Best NHL Players to Make the Switch Between Defense & Forward

Switching between forward and defense in the NHL is a rare feat that only a select group of versatile players have accomplished. Brent Burns was drafted as a right winger in 2003 before head coach Jacques Lemaire converted him to defense with the Minnesota Wild. After alternating between positions in Minnesota and later with the San Jose Sharks, Burns returned to defense full-time in 2014, eventually winning the Norris Trophy in 2017.

Red Kelly represents another prominent historic example of a successful position swap. After joining the Detroit Red Wings in 1947, Kelly spent 13 seasons excelling as a defenseman, winning four Stanley Cups and the 1954 Norris Trophy before later being traded to the New York Rangers.