Niedermayer & Hedman: Who would you rate higher on the all time list?

[HockeyWooot]

Hedman for me. Close though Niedermayer is an all time great.

 

[psycat]

Now that’s a take

So would I.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Hedman but I'm bias I never though much of Niedermayer.

 

[Machinehead]

Six Norris nominations tips it for Hedman for me, but it was very close.

I don't think people are underrating Niedermayer in this thread, I think they're underrating Hedman a bit.

Hedman is a surefire Hall of Famer just like Niedermayer.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Niedermayer is comically underrated on these boards, I can only assume by people that never watched him play a game.

I'm a Devils fan, watched Neids play several hundred games, including a number of them live, and I picked Hedman.

People tend to think of Scotty in the year before and then the years immediately after the lockout, when he was really great, but much of his Devils career was significantly more lackluster than that. Not ever sort of bad or anything, and partly a function of usage, but he hadn't yet fully ascended.

Hedman, in my opinion, spent slightly longer at his absolute peak performance level, and is every bit the playoff performer Nieds was, maybe better (more points in almost 50 fewer games, for example). Both have a Norris and a Conn Smythe.

 

[wetcoast]

Hedman, better peak and prime

Nieds better career for now


when its all said and done

Bourque
Lidstrom
Chelios
Coffey
Pronger
MacInnis
Hedman
Stevens
Leetch
Nieds
Keith
Chara
EK
Doughty
Blake
Letang
Weber

It looks a bit inconsistent. You have Leetch below Stevens, but Coffey above Pronger. Why?

This was my first thought as well and I think Hedman might pass Niedermeyer all time but haven't given it a ton of thought.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

I'm a Devils fan, watched Neids play several hundred games, including a number of them live, and I picked Hedman.

People tend to think of Scotty in the year before and then the years immediately after the lockout, when he was really great, but much of his Devils career was significantly more lackluster than that. Not ever sort of bad or anything, and partly a function of usage, but he hadn't yet fully ascended.

Hedman, in my opinion, spent slightly longer at his absolute peak performance level, and is every bit the playoff performer Nieds was, maybe better (more points in almost 50 fewer games, for example). Both have a Norris and a Conn Smythe.

Ya I wasn't being clear when I said what I said, I don't think Niedermayer is far and away better than Hedman.
Just that this place doesn't like Niedermayer.

It just bothers me every time I see his name mentioned here because I know it'll be a thread explain that he was a product of playing with Stevens in NJ and Pronger in Anaheim which is obviously not the case for people that watched him play.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I’d take all of Hedman, Keith and Chara over Niedermayer.

Now that’s a take

You'd rather have Niedermayer than all 3 of Hedman, Keith, and Chara?

Jeez, that guy really IS overrated.

 

[AvroArrow]

Hedman but I'm bias I never though much of Niedermayer.

Niedermayer was a poor mans Lidstrom, which is still a phenomenal player. I'd put him in the same category as guys like say Letang, Pietroangelo. Still absolutely elite #1 D men, but there is a visible gap between them and the next group of guys like Hedman, Chara, Keith, Pronger.

Niedermayer had the advantage of playing on one of the best defensive teams ever with an all time great goalie. Not taking anything away from him, but he was like a #1B D-man in the perfect situation and he maximized his opportunity.

 

[Jorma Heart]

Niedermayer is comically underrated on these boards, I can only assume by people that never watched him play a game.

I've seen him playing lots of games and I think unlike Hedman, Niedermayer was never the best dman in the NHL. I think he's kind of overrated actually

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Love Niedermayer but I don't think he had a stretch of years like Hedman had where he was considered unquestionably the best Dman in the league. Maybe his last year in NJ and then the first two years in Anaheim where he finished 1 and 2nd in Norris voting.

Top 5 Norris finishes:
Niedermayer: 1, 2, 2
Hedman: 1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Maybe I'm wrong...and Hedman was just coveted so much due to his rare size + skill package.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Thinking about it, Niedermayer played at the same time as Nicklas Lidstrom, so he was never the best d-man in the NHL during his career, whereas, Hedman was the best defenseman during his time, so I think you gotta give this to Hedman.