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There's change a-brewin' on defense. All the established stars are either getting ancient or are coming off poor showings. This has created a whole mess of movement in our top twelve, including new names in the first three spots of the countdown.

1. Chris Pronger, St. Louis Blues: Pronger's rise to the top hasn't been easy. Drafted second overall in 1993 by the Mighty Whale, he spent two rather forgettable years in Hartford. The Sea Mammals expected Pronger to step right in and be their best defenseman. Granted, at the time that wasn't saying much, but the pressure was too great and the young blueliner suffered through a painful sophomore season that saw him record a slight five goals and 14 points in 45 games while skating at a -12.

Chris Pronger by Meredith Martini

Worried that he might be a bust, Whaler management grew impatient and traded Pronger to the St. Louis Blues for Brendan Shanahan. At the time, Shanahan was probably the most popular player in St. Louis thanks to a pair of 50-goal seasons and his affable yet hard-hitting nature. Needless to say, the trade didn't go over well with the fans. Seen by many as a steal on the part of the Whale, then-Blues GM/coach Mike Keenan was ridiculed for being insane, even more than usual, and the faithful voiced their displeasure towards Pronger. Even though it wasn't his fault that he was traded for the village hero, the 21-year-old was now forced to play in a town that didn't even want him on its team. Yeah, that's gotta be fun.

But Keenan wasn't about to let Pronger give up. Sticking to his claim that the youngster would one day be the best defenseman in the NHL, Keenan began playing him like a mad man. He wasn't going to protect him from the critics by only using him in situations where he knew he'd excel. The kid was thrown into the fire... and liked it. It wasn't long before Pronger was playing nearly 30 minutes a night. Slowly but surely the boos began turning into applause, a few yippees, and the occasion hip-hip- hooray. Fast forward to the present and Keenan looks like a genius. While Shanahan didn't last long in Hartford and is now starting to slow down, Pronger has completed his expected development and is officially the best defenseman in hockey. And he owes it all to Mike Keenan. But don't worry, Keenan's still crazy. That boy definitely ain't right in the head. He was right about Pronger, though.

Pronger is just special. At 6'5", 210 pounds, he's a formidable presence in the defensive zone. His vast wingspan enables him to tie up even the most elusive of opponents. One-on-one matches are no contest. Forwards have no chance to go through him and any effort to go around his enormous reach requires a significant detour to the outside. If a puck-carrier does try to swing wide, Pronger is so sound in his positioning and covers so much ground with his long strides that it's only a split second before he has the play angled off. Then he simply crushes the offending party into the boards, takes the puck, and heads the play up ice. If someone doesn't like the rough treatment, Pronger will gladly throw. He's not scared to play dirty. Mess with Pronger and it's hello nasty.

While Pronger is classified as a defensive defenseman, a league- best +47 will do that every time, he has the skills to contribute at both ends of the rink. His point totals have increased in each of the past four years. He had nine goals last season and his 36 points were a career high. Now that Steve Duchesne is back in Los Angeles, Pronger might get called on to play even more time on the power play where he'll have a greater opportunity to display his heavy shot from the point.

Scoring a bit more would be nice, but Pronger is all about defense. It's his range that separates him from the pack. His reach and size enable him to cover so much ice that he's able to disrupt offenses without running around like a maniac. Very similar to Larry Robinson, Pronger controls play without ever drawing much attention to himself. He makes it seem so easy. And he's always on the ice. He plays so much that the opposition never really gets much of a chance to play around him. If you want to beat St. Louis, chances are you're going to have to go through Pronger. Good luck.

Nicklas Lidstrom by Meredith Martini

2. Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings: Lidstrom isn't a bruising physical player. While he will take the man, he's not going to run people into the boards or indulge in the sweet science. He doesn't have to. What he lacks in brutality he makes up for with intelligence. He's never out of position. Beating him one-on-one is quite the chore. Usually it's just a quick poke-check and play goes the other way. He's exceptional with the stick. Lidstrom doesn't go down to block many shots, instead he has the uncanny knack of getting his stick down at just the appropriate time to disrupt a scoring chance. He probably blocks as many shots with his stick as Craig Ludwig does with those wacky over-sized shin pads.

Lidstrom's talent carries over into the offense. He scored 17 goals and 57 points last season, marking the third straight year he had at least 15 goals and 57 points. He's lethal from the point on the power play. Over the past three seasons, 23 of Lidstrom's 49 goals have come with the man-advantage. Not only is his shot a howitzer, it's always low and on net, making it perfect for deflections and rebounds. Aside from the sheer power of the drives, another reason goaltenders have trouble handling Lidstrom's shot is that he usually lets it go off the pass. He's the league's best one-timer from the point.

Rob Blake by Meredith Martini

3. Rob Blake, Los Angeles Kings: LCS Hockey has long been an admirer of Rob Blake's. Last season he was finally able to overcome those nagging groin injuries that crippled him for much of the previous three years. The result was the first Norris Trophy of his career. Blake appeared in 81 games and led all defensemen with 23 goals. It was Blake's second 20-goal season. The first came in 1993-94, which coincidentally was the last time he was healthy enough to play a full schedule.

Blake's slap shot is a might powerful and can destroy goaltenders from the point, but he isn't shy about pinching in and beating netminders with his wrist shot, either. He isn't a great skater, but he moves well for someone 6'3", 220 pounds. The best part about Blake's game, however, is his hitting. Wow, this guy can hit. Open ice, along the boards, in the parking lot, Blake doesn't care... he just loves to crack people. He can get caught out off position at times and was a -3, but who cares? Can you say Rob Blake is great? I knew that you could.

4. Chris Chelios, Chicago Blackhawks: Hey, it's Charlie Blackhawk! What's Chelios doing this low, you might wonder? Well, it had a little something to do with only scoring three goals and 42 points last year. That's right, Chelios had three goals all of last season. That's only three more than Don Knotts. Time-Life Books has already sent an investigative team to the United Center in order to study the phenomenon. Hopefully they'll uncover something, because it's mind-boggling how Chelios could take 205 shots on net and only score three times. By the way, that's a shooting percentage of 1.5. Oh boy. Chelios shoots so damn hard, how couldn't he score? Hell, that's an X- Files episode right there. But soon as that Mulder punk starts snooping around, Chelly would probably learn him with a left to the gut and a right to the head. He's cool like that.

So was this lack of production just a one-year aberration or is Chelios on the decline? After all, he is 36 years old with 15 seasons in the rear view mirror. Is it his time? Not yet. Even if his goal production stays low, Chelios is still a tremendous defenseman. He's smart, physical, plays nearly half the game, and is a leader in both action and word. The one thing that makes him so special is his commitment to the team. Chelios will do anything to help Chicago win. He was playing with an injured knee most of last season yet only missed one game of action. The guy's tough.

5. Alexei Zhitnik, Buffalo Sabres: Ranking Zhitnik fifth is a bold statement, especially after the up-and-down career he's had to this point. But there's no denying the season he had in 1997-98. When other big-name defenseman were struggling, Zhitnik took charge in Buffalo and planted himself firmly among the league's elite courtesy of a vastly improved overall game.

Known as being somewhat flighty and inconsistent in the past, Zhitnik transformed himself into a star last season. Anchoring the Buffalo blue line, Zhitnik saw more ice time than the goal posts. Like Savoir Faire, he was everywhere. The 25-year-old Russian missed leading the Sabres in scoring by one point, finishing with 15 goals and 45 points in 78 games. Overall, he exhibited a new found maturity that had never before seen the light of day. For the first time in his career Zhitnik was responsible defensively, not only for himself but also his teammates. He greatly improved his physical play, becoming a devastating hitter. Zhitnik laid out some serious beatings. He's a very sturdy 5'11", 205 pounds. A naturally powerful skater, when Zhitnik lowers the shoulder he can do some damage. His open-ice destruction of Jaromir Jagr at the Olympics is one of the best checks in recent memory. Make no mistake, Zhitnik's going to make some noise.

6. Brian Leetch, New York Rangers: It's no secret that I'm not a big fan of Brian Leetch. I respect him and all, but I just always thought he was overrated. This is all I wrote about Leetch last year: "Brian Leetch is good. Okay, that's enough. Let's keep the big show rolling." Considering his performance last season I was all ready to drop him way down the charts and make fun of him, but the other staff members reminded me that Leetch is still a good defenseman it's just the Rangers that suck. So I agreed to only move him down to the six spot and I promised to write more about him this time around. Here goes...

Brian Leetch is good. Okay, that's enough. Let's keep the big show rolling. Wait a minute, I forgot something... -36. Ha ha.

7. Sandis Ozolinsh, Colorado Avalanche: Sandis had a subpar season in Colorado. Not only did injuries limit him to 66 games, he also ended up with a team worst -12. That's silly. But if you can forget about the minus rating and the recurring shoulder ailment, Ozolinsh was able to muster 13 goals and 51 points. He's the most talented defenseman in hockey. Never scared to rush the puck or take a chance late on a play, Ozolinsh's devil-may-care attitude makes him extremely dangerous to both the Avalanche and opposition alike. When he makes a mistake, he usually makes it big. But then again when the gamble pays off it's like winning the travel showcase on the "Price is Right"... not only do you get a week in Fiji but you also get to see Diane in a swimsuit. Good deal.

It's not that Ozolinsh can't play defense. He was incredible during Colorado's Cup run in '96 and is capable of going several games between monumental errors. When he's locked in he can be quite the effective defender, both in positioning and in his physical play. But before long his natural instincts take over and things get nutty. It's like having four forwards on the ice. My advice is to just sit back and enjoy the show. Hey, he's just trying to make it fun. Is that so wrong?

8. Al MacInnis, St. Louis Blues: Big Daddy Mac may be old and he may be slow, but don't let that fool you... he really is old and slow. He's also kind of fragile, having missed 21 games over the past two seasons. But none of that matters. He's still the Mac Daddy. MacInnis used his rocket slap shot to terrorize the opposition for 19 goals and 49 points last season. Even at the advanced age of 35 and with 17 professional seasons under his belt, MacInnis still logs enormous amounts of ice time and seems to handle it with ease. And he just recently beat Chris Osgood with a shot from his boyhood home in Inverness, Nova Scotia. The puck apparently had some trouble getting through customs but still had no problem finding its way behind the Detroit netminder.

9. Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins: Blah blah blah old blah blah. Blah great shot blah blah. Blah accurate blah blah. Can still blah blah, even though he blah blah blah. Blah blah blah? Blah. Blah leadership blah blah blah. Blah unicorn blah.

10. Derian Hatcher, Dallas Stars: Hatcher the Younger came into question a bit in the postseason. Some thought he wasn't making his physical presence felt. But at 6'5", 225, Hatcher could just stand in the corner and his presence would be felt. He's a big dude. He's also mean. Big and mean... that reminds me, it's my mother-in-law's birthday next week. Anyway, Hatcher's not going to score a lot, his 31 points this past season matched his career high, but he gets paid to keep the puck out of the net. Strictly speaking, he's the second best defensive defenseman in hockey. He devours ice time, loves to hit, will fight at the drop of a hat, and wears the "C" with pride. That's quite the resume for a 26-year-old. Hatcher also... hold on a second, I'm not even married. Then who is that dizzy old bat?

11. Robert Svehla, Florida Panthers: In the past I've trumpeted the cause to get Svehla some Norris Trophy consideration. Personally, he's one of my favorite players. And if someone out there wants to send me a white Svehla jersey, XL of course, feel free. Because I won't rest until more fans around the league know about the greatness that is Robert Svehla. I won't yield in my quest until everyone knows of his smooth skating, intelligent play, and powerful point shot. I will not cease in my tireless pursuit until each and every man, woman, and child in this great land of ours recognizes Svehla as the defensive luminary he is. This I swear by all I hold holy, I will not surrender the cause until... until... oh, that's enough.

Scott Stevens by Meredith Martini

12. Scott Stevens, New Jersey Devils: Hey, remember when Stevens used to score and whatnot? Well, those days are solid gone. The New Jersey captain had just four goals and 22 points last season, continuing a rather disturbing pattern of behavior. In 1993-94, Stevens had 18 goals and 78 points. In the four years since, Stevens has scored 22 points, 28 points, 24 points, and 22 points. Wha' happened? I haven't seen such a drop off in quality since the final half hour of "Friday."

Despite the lack of scoring, Stevens makes our list for one simple reason: he could beat the hell out of every one else competing for the final spot on the charts. Sometimes might does make right. Stevens continues to be a feared hitter and is a rock in the defensive zone. The bottom line is if we're picking a team we want Stevens back there on the blue line. But I guess since he's ranked 12th that means he'd be our 12th defenseman, so that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. No, wait a minute, we'd be able to have 12 defensemen because we wouldn't carry a punter. I mean anyone can punt. Punters... what a joke.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Adam Foote, Colorado Avalanche: Last year was disappointing for all Avalanche players, but Foote definitely had a season to forget. One of the most intense competitors in sports, Foote let his emotions get the better of him on many nights, taking silly, needless penalties that often cost his club. That and a -3 rating is why he fell out of the top twelve.

Eric Desjardins, Philadelphia Flyers: Desjardins is still as steady as they come. At 29, it seems like he's been on the scene forever. This guy's been around the block more times than the ice cream man. He might be starting to show the signs of wearing down, though, as his point total of 33 dropped by 13 from the previous year. The slip cost him his spot among the list's elite, but offense isn't really what this Flyer blueliner does best. He's all about playing strong positional defense, busting up two-on-ones, and generally making the offense work for everything it gets. He won't bang. He won't intimidate. He just plays defense. Because he's Eric Desjardins, professional defenseman.

Scott Niedermayer, New Jersey Devils: We've heard the same story for years in regards to Niedermayer. New Jersey's strict defensive system was holding him back. He'd never reach his full potential with the Devils. Gimme a break. If he had it in him, if he truly wanted it, he'd produce. That's exactly what he started to do last season, setting career-highs in goals (14), assists (43), and points (57). Those numbers are great, but he's still capable of more. The strength of his game remains his skating. The fastest defenseman in the NHL, Niedermayer can cover more ice than any of his peers. Yet he isn't in our top twelve. That's because I think he's still slacking. And if anyone should know it's me. Just when you think I do nothing I always find a way to do less. But if Niedermayer builds on those stats this season, he'll make the cut in '99.

Teppo Numminen, Phoenix Coyotes: Who's the Finnish defenseman that's a sex machine to all the chicks? Teppo. Damn right. Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother man? Teppo. Can you dig it? Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about? Teppo. Right on. They say this cat Teppo is a bad mother... but I'm talkin' 'bout Teppo. You can dig it. He's a complicated man, no one understands him but LCS Hockey. Teppo Numminen.

Boris Mironov, Edmonton Oilers: Mironov's got tremendous offensive skills. He's not real agile, but he can get around better than most. A streak scorer, he needs to be more consistent in both his point production and his physical play. He isn't scared to take the body, though, and can rattle people pretty good when inspired to do so. He's excellent on the power play, owning an absolute cannon from the point. And someday, if Boris sticks with it, he and Natasha will eventually catch up to that pesky moose and squirrel.

Sergei Zubov, Dallas Stars: Zubie had a strong year for the Stars last season, knocking back 10 goals and 57 points. Here are the best things about Zubov: 1. He can skate like a champ; extremely agile and quick. 2. He's a splendid passer. 3. Can hammer a slap shot. 4. Has remarkable on-ice endurance. 5. Last name rhymes with Blubov. Now here are the bad things: 1. Never shoots the puck. 2. Over passes. 3. Doesn't hit. 4. Can be pushed around. 5. Often wears white after Labor Day. Just not enough good stuff to crack the top twelve.

MOVIN' ON UP

Kenny Jonsson, New York Islanders: With all the attention on Bryan Berard, few outside of Long Island noticed the impressive season Jonsson put together. The 23-year-old Swede had career-highs in goals (14) and points (40), finishing just six points behind the highly-regarded Berard. While Jonsson was a -2, that number takes on more significance when compared to Berard's -32. A fluid skater that plays a smart game, Jonsson is the Islanders' best defenseman.

Mattias Ohlund, Vancouver Canucks: He didn't put up as many points as some expected, accounting for just seven goals and 23 assists in 77 games, but Ohlund used his rookie season to establish himself as a steady NHL backliner. He's extremely solid in all aspects of the game. He's mobile, rarely gets caught out of position, can spring the outlet, has a gun from the point, and will take the body. Ohlund's only going to get better.

DOWNSVILLE

Kevin Hatcher, Pittsburgh Penguins: Hatcher the Elder was among the league's highest scoring defensemen last season with 19 goals and 48 points in 74 games. But those numbers could have been, and should have been, much greater. Hatcher botched scoring chance after scoring chance, taking too long to shoot and then seldom hitting the net when he did. He's very inconsistent in his physical play and has become slower than Marlon Brando's metabolism. Look out below.

CONFUSION

Bryan Berard by Meredith Martini

Bryan Berard, New York Islanders: 1996-97's Calder winner suffered through a delayed sophomore slump last season. Things started out just fine, with Berard notching 11 goals and 24 points in his first 31 games. Then the wheels fell off. Berard managed just three goals and 22 points in his final 44 games and ended the season at a team worst -32. Hard to get happy after that one. Berard's not very nimble on his blades, but he has good speed, moves the puck well, and can score from the point with his slapper or wrist shot. The Isles are banking on him to anchor the blue line. He can't afford another lackluster effort.

Oleg Tverdovsky, Phoenix Coyotes: A fantastic skater that plays a ton, Tverdovsky worked his holdout into a payday and then didn't bother to do much else once he rejoined the Coyotes. He concluded the season with seven goals and 19 points in 46 games. Yeah. Do more, Oleg.

Vladimir Malakhov, Montreal Canadiens: Malakhov's always confused. Big Bad Vlad is pretty much the Alexei Kovalev of defensemen. He's got all the skills to be a great one but he never seems to put everything together. He looks like a contender one minute and scrap the next. Although, he really did have a swell season last year, posting a +16 and chipping in 13 goals and 44 points. But why couldn't it be more? He has without doubt the heaviest shot, wrist or slap, in the league. Guys that go down to block his drives are sure candidates for a Section 8. Guns don't kill people, Malakhov's shot kills people. But in the end we still need one full season of dominance from start to finish before recognizing him as one of the league's twelve best defensemen.

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