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

[Fogelhund]

- 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?

Pierre Bouchard, 5 Cups, now there is a defenseman.

 

[majormajor]

Hedman is a little overrated in that he doesn't use his size all that often, and can be outworked in front of his own net. But I don't think he gives up odd mans with the frequency that Burns, Karlsson, and Letang do. And of course Hedman is currently injured so we shouldn't judge on this Spring's play. Letang has always been very up and down, by the way. He's injured, but he almost always is.

Doughty is younger than all but Hedman so I don't think you can call that group of four "the new breed". Some D are better than others defensively. Seth Jones defends really well and he's younger than all of them.

 

[Riseonfire]

My village is burnt to a crisp

f***ing Dallas.....

 

[swiftwin]

Terrible thread.

Karlsson actually had a vote for the Conn Smythe in 2017 despite not even making the finals. He was the first player to get one like this since Forsberg in 2002.

He's clearly hurting right now. He needs his speed/agility to be effective in the defensive zone. A nagging groin injury is probably one of the worst things for him.

 

[Little Psycho]

Doughty separated his shoulder twice during each playoff run in 12 and 14.

 

[Nizdizzle]

This thread:

 

[CDN24]

- 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?

I could make the same thread with HART winners, you know the supposed MVP of the league.
Last 8 winners
Hall - did not even get his team to playoffs must be a bum
Mcdavid - did not even get his team to playoffs must be a bum
Kane - did not even get his team to playoffs must be a bum
Price - did not even get his team to playoffs must be a bum
Perry - did not even get his team to playoffs must be a bum
Crosby and Malkin - Swept by the Isles must be bums
Ovechkin - only one still playing but only one goal must be overated like the rest of them.

Its a team game it takes more than one guy.

 

[Alex Jones]

Of all the controversial claims you have made in this thread this might be the dumbest one.

Nothing gets you hurt like playing offense.

 

[Jeti]

- 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?

Letang is terrible defensively and should never be in the Norris conversation. Burns is prone to some pretty bad defensive lapses too.

The Norris is a broken award. It's become about points and popularity. Defensive play is not remotely considered.

Byfuglien used to get Norris votes when he was terrible defensively and since simplifying his game, reducing his point production only slightly while being 10x better defensively, he gets no recognition at all.

They need a Bobby Orr award for top scoring defenseman. Then they can go back to considering overall play for the Norris.

 

[TheGoldenGod]

Hedman was hurt but the other 3 are not Norris caliber defensively.

The Norris vote needs to stop tilting towards the offensive d-men. Its a joke. Doughty said it not too long ago. I'm sure other players around the league have similar opinions.

 

[Knave]

Hedman looks like he had a concussion and still can't deal with bright lights. His decision making is brutal even for a bottom pairing defenseman.

I think we can forgive that.

So yes, this year alot of the perennial Norris candidates are struggling but they have had strong playoff performances in the past and can rebound.


Also anyone who thinks the Norris trophy is a points contest doesn't know hockey.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

They are always injured. 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.

Not ever watching EK65 and VH77 play hockey: confirmed.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Hedman & Karlsson are clearly injured.

How do you know thou, is it confirmed somewhere?.

Maybe they just are mentally sucking, if your mind isn't 100% in the game...
- 80% focus 20% result

 

[Icarium]

How do you know thou, is it confirmed somewhere?.

Call me crazy but Hedman sitting out the two most important games of the season is a pretty big hint that he is injured.

 

[topshelf15]

Meh ,SJ didnt need EK ,they needed a top line center...Having two elite PMD that both are RHD,always struck me as an oddity

 

[CDN24]

Meh ,SJ didnt need EK ,they needed a top line center...Having two elite PMD that both are RHD,always struck me as an oddity

A goalie would help too.

yeah Sharks where a strange destination for EK65, probably a knee jerk reaction to not getting Tavares. They already had a karlsson in Burns

 

[Sol]

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.

I agree, maybe he meant Offensive Dmen who win Norris are overrated. Which I agree with.

Though the case with Hedman is that he's a wuss during the playoffs and can't elevate his game. Seems to be injured during important times.

Carlson has that offense in front of him and is like Burns.

Doughty and Keith are/were probably the best defenseman of the bunch.

 

[Alwalys]

This is a woefully uninformed take.

 

[Alwalys]

Not ever watching EK65 and VH77 play hockey: confirmed.

Or BB88

 

[Sol]

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.

Tampa Bay folded with him on the ice.

 

[Ryan Michaels]

Brutal thread.

 

[SouthGeorge]

Not ever watching EK65 and VH77 play hockey: confirmed.

Or BB88

no SC for any of them.

 

[Sol]

Pretty hilarious. Tampa is the "deepest team in the world " and Hedman was out there when the team folded and sucked. He wasn't a difference maker so let's not pretend that's why Tampa lost.

Karlsson again injured.. Hedman AGAIN injured. When factoring in great defenseman I put durability high up there.


Karlsson and Burns are garbage defensively.
A well known fact.

And Hedman is as soft as a butterfly.

Keith and Doughty are always durable in the playoffs and carried their teams before. Those three are a tier below them.

 

[topshelf15]

Pretty hilarious. Tampa is the "deepest team in the world " and Hedman was out there when the team folded and sucked. He wasn't a difference maker so let's not pretend that's why Tampa lost.

Karlsson again injured.. Hedman AGAIN injured. When factoring in great defenseman I put durability high up there.


Karlsson and Burns are garbage defensively.
A well known fact.

And Hedman is as soft as a butterfly.

Keith and Doughty are always durable in the playoffs and carried their teams before. Those three are a tier below them.

ZZZZ

 

[VoluntaryDom]

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.

LOLWUT

hedman>>>>>carlson defensively