Weber & Letang: Who had the better career?

[Ivo]

I think Weber was the better player. Better career? Depends how you define it. I would perhaps rather have Letang’s career, because winning the Cup must be the greatest feeling in hockey. But if I had to put one of them in the HoF, I would choose Weber.

 

[MXD]

If you expect Letang to not be a HHoFer youre going to have a bad time.

It's a rather/very common perception on the History of Hockey Board.

 

[Mrb1p]

It's a rather/very common perception on the History of Hockey Board.

Hes a shoe in. I dont care what the angry old men on the HOH think, theyre always wrong too. Remember when they ranked Ted Kennedy, Forsberg, Schmidt, H. Richard, Cyclone Taylor, Nighbor and Messier above Crosby ? Yeah. Angry old men that have their judgments clouded by their youth.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

People don’t think Letang is a HHOFer?

He has the cups, he has the statline.

Kevin Lowe got in, Elias eventually gets in - the HHOF isn’t as exclusive as many are lead to believe.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Weber never helped a HF poster who’s truck broke down outside Montreal on a snowy sexy evening, but I’ll still go with him here.

You don't know that. Would you feel safe telling the world something that Weber didn't want them to know?

 

[Voight]

If you expect Letang to not be a HHoFer youre going to have a bad time.

After they inducted Lowe & Housley, you're probably correct.

However, he does not have a slam dunk case. He was only ever actually nominated for the Norris once (finished third). He's got two AST's which is good. However, he essentially has the same career as Sergei Gonchar + 2 cups. Depending on how he ages he may even end up with the same amount of points or within range of him one way or another.

 

[Mrb1p]

People don’t think Letang is a HHOFer?

He has the cups, he has the statline.

Kevin Lowe got in, Elias eventually gets in - the HHOF isn’t as exclusive as many are lead to believe.

People have very warped views of what a HHoF player is.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

People have very warped views of what a HHoF player is.

If it was a debate on whether the HHOF should be more exclusive, or that Letang will Get in first ballot - that’s a different discussion to be had.

But like many defenders like Letang - Housley, Zubov and probably Gonchar, they’ll get in eventually - barring a change on how they induct members.

 

[Mrb1p]

If it was a debate on whether the HHOF should be more exclusive, or that Letang will Get in first ballot - that’s a different discussion to be had.

But like many defenders like Letang - Housley, Zubov and probably Gonchar, they’ll get in eventually - barring a change on how they induct members.

Even so, Letang is what, at worst the 8th best defender of the past 20 years? 10th? Theres no way he doesnt make it even with more exclusivity.

 

[DearDiary]

The only thing you can hold against Letang is injuries. He would have won the Norris in 2012 over Subban if he played a couple more games. The fact he still finished 3rd in the Norris vote despite missing over 1/4 of the season says a lot

 

[MXD]

Hes a shoe in. I dont care what the angry old men on the HOH think, theyre always wrong too. Remember when they ranked Ted Kennedy, Forsberg, Schmidt, H. Richard, Cyclone Taylor, Nighbor and Messier above Crosby ? Yeah. Angry old men that have their judgments clouded by their youth.

- I'm not even old and I'm not even the oldest attendee
- Last time around Sidney Crosby ranked well ahead of all these players (and, I guess, just "ahead" of Mark Messier)

 

[wetcoast]

- I'm not even old and I'm not even the oldest attendee
- Last time around Sidney Crosby ranked well ahead of all these players (and, I guess, just "ahead" of Mark Messier)

He is referring to the top 60 centers list which was voted on when Crosby was at 8 NHL seasons not the most recent list (November 2018) where Crosby is ranked 12th best player of all time (5th among centers)

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Letang no doubt

 

[Dubi Doo]

Letang had the better career

Weber was much better as a player

Agreed. I voted Weber, but didnt think the question through enough.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Weber played better and was the best at his position, making his career better. Pens were a better team, but that's it.

 

[triggrman]

Weber was the better player, Letang was on the better team.

 

[sr edler]

Letang had way better passing and playmaking skills than Weber, which tip the scales for me. Otherwise they're probably fairly similar in value. Weber had better gruff gruff skills, i.e. smashing opposing players heads into the boards and such, or concussing people in fights with his steel hands, but if I had a #1D vision would be really high on the wish list. That slice-ice pass Letang threw right on Guentzel's blade earlier this season against Buffalo, I could never see Weber throwing that pass.

 

[abo9]

Weber had a better reputation

But as others mentioned, I think Letang was super underrated, and ultimately was the better player.

As far as career, depends what you value... I think Weber would trade some higher Norris finishes for actual Cups so I'd gow ith Letang

 

[HockeyWooot]

Tough one, if I had to pick one it’d be Weber for me. No shade to Letang this is a good poll and is quite close.

IMO Weber had a long period of being a great dman, arguably the captain and the top player on his team for a long period. Letang has been consistently a top10 dman for longer but wasn’t quite Norris calibre tier in those years.

Both with long careers and longevity, Letang with his skill set is better suited to the speed and skill of the modern game. Offensively he’s got more weapons than Weber no doubt.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Two great defensemen with prime years in the 00s and 10s, a lot of high Norris placements, although without a single 1st place. Weber is factually retired, Letang seems to have a couple of decent years in him. Weber was better defensively and Letang offensively. Who had the better career?

Weber:
RS: 1038GP-589P, +79
PO: 97GP-42P, -1
Norris: 2-2-3-4-4-6-7-8-10

Letang:
RS: 959GP-661P, +90
PO: 149GP-90P, 0
Norris: 3-4-6-6-7-8-9-9
3 cups

this will be slanted cause a lot of posters will talk about the cups---here is the thing.. Letangs cups are more due to the team he played on then his play

 

[Soundgarden]

this will be slanted cause a lot of posters will talk about the cups---here is the thing.. Letangs cups are more due to the team he played on then his play

Yes, Weber barely played with a center as good as Jordan Staal during most of his time in Nashville, forget Crosby and Malkin.

 

[Foppberg]

Letang for sure.

Weber had a better peak (shocked he never won the Norris), but Letang had a longer prime & better career.

EDIT: missed a word

 

[Ligue]

Letang for sure.

Weber had a better peak (shocked he never won the Norris), but Letang had a longer prime & career.

At the moment Letang hasn’t had a longer career though (a little shorter) and we don’t know if this is it for him. I believe they had similar prime length however.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Weber of course. I'd like to have seen what he would have produced with Crosby/Malkin his entire career. Offense aside extremely rugged, difficult to play against and elite defensively.

 

[Weztex]

Hes a shoe in. I dont care what the angry old men on the HOH think, theyre always wrong too. Remember when they ranked Ted Kennedy, Forsberg, Schmidt, H. Richard, Cyclone Taylor, Nighbor and Messier above Crosby ? Yeah. Angry old men that have their judgments clouded by their youth.

What’s funny is that using a list compiled 10 seasons ago, which has a 25 years old Crosby ranked ahead the likes of Peter Stastny, Sergei Fedorov, Eric Lindros, Joe Malone or Dave Keon is not the diss that you think it is… quite the opposite.

Don’t look now but in the most recent list, HoH ranked Crosby 10 positions ahead of the highest guy you mentioned (Messier) and 48 ahead of the lowest (Cowley). That was 4 years ago.

I’ve participated in many of those lists in the last 10 years. I’m in my mid-30’s, I’m not angry, and I think that both Letang and Weber makes it to the HoF. But I also know that learning about history and putting it in context with arguments takes a lot more curiosity, time and effort than just assuming that everybody who spent years studying it is always wrong. That’s Dunning-Kruger at its best.