Stralman or Girardi?

[Chimpradamus]

I've watched them both play and I'll say it's hard to argue with the success Girardi has had in Rangers this season. 34 season +10 playoff games where he served his stay-at-home defenseman role very well. He made very few mistakes and kept it simple all the time. He wasn't noticed that much, which is a very good grade for a defensive D-man.

Strålman is a better skater and obviously a better playmaker and shooter, but less physical about his game. They are two different types of D-men. I think Strålman will hold his own just fine in NHL. He had 10 goals, 11 assists and 34 PIM in 53 games in SEL last season, which is very good for a young defenseman in such a defensive minded league.

Who's better? I think it's hard to compare them, can I take both? If I need a creasekiller, I take Girard, if my team needs an skating D-man with an offensive upside, I take Strålman.

 

[Corto]

Any guy who can consistantly shut down Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk single handedly for 4 straight games is a little better than a decent depth dman.....

That's just a ridiculous thing to say.

Potential-wise Stralman. Right now, Girardi, simply cos he's had a very good rookie year, and especially considering the situation he came in to.

 

[realgoodleafs]

I might be the only one, but I'm not ready to rank Stralman up with Lidstrom until he can show he can play North American game.

The guy hasn't even stepped onto the ice at the AHL level and he's already the savior of the Leafs.

If you look on the leafs board youll see that a large majority of us dont think hes our saviour and dont expect him to be as good as Lidstrom.

 

[Wats]

Girardi until I see what Stralman can do in the ahl.

 

[stugotz]

Really there's no way to compare the two right now, If you have to make a choice its either take the safe pick in Girardi who has established himself in the NHL and should be a good top 4 d-man, or take a chance on Starlman who has more potential and could be a top 2 d-man. Stralman has more potential, but Girardi has already made it to the big show.

 

[Foligno#71]

Why compare a d-man with a offensive upside (Strålman) with one who'll probably become a steady stay-at-home d (Girardi)?

 

[ReLyT]

Yet another goodie from the London memorial cup team!!! Was an amazing pickup from the Storm...

 

[The Saurus]

Like it matters. The cup won't be going down it any time soon, if ever again.

Toronto has seen 11 Cups in the city. Vancouver has seen none... win one first before verbally degrading one of the most storied hockey cities in the NHL.

 

[Wats]

Toronto has seen 11 Cups in the city. Vancouver has seen none... win one first before verbally degrading one of the most storied hockey cities in the NHL.

Not to alarm you...but you sound like a Habs fan.

 

[Semantics]

What exactly has Stralman done to prove he's better than Girardi?

Uhm ... if one of them was provably better than the other, would this thread exist?

 

[realgoodleafs]

Girardi until I see what Stralman can do in the ahl.

You wont get to see him in the AHL because he has decided its SEL or NHL. If he doesnt make the team this season which is completely possible he'll stay in Sweden.

 

[ChrisKreider20]

Right now Girardi by a mile because he is proven.
Strahlman has more potential definately, but until he shows that he can measure up to his potential, its only potential.
By next Christmas, we will be able to answer this question more effectively.
At this point, Girardi has proven he is a top 4 shutdown defenseman in the NHL. Strahlman has proven he can play elitely in Sweden.
Since we are referring to the NHL, Girardi is better by default.
If we went by only potential and/or peformance in other leagues the NHL's best players would be Alexander Daigle, Jason Krog, and Tony Salmelainen.

 

[Stephen]

Toronto has seen 11 Cups in the city. Vancouver has seen none... win one first before verbally degrading one of the most storied hockey cities in the NHL.

Toronto's had 13 cups!

 

[OHLArenaGuide]

Toronto's had 13 cups!

If you're talking city, Toronto has 15, but then again, if you're talking city, Vancouver has one.

 

[Bullsmith]

If you're talking city, Toronto has 15, but then again, if you're talking city, Vancouver has one.

Toronto as a city has 14 cups. 11 by the Leafs plus one by the Arenas (1917-18) and one by the St. Pats (21-22). Somehow the Leafs now claim those two cups as their own, but really they belong to the city, not the team. (the other TO cup I can find was won by the Toronto Blueshirts in 1913-1914) Mtl has 17 cups won by teams other than the Canadiens.

ps- I've heard plausible arguments that the St. Pats could be considered a related franchise in some way to the Leafs, but also that the St. Pats were created with the idea of putting the Arenas out of business, so it's hard to see how you can claim both cups for the Leafs. I'm not an expert on this, so sorry if I've got something wrong about the history. I'm certain about the cups as I have the official NHL record book open in front of me.

 

[OHLArenaGuide]

Toronto as a city has 14 cups. 11 by the Leafs plus one by the Arenas (1917-18) and one by the St. Pats (21-22). Somehow the Leafs now claim those two cups as their own, but really they belong to the city, not the team. (the other TO cup I can find was won by the Toronto Blueshirts in 1913-1914) Mtl has 17 cups won by teams other than the Canadiens.

ps- I've heard plausible arguments that the St. Pats could be considered a related franchise in some way to the Leafs, but also that the St. Pats were created with the idea of putting the Arenas out of business, so it's hard to see how you can claim both cups for the Leafs. I'm not an expert on this, so sorry if I've got something wrong about the history. I'm certain about the cups as I have the official NHL record book open in front of me.

The Blueshirts won the Cup twice in 1914 when it was a Challenge Cup, defeating the Montreal Canadiens once and the Victoria Aristocrats once. That's two, plus one for the Arenas, one for the St. Pats, and eleven for the Leafs. 15 total.

And yes, you have your history wrong. The Arenas, St Pats and Leafs are all one franchise, just like the Washington Bullets and Wizards are the same franchise, or the Ducks and Mighty Ducks. It's the Arenas that were created as an effort to put Toronto Blueshirts owner Eddie Livingston out of business; in fact the entire NHL was created pretty much expressly for that reason.

 

[Amadeus]

Oh how one discussion can go so far off from its roots.

Lets just talk about Stralman and Girardi, shall we?


My two cents. Both solid prospects. Different defensemen. Stralman has more tools offensively while Girardi is a stay-at-home type. Stralman is near to being a blue-chip prospect. Girardi never was. Most of us, except the Swede fans, have never seen Stralman play except for this recent WC tournament and all were extremely impressed. We have limited judgement.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Nothing could set a kid up for failure like saying he's the next Lidstrom, whether we're talking potential or not. The man's won 3 Cups, an Olympic Gold, a Conn Smythe, and 4 (likely soon to be 5) Norris Trophies.

You know who's won 5 Norrises? Doug Harvey, Ray Bourque, and Bobby Orr.

That's it.

Does anyone honestly expect, even talking in terms of potential, that Stralman could be the best defenseman in the league for the better part of a decade?

If not, maybe we could find a more suitable comparison for the kid.

 

[Stephen]

If you're talking city, Toronto has 15, but then again, if you're talking city, Vancouver has one.

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of NHL Stanley Cup championships...

 

[Stephen]

Toronto as a city has 14 cups. 11 by the Leafs plus one by the Arenas (1917-18) and one by the St. Pats (21-22). Somehow the Leafs now claim those two cups as their own, but really they belong to the city, not the team. (the other TO cup I can find was won by the Toronto Blueshirts in 1913-1914) Mtl has 17 cups won by teams other than the Canadiens.

ps- I've heard plausible arguments that the St. Pats could be considered a related franchise in some way to the Leafs, but also that the St. Pats were created with the idea of putting the Arenas out of business, so it's hard to see how you can claim both cups for the Leafs. I'm not an expert on this, so sorry if I've got something wrong about the history. I'm certain about the cups as I have the official NHL record book open in front of me.

The Toronto Arenas were formed in the NHL to get rid of the Toronto Blueshirts in the NHA. The Toronto St. Pats were just the Arenas renamed to appeal to Toronto Irish immigrants. The Toronto Maple Leafs were the Pats renamed. It's the same franchise, just like the Anaheim Ducks are the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

 

[Free Edler]

Toronto has seen 11 Cups in the city. Vancouver has seen none... win one first before verbally degrading one of the most storied hockey cities in the NHL.

Toronto isn't a hockey city. It's a Leafs city. All you need to do to prove that is look at the pathetic attendance numbers of the St. Mike's Majors and Toronto Marlies. But, I would expect that sort of ad-hominem argument from you, seeing as you don't even know how many cups your own city has.

And as for Vancouver winning no cups, you haven't won one since before the Canucks came into the league. Try winning one when the league has more than six teams before running your mouth.

Let's get back on topic. I still like Girardi because he is a known quantity, we still don't know how well Stralman will adjust to the North American style.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Like it matters. The cup won't be going down it any time soon, if ever again.

As for the question, I'd take Girardi, he's shown he can handle both the AHL and NHL, and had an important role on a playoff team. Stralman had one good year in Sweden, but nobody knows how his game will convert, if it does.

i've had just about enough of you nucks fans putting the leafs down every chance you get just because toronto is a better hockey city and has more media coverage and hating the leafs isnt gonna get you any less media attenion from the leafs

 

[Ferjo]

Toronto isn't a hockey city. It's a Leafs city. All you need to do to prove that is look at the pathetic attendance numbers of the St. Mike's Majors and Toronto Marlies. But, I would expect that sort of ad-hominem argument from you, seeing as you don't even know how many cups your own city has.

so your logic is Toronto isn't a hockey city because the St. Mikes only get 1,300 people a game? and you're sure that has nothing to do with the fact that the arena holds...1,300 people?I dont really know where you're trying to go with that one.

as for the Marlies, it does cost more to get into one of those games than it does to get in some NHL games. I think you have to be more than a superfan to be willing to pay those prices for a pathetically-bad minor league team. The same situation in any other "hockey city" and it would be just as empty.

 

[hab]

Stralman has the potential, no question... but if I had to take someone, there is no question Girardi can play in the NHL, and unlike some posters, I think he could put up 30- 40 points a year given time to adjust. So he would be my choice.
It will be interesting to see how Stralman does though, lots of potential there.

 

[OHLArenaGuide]

I'm a Knights fan so Girardi for me is a no-brainer, but trying to see it objectively, I would always take a proven young NHLer with great potential over an unproven young player with slightly greater potential.