As I've said before, there's a lot of good, but not a lot of great. If you look at the drafts from 1994 to 2001, there are a lot of good defencemen, but only one who looks to have a legit shot of the HHOF. That would be Chara. From 1979 to 1982, there were six bonafide HHOF defencemen.
It shouldn't be hard for people to look at that and realize that something is amiss.
I think the defencemen drafted from 2002 and on are really going to show that multiple defencemen can really stand out. I see big things for Bouwmeester, Phaneuf, Staal, E. Johnson and Doughty. They're going to be sensational. And their success will prove that there was a legit gap in the pipeline. It happens.
Look at LW. Johnny Bucyk entered the league in 56. Bobby Hull and Frank Mahovlich came in the following year. We haven't had an all-time top 10 LW (maybe top 15) enter the league in 50 years. Shanahan's the closest. I've said that Ovechkin's the best LW to enter the league since the 50s, but that's partially a reflection of the state of LW.
Sports are cyclical. Sometimes you get some outstanding talent crammed into a few years. And other times, you go a long time without the big star, and fans are left clamouring for the next big thing.
I think Lidstrom will break Orr's record for Norris Trophies. Unless Pronger can bring it all together over the course of several seasons, or Bouwmeester, Chara and Phaneuf can close the gap, Lidstrom, with his smooth, efficient game that lends so well to longevity, will win the Norris Trophy for the next three to five years. But the question will remain: who did he beat? Nobody.
