No position has seen a more positive uptick in production since coach John Tortorella took over the Vegas Golden Knights than the blue line.

Part of Tortorella’s desire for the Knights to continue a north-first mindset is where all five skaters have to think about getting the puck to the net and creating traffic.

“It’s just the way the league is going right now,” Noah Hanifin said. “The D have to be activated. They have to be engaged and get up in the play.”

Tortorella’s message has been to play aggressive, and if you’re going to make mistakes, do so aggressively. That counts for the defensemen.

They’re going to give up odd-man rushes the other way. As long as the errors aren’t self-inflicted in Tortorella’s eyes, he wants the foot to remain on the gas.

“I think the first couple of games, we were giving up a ton of 2-on-1s,” Shea Theodore said. “I think we made some adjustments to where when we are aggressive, we need support in the right spots to back us up.”

Quick turnaround

The Knights’ defensemen have accumulated seven goals and 26 points since Tortorella coached his first game on March 30.

Four of the defensemen have registered at least a half-point per game, led by Rasmus Andersson at 0.88.

Compare that to the first 74 games of the season, Theodore was the only one above that half-point threshold. There was hardly any production coming from the blue line.

Tortorella’s mindset about attacking north and being aggressive has resonated with the defensemen.

They’ve made a more concerted effort to be involved in the play. They’re not just camping at the blue line. They’re cycling around the perimeter, or they’re getting closer to the goal line and making plays closer to the crease.

That’s not to say it’s more a Tortorella-coached team compared to Bruce Cassidy, but the attack mindset stems from all five skaters contributing to the play.

“Sometimes, when the D are active, it can cause some confusion,” Hanifin said. “It’s hard. Guys are worried who they have (to defend), and shots are coming from everywhere.”

Andersson might be the one benefiting most from this change. He had just 10 points in his first 25 games after the Knights acquired him in the blockbuster trade with Calgary in January.

Since the coaching change — and getting settled with his family — Andersson leads the Knights’ defensemen with three goals and seven points while playing a team-high 22 minutes, 43 seconds a night.

“That’s how I’m always trying to play,” Andersson said. “It’s nice when you hear it from a coach, too, that he wants you to play that way. I think me and (Tortorella) have a good understanding of how I should be playing my best.”

Tortorella said Andersson reminds him of Dan Boyle, whom he coached in Tampa Bay when he won the Stanley Cup in 2004.

Boyle was slightly smaller (5-foot-11 vs. Andersson’s 6-1) but Boyle was a consistent 50-point player who could score 15 goals every given year.

“I think he has some swagger to him,” Tortorella said. “He’s not afraid to take a chance. He’s pinching down the walls. Up the ice, his gaps are good.”

Peaking at the right time

The blue line is a reason why the Knights have found their groove offensively heading into the playoffs.

But they’ll have to be careful and responsible in their own end. The Utah Mammoth, their first-round opponent, are dangerous in transition and can take advantage of turnovers.

There’s a balance needed in not only taking care of the puck, but being in the right position to do so.

“You’re working all year to play solid and you want to be able to get to your game and peak at the right time,” Theodore said. “Right now, it’s a prime example. I feel like we’re peaking at the right time where we’re not giving up a ton, but we’re sustaining more time in the o-zone.

“I feel like our game does translate in the playoffs, and I think we’re excited for it.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.