Player Discussion Linden vs Naslund

[F A N]

Why does Derek Dorsett have more heart than Elias Pettersson? I would argue the opposite. Being a grinding tough guy doesn't automatically mean you have heart. He has on and off periods like anyone else, but I can't say that I've never seen Dorsett's game, limited as it is, raise his game when the stakes increase. In fact, I can recall more instances of Dorsett playing like a lazy passenger than Pettersson has.

It's a horrible example.

Not talking about any player specifically, but conversely a player who "raises his game" during garbage time or in meaningless games isn't typically, without more, considered a player who plays with heart. But why not? The guy is trying hard even when the games don't matter. Never give up attitude!

 

[Shareefruck]

Not talking about any player specifically, but conversely a player who "raises his game" during garbage time or in meaningless games isn't typically, without more, considered a player who plays with heart. But why not? The guy is trying hard even when the games don't matter. Never give up attitude!

I think that makes some sense to me. There's less of a barrier to overcome to raise your game in those situations because nobody else is trying that hard, so it's less impressive. If you do that every game including the important ones, then you DO get credit for that consistency/constant drive and are considered a player who plays with heart, and if you only do that in the games that don't matter, it shows that your priorities are all out of order AND you don't have a never give up attitude.

There is something to be said for the guys who give 100% every shift/game no matter the situation and just don't have the skill to raise their game further in the playoffs (and actually regress in comparison), though. But I don't know that they aren't associated with having heart either. For example, nobody questions Jannik Hansen's heart and work ethic, but it doesn't really translate as well into success when everyone else raises their work ethic in the games that matter compared to when the games don't matter (Hansen sometimes offensively dominates in preseason games and meaningless games in a way that he can't in the playoffs).

Did you have examples in mind of guys who only play well in games that don't matter but get unfairly maligned when they deserve to be viewed as having a lot of heart? I can't think of any.

 

[RussianRacket]

peak Linden (circa 1994) was a better overall player than peak Naslund, although Naslund was always far more skilled.

Both got the oustanding luck of playing in a market that shatters the soul and hearts of its star players in a manner that is timely enough we all get to witness the sad autopsy that is the end of their careers as ghosts of their former selves.

I voted for Linden simply because he was a force in 1994. Naslund was great but never achieved that.

However it was a tough decision because Naslund deserves credit for not being an annoying attention whore with a fitness brand and saviour complex after his playing days were done.

 

[eli4spetterss0n]

peak Linden (circa 1994) was a better overall player than peak Naslund, although Naslund was always far more skilled.

Both got the oustanding luck of playing in a market that shatters the soul and hearts of its star players in a manner that is timely enough we all get to witness the sad autopsy that is the end of their careers as ghosts of their former selves.

I voted for Linden simply because he was a force in 1994. Naslund was great but never achieved that.

However it was a tough decision because Naslund deserves credit for not being an annoying attention whore with a fitness brand a and saviour complex after his playing days were done.

Hard to believe this is true. Sure he played an all-around game, but overall you still take Naslund based on the offensive prowess.

 

[CanuckleBerry]

Naslund's prime was entirely in the dead-puck era. Yet he was an elite offensive threat and was recognized by his peers with the Lester B Pearson trophy. I can only imagine what he would have been like playing in another era with a more balanced team around him.

 

[Seatoo]

Naslund is so bloody overrated in this market it’s hilarious, he doesn’t deserve to have his number retired, ring of honour at most.

 

[Wry n Ginger]

Each of these players should only be judged by their accomplishments when it mattered most.

Naslund is the guy that looks shiny and drives the fancy car to impress the babes.

Linden is the guy that gets the crap beat out of him but keeps on getting up when his team needs him the most.

Skill versus heart.
Heart versus skill.

Linden didn't have the same natural talent as some of his teammates but he had enough to show he belonged with the guys that had more skill. His heart inspired the other guys on the team that had the skills to dig deeper.