Ryan McDonagh
ON-ICE VALUE
Top-Four Defenseman
STRENGTHS
Skating: McDonagh is a swift and powerful skater. Though he isn’t that interested in driving the action, he uses his wheels to blanket opposing forwards once they enter Tampa Bay’s zone. He doesn’t appear to ever get tired either. He’s a mobile stay-at-home workhorse.
Defense: He fuses an old-school, hard-nosed style with the speed required to thrive in the modern game. He isn’t particularly stingy on entries, but he smothers puck-carriers with an active stick, a strong motor and a willingness to lay his body on the line. He can absorb the toughest minutes on the blue line.
Strength: At 6’1” and 215 pounds, McDonagh has the raw tools to win most puck battles. He maintains good leverage in the corners and has the muscle to box forwards out in front of the net. Again, he has an almost traditional, physical approach to defending.
WEAKNESSES
Durability: Health issues have claimed some of his top speed, and he continues to get dinged up every season. As he nears his mid-thirties, there’s legitimate concern that an injury-prone player who is so reliant on his physical tools will age poorly.
Offense: As an old-school presence on the back end, he doesn’t really dictate the play. He’s content to contain the opposition instead of putting it on its heels with crisp puck movement. This is fine given his role on the Lightning, but it wouldn’t fly if he were a team’s No. 1 defenseman.