Letang vs Yandle

[Cropduster]

I better ask this before Letang starts championship play Tuesday....Kristopher Letang or Keith Yandle, which would you rather have as a NHL GM? Which do you think has a higher point potential?

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[PhoPhan]

First off, I'd give your thread a little more than a few hours before bumping it is necessary.

Secondly, and I know many will holler "bias" at this, but I like Yandle a whole lot. I haven't seen much of Letang, but he would have to be an absolute stud for me to want him over Keith, whom I consider the Coyotes best player not in the NHL right now (ahead of Wheeler, Mueller, Hanzal, et al). Yandle, in the handful of games he played for Phoenix earlier this year, did not look out of place in the least, and was actually a bright spot on an otherwise miserable team. He's got the offensive abilities to one day be a 40 or 50 (or even 60 or 70) point defenseman, and while he's not a shut down defender, he's not a liability, either--certainly not to an extent that will affect his team so negatively as to force a coach to cut his minutes or put him with a defensive specialist.

 

[GernerPSU]

I have seen none of Yandle, but my guess would be Letang just because of my expectations for him. From next year on he will be on the top PP of Pittsburgh for years to come. I could see him putting up 50, maybe 60 next year and possibly up to 90 in a few years. Obviously those stats will be inflated because of el Sid, but he made the original Pens roster based on his offensive skills alone despite Whitney and Gonchar already on the roster.

 

[PanthersRule96]

I have seen none of Yandle, but my guess would be Letang just because of my expectations for him. From next year on he will be on the top PP of Pittsburgh for years to come. I could see him putting up 50, maybe 60 next year and possibly up to 90 in a few years. Obviously those stats will be inflated because of el Sid, but he made the original Pens roster based on his offensive skills alone despite Whitney and Gonchar already on the roster.

90??? I know Malkin and Cros will inflate stats but 90 points for a defensman? I don't think anyone has gotten that in a while back on D.

 

[GernerPSU]

I don't think 90 is all that crazy for either Whitney and/or Letang in a few years. Letang more so than Whitney since Letang would get first PP minutes. Keep in mind thats also a ceiling not a prediction. I predict him to be a 60-70 pt offense only type defenseman.

 

[Hennessy]

90 is pushing it, but Letang is going to be someone special. Now if Pittsburgh would just get some players whose specialty isn't offense...

 

[ukyo]

I don't think 90 is all that crazy for either Whitney and/or Letang in a few years. Letang more so than Whitney since Letang would get first PP minutes. Keep in mind thats also a ceiling not a prediction. I predict him to be a 60-70 pt offense only type defenseman.

Wow, really? Do you really think that Letang in his prime will be more of an offensive powerhouse than one of the most prolific offensive defensemen in the last decade in Gonchar?

 

[Hackett]

I like yandle alot.

He'll be ready by next season for sure IMO... although I dont think he would look all that out of place this season either... which is a huge compliment for a defensman to come straight out of the Q and into the big league

He'll be a big part of the US national team for years to come IMO.

 

[GernerPSU]

Wow, really? Do you really think that Letang in his prime will be more of an offensive powerhouse than one of the most prolific offensive defensemen in the last decade in Gonchar?

With Crosby and Malkin and an almost gaurenteed spot on the top PP by default since he is a right handed shot, yes.

 

[No Quarter*]

Letang

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Wow, really? Do you really think that Letang in his prime will be more of an offensive powerhouse than one of the most prolific offensive defensemen in the last decade in Gonchar?

Letang is also going to be playing in alot more offensive-defenseman friendly era than the past decade has allowed.


Letang's offensive skills are pretty amazing. His defense is suspect at best however...but when you're a right-handed shot defenseman on a team with Crosby, Malkin, and Staal it doesn't really matter. He's going to put up some nice stats in his career.

 

[rt]

I don't know anything about Letang but I do expect that Yandle will someday be a first pairing defenseman for the Phoenix Coyotes. He looks like a really special player. I also imagine that his combination of offensive talent, skating ability, and chipiness will make him quite the fan favorite.

 

[ukyo]

Letang is also going to be playing in alot more offensive-defenseman friendly era than the past decade has allowed.


Letang's offensive skills are pretty amazing. His defense is suspect at best however...but when you're a right-handed shot defenseman on a team with Crosby, Malkin, and Staal it doesn't really matter. He's going to put up some nice stats in his career.

I will admit that I haven't seen a whole lot of Letang play. But simply being a right-handed shot isn't going to explain why he's going to top the production that Gonchar's had the past two seasons. He has to be an absolutely marquee offensive talent to best what Gonchar has done.

Who are Letang's comparables?

 

[Brandinho]

Yandle. Pens already have Gonchar and Whitney and Goligoski is a very good prospect waiting in the wings. I'm not saying Yandle's a better prospect than Letang, but that he seems to be more of what the Pens need. I like his defensive instincts a lot more than Letang's and he's more than capable in the offensive zone, if not as talented as Letang.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Both are very good and it's hard to rank them because they aren't at the same stage of their carrers. Both guys have terrific offensive skills and i guess the main question here is how they play defense.

Here is a good Yandle article : http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=285813&page=NewsPage&service=page

 

[Debrincat93]

i got letang on my keeper team and i picked him out of him or vlasic on my list so im hoping he will pan out

 

[Brandinho]

i got letang on my keeper team and i picked him out of him or vlasic on my list so im hoping he will pan out

I think you made the right choice. Letang is a better prospect than Vlasic IMO.

 

[FTowwn]

Letang.....but just barely, both he and Yandle are very solid defenders. Letang will put up more points since he will be quarterbacking the Pens PP for years to come, and with Malkin Crosby up there, stats will be easier to come by for the young man.

 

[XX]

Yandle almost stuck this year like Vlasic, but ran into the Coyotes depth. He will be with the big club next year or post deadline. He will be a good one, thats for sure. If someone knows of a better trio than Ballard, Michalek and Yandle then be sure to post it up.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Watched both in the Q a lot and i prefer Letang.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Yandle almost stuck this year like Vlasic, but ran into the Coyotes depth. He will be with the big club next year or post deadline. He will be a good one, thats for sure. If someone knows of a better trio than Ballard, Michalek and Yandle then be sure to post it up.

I assume that's young trio. Howzabout Weber, Suter, and Hamhuis. Not to mention Franson, Parent, Klein, Laakso, and Kulyash.

I'm a Pens fan, but there is absolutely no comparing to Nashville's stable of young defensemen.

 

[veronesepk]

Who would you all pick between Goligoski and Letang?

 

[Buffalo87]

Who would you all pick between Goligoski and Letang?

Letang

 

[vcx*]

Letang

Letang. He's the captain of the team canada squad and he is putting up solid numbers in the Q. He would have done better on the pens has there been a proper defense squad. No way is the current squad half decent aside from Eaton, Welch, Whitney and Gonchar. Orpik is some lite version of himself from last season.

 

[Richter_Fan]

Come on!!

I saw three prospect name here.. Letang, Yandle and Goligosky. One of them can't be mention in the same sentence then the two others and this guy is Letang.

This thread is totaly bias by all the information about Letang since the beginning of this season. Letang will be at BEST a third defenseman in the NHL maybe a 35-40pts guy if he play on the PP.

On the other hand, Yandle have all the tools to be a future superstar in the NHL, he's strong, fast, defensivly safe and have a huge offensive upside.


As for Goligosky he is by te miles the best defensive prospect in the penguins organization, he got all the tools!


But the most important is the fact that Letang have nothing of a great defense, he will be good but not an amazing player