The NHL's crackdown on obstruction, personnel and coaching philosophies all play a part in defensemen jumping into the play.
While the rule mandates have opened up the ice for everyone, it remains a double-edged sword for blueliners. This year, should a defenseman venture farther into the offensive zone, he's now able to retreat enencumbered. However, if the puck is turned over in dangerous territory -- say, a rebound high into the slot -- a defenseman (or a covering forward) isn't able to impede offensive players charging in the opposite direction.
Defensemen with speed, especially those on teams that have good communication with their forwards like the L.A. Kings and Boston Bruins, are able to take advantage of the open ice. Teams that don't have swift blueliners, like the Philadelphia Flyers, still leave the scoring up to their forwards.
Below is the change in scoring by defensemen for each team over the past year. Listed are goals by defensemen, total goals and percentage of team goals scored by defensmen through Nov. 13:
|
GREEN LIGHT, RED LIGHT
|
|
|
|
|-------- 2001-02 --------|
|
|-------- 2002-03 --------|
|
|
|
Rk
|
TEAM
|
G
|
TOT.
|
PCT.
|
G
|
TOT.
|
PCT.
|
DIFF.
|
|
1.
|
Los Angeles
|
30
|
214
|
14.0%
|
14
|
46
|
30.4%
|
+16.4
|
|
2.
|
Boston
|
18
|
236
|
7.6%
|
12
|
55
|
21.8%
|
+14.2
|
|
3.
|
Chicago
|
28
|
216
|
13.0%
|
10
|
37
|
27.0%
|
+14.1
|
|
4.
|
Detroit
|
31
|
251
|
12.4%
|
9
|
48
|
18.8%
|
+6.4
|
|
5.
|
Edmonton
|
32
|
205
|
15.6%
|
9
|
41
|
22.0%
|
+6.3
|
|
6.
|
Nashville
|
39
|
196
|
19.9%
|
8
|
32
|
25.0%
|
+5.1
|
|
7.
|
St. Louis
|
28
|
227
|
12.3%
|
9
|
57
|
15.8%
|
+3.5
|
|
8.
|
Phoenix
|
35
|
228
|
15.4%
|
7
|
38
|
18.4%
|
+3.1
|
|
9.
|
Calgary
|
25
|
201
|
12.4%
|
6
|
39
|
15.4%
|
+2.9
|
|
10.
|
Atlanta
|
28
|
187
|
15.0%
|
7
|
41
|
17.1%
|
+2.1
|
|
11.
|
N.Y. Islanders
|
40
|
239
|
16.7%
|
7
|
39
|
17.9%
|
+1.2
|
|
12.
|
N.Y. Rangers
|
22
|
227
|
9.7%
|
5
|
46
|
10.9%
|
+1.2
|
|
13.
|
Carolina
|
27
|
217
|
12.4%
|
5
|
37
|
13.5%
|
+1.1
|
|
14.
|
Montreal
|
34
|
207
|
16.4%
|
7
|
41
|
17.1%
|
+.6
|
|
15.
|
New Jersey
|
24
|
205
|
11.7%
|
4
|
33
|
12.1%
|
+.4
|
|
16.
|
San Jose
|
31
|
248
|
12.5%
|
5
|
44
|
11.4%
|
-1.1
|
|
17.
|
Philadelphia
|
31
|
234
|
13.2%
|
5
|
46
|
10.9%
|
-2.4
|
|
18.
|
Florida
|
33
|
180
|
18.3%
|
6
|
38
|
15.8%
|
-2.5
|
|
19.
|
Columbus
|
28
|
164
|
17.1%
|
7
|
49
|
14.3%
|
-2.8
|
|
20.
|
Anaheim
|
23
|
175
|
13.1%
|
4
|
39
|
10.3%
|
-2.9
|
|
21.
|
Toronto
|
43
|
249
|
17.3%
|
7
|
49
|
14.3%
|
-3.0
|
|
22.
|
Pittsburgh
|
24
|
198
|
12.1%
|
4
|
46
|
8.7%
|
-3.4
|
|
23.
|
Dallas
|
30
|
215
|
14.0%
|
6
|
58
|
10.3%
|
-3.6
|
|
24.
|
Tampa Bay
|
22
|
178
|
12.4%
|
5
|
57
|
8.8%
|
-3.6
|
|
25.
|
Vancouver
|
48
|
254
|
18.9%
|
6
|
46
|
13.0%
|
-5.9
|
|
26.
|
Ottawa
|
36
|
243
|
14.8%
|
3
|
34
|
8.8%
|
-6.0
|
|
27.
|
Minnesota
|
20
|
195
|
10.3%
|
2
|
52
|
3.8%
|
-6.4
|
|
28.
|
Colorado
|
44
|
212
|
20.8%
|
5
|
45
|
11.1%
|
-9.6
|
|
29.
|
Buffalo
|
29
|
213
|
13.6%
|
1
|
33
|
3.0%
|
-10.6
|
|
30.
|
Washington
|
48
|
228
|
21.1%
|
1
|
35
|
2.9%
|
-18.2
|
