mix well.

In the playoffs, he was ranked 3^rd with a +12 rating, proving that he is talented enough to keep shots away from his goalie, helping Tim Thomas enough to propel his team to lifting the Stanley Cup.

10. Greg Zanon

ST PAUL, MN - MARCH 22: Greg Zanon #5 of the Minnesota Wild skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Xcel Energy Center on March 22, 2011 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Minnesota Wild

Games Played: 82

Blocked Shots: 212

Points: 7

Even though Greg Zanon does not have the highest salary as a blue liner on the Minnesota Wild roster, there is a solid case to argue him as the best stay-at-home defender on their bench.

Despite only putting up seven points last season, Zanon was ranked second in the league in blocked shots, and made his presence known to so many shooters by keeping the puck away from his goaltender.

9. Dan Girardi

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2010-2011 Team: New York Rangers

Games Played: 80

Blocked Shots: 236

Points: 31

The blocked shot leader from last season was Dan Girardi of the NY Rangers who stopped an impressive 236 pucks from reaching the net his was helping to guard.

Just that statistic alone is enough to land him in the top 10 shot blockers in the league, add to it that he had 31 points and 195 hits and he proved that he is a force to be reckoned with anywhere on the ice.

8. John-Michael Liles

GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 01: John-Michael Liles #4 of the Colorado Avalanche skates with the puck during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on April 1, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. The Avalanche defeated the Coyotes 4-3 in an overtim

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Colorado Avalanche

Games Played: 76

Blocked Shots: 153

Points: 46

John-Michael Liles has significantly fewer blocked shots, compared to players like Dan Girardi, however the high number of points earns him a spot as the eight best player known for blocking shots.

Liles spent last season in an Avalanche jersey, but now is the third highest paid defender on the Toronto roster and could help out his new team with both his offensive and defensive abilities.

7. Toni Lydman

ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 15: Toni Lydman #32 of the Anaheim Ducks skates against the Nashville Predators in Game Two of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on April 15, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (P

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Anaheim Ducks

Games Played: 78

Blocked Shots: 178

Points: 25

Toni Lydman has been widely considered Anaheim’s best move from the off-season leading into last season. The fact that he was ranked sixth in the league with blocked shots, and fourth with a +32 rating, is just a testament to that consideration.

This 33-year-old Finn brought both his self-sacrificing willingness and his veteran presence to a pretty young Anaheim defense making his importance so much deeper than just the extra boosts on both ends of the game.

6. Matt Carle

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2010-2011 Team: Philadelphia Flyers

Games Played: 82

Blocked Shots: 157

Points: 40

Matt Carle of the Philadelphia Flyers has been gradually growing in each of his six seasons in the NHL, and that is a trend that isn’t likely to be broken in the upcoming years.

At just 25 years of age, Carle broke into the top 20 in blocked shots this year landing at 17^th in the league, and ended the year with a +30 rating. Coupling those statistics with his impressive 40 points, he deserves his spot at 6^th on this list.

5. Mark Giordano

DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 14: Mark Giordano #5 of the Calgary Flames skates against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on February 14, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Flames defeated the Avalanche 9-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Calgary Flames

Games Played: 82

Blocked Shots: 193

Points: 43

Cracking open the top five players on this list is Mark Giordano of the Calgary Flames. Giordano ended the regular season ranked 3^rd in the NHL in blocked shots, and 22^nd among defenders in points.

In five seasons with the Calgary Flames, the 27-year-old blue liner has continued to increase his point production each year, so there is very little surprise why Calgary locked him down for years to come.

4. Duncan Keith

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 10: Duncan Keith #2 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against the Detroit Red Wings at the United Center on April 10, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks 4-3. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Image

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Chicago Blackhawks

Games Played: 82

Blocked Shots: 182

Points: 45

Duncan Keith starts our decline in blocked shots and the incline of point production for the rest of this list. Despite spending plenty of time defending his own net, including 182 blocked shots, Keith manages to contribute seven goals and 38 assists.

Keith was a key component in Chicago’s road to the Stanley Cup victory a few seasons back, and is a solid piece of the Blackhawk defense that I personally don’t expect to be sporting any other sweater for years to come.

3. Roman Hamrlik

MONTREAL, CANADA - APRIL 18: Roman Hamrlik #44 of the Montreal Canadiens turns up ice with the puck in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Boston Bruins during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on April 18, 2

Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Montreal Canadiens

Games Played: 79

Blocked Shots: 192

Points: 34

Roman Hamrlik of the Montreal Canadiens stopped enough pucks in the regular season to land him 4^th in the league. Hamrlik is another player who has significantly fewer hits than expected for a player who stands at 6’2 and weighs in at 207-pounds.

Hamrlik signed a two-year deal with the Washington Capitals, ending his four-year stint in Montreal. Joining the strong Capitals defense seems to be a great move for the 37-year-old veteran who is searching for a Cup before retirement.

2. Kimmo Timonen

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2010-2011 Team: Philadelphia Flyers

Games Played: 82

Blocked Shots: 175

Points: 37

Philadelphia Flyer, Kimmo Timonen, is our 2^nd best shot blocker in the NHL when looking for more than just a body between the goalies and the shooters. At 36-years-old, the veteran defenseman ended the regular season ranked 7^th in blocked shots and 34^th among blue liners in points.

Timonen has just one more season under contract with Philadelphia, and after that retirement is a possibility, however this season expectations are the same if not higher for this talented defender.

1. Brent Seabrook

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 02: Brent Seabrook #7 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against the Calgary Flames at the United Center on March 2, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Flames 6-4. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

2010-2011 Team: Chicago Blackhawks

Games Played: 82

Blocked Shots: 154

Points: 48

Brent Seabrook is our best and last player on this list of the top 15 shot blockers in the league. At just 26-years-old, this Chicago blue liner had a career year with nine goals, 39 points, totaling to 48 points.

Not only was Seabrook ranked at 21^st for shots blocked, but he also landed at 11^th in NHL defenders for points. All in all, Seabrook is a player that manages to stay well rounded with impressive point, blocked shot, and hit statistics earning him our number one spot.

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