The Vegas Golden Knights have made a living off incredible blue-liners. They've maximized versatility on both sides of the puck, turning their team into a dangerous unit. No matter if it's Shea Theodore on the power play or Alec Martinez blocking shots, Vegas knows how to utilize their pairings to compete in today's NHL.
It's part of how they've remained competitive since their first season in the league. It's also a part of winning three Pacific Division titles, two Clarence S. Campbell trophies, and a Stanley Cup. The front office has done a phenomenal job of finding reliable pieces that play into their established roles. Fans can thank George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon for establishing the status quo.
That's why it's important to see how valuable these players are through the defensive point shares statistic. Brayden McNabb is the unrivaled leader in this category (aside from Theodore), amassing 26.8 point shares in his Golden Knights career. He's proven himself worthy as a "Golden Misfit" through his forechecking prowess, making the necessary plays to help Vegas keep the puck out of the net.
But who's had the best single-season amount of defensive point shares? Who stood out and aided the Golden Knights to victory? The answer might surprise you, for it's not a player you would expect. No, it isn't Alex Pietrangelo, nor is it Theodore. Instead, fans should dig deeper and see that this blue-liner was more valuable than people thought. Here's who ruled the roost in defensive value.
Alec Martinez had the most defensive point shares in a single-season for the Vegas Golden Knights
The 2022-23 season was special for many reasons. The Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup and finished the story they told six years ago. It was also a year where they overcame numerous obstacles to win, including the injury bug hitting the goaltending position. But there was one primary catalyst for Vegas winning it all that season.
His name was Alec Martinez and he had 5.1 defensive point shares that season. He blocked 244 shots (a career-high) and had 29 takeaways (also a career-high), leading Vegas to their first title. Ironically, the top three players in defensive point shares achieved these numbers when the franchise made the Stanley Cup Final.
Brayden McNabb was 0.1 point shares shy of tying for first, with five defensive point shares in 2017-18. Coming in third was Nate Schmidt with 4.8 that same year, while fourth place belongs to McNabb (again) in 2023-24 with 4.6. After that is a three-way tie for fifth place between Shea Theodore (2020-21), Schmidt (2018-19), and McNabb (2022-23) with 4.5 point shares. That's followed by a three-way tie for eighth place between Alex Pietrangelo (2021-22 and 2022-23) and Martinez (2020-21) with 4.4.
Being a defenseman is never an easy job. It's thankless and dirty compared to being an offensive juggernaut of a center, i.e. Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. That's part of why people pay attention to these players. Goals and offense, like s*x, sell. However, the importance of quality blue-liners can't be overstated, especially with stars like Martinez who made the team better.