Is Karlsson Bobby Orr 2.0?

[illpucks]

Orr did what he did in a much smaller league with less talent. Not to diminish what he did, but you wouldn't see his level of dominance in today's league. Orr himself said he's a big fan of Karlsson.

Karlsson is dominant both defensively and offensively and is the best 200 ft player in the game. There hasn't been someone like him. Lidstrom never had the offense of Karlsson, stat wise or not. He just wasn't the same type of player. Defense was better but not close in offense talent.

In terms of what Karlsson brings to the table his game has to be very similar to Orr's. He leads rushes from his own end, is a game changer offensively but still is among the best defensively when he is in the zone. He has had some blips in defense but lately, and in many points in his career, he is elite in both defense and offense ability.

He's the reason the Sens are 6 games from a Stanley Cup. Orr might have won cups and Ross's, not to diminsh that, but this is a 30 team league now and he's up against generational forwards like Crosby and McDavid for the Ross, and he's coached by a Trap oriented coach. Still he is PPG in playoffs and has factored in 100% of GWG's by Sens in the playoffs.

Simply put, is Karlsson essentially a modern day Bobby Orr?

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[The Podium]

I'd say so, but the hockey historians of these boards won't agree because "everything was better before"

 

[ScaredStreit]

People ask me why I think Karlsson is the most overrated player in the league right now? This thread is why folks.

 

[Ezekial]

Bobby Orr was just a Karlsson beta project.

 

[Kingspiracy]

He's getting there.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

This thread has potential.

 

[MXD]

He's a rich-man Brian Leetch, if anything.

 

[illpucks]

People ask me why I think Karlsson is the most overrated player in the league right now? This thread is why folks.

GF/GA ratio and Corsi are night and day when he is on and off the ice.

He plays half the game. He's not overrated at all.

 

[ScaredStreit]

GF/GA, Corsi is night and day when he is on and off the ice.

He plays half the game. He's not overrated at all.

Whenever somebody says that he's as good as Orr, the best defenseman since Orr, or even remotely close to Orr...yes he is being overrated.

 

[Namikaze Minato]

He's about as close as you can get today, but bobby was still in a different league

 

[Sarcastic]

No he's Erik Karlsson.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Nope.

 

[illpucks]

Whenever somebody says that he's as good as Orr, the best defenseman since Orr, or even remotely close to Orr...yes he is being overrated.

I don't get why players of the past are untouchable always. For instance Lebron is on his way to 7 straight trips to the finals, and people are like nope, still not close to Jordan.

Karlsson cannot get Ross's in today's NHL or break 100 points. But it shouldn't mean that he isn't can't be considered an equivalent of Orr, when you adjust for era. His style of play and what he brings is very similar.

 

[MXD]

I don't get why players of the past are untouchable always. For instance Lebron is on his way to 7 straight trips to the finals, and people are like nope, still not close to Jordan.

Karlsson cannot get Ross's in today's NHL or break 100 points. But it shouldn't mean that he isn't can't be considered an equivalent of Orr, when you adjust for era. His style of play and what he brings is very similar.

The problem with this is that you're basically saying that Karlsson should be considered a better player than Bobby Orr because of his DOB.

And besides, it's not impossible. Sidney Crosby might end up being spoken as a comparable to friggin' Jean Beliveau (needs to add longevity as an elite player, without necessarily being best-in-the-league, but it's certainly realistic).

Considering Orr > Beliveau, and Crosby > Karlsson, well... That's kind of why you get the kind of answers you're getting. Of course you wouldn't have those answers if the parallel was not completely far-fetched at this point.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I'd say so, but the hockey historians of these boards won't agree because "everything was better before"

I think you'd be surprised. Anyone watching from a historical perspective should easily recognize that Karlsson's doing something historically unique, that he's easily a top-10 defenseman of all time if he continues this pace.

The issue in comparing him to Orr is whether you consider Karlsson to be the best player in the league today. Orr was clearly, without question the best player in the league for an extended period. Karlsson would need to at least hint at that level in order to really make a case.

The thing is, if he continues to mature as a player, he has a really good chance of hitting that level in the near future.

 

[StrangeVision]

I don't get why players of the past are untouchable always. For instance Lebron is on his way to 7 straight trips to the finals, and people are like nope, still not close to Jordan.

Karlsson cannot get Ross's in today's NHL or break 100 points. But it shouldn't mean that he isn't can't be considered an equivalent of Orr, when you adjust for era. His style of play and what he brings is very similar.

I think this post pretty much answers your question, it's just not the answer you're looking for. Orr was so good because he changed the rules. He did things no one else could.

 

[NickyFotiu]

He's a rich-man Brian Leetch, if anything.

I think Karlsson is great but I'm not sure he is better than Leetch. Brian Leetch was great in his own right. In regards to Orr the simple answer is no no no no no no no.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

Karlsson is his own player. It's stupid to compare guys between eras, as scoring, rules, game style, etc are all different

 

[MXD]

I think Karlsson is great but I'm not sure he is better than Leetch. Brian Leetch was great in his own right. In regards to Orr the simple answer is no no no no no no no.

At this point, I wonder which is more egregious : The idea that Karlsson is Orr 2.0 or the idea that he's not better than a prime Brian Leetch.

 

[NickyFotiu]

At this point, I wonder which is more egregious : The idea that Karlsson is Orr 2.0 or the idea that he's not better than a prime Brian Leetch.

The answer is neither. Brian Leetch was a great hall of fame defensemen. A top 10 defensemen on multiple people's list. Leetch was always the best Rangers player on teams with guys like Messier, Gretzky, Zubov, and Ricther. How many games did you watch Leetch play?

 

[Agent Zub]

It's about time people started realizing how good Karlsson is on the defensive side of the puck.

Anyway, Karlsson is more Bourque than Orr.

 

[bob27]

Is he heads and shoulders above all hockey players in the world and has he revolutionized the game?

 

[Bank Shot]

I don't get why players of the past are untouchable always. For instance Lebron is on his way to 7 straight trips to the finals, and people are like nope, still not close to Jordan.

Karlsson cannot get Ross's in today's NHL or break 100 points. But it shouldn't mean that he isn't can't be considered an equivalent of Orr, when you adjust for era. His style of play and what he brings is very similar.

Lots of people are now talking about Lebron being right up there with Jordan.

Messi is considered the goat in soccer despite there being more competition than ever.


People say that hockey players can't dominate like they used to, but I think that's just because players that special don't necessarily come around every 20 years.

Karlsson can't do what Orr did because he's not as good as Orr was. Full stop.

 

[Agent Zub]

Lots of people are now talking about Lebron being right up there with Jordan.

Messi is considered the goat in soccer despite there being more competition than ever.


People say that hockey players can't dominate like they used to, but I think that's just because players that special don't necessarily come around every 20 years.

Karlsson can't do what Orr did because he's not as good as Orr was. Full stop.

Orr wouldn't be able to do what Orr did in the 1970s vs now full stop.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The answer is neither. Brian Leetch was a great hall of fame defensemen. A top 10 defensemen on multiple people's list. Leetch was always the best Rangers player on teams with guys like Messier, Gretzky, Zubov, and Ricther. How many games did you watch Leetch play?

I watched Leetch play plenty of games including his peak season in '94. He was absolutely not on Karlsson's level, not for any more than a few months at a time anyway.