Paul Coffey or Ray Bourque. It's a tossup but i'd say Bourque because he didn't play on as many great teams as Coffey but he still had a great career.

I'm saying Nick Lidstrom. Did you see him in the Turin?

I noticed someone posted that there was a 'toss-up' between Ray Bourque or Paul Coffey for greatest defenseman over the past twenty-five years. I don't want to get into statistical comparisons as both players were on different teams and thus team success can have an impact on individual statitisics as well- Coffey did indeed play on the Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier Oilers and the Mario Lemuiex Penguins. As a result, Coffey has 4 Stanly Cup rings to Bourques' 1. In my opinion, however, Coffey was a better passer, scorer, skater and all-around player. But...Bourque was certainly great too. Obviously both players were fantastic and it would be a dream to have them both on your team! However, i think it is intersting to point this out: Both DID play on the same team- twice! Once in 1984 and again in 1987 where both players were on Team Canada. In fact, both players were defensive partners on the same 1987 Team Canada. I think it is funny to mention that Bourque, Coffey, Gretzky, Lemuiex and Messier were scored on 3 times short-handed against the Soviet Union! So...the 'two greatest' defensemen the last 25 years were scored on 3 times short-handed. Yes, 3 power plays and possibly one of the GREATEST forward-defensive combinations in hockey history were scored on short-handed! So to assume Bourque and Coffey were the two greatest in the last 25 years is quite an assumption- certainly it must be kept in mind what kind of defensmen you are looking for. A defenses first priority is to protect the net. However, if you wanted to mention only offensive defensemen then one certainly should not count out Scott Neidermayer, Larry Murphy and Brian Leetch (An American). Of course, if your looking for all-around stregnth then Larry Robinson, Denis Potvin, Chris Chelios (another American) and of course Niklas Lidstrom and Boris Salming (both Swedish). And I think Fetisov might get a look (haha) as he anchored the greatest Soviet hockey teams that the communist cheaters could illegally put into 'amateur' international tournaments. If I was making a hockey team and I could select whoever I wanted... then this would be my team. First, all players would come from after 1980. Second, this team will be build for the grind and rigour of an 80 game seasona nd a Stanley Cup run... therefor a REAL team... not an all-star team. Third, they will, of course, all be Canadian! (I'll leave it to someone else to build a dream team of inferior international playes :) Forwards: B. Trottier W. Gretzky M. Bossy L. Robitaille M. Lemuiex G. Lafleur J. Nieuwendyk J. Sakic S.Yzerman J. Tonelli M. Messier M. Dionne 13th B. Gainey Defensemen: P. Coffey S. Neidermayer C. Pronger R. Blake Al. Macginnis D. Potvin 7th Larry Robinson Goalies: Martin Brodeur Patrick Roy Ed Belfour Coach: Scotty Bowman. Yeahi know there are ton's of players that could have been on here. But like I said... it isn't just flash here. There are 2-way players, checkers, grit, and defensive forwards and the kind of athletes you need to be successful for a full 80 game season. This team would smash the crap out of any internation team you want - including the Gren KLM line from the Soviet Union. So, there is my team and there are the defensmen I would pick. Honourable mention goes to S. Stevens. Wow, wouldn't it be amazing to see Potvin and Steven as partners with Messier on the ice.... haha. talk about C-R-U-N-C-H!!!