What makes Erik Karlsson inferior to Niklas Lidstrom?

[CelticPride]

This is hard for me to explain, hopefully some of you will understand what I'm getting at. The difference for me is the way they react to the play. Lidstrom did everything as if it were second nature, like how we don't don't even think while we drive a car. Not alot of hockey players have this gift. Lidstrom would swat down dumped in pucks with his stick, he had that type of instinct, and the elite abilities to go along with that. Karlsson is very very skilled. I just don't see that "it" factor Lidstrom had. Lidstrom was a once in a lifetime player in my book.

I'm not knocking on Karlsson by any means, the guy will go down as top 10 Dman of all time, if not top 5, just lidstrom was on another level to me personally.

 

[stampedingviking]

I don't understand. Erik Karlsson controls the game in such an amazing way. Granted I haven't watched lidstrom much, but Karlsson is so good at moving the puck . His skating is silky smooth as well. Lidstrom always seemed more subtle in the way he played, wasn't as flashy. I think Karlsson was better offensively. Not only that, it's so hard taking the puck from Karlsson. In a way, Karlsson greatest defense is his offense.

Doesn't play for Toronto?

 

[NyQuil]

[mod]

“I don’t understand why Matthews isn’t regarded in the same tier as Gretzky.”

-he plays in a much more difficult league to put up offensive numbers

“Carey Price has one of the best contracts in sports”

-No one is a bigger difference maker for his team.

This kind of crap is ruining the board.

[mod]

 

[bleedblue1223]

It's like some people have either never seen Lidstrom or have forgotten what he was like when he played.

 

[TheAngryHank]

Besides everything?
Very good question.

 

[francis246]

Lidstrom was always in position and could play solid defense consistently

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Worst possible time to create this thread, after #65 just had the worst game of his career.

 

[Son Goku]

Doubtful.

Not doubtful

 

[NyQuil]

Worst possible time to create this thread, after #65 just had the worst game of his career.

Yeah, it's a shocking coincidence.

 

[DFC]

[mod]

“I don’t understand why Matthews isn’t regarded in the same tier as Gretzky.”

-he plays in a much more difficult league to put up offensive numbers

“Carey Price has one of the best contracts in sports”

-No one is a bigger difference maker for his team.

This kind of crap is ruining the board.

[mod]

Nah, Lidstrom's been gone a while. It's sort of the same as when people try to compare someone to Orr. The guys who actually watched him swat it down. We're far enough removed from Lidstrom that I think a lot of fans don't realize just how long he dominated.

 

[NyQuil]

Nah, Lidstrom's been gone a while. It's sort of the same as when people try to compare someone to Orr. The guys who actually watched him swat it down. We're far enough removed from Lidstrom that I think a lot of fans don't realize just how long he dominated.

That's what happens when you compare a guy in his mid 20's with a guy who is in the Hall of Fame.

 

[Luddowich]

Nah, Lidstrom's been gone a while. It's sort of the same as when people try to compare someone to Orr. The guys who actually watched him swat it down. We're far enough removed from Lidstrom that I think a lot of fans don't realize just how long he dominated.

Works the other way around aswell, player has been gone for a while and retrieves some kind of holy aura where they cannot be touched because people like to remember them for being better than they actually were.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

What makes Karlsson inferior? Probably the fact that Lidstrom is comparable offensively and in an entire different galaxy defensively. And before fanboys get upset, that's not a diss on Karlsson's defense. Lidstrom may be the greatest defensive player ever. (Defensive, not defender)

On top of that, Lidstrom displayed a longevity few players have ever enjoyed. It wasn't really until his last season until he noticeably regressed, and even then it was typically only noticeable against fast players that he could no longer keep up with. Not saying Karlsson can't have the same longevity, but it's rare, and even then he'd have to overcome that and the defensive difference.

 

[Field of Dreams]

First of all, Niklas Lidstrom is a way cooler name.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I think they are comparable. Lidstrom has thus far played with a better group of players, one must factor this in. One can only wonder what EK would look like playing with Datsyuk and Zetterberg in their primes.

 

[Rolo]

Karlsson craps on Lidstrom offensively, don't care if they have 'comparable' point totals, look at their supporting cast. The eye test also proves Karlsson is a much bigger driver in the O-zone.

Defensively, obviously he's not there - but Karlsson has improved so much, and will continue to.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Karlsson craps on Lidstrom offensively, don't care if they have 'comparable' point totals, look at their supporting cast. The eye test also proves Karlsson is a much bigger driver in the O-zone.

Defensively, obviously he's not there - but Karlsson has improved so much, and will continue to.

The funny part is how you're acting like the big difference is in their offense rather than their defense...

 

[Pavels Dog]

I don't understand. Erik Karlsson controls the game in such an amazing way. Granted I haven't watched lidstrom much, but Karlsson is so good at moving the puck . His skating is silky smooth as well. Lidstrom always seemed more subtle in the way he played, wasn't as flashy. I think Karlsson was better offensively. Not only that, it's so hard taking the puck from Karlsson. In a way, Karlsson greatest defense is his offense.

Lidstrom was one of the top offensive D while being, quite easily, the best defensive D. He was also insanely consistent.

Karlsson is better offensively, yes. But the difference simply isn't big enough to make up for the fact that Lidstrom was simply vastly superior in the defensive zone. And it's not a case of "hey Karlsson is better defensively because he spends less time on D!" either. Lidstrom's greatest quality was how he seemed to just kill the other teams offense and quickly get the puck going towards offense. Maybe not as much with powerful skating as Karlsson does, but with masterful stickwork and smart, accurate passes.

Watch this:


Now realize that stuff is just the way he played night in and night out for the better part of 20 years. Love Karlsson, but he's not on that level.

 

[leafers]

Doubtful.

Not really

 

[BostonBruins11]

i think of Karlsson as a modern day Denis Savard or Paul Coffey more than a Lidstrom / Bourque... I'm sure at the end of his career he'll be in the the top25 of all time

 

[Frk It]

Please just don't.

 

[ChiefWiggum]

To an

I don't understand. Erik Karlsson controls the game in such an amazing way. Granted I haven't watched lidstrom much, but Karlsson is so good at moving the puck . His skating is silky smooth as well. Lidstrom always seemed more subtle in the way he played, wasn't as flashy. I think Karlsson was better offensively. Not only that, it's so hard taking the puck from Karlsson. In a way, Karlsson greatest defense is his offense.

To answer your question, Karlsson is still more of an offensive defenseman and he isnt in the top tier of defensive defensemen in the NHL. Lidstrom's game was sound proof. There are very few times that you will see Lidstrom beaten on a move that Karlsson was beat on last night that led to the Hudon goal. Plus, Karlsson has always been beaten by that play throughout his career.

 

[The Macho King]

Lids was almost boring in how he played defense. Definitely wasn't as sexy as the Pronger or even Bourque type of in zone coverage, but man if it wasn't even more effective.

 

[sr edler]

Lidstrom has 8 Norris Trophies

It's 7, one for each defensive cardinal sin. The first one reads "thou shalt not leave your coverage" ... the last one "thou shalt not leave a game –6".

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Lids was almost boring in how he played defense. Definitely wasn't as sexy as the Pronger or even Bourque type of in zone coverage, but man if it wasn't even more effective.

Boring in that he made the simplest play rather than the flashy one, yeah. But eventually it got fun watching guys trying to undress him and him just making the simple play to make them look stupid.