Player Discussion: Victor Hedman

[VinikToWinIt]

I think he's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay underrated. There are zero defensemen in the league who can put up his offense while also having legit elite defense. Josi? C'mon son. Doughty? Not anymore, and never had the offense. Karlsson? LOLOLOL. Carlson? Same.

This is one of my "hills I will die on" for hockey. Hedman is the top defenseman in the league, and there's really no doubt in my mind. He's elite in every facet of the game.

 

[waterboy65]

Due to injury, Hedman was a shell of himself in last year's playoff and played in only 2 games. Combine that with the absence of Stralman and it should actually be no suprise that Bolts were swept in the first round of playoffs. Take 2 of the top 3 defenseman off any team and they will struggle!

 

[Sky04]

Due to injury, Hedman was a shell of himself in last year's playoff and played in only 2 games. Combine that with the absence of Stralman and it should actually be no suprise that Bolts were swept in the first round of playoffs. Take 2 of the top 3 defenseman off any team and they will struggle!

That's a bad take, regardless of injury this team with Stamkos, Point, McDonagh, Kucherov, Vasilevski, Johnson, Palat and Killorn who are all playoff tested should've been able to win out the series let alone 1 game.

Take 2 defenseman off a league average team and they'll struggle, off a 128 point team? They should still be fine.

 

[CupsOverCash]

That's a bad take, regardless of injury this team with Stamkos, Point, McDonagh, Kucherov, Vasilevski, Johnson, Palat and Killorn who are all playoff tested should've been able to win out the series let alone 1 game.

Take 2 defenseman off a league average team and they'll struggle, off a 128 point team? They should still be fine.

I think injuries played a part. Wasnt Point injured during this time too? He didnt look like himself at the end of the season at all. I thought I saw something that said McDonagh wasnt fully healthy either. Maybe it was Vasi. Either way, I dont think we can fully blame injuries as you are right, this team was talented enough to win at least one game against that team. It played a part though. Even with all those injuries. I think injuries, coaching, and our best players not showing up on the scoreboard were the biggest reasons for our sweep. I think with a fully healthy team we see at least a little different series. Cant say we would have won it but I think a fully healthy team we see at least a little different outcome. CBJs looked determined to win that series and we looked like we thought we were entitled to go far in the playoffs again without the effort.

 

[Sky04]

I think injuries played a part. Wasnt Point injured during this time too? He didnt look like himself at the end of the season at all. I thought I saw something that said McDonagh wasnt fully healthy either. Maybe it was Vasi. Either way, I dont think we can fully blame injuries as you are right, this team was talented enough to win at least one game against that team. It played a part though. Even with all those injuries. I think injuries, coaching, and our best players not showing up on the scoreboard were the biggest reasons for our sweep. I think with a fully healthy team we see at least a little different series. Cant say we would have won it but I think a fully healthy team we see at least a little different outcome. CBJs looked determined to win that series and we looked like we thought we were entitled to go far in the playoffs again without the effort.

I guarantee you players on Columbus were playing "injured" as well considering their stretch down the season was considerably more taxing than Tampa's, that's not a one-sided excuse. You're at the end of an 82 game season, nobody is healthy Tampa probably came in as one of the most rested team in the league. The last part played more of a part in the loss than "injuries."

 

[CupsOverCash]

I guarantee you players on Columbus were playing "injured" as well considering their stretch down the season was considerably more taxing than Tampa's, that's not a one-sided excuse. The last part played more of a part in the loss than "injuries."

Im sure they were banged up too. I cant take anything away from Columbus as they were fantastic but I cant sit here and say that we were at our best. I think that is where the injury argument is legit. I dont ever want to say its the biggest reason but I think it plays a part that you cant ignore. However, I think if Im the team or the coach, I wont ever blame injuries. I think if Im them I look at the effort #1. Because it wasnt good. I just think as an outside looking in fan, its evident this team wasnt themselves. While I definitely acknowledge their effort was poor, I cant for sure say that if we had a fully healthy roster that things wouldnt have been different.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Not sure why we are taking about this on the hedman chat, but I just watched the whole CBJ Series over the break here and ya we didn’t play great, tho it shouldn’t have been a sweep.

Honestly every puck CBJ put on net went in. And CBJ scored very timely goals early in games.

our effort sucked and we were not ready for playoff hockey, but man was the luck bad for the bolts

 

[LightningStrikes]

Not sure why we are taking about this on the hedman chat, but I just watched the whole CBJ Series over the break here and ya we didn’t play great, tho it shouldn’t have been a sweep.

Honestly every puck CBJ put on net went in. And CBJ scored very timely goals early in games.

our effort sucked and we were not ready for playoff hockey, but man was the luck bad for the bolts

Vasy was pretty bad too.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Vasy was pretty bad too.

Yes he was. Bad luck/crappy vasi

idk what it was

 

[CupsOverCash]

Not sure why we are taking about this on the hedman chat, but I just watched the whole CBJ Series over the break here and ya we didn’t play great, tho it shouldn’t have been a sweep.

Honestly every puck CBJ put on net went in. And CBJ scored very timely goals early in games.

our effort sucked and we were not ready for playoff hockey, but man was the luck bad for the bolts

Agree they had all the luck and we had none. Still think the effort sucked and that the injury issues were there too. I cant chalk it up to one thing. I dont think you can when you get swept.

 

[These Are The Days]

Save for game 1 I think we had like 2 or 3 full, actual PP attempts for the rest of the series and most of them were in garbage time. The refs didn't just swallow the whistles. They straight threw them away while we got mean mugged like it was 2002 and if we sneezed wrong we got penalized. It had nothing to do with us not working hard enough. The CBJ were absolutely given a competitive handicap. Not that it really mattered though. That isn't why we lost though. It just made things worse. We could've had the officiating swung our way to just as many or more PP opportunities as the CBJ got and we still likely would have lost. Stralman was hurt YET AGAIN, Vasy had an LBI, Hedman was a f***ing zombie on skates and Kucherov turning in his regular choking act early. Not surprised we lost.

But I can say with certainty we could have won that series and Boston probably still does us in. You're not beating that team with 2 bum D-men, Vasy letting in beach balls and Kucherov needing a damn therapist.

 

[JoVel]

Yes he was. Bad luck/crappy vasi

idk what it was

It was just our players sucking left right and center. Only guys I'd give clean papers from that series are probably Cirelli, Cernak and Paquette.

 

[Hoek]

I just think we were rattled after choking Game 1. If we hung on to that one, it would've been a series.

 

[21]

For me personally Victor Hedman is the best Swedish defenseman of all time and also one of the best defenseman in the world all time and the competition is really tough in Sweden comparing him to defensemen like Borje Salming, Niclas Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson.

Perhaps not the best by numbers, points, assists etc but with all these players in their peak, me being a coach and I would have to pick one? I would definately pick Victor Hedman.

You guys are very lucky and I truly enjoyed watching him (and Tampa Bay) playing live in Stockholm.

 

[The Macho King]

Hedman has locked up another 50 point season (fourth in a row and fifth overall).

 

[Outl4w]

For me personally Victor Hedman is the best Swedish defenseman of all time and also one of the best defenseman in the world all time and the competition is really tough in Sweden comparing him to defensemen like Borje Salming, Niclas Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson.

Perhaps not the best by numbers, points, assists etc but with all these players in their peak, me being a coach and I would have to pick one? I would definately pick Victor Hedman.

You guys are very lucky and I truly enjoyed watching him (and Tampa Bay) play live in Stockholm.

Hedman is an amazing player, but Lidstrom was by far the best Swedish defense-man. His stats, cup wins, Norris Trophies, and greatness isn't even close.

 

[21]

Hedman is an amazing player, but Lidstrom was by far the best Swedish defense-man. His stats, cup wins, Norris Trophies, and greatness isn't even close.

If I were a coach and hade to choose between Hedman and Lidstrom I would pick Hedman anyway, for me he is the complete defenseman. I like players with almost no weaknesses, complete players like Hedman and Peter Forsberg. Loved Lidstrom, adore him but he was pretty soft physically.

 

[Outl4w]

If I were a coach and hade to choose between Hedman and Lidstrom I would pick Hedman anyway, for me he is the complete defenseman. I like players with almost no weaknesses, complete players like Hedman and Perer Forsberg. Loved Lidstrom, adore him but he was pretty soft physically.

Lidstrom could win and dominate a game by himself. He also had excellent defensive and offensive skills. His skill, positioning, hockey iq, and awareness are second to none.

 

[LightningStrikes]

If I were a coach and hade to choose between Hedman and Lidstrom I would pick Hedman anyway, for me he is the complete defenseman. I like players with almost no weaknesses, complete players like Hedman and Perer Forsberg. Loved Lidstrom, adore him but he was pretty soft physically.

Lidstrom was strong though. Strong on his skates, hard to move, great stamina. Biggest strength was his IQ and positioning though. Killed opposing plays just by being in the right spot all the time, taking away space and options with his body, skating and stick. Most of the time it wouldn’t even come to a opposing scoring chance with Lids on the ice. And he was a great offensive player too. Not Hedman-esque though, confidently and regularly leading/joining o-zone rushes but still. The game has changed quite a bit too so 1:1 comparisons with almost decades in between are always tricky.

 

[The Macho King]

Hedman has locked up another 50 point season (fourth in a row and fifth overall).

I checked the number of Dmen who have this many 50 points seasons active.

The list is:
Erik Karlsson (6)
Keith Yandle (5)

End of List

Mike Green has 3. Brent Burns has 4. Zdeno Chara has 3. John Carlson has 4. Keith has 3. Weber has 3.

Of the names that have at least five... I'd say Hedman is an absurdly better defender than either EK or Yandle.

 

[DFC]

If I were a coach and hade to choose between Hedman and Lidstrom I would pick Hedman anyway, for me he is the complete defenseman. I like players with almost no weaknesses, complete players like Hedman and Peter Forsberg. Loved Lidstrom, adore him but he was pretty soft physically.

I love Hedman, and I think he's the best defenseman in the NHL right now, but Lidstrom was in that legendary tier. Hedman might yet get there--Lidstrom's best years came in his 30s. And I do think Hedman has been great for long enough to warrant the comparison. But those little mistakes Hedman still makes once in a while (not often, but every few games), you just didn't see that with Lidstrom. That was really his biggest skill. He didn't make mistakes. He played more/less flawless games for weeks and months at a time.

 

[DFC]

I checked the number of Dmen who have this many 50 points seasons active.

The list is:
Erik Karlsson (6)
Keith Yandle (5)

End of List

Mike Green has 3. Brent Burns has 4. Zdeno Chara has 3. John Carlson has 4. Keith has 3. Weber has 3.

Of the names that have at least five... I'd say Hedman is an absurdly better defender than either EK or Yandle.

I think he's locked in his HOF spot. This is around the age where you can pretty much call it. Even if he declines from here, which I doubt, his numbers should put him comfortably in, assuming he plays to at least around 35.

 

[The Macho King]

I think he's locked in his HOF spot. This is around the age where you can pretty much call it. Even if he declines from here, which I doubt, his numbers should put him comfortably in, assuming he plays to at least around 35.

This season is a guaranteed top 10, likely top 5, possibly top 3 Norris finish.

That puts him North of the Doug Wilson line, which means he's a HHOF lock in my book.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

If I were a coach and hade to choose between Hedman and Lidstrom I would pick Hedman anyway, for me he is the complete defenseman. I like players with almost no weaknesses, complete players like Hedman and Peter Forsberg. Loved Lidstrom, adore him but he was pretty soft physically.

This opinion has to die.

Lidstrom didn't throw vicious hits, didn't fight or crosscheck someone in the back of the head, but in no way was he soft.

He regularly shut down the most physically gifted players in the world, and not only through positioning, skating and poke-checks.

He also used his body to cram them up against the boards, and then steal the puck when their momentum was gone. He was almost never outmuscled out of the puck due to being MUCH stronger and physically gifted than most people realised - since he was always viewed as someone whose main attribute was his hockey IQ.

He shut Eric Lindros down in the playoffs, when Eric was his prime monster self.

Edit: why can't I import this pic to show up without a link?

[MOD] Edit: FTFY

 

[21]

This opinion has to die.

Lidstrom didn't throw vicious hits, didn't fight or crosscheck someone in the back of the head, but in no way was he soft.

He regularly shut down the most physically gifted players in the world, and not only through positioning, skating and poke-checks.

He also used his body to cram them up against the boards, and then steal the puck when their momentum was gone. He was almost never outmuscled out of the puck due to being MUCH stronger and physicslly gifted than most people realised - since he was always viewed as someone whose main attribut was his hockey IQ.

He shut Eric Lindros down in the playoffs, when Eric was his prime monster self.

Well, comparing to Lidstrom I stand by my view that Hedman is superior in the psychical part of the game, not to forget his presence. When Hedman is on his game he is a monster. Lidstrom was superior in some other aspects of the game.

I say it again, I adore Lidstrom and he is one of my all time favorite players too.

This also has to do with what type of d-man I personslly would prefer in my team (in a dream world). Having to choose only one of them in their prime, yes, I would pick Hedman.