Long time "Norris Candidate" Defensemen are Overrated / Not Built for Playoffs

[SouthGeorge]

- Hedman (Swept and 0 Championships)

- Letang (Swept, carried by Crosby and Malkin)

- Karlsson (Down 3-1 and 0 Championships)

- Burns (Down 3-1 and 0 Championships)

I mean the Sharks have two of the "best" and down 3-1. That shows you how worthless these type of defensemen are come playoff time. Last time the Pens won a Championship Letang was on the bench. Coincidence? No.

I watched Karlsson try to dangle somebody in front of his goalie on the PP last night down 1 and gave up a quality scoring chance from point blank. Pens scored a huge goal. Immediately Letang tries to dangle two guys at the blue line and gives up a 2 on 1, they score. Game/Series over.

Can we stop praising these shitty defensemen who picked the wrong position as a kid?

Click to read more...

 

[PuckSeparator]

Keith and Doughty brought the Hawks and Kings 5 cups combined, and they are in the same mould as the ones above. I find it odd you would exclude them, or even John Carlson who is probably worse defensively than most names on the list. But hey, don't let me stop you.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Chara, Keith and Doughty all say hi

 

[Tony Romo]

Karlsson literally had the senators an OVERTIME away from the SCF against the penguins.

Also Hedman is a pretty bad point, cause you can say Tampa bay practically folded with him being hurt.

 

[angrydad]

yes, building around a Boroweicki is the true path to success.

 

[Carlzner]

Hedman & Karlsson are clearly injured.

 

[Romang67]

Given that you're a Pens fan, I trust that you at least paid some attention to Karlsson's playoff performance in 2017?

Is that your definition of worthless come playoff time?

 

[Romang67]

Hedman & Karlsson are clearly injured.

And Letang is a shadow of himself because of injuries. So yeah, the OP is a bit flawed in that regard.

 

[MattySnipes]

I think the heel is still bothering Erik Karlsson he's just not the same, especially in the d-zone. Letang and Burns are great defensemen but it's a total team game in the playoffs. Different players have to step up. Your big boys can't light up the scoresheet every game, it just doesn't happen with the attention to details and time and space taken away.

 

[justafan22]

not even 4 years have passed since the hawks played 4dmen on route to winning a cup

 

[HanSolo]

As hot takes go, this one is pretty scorching.

 

[SouthGeorge]

Keith and Doughty brought the Hawks and Kings 5 cups combined, and they are in the same mould as the ones above. I find it odd you would exclude them, or even John Carlson who is probably worse defensively than most names on the list. But hey, don't let me stop you.

Chara, Keith and Doughty all say hi

I'm talking about 2012 and on. This new wave that completely disregards defense. Keith and Doughty are the standard. Carlson might suck defensively but he never gives up the odd man rushes; Letang, Burns, and Karlsson do. Carlson and Seth Jones are going to be the new standard for solid defensemen. Not these scrubs that want to be 4th forward.

 

[POVERTY]

As hot takes go, this one is pretty scorching.

My village is burnt to a crisp

 

[Golden Puppers]

Can we stop praising these ****ty defensemen who picked the wrong position as a kid?

this part got me

 

[SouthGeorge]

Hedman & Karlsson are clearly injured.

They always are. So is Letang. It's almost like doing too much = higher risk of getting injured. Maybe if they just focused on playing their position instead of being a 4th forward they wouldn't always be injured.

 

[Baksfamous112]

Keith and Doughty brought the Hawks and Kings 5 cups combined, and they are in the same mould as the ones above. I find it odd you would exclude them, or even John Carlson who is probably worse defensively than most names on the list. But hey, don't let me stop you.

Keith and Doughty are nothing alike Letang, Subban, Burns. You must not a lot of hockey from these two to say something like that

 

[unicornpig]

karlsson and hedman are the most overrated defenseman on these boards.

and why is letang even on this list, oh youre a penguins fan.

 

[BB88]

Hedman missed half the series.

 

[JoVel]

This is a dumb thread.

 

[Soundgarden]

Surprisingly Subban is playing great after his god awful season.

 

[Icarium]

Given that you're a Pens fan, I trust that you at least paid some attention to Karlsson's playoff performance in 2017?

He is a Pens fan who regularly claims that an AHL call-up would be preferable to Letang, that's all you need to know about his powers of observation.

Letang was incredible in 2016 but he didn't bother to mention that either. Yes, Letang is injury-prone and brain fart-prone but the entire team played terrible D for most of the season, only tightening up for a month or so when it looked like they were about to miss the playoffs. Yes, Letang was out for that period but unless he has superpowers he can't make other D pairings suck just by being in the line-up and was our best D by far this season until the trade deadline. He was probably rushed into play too soon after the injury, just like Hedman and Karlsson. I mean, two games before the end of the regular season he was giving interviews hinting strongly that he might miss all of the playoffs, came back but never looked right.

Carlson might suck defensively but he never gives up the odd man rushes

Just when there was a danger someone might take you seriously... Every defenceman gives up odd man rushes, some just do it more often than other.

 

[hairylikebear]

Good players aren't bad for winning they're actually good for winning.

 

[Rielly4Capn]

I have personally considered Seth Jones to be a Norris candidate for several years now.
Morgan Reilly as well, one has advanced to round 2 already, 1 is ahead by a game and has home ice advantage as of today

 

[ColbyChaos]

- Hedman (Swept and 0 Championships)

- Letang (Swept, carried by Crosby and Malkin)

- Karlsson (Down 3-1 and 0 Championships)

- Burns (Down 3-1 and 0 Championships)

I mean the Sharks have two of the "best" and down 3-1. That shows you how worthless these type of defensemen are come playoff time. Last time the Pens won a Championship Letang was on the bench. Coincidence? No.

I watched Karlsson try to dangle somebody in front of his goalie on the PP last night down 1 and gave up a quality scoring chance from point blank. Pens scored a huge goal. Immediately Letang tries to dangle two guys at the blue line and gives up a 2 on 1, they score. Game/Series over.

Can we stop praising these ****ty defensemen who picked the wrong position as a kid?

Counter point: Keith, Doughty, Chara, Pronger

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Hedman and Karlsson has played with major injuries.


Both of them have been monsters in previous playoffs where they were healthy....or in Karlsson's case, playing on one leg in 2017, while being MVP.