Matthias Ekholm or Justin Faulk?
- Thread starter Fire Benning
- Start date
Bjornar Moxnes
Stem Rødt og Felix Unger Sörum
Faulk over Matthias Ekholm AINEC. Now when comparing Faulk or Mattias Ekholm, I'd say Ekholm but it's close. Ekholm is far superior defensively, but Faulk is more superior offensively and plays tougher situations with worse team mates. This season Ekholm is playing far tougher minutes and his offense has dipped a lot.
Faulk is a 1st-pairing defenseman. Ekholm is a 2nd-pairing defenseman. The fact that a 2nd-pairing defenseman has better numbers than a 1st-pairing defenseman can likely be chalked up to very different systems and personnel. Ekholm's numbers are helped by an uptempo Nashville system that encourages offense from the defense and having 3 better defensemen in front of him. He's pretty good as a supporting player, but you wouldn't want him to be your #1 or even #2 defenseman. He's thriving where he is, behind Josi, Subban and Ellis, and, sometimes, where a player is thriving is the perfect situation for him. You take him out and give him a big promotion on another team--i.e. give him Faulk-like minutes and responsibilities--and you might be disappointed.
RodTheBawd
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- Oct 16, 2013
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tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
I was kind of surprised, upon checking the numbers, to see that Ekholm skates more minutes, more SH time, and less PP time than Faulk.
Maybe there actually is an argument for Ekholm here? I'm not sure as I don't watch him much.
Ekholm is the better player overall, Faulk is the better offensive player/PP player. Basically, Faulk will produce more points but Ekholm will have the greater impact on goal differential and all that.
If I need one these guys to run and man a dcorps I am taking Ekholm rather easily. That's my opinion tho.
If I need one these guys to run and man a dcorps I am taking Ekholm rather easily. That's my opinion tho.
Roboturner913
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- Jul 3, 2012
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Just going to assume that, with anything on this board comparing anything to anything else involving, related to, containing or alluding to the Carolina Hurricanes, the latter will come in last or as close to last as posters can possibly justify through knowingly faulty reasoning, so Elkhom it is.
Legionnaire11
Registered User
I watched almost 80 Preds games this year and around 40 Canes games.
It took Ekholm and Subban a while to gel, nobody was really sure what their role would be. But they started to heat up down the stretch and have been fantastic in the playoffs.
That said, I'm not sure I want Ekholm on the first pair over the course of a full season. Faulk has proven himself to be a top level defenseman given #1 minutes.
All that said, I think they're much closer than probably a lot of people would realize, mostly because most hockey fans don't watch much Preds or Canes hockey. (luckily in Nashville we get the Canes replay on RSN next day!)
I'd say each player would be a better choice by situation. Faulk against lighter teams, games where we're expecting a lot of back and forth hockey. Ekholm in tight, tough games.
It's so hard to pick one, I think each player is a good fit with their current team. I couldn't see the Preds and Canes swapping them, the Preds have offensive ability in spades on the blueline, and Ekholm certainly wouldn't replace Faulk as the PP QB in Carolina.
So I'll go homer vote and take Ekholm because he's more durable than Faulk over 82 games.
It took Ekholm and Subban a while to gel, nobody was really sure what their role would be. But they started to heat up down the stretch and have been fantastic in the playoffs.
That said, I'm not sure I want Ekholm on the first pair over the course of a full season. Faulk has proven himself to be a top level defenseman given #1 minutes.
All that said, I think they're much closer than probably a lot of people would realize, mostly because most hockey fans don't watch much Preds or Canes hockey. (luckily in Nashville we get the Canes replay on RSN next day!)
I'd say each player would be a better choice by situation. Faulk against lighter teams, games where we're expecting a lot of back and forth hockey. Ekholm in tight, tough games.
It's so hard to pick one, I think each player is a good fit with their current team. I couldn't see the Preds and Canes swapping them, the Preds have offensive ability in spades on the blueline, and Ekholm certainly wouldn't replace Faulk as the PP QB in Carolina.
So I'll go homer vote and take Ekholm because he's more durable than Faulk over 82 games.
Critical13
Fear is the mind-killer.
That's a bit surprising, I admit, but my point was more situational, i.e. the differences between the two teams. Even though Ekholm may get similar minutes as Faulk, there's probably a difference between sharing the responsibility with 3 better defenders on a team with an offensive system and being the go-to defenseman on a team that doesn't score as much. If Ekholm were traded for Faulk, could he handle the responsibilities and pressure that Faulk faces? I'm not that familiar with Faulk, but I assume that he has the mentality to be a #1, which is how he got to be one, whereas Ekholm is much more of a complementary team player who's probably most comfortable as a partner of a top defenseman, as he is for Subban.
Last edited:
tony d
New poll series coming from me on June 3
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cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
Faulk, though Ekholm's awesome and is likely the better pure defensive player. But Faulk is a true #1 who can drive his team on both ends of the ice; and in today's NHL you need guys from the backend that can produce like Faulk can.
No, he's a legitimate top pairing defenseman in this league. To me that means hes a more than capable #2 but not quite a #1.
If he scored points in the range of 40-50 I'd probably call him a #1.
Calling him a #3D implies there should be about 60 defenseman better than him in the league. Can you name anywhere near 60?
Carolinas Identity*
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Evgeni Malkin isn't a legit #1 Center he doesn't play on his teams 1st line.
Roman Josi
PK Subban
Ryan Ellis
Would he be on Carolina's top pairing? What about most other teams' top pairings? What's more eggregious, to say there are 60 better defenseman than Ekholm or there are only ~15-25 defenseman better than Faulk?
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VoluntaryDom
Formerly DominicBoltsFan / Ⓐ / ✞
I feel like Ekholm would be better in the role of shutting down another team's top line. Maybe not excel but he's solid and works well when complimented with someone who can move the puck well. He's very good at moving the puck in his own right.
I really do like Faulk too though. He's actually pretty solid defensively too. He's still more of an offensively-focused defenseman though. And his shot is a dimension that Ekholm really pales in comparison in. With Slavin's emergence, Faulk doesn't have to play as many tough defensive minutes. With Weber's departure, Ekholm is stepping into a tougher defensive situation, and showing that he can really do well in that role.
I think Faulk is more dynamic and can be more of a difference-maker, while Ekholm can be more relied upon to play solid defensive minutes. In the end, it does come down to each team's situation; though I think that if you were making a list of best defensemen in the league, I would probably end up putting Faulk ahead.
I really do like Faulk too though. He's actually pretty solid defensively too. He's still more of an offensively-focused defenseman though. And his shot is a dimension that Ekholm really pales in comparison in. With Slavin's emergence, Faulk doesn't have to play as many tough defensive minutes. With Weber's departure, Ekholm is stepping into a tougher defensive situation, and showing that he can really do well in that role.
I think Faulk is more dynamic and can be more of a difference-maker, while Ekholm can be more relied upon to play solid defensive minutes. In the end, it does come down to each team's situation; though I think that if you were making a list of best defensemen in the league, I would probably end up putting Faulk ahead.
Addison Rae
Registered User
It's close, hate when people just post numbers without any context though. As if quality of teammate, quality of competition and deployment don't matter, they're the most important aspects of "advanced stats".
I'd take Faulk, but Ekholm is a fantastic #2.
I'd take Faulk, but Ekholm is a fantastic #2.
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Stickpucker
Playmaka
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Too bad we can't travel to an alternate universe where Faulk plays with Subban and Ekholm plays with Hainsey......
After the season is over would you like to trade locker room cancer Subban??? Team with him will never wins cups.
After the season is over would you like to trade locker room cancer Subban??? Team with him will never wins cups.
Critical13
Fear is the mind-killer.
I disagree, I think he's a good 3. I think he could be a 2 on a lot of teams but on a good team I think he slots into that second pairing.
I don't think there is a team in the league that runs Faulk as a 2nd pairing D.
Cootsfanclub
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- Mar 29, 2013
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