Crosby, Toews, Stamkos, Malkin, Karlsson
Crosby, Karlsson, Malkin are my top 3 locks.
After that it's real tough since there are lots of guys in the mix.
Probably Stamkos, and Patrick Kane.
^^ curious why you guys chose karlsson as a top NHL player. no denying he is the greatest offensive talent at his position, but i would think most NHL GM's would rather have Doughty or Weber on the backend.
1. Toews
2. Crosby
3. Malkin
4. Kopitar
5. Stamkos
Crosby
Tavares
Stamkos
Toews
Weber
true, but isn't the main point of a defender...to defend? i think if doughty were on ottawa he would be a 50pt dman at minimum. so is 20 or so extra points from karlsson really worth more than having arguably the most complete dman in doughty? i would say he's arguably one of the best defensive dmen and his offense is pretty good too. in a playoff series can you honestly say you'd rather have karlsson over doughty?
The main point of a defenseman is to help his team to win games, both by defending and helping to produce points. Karlsson does that better, as a whole, than anyone else out there in my mind. I am fine with those who choose someone else though. Doughty would be a fine choice, but if I am down by 1 late in the third period in game 7 and I NEED a goal there is no guy I'd rather have out there on the blueline except for Karlsson. The defense can be replaced far more easily by all sorts of other blueliners who excel at that. There is no replacing Karlsson's ability to generate offense.
if you are up by 1 late in the third period in game 7, then i am sure you would take doughty over karlsson. i guess i understand your point about defensive dmen being easier to replace than offensive dmen...i just think in a 60minute game you need the consistency of someone like Doughty over a gamebreaker like Karlsson.
1. Crosby
2. Datsyuk
3. Toews
4. Getzlaf
5. Stamkos
EDIT: This is my current top 5 players, not top 5 I'd build around
1. Phaneuf
2. Kessel
3. JVR
4. Bernier
5. Kadri
This?
Nah, the thing is you could stick any really good defensive defenseman out there if you're up by 1 late in Game 7, along with some third line checking forwards to take the draw and pin the puck along the boards. That's the point. Defensive play is so easily replaceable by blueliners and checking forwards. Karlsson has tons of consistency, but it's in a different area than Doughty, and one that few others can actually pull off, and certainly none from the back end.
Either way neither of us would go wrong with these guys, but it's just my own preference.
Seriously,
1) Crosby
2) Toews
3) Weber
4) Malkin
5) Kopitar/Doughty (Tie)