10 Players That Will Definitely Be Upgraded In NHL 18

6. Ryan Ellis - Nashville Predators

NHL 18 Cover
By Michael Miller (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

As one of the pillars of Nashville’s dominant run to their first ever Stanley Cup Finals, Ryan Ellis played every bit as well as the Predators’ more recognised defensive stars Roman Josi and PK Subban, with his timely goals helping them to an historic sweep over the first seeded Chicago Blackhawks on the way.

Nashville’s blueline stole the show of the 2017 playoffs along with the colossal goaltending of Pekka Rinne, and Ellis was statistically among the most impressive of all with 13 points in 22 playoff games from the backend. Not only that, but his playoff beard was bettered only by Brent Burns and Joe Thornton from the previous year’s postseason.

Ellis has thrived offensively in Nashville’s system since being drafted 11th overall in 2009, and 2016/17 was his best year yet. He’s not the top defensemen on the Predators, but his overall rating should be boosted in the next game to reflect the status of Nashville’s blueline as arguably the strongest and deepest in the entire league; along with Josi, Ellis and Subban, Mattias Ekholm is no slouch in the defensive end.

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Chest thumping James Bond and Haruki Murakami fanatic living in China. Once had a fever dream about riding a rowboat with Davos Seaworth. He hasn't updated this section since Game of Thrones was cool, and boy does it show.