Who’s the better playmaker: Draisaitl or Karlsson

[Ben White]

Assists:
Karlsson 41
Draisaitl 40

Even strength assists:
Karlsson 29
Draisaitl 22

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[Killer Orcas]

Drai for me but bigger one man show it's Karlsson.

 

[MrOT]

EK65 this season

 

[Chips]

This season or roughly over the last few? I’m inclined to go Drai for the latter. Idk if Drai is injured as some say or what the hell but he’s clearly a bit off rn if you watch the Oilers and he’s still doing really well

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Too close to call especially when comparing a D to a forward.

 

[ijuka]

Comparing a forward and a defenseman is pretty stupid. Karlsson's plays are wildly different.

Karlsson's better than Draisaitl defensively and that's saying something.

 

[MCR74]

Another winner of a thread.

Neither of them can play defense, so it's moot.

 

[North Cole]

Another winner of a thread.

Neither of them can play defense, so it's moot.

Thread is asking about defense?

 

[MCR74]

Thread is asking about defense?

You're right. My bad. I should've realized no defensive ability was involved when I saw the names Karlsson and Draisaitl.

 

[armani]

EK65 can make plays from anywhere on the ice. Taking their respective careers into play, I would take EK65. Drai has McDavid leverage in his assist numbers, but he is also an elite playmaker.

Very close.

 

[amnesiac]

Karlsson poll #18

 

[Zero Requiem]

This season the answer is Karlsson, the problem is that he doesn't play like this every year.

 

[Ben White]

This season the answer is Karlsson, the problem is that he doesn't play like this every year.

He hasn’t been healthy since 2017. There’s your answer.

He was 6th in league assists that season while also playing great defensively and being less offense minded than usual. In 2016 he led the league in assists, first Dman to do so since Orr. In 2014 he was 7th in assists despite coming back from a career threatening injury. All these seasons he also led his team in points and assists. These are historical play making numbers by a Dman.

He’s probably, when healthy, the best play making D save for Orr in NHL history. I don’t know how high you put Drai in a historical context among play making forwards but Karl’s status among play making Ds should seal the deal in this comparison.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Another winner of a thread.

Neither of them can play defense, so it's moot.

I wasn’t a fan already and than you watch him again last night.

Did nothing to stop Byfield on the 1st goal and was somewhere in the offensive zone on the 4th goal.

 

[MCR74]

I wasn’t a fan already and than you watch him again last night.

Did nothing to stop Byfield on the 1st goal and was somewhere in the offensive zone on the 4th goal.

Sounds about right.

 

[avsfan9]

He hasn’t been healthy since 2017. There’s your answer.

He was 6th in league assists that season while also playing great defensively and being less offense minded than usual. In 2016 he led the league in assists, first Dman to do so since Orr. In 2014 he was 7th in assists despite coming back from a career threatening injury. All these seasons he also led his team in points and assists. These are historical play making numbers by a Dman.

He’s probably, when healthy, the best play making D save for Orr in NHL history. I don’t know how high you put Drai in a historical context among play making forwards but Karl’s status among play making Ds should seal the deal in this comparison.

Do you have a copy of his medical records? Karlsson plays like shit - oh he’s just injured these last couple of years . Karlsson plays good- oh he’s healthy now.

 

[MCR74]

Do you have a copy of his medical records? Karlsson plays like shit - oh he’s just injured these last couple of years . Karlsson plays good- oh he’s healthy now.

There's always an excuse.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Karl has a supporting cast of pure crap. Drai has Mcd etc.