I'm saying there are many other things to take into consideration other than just pure skill when anointing someone 'the best' at their position. Karlsson is the best at generating offence at his position, but last time I checked that was only a small part of being a dman in the NHL.
10 team, head-to-head, multi-cat, keep-12 keeper league. CATS: G,A,+/-,PPP,PIM,SOG,HITS BS,SHP, W,SV,SV%,GAA,SO Daily rosters of 6F, 4D, 2 Flex, 2G
F: Crosby, Hall, Pacioretty, Hartnell, Neal, Nugent-Hopkins, Callahan, Dubinsky, Hossa, Huberdeau, Abdelkader, Bjugstad (IR)
D: Karlsson, Hedman, Muzzin, Savard, Streit (IR)
G: Lundqvist, Quick, Condon
I said highest level shiva blaster. Karlsson this year was not the same karlsson. He was still recovering from injury, and had some off ice issues.
regardless, weber finished in the negative and his team was worse. Really doesn't matter what your plus minus is when your team isn't a playoff team or great.
Yup, I definitely concede that, but I still maintain my point about him playing a non-traditional d-man role that I do not think translates well to overall team success. Look at what all the elite dmen are doing in these playoffs, can you really picture Karlsson playing the necessary shut-down hockey on the opposing team's elite stars in a physical playoff environment? I have serious doubts.
10 team, head-to-head, multi-cat, keep-12 keeper league. CATS: G,A,+/-,PPP,PIM,SOG,HITS BS,SHP, W,SV,SV%,GAA,SO Daily rosters of 6F, 4D, 2 Flex, 2G
F: Crosby, Hall, Pacioretty, Hartnell, Neal, Nugent-Hopkins, Callahan, Dubinsky, Hossa, Huberdeau, Abdelkader, Bjugstad (IR)
D: Karlsson, Hedman, Muzzin, Savard, Streit (IR)
G: Lundqvist, Quick, Condon
Bobby Orr was big, tough as nails, and was physical. Karlsson is none of those things.
10 team, head-to-head, multi-cat, keep-12 keeper league. CATS: G,A,+/-,PPP,PIM,SOG,HITS BS,SHP, W,SV,SV%,GAA,SO Daily rosters of 6F, 4D, 2 Flex, 2G
F: Crosby, Hall, Pacioretty, Hartnell, Neal, Nugent-Hopkins, Callahan, Dubinsky, Hossa, Huberdeau, Abdelkader, Bjugstad (IR)
D: Karlsson, Hedman, Muzzin, Savard, Streit (IR)
G: Lundqvist, Quick, Condon
Lol, I could say that I modelled my game off of Kronwall...... it doesn't mean that I have the physical tools/size or mental makeup to play anything like Kronwall. I agree that he's the closest to Orr, but he's lacking a LOT of what #4 could do in his own end when it counted. I'll be the first to admit it if I'm wrong, but I don't see the Sens ever going deep in the playoffs with Karlsson is their best go-to dman......his style and playoff hockey aren't a good mix IMO.
10 team, head-to-head, multi-cat, keep-12 keeper league. CATS: G,A,+/-,PPP,PIM,SOG,HITS BS,SHP, W,SV,SV%,GAA,SO Daily rosters of 6F, 4D, 2 Flex, 2G
F: Crosby, Hall, Pacioretty, Hartnell, Neal, Nugent-Hopkins, Callahan, Dubinsky, Hossa, Huberdeau, Abdelkader, Bjugstad (IR)
D: Karlsson, Hedman, Muzzin, Savard, Streit (IR)
G: Lundqvist, Quick, Condon
Ev I'll tell ya, I've been watching Subban in this series vs the Bruins and he's been absolutely fantastic. Outside of maybe the Olympics, I haven't seen Karlsson raise his game to this level during an important time like Subban has. I'd say Karlsson pre-Achillies for a few stretches showed glimpses of being as dominant as Subban has been right now but Subban is on a whole different level at this time... and it's impressive... I don't care if you're a Habs fan or not, it is what it is. Subban has 12 points in 9 games and is a +1 which is very impressive considering the minutes and situations he's logging. The only player who has as many points as him in 9 games this post season is Getzlaf - the other 3 guys (Kopitar, Parise and Malkin) have played 11 or 12 games. Karlsson and Doughty were both incredible in the Olympics and Subban is playing at the level now. And, don't forget that Subban had 38 points in 42 GP last season which is a 74 point pace over 82... so it's not like he's some slouch offensively. IMO, Subban is the only defenseman who could come close to Karlsson's 70+ points in the near future... although I see EK65 hitting 80+ soon.
8-GM / WK-H2H
Forwards: G=2, A=1, PP/SH= +1, GWG= +2, Shootout G=1, HT= +1
D-Men/Captain: G=3/A=2
Goalies: W=3, OTL=1, SO= +2, SV= .10
Start = 13F, 6D, 2G / Keep 44 (3G)
Captain: Matthews
(F): MacKinnon, Pasta, Marner, Rantanen, Malkin, Barkov, M.Tkachuk, W.Nylander, Pettersson, Gaudreau, Laine, Keller, Miller, B.Tkachuk, Stutzle, DeBrincat, L.Raymond, K.Johnson, Cozens, Quinn, Guenther, Kulich, Cooley
(D): Makar, Dahlin, Q.Hughes, Ekblad, Rielly, Werenski, Letang, Jones, Chychrun, Seider, Edvinsson, Jiricek, Korchinski, Mintyukov, Ceulemans, Hutson
(G): Shesterkin, Demko, Vejmelka
Doughty/Weber
Suter
Karlsson/Pietrangelo
Keith/Subban
McDonagh
Actually, Bobby Orr compared Karlsson to Paul Coffey and said he is the most exciting defenseman in the NHL today - a point that I don't think anyone of sound mind would disagree with. Skill-wise and excitement-wise, there's not a defenseman who can touch Karlsson. The guy right behind him in those categories though is Subban.
8-GM / WK-H2H
Forwards: G=2, A=1, PP/SH= +1, GWG= +2, Shootout G=1, HT= +1
D-Men/Captain: G=3/A=2
Goalies: W=3, OTL=1, SO= +2, SV= .10
Start = 13F, 6D, 2G / Keep 44 (3G)
Captain: Matthews
(F): MacKinnon, Pasta, Marner, Rantanen, Malkin, Barkov, M.Tkachuk, W.Nylander, Pettersson, Gaudreau, Laine, Keller, Miller, B.Tkachuk, Stutzle, DeBrincat, L.Raymond, K.Johnson, Cozens, Quinn, Guenther, Kulich, Cooley
(D): Makar, Dahlin, Q.Hughes, Ekblad, Rielly, Werenski, Letang, Jones, Chychrun, Seider, Edvinsson, Jiricek, Korchinski, Mintyukov, Ceulemans, Hutson
(G): Shesterkin, Demko, Vejmelka
1- Shea Weber
2- Drew Doughty
3- Duncan Keith
4- Erik Karlsson
5- Ryan Suter
6- Zdeno Chara
7- Alex Pietrangelo
8- Victor Hedman
9- Ryan McDonagh
10- P.K. Subban
Just missed (Ekman-Larsson, Kronwall, Giordano)
Straight Points keeper league. Keep 5 Forwards,3 defence,1 goalie.
F: Nicklas Backstrom, Joe Thornton, Henrik Zetterberg, Zach Parise, Logan Couture
D: Erik Karlsson, Alex Pietrangelo, Oliver Ekman-Larsson
G: Sergei Bobrovsky
Really tough one. Off the top of my head - Doughty, Weber, Chara, Suter, Keith, ( Subban, Hedman ). Although I'd listen to an argument on a number of guys being included (Alex P...etc)
I once traded Henrik Lundqvist and Ilya Kovalchuk in return for Peter Budaj and Henrik Zetterberg… have lived in shame ever since.
Fantasy hockey contributor for Dobber Hockey, founder of www.darrenfantasyhockey.com. Admitted Valeri Nichushkin fanboy (of course who isn't?)
You can find me on twitter @FantasyHockeyDK