Niklas Hjalmarsson Might Be NHL's Most Underrated Defenseman

Niklas Hjalmarsson is a guy who flies so far under the radar that most fans outside of Chicago don’t know who he is. It’s about time that changed, though, because Hjalmarsson is a top-quality defensive defenseman who does everything right; he sacrifices his body, and does a thankless job on a Chicago Blackhawks team that’s loaded with recognizable star talent.

It was probably a lot easier for the Blackhawks to trade Nick Leddy opposed to paying him all that money, knowing that they had a guy like Hjalmarsson. It probably makes it easier on the Hawks knowing they have three of the best defensemen in hockey — two of whom everyone knows, with Hjalmarsson being the guy who anchors the blue line when the other two aren’t on the ice. It’s allowed Joel Quenneville to mix and match his defensemen on any given night, which allow the Hawks to exploit matchups.

What I like most about Hjalmarsson is his ability to block shots. The dude literally sprawls out shot after shot, and no matter where he takes it, he comes back. I really started to realize his value in the last two postseasons, especially when Brent Seabrook went down with that three-game suspension and the Hawks didn’t miss a beat.

Would Hjalmarsson be able to score more on other teams? Probably. He doesn’t have to score on this team, although I’d love to see him shoot the puck a little more. He deserves more credit for all he does on the ice, but apparently it hasn’t come yet.

I hope Blackhawks fans appreciate this guy as much as I do, because I’m not sure the Hawks would be nearly as stable as they are if he wasn’t in Chicago.