Miro Heiskanen vs Victor Hedman

[Machinehead]

Heiskanen is great but

 

[Machinehead]

hedman is probably the best defenseman in the league

heiskanen is top 15 on a good day (iirc he was somewhere in the 16-20 range on the last list i made)

I like your avatar of Artemi Panarin drinking a sweet tea

 

[Halla]

Hedman is a perennial Norris Candidate.
Heiskanen has the potential but isnt even close yet.

 

[93LEAFS]

Hedman is the best all-around defender in the league, and has been for about half a decade. Big guys shouldn't be able to be as fluid or skate as well as he does. While, I know this is team specific, but if I could add any one player to my team, it's Hedman (although, if I'm starting from scratch I'm looking at McDavid and Mack). His defensive game is unreal because of his skating, reach and gap control. He is the hardest player in the league to get around due to this.

Heiskanen is establishing himself as a top 10 defender in the league, and maybe he can be this generations Doughty. But, Hedman is currently the best defender in the league when you look at the totality of his skill-set, and arguably the best defender to grace the NHL post-Lidstrom/Pronger. Guys like Hedman, and previously Pronger and Larry Robinson are just extremely rare. It's just impossible to find guys that big, who are that fluid, combined with high-end hockey-iq and offensive skill-set. For example, Bouwmeester had the first two, but never found the latter (not that he was dumb or had no offensive skills, but they weren't elite, at least in an offensive capacity), and the only defender drafted post-Hedman who has this combination is Seth Jones. Just how people talk about how unique and unfathomable McDavid's acceleration, speed and agility are, Hedman's mobility at 6'7 is just as unfathomable even if it doesn't jump out at you the same way.

 

[lawrence]

I do think 20 year old Heiskanen is better then the 20 year old Hedman though.

 

[Regal]

I do think 20 year old Heiskanen is better then the 20 year old Hedman though.

Maybe. 20 year old Hedman was really underrated. His underlying numbers both overall and relative and RAPM numbers were better and he scored at the same rate 5v5.

 

[bondra]

One month doesn't make a career.

This is what I love in hfboards. You probably havent watched Heiskanen play past 2 years, you probably havent even watched Heiskanen play in these playoffs, only the stats.

Heiskanen will never be that kind of defenceman who makes flashy plays in offensive zone or scores 70 points in season, but arguably one of the best allround defenceman you can find in NHL at the moment.

Hedman but its close.

 

[Gurglesons]

This is what I love in hfboards. You probably havent watched Heiskanen play past 2 years, you probably havent even watched Heiskanen play in these playoffs, only the stats.

Heiskanen will never be that kind of defenceman who makes flashy plays in offensive zone or scores 70 points in season, but arguably one of the best allround defenceman you can find in NHL at the moment.

Hedman but its close.

It isn’t close. I love Heiskanen and he’s been my favorite out of the young crop of D coming since his rookie season where he basically outplayed the far higher rep player in Dahlin.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Lol it's Hedman.

Heiskanen can get there tho, for sure but still a couple more proven seasons away.

 

[mattihp]

Hedman right now, somewhere in between close and it isn't even close. I chose close.

 

[deca guard]

only player ide say is more valuable today than hedman is mcdavid

 

[lawrence]

Maybe. 20 year old Hedman was really underrated. His underlying numbers both overall and relative and RAPM numbers were better and he scored at the same rate 5v5.

the funny thing is 23 year old Hedman couldn't made team Sweden and Edler was on that squad. I didn't think Hedman was as good as Miro is today when he was 20, and he sure as heck wasn't even as good as Tavares. Of course now it's totally different.

 

[Narow]

If tampa makes the finals this thread will blow up. In a head to head who would do better?

How fast is hedman compared to heiskanen?

 

[Los merengues]

off the top of my head theres hedman ellis mcavoy pulock pietro spurgeon ekblad josi letang hamilton giordano parayko slavin karlsson carlson

edit: not in order
second edit: i accidentally put josi twice

Ellis, MacAvoy, Pullock, Spurgeon or Ekblad are not even fit to tie his skates. Others are debatble.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I do think 20 year old Heiskanen is better then the 20 year old Hedman though.

1000%

20 year old Victor Hedman was considered a bust/semi-bust, by many.
Lots people forget that it took Hedman 7 years after his draft year, to get to where he is at ATM.

 

[Alexandrov]

hedman still. probably the only D I'd take over heiskanen going into next season

 

[Buck Naked]

Heiskanen is quickly becoming a favorite in the Naked home, but come on. Hedman is of course still the better player.

 

[Unspecified]

I went with "Heiskanen but it's close" simply for the fact that there are people posting in here have lost their f'in minds with "Heiskanen is top 15-19, Heiskanen is top 15 on a good day" shit! If you honestly feel that way you should give up posting in any section except the "General" section. Even though i chose "Heiskanen but it's close" right now it is still Hedman and that does not mean Heiskanen is far away from Hedman's level, it just mean eventually he will get there.

 

[TGWL]

I voted wrong. I didn't see the "Not close / it's close" at first. I voted Hedman, but it should be Hedman not close (at least right now).

 

[TGWL]

I went with "Heiskanen but it's close" simply for the fact that there are people posting in here have lost their f'in minds with "Heiskanen is top 15-19, Heiskanen is top 15 on a good day" shit! If you honestly feel that way you should give up posting in any section except the "General" section. Even though i chose "Heiskanen but it's close" right now it is still Hedman and that does not mean Heiskanen is not far away from Hedman's level, it just mean eventually he will get there.

Are you sure it wasn't because you're a Stars fan? Just because a couple of people want to say 15-19, or whatever ranking doesn't mean everybody underrates Heiskanen, but right now Hedman is simply on another level.

 

[amnesiac]

off the top of my head theres hedman ellis mcavoy pulock pietro spurgeon ekblad josi letang hamilton giordano parayko slavin karlsson carlson

edit: not in order
second edit: i accidentally put josi twice

not at all.... Ekblad, Pulock, Spurgeon arent even on the same planet.

and you forgot Jones.

 

[Unspecified]

Are you sure it wasn't because you're a Stars fan? Just because a couple of people want to say 15-19, or whatever ranking doesn't mean everybody underrates Heiskanen, but right now Hedman is simply on another level.

I may be a Stars fan but i call it like it is. Hedman is better right now and it is not AINEC at all like some have stated and it sure as hell does not mean Heiskanen is in any 15-19 or whatever range. If that is truly someone's evaluation they need to give up evaluating.

 

[AvsCOL]

Hedman and Josi are kind of in a tier of their own right now, so this is an easy poll.

 

[Unspecified]

off the top of my head theres hedman ellis mcavoy pulock pietro spurgeon ekblad josi letang hamilton giordano parayko slavin karlsson carlson

edit: not in order
second edit: i accidentally put josi twice

Ha! The only players i put above Heiskanen right now is Hedman, and Josi, maybe Carlson.

 

[amnesiac]

Lots of players can play above their heads for a few weeks. Using it to draw conclusions is flawed. It's likely this is part of Heiskanen's progression (though his points are clearly not sustainable), but unless a young player is significantly outplaying the established level of a vet in such a sample, it makes no sense to put him ahead. Hedman's performed better these playoffs anyway other than in secondary assists.

17A vs 6A on a much worse offensive team... yeah I would say thats more than just his "secondary assists" at work as you downplay it. Gimme a break. Dumb comment.

The question is who is better now, and just the gap in that stat alone puts him ahead right now. Defensively, sure Ill give it Hedman, but Heiskanen has been great in his own end as well these playoffs. Also been better at transition and carrying the puck out of the zone. His skating is elite level, everyone knows that.

To top it off hes doing it on team with not nearly as much star power as TB. Even their best player, Seguin, has been exceptionally bad offensively. But its all just his secondary assists, right?