Tomas Kaberle Versus Wade Redden

[GlitchMarner]

Who was the better defenseman?

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[The List Of Jericho]

I'm still waiting for Kaberle to shoot the puck on the PP

 

[slimbob8]

I'm still waiting for Kaberle to shoot the puck on the PP

My God that was frustrating!

 

[slimbob8]

Peak level I'd say Redden for sure.

 

[Voodoo Child]

Redden may have peaked a little higher but the back nine of his career was so bad the then-latest CBA had to have a clause written in based on what happened to him.

 

[pheasant]

Redden was amazing at his peak. Legit #1 guy who does it all. But that 3 year~ish peak was followed by garbage, like @Voodoo Child pointed out.

I went with Kaberle. His peak was a #1 as well, and he was super consistent for a long time. Even though he bounced around a bit at the end he was never a buy-out style disaster.

 

[Oilers Propagandist]

Sens messed up keeping redden over Chara
Anyways, Redden was better than Kaberle at their peaks.

 

[Sting]

Redden was better than Chara when that decision was made. Unquestionably. I don't think anyone could have predicted the way their respective careers went afterwards. It's worth noting the year they chose Redden over Chara they went to the cup final.

Redden had a higher peak but a steeper decline. I'd still pick him if I knew how their careers would pan out...(and trade him before the decline, har har)

 

[NyQuil]

Sens fans will know that I was never a big Redden supporter, so this one is pretty close.

 

[ESH]

Redden was better than Chara when that decision was made. Unquestionably. I don't think anyone could have predicted the way their respective careers went afterwards. It's worth noting the year they chose Redden over Chara they went to the cup final.

Redden had a higher peak but a steeper decline. I'd still pick him if I knew how their careers would pan out...(and trade him before the decline, har har)

Chars finished ahead of Redden in Norris/AS voting all 4 years they played together in Ottawa, so yeah I’d say it’s a little bit questionable.

 

[StoneHands]

Redden was better than Chara when that decision was made. Unquestionably. I don't think anyone could have predicted the way their respective careers went afterwards. It's worth noting the year they chose Redden over Chara they went to the cup final.

Redden had a higher peak but a steeper decline. I'd still pick him if I knew how their careers would pan out...(and trade him before the decline, har har)

The three years prior to Chara getting moved he was 7th, 2nd, and 4th in Norris Voting while averaging 25:33 a game. Redden was 9th, 10th, and 5th in Norris voting while averaging 24:39 a game. Redden had started losing TOI by '04 because he was giving up some of his minute to Chara who was emerging as a dominant force. Prior to '03 or maybe '04 it was Redden but the last 2-3 years in Ottawa Chara was the better all-around player and he was tending upward at the time.

 

[Nizdizzle]

Peak, definitely Redden. Career, I think it could go either way.

 

[Sting]

Chars finished ahead of Redden in Norris/AS voting all 4 years they played together in Ottawa, so yeah I’d say it’s a little bit questionable.

Speaking as a Sens fan who watched nearly every game that season and the seasons surrounding it, regardless of what the voting says, most Ottawa fans at that time believed Redden to be more important. I think the prevailing thought was that Chara was much more susceptible to a decline given his size/speed. Obviously that was wrong.

What was more questionable than choosing one over the other was letting one go for nothing.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

In their prime? Redden pretty easily.

 

[SotasicA]

Prime Redden was too good.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I went with Kaberle. His peak was a #1 as well, and he was super consistent for a long time. Even though he bounced around a bit at the end he was never a buy-out style disaster.

He showed up in Carolina grossly overweight, and the Hurricanes would have bought him out after only 29 games. By coincidence, Montreal was looking to ditch Jaro Spacek, and to facilitate that trade they were willing to take a risk that Kaberle could return to form. It took them only 10 games the following season to see what was going on, and they bought him out rather than wasting a roster spot.

He was the absolute definition of a buy-out style disaster.

 

[HabsTown]

As a Habs fan, gosh I hated Leafs PP with Kaberle feeding McCabe.

 

[LeafsNation75]

He showed up in Carolina grossly overweight, and the Hurricanes would have bought him out after only 29 games. By coincidence, Montreal was looking to ditch Jaro Spacek, and to facilitate that trade they were willing to take a risk that Kaberle could return to form. It took them only 10 games the following season to see what was going on, and they bought him out rather than wasting a roster spot.

He was the absolute definition of a buy-out style disaster.

It was also thought that after Toronto traded Kaberle to Boston his heart was always with the Maple Leafs because he never wished to leave Toronto.

 

[tarheelhockey]

It was also thought that after Toronto traded Kaberle to Boston his heart was always with the Maple Leafs because he never wished to leave Toronto.

Possibly so, but at least he was serviceable for the Bruins. Probably because he was still in relatively decent shape and hadn't yet gone full Tkachuk.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Possibly so, but at least he was serviceable for the Bruins. Probably because he was still in relatively decent shape and hadn't yet gone full Tkachuk.

He was playing okay with them, however I think some people and possibly Bruins fans expected him to put more than 1 goal and 9 assists in his 24 regular season games with them. Although he did have 11 assists in 25 playoffs games when they won the Cup.

 

[pheasant]

He showed up in Carolina grossly overweight, and the Hurricanes would have bought him out after only 29 games. By coincidence, Montreal was looking to ditch Jaro Spacek, and to facilitate that trade they were willing to take a risk that Kaberle could return to form. It took them only 10 games the following season to see what was going on, and they bought him out rather than wasting a roster spot.

He was the absolute definition of a buy-out style disaster.

You're making a good case, I admit. I didn't remember it being that bad for him in Carolina.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Redden was better at his peak, but his game fell off so much earlier and harder than Kaberle did.

 

[tarheelhockey]

He was playing okay with them, however I think some people and possibly Bruins fans expected him to put more than 1 goal and 9 assists in his 24 regular season games with them. Although he did have 11 assists in 25 playoffs games when they won the Cup.

I think he had a role in Boston that made sense, to the point that he didn't really need to be fantastic. They already had guys slotted into all the offensive and defensive roles, with the exception that they didn't really have a slick puck mover. It was a little weird that he didn't produce more, but I think he was in a position where he could play within himself a little bit more than he did in Toronto.

You're making a good case, I admit. I didn't remember it being that bad for him in Carolina.

Funny, we've also blacked out memories from that period of time.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I think he had a role in Boston that made sense, to the point that he didn't really need to be fantastic. They already had guys slotted into all the offensive and defensive roles, with the exception that they didn't really have a slick puck mover. It was a little weird that he didn't produce more, but I think he was in a position where he could play within himself a little bit more than he did in Toronto.

I guess that's why the Bruins choose not to re-sign him given that he didn't produce more. However considering they tried to trade for him since the 2009 Draft I wonder if his play would have been the same as we saw in 2011, since he would have been under contract with them.

 

[Stephen23]

This is super close for me. I went with Redden though. I didn't like too many Sens players back in the day, but two I was jealous of them having and highly respected for who they were and how they played was Redden and Fisher. Loved Kaberle and all he brought, but think Redden was a very slightly better overall player. Both were great NHLers regardless and it depends what type of defender you are looking for. The smooth skating, passing offensive d-man in Kaberle or the all around, leader in Redden. No wrong answer.