POWER RANKINGS: Goal Scoring Leaders - Defensemen

This is the weekly edition of Idaho Steelheads Power Rankings, where we at IdahoSteelheads.com will see where the Steelheads and their players rank among the best of the best in the ECHL.

It’s a tremendous boost for any team when it can get consistent offensive production from the back end. Joe Faust is having a career-year on the blue line for the Idaho Steelheads, putting up points like never before in his professional career. But where does the former New Jersey Devils draft pick rank among all ECHL blue-liners in goal scoring? Let’s find out!

5) Tim Daly – Utah Grizzlies, 7 goals

Tim Daly’s second professional season has been far more impressive than his first campaign, and only 33 games into the season.  Last year Daly played just 26 games between the Grizzlies and the Norfolk Admirals, soring no goals and only earning two assists. This year, Daly already has seven goals, along with 25 points, as he has emerged as one of Utah’s most consistent weapons. Daly has a multi-goal game this year and two game-winners, including an overtime tally on December 30th in Tulsa.

4) Jacob MacDonald – Toledo Walleye, 7 goals

Jacob MacDonald was a standout during his rookie season in Elmira in 2015-16, scoring 17 goals from the blue line to tie for the league lead. The All-Rookie team selection is close to that pace again this season with seven goals already in Toledo. MacDonald has been named a starter for this year’s All-Star game in Glens Falls. He had three of his goals in December and is currently on loan to AHL Albany.

3) Matt Register – Colorado Eagles, 8 goals

A 50-point defenseman just two seasons ago, Matt Register may be ahead of that pace in his first season in Colorado. Register has eight goals this season, already better than halfway to his career-best total of 14. Register has tallied twice on the power play, but is high on this list in part because of a strong stretch of four games in early December when he scored three goals in four games, two of them against Idaho. Register visits Idaho with the Eagles this week, looking to snap a seven-game goal-scoring drought.

2) Spiro Goulakos – Greenville Swamp Rabbits, 10 goals

Spiro Goulakos has been out of the lineup for Greenville since December 21st, but he was on a tear up until then. The second-year pro was in the midst of a three game goal-scoring streak when he left the lineup, with four goals in that stretch. Goulakos, who had seven goals last season, has eight goals in his last ten games. His four power play goals lead all ECHL blue-liners.

1) Joe Faust– Idaho Steelheads, 10 goals

Heading into his third professional season, Joe Faust had never scored more than two goals in a season in pro or college. In his first season in Idaho, Faust had two goals in his first three games. The break-out blue-liner has three goals in his last six games for the Steelheads, and his 23 points rank sixth in the ECHL. Faust’s strong play on both sides of the puck has earned his four games in the AHL this year with the Texas Stars. Faust has not gone more than two games with at least a point since November 16th.