Canada vs. Sweden defensemen?

[PatrikBerglund]

If you're coaching Sweden and are game-planning against Canada, what are your pairs? I'd go with...

OEL - Karlsson --> Score and drive possession, deploy this against the Crosby line

Stralman - Hedman --> Best all-around pair with size to go up against the Getzlaf line

Hjalmarsson - Lindholm --> Stop McDavid

Actually looks good, but I'm guessing most people would want Karlsson paired with a more stay-at-homeish Dman. Then again, with the wheels and emergence of the elite defence of Karlsson, that pairing could probably dominate both defensively and offensively.

The only problem is that OEL hasalways looked like a shell of his usual self in best on best tournaments. Guess the nerves get to him.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Both strong. I like Sweden's more... That is the strength of team Sweden.

 

[VoynovsParoleOfficer]

"NHL playoffs Canada is better."

Im not saying that youre wrong here, Im just curious to know why you say this? EK was the best player in the entire playoffs this season and Hedman was t that bad either in Tampas recent run.

its really probably picking hairs but Canada has the "winners" you can argue all day who is better but for me its this:

Doughty<Karlsson (slightly)
Burns<Hedman
Letang> OEL
Pietrangelo>Lindholm
Vlasic>Stralman
Subban>Hjalmarsson
Keith> Klingberg


So the top end goes to Sweden but 3-6 all go Canada's way and the reason i say playoffs is because Doughty,Letang,Keith have 7 cups between them and Sweden has 3 total all from Hammer

 

[PatrikBerglund]

its really probably picking hairs but Canada has the "winners" you can argue all day who is better but for me its this:

Doughty<Karlsson (slightly)
Burns<Hedman
Letang> OEL
Pietrangelo>Lindholm
Vlasic>Stralman
Subban>Hjalmarsson
Keith> Klingberg


So the top end goes to Sweden but 3-6 all go Canada's way and the reason i say playoffs is because Doughty,Letang,Keith have 7 cups between them and Sweden has 3 total all from Hammer

Cups are team-based awards and mean nothing, unless one player literally put the team on his back and performed oyt of this world during said cup run.

They all played on great teams. Can't fault Karlsson and OEL for having played on horribly weak teams in the NHL.

 

[jfc64]

Wonder if Canada has 50 defensemen that is equally good as Brodin etc, our no. 12

Mattias Ekholm - Erik Karlsson
Victor Hedman - Anton Strålman
Oliver Ekman Larsson - Adam Larsson

Hampus Lindholm - Niklas Hjalmarsson
Alexander Edler - John Klingberg
Oscar Klefbom - Jonas Brodin

Niklas Kronwall - Jonathan Ericsson
Johnny Oduya - Carl Gunnarsson
Gustav Forsling - Oscar Fantenberg

Philip Holm - Patrik Nemeth
Fredrik Claesson - Rasmus Dahlin
Kronwall S. - David Rundblad

 

[Akrapovince]

Wonder if Canada has 50 defensemen that is equally good as Brodin etc, our no. 12

Mattias Ekholm - Erik Karlsson
Victor Hedman - Anton Strålman
Oliver Ekman Larsson - Adam Larsson

Hampus Lindholm - Niklas Hjalmarsson
Alexander Edler - John Klingberg
Oscar Klefbom - Jonas Brodin

Niklas Kronwall - Jonathan Ericsson
Johnny Oduya - Carl Gunnarsson
Gustav Forsling - Oscar Fantenberg

Philip Holm - Patrik Nemeth
Fredrik Claesson - Rasmus Dahlin
Kronwall S. - David Rundblad

Dahlin already makes your international team #4?

That's bold.

 

[LiveeviL]

Dahlin already makes your international team #4?

That's bold.

I would put him on top of #3. They guy is talented. Despite age I can see him as current #13 among Swedish D-men.

 

[Baxterman]

The Canadian defense is better at the top end and destroys the Swedes in terms of depth.

I know many, especially Swedish fans, like to overrate Karlsson and Hedman but if you properly rate the guys while Sweden is good it is clear that Canada is better, bordering on not even being close.

 

[Regal]

cant go wrong with either...NHL playoffs Canada is better....tournament style i take Sweden... i think Sweden has much better depth than canada if you compared top 20 dmen for each country

Top 10, maybe. Top 20 isn't close.

After Karlsson, Hedman, OEL, Lindholm, Klingberg, Klefbom, Ekholm, Stralman, Hjalmarsson, Brodin, Larsson, and Edler, you start getting into washed up Kronwall, Oduya and Enstrom territory.

Canada can go Keith, Doughty, Burns, Letang, Pietrangelo, Subban, Weber, Giordano, Vlasic, Brodie, Parayko, Hamilton, Ellis, Spurgeon, Tanev, Barrie, Muzzin, Rielly, Ekblad, Green, and still have Savard, Severson, Methot, Hamonic, etc.

 

[PecnoTrunk]

Top 10, maybe. Top 20 isn't close.

After Karlsson, Hedman, OEL, Lindholm, Klingberg, Klefbom, Ekholm, Stralman, Hjalmarsson, Brodin, Larsson, and Edler, you start getting into washed up Kronwall, Oduya and Enstrom territory.

Canada can go Keith, Doughty, Burns, Letang, Pietrangelo, Subban, Weber, Giordano, Vlasic, Brodie, Parayko, Hamilton, Ellis, Spurgeon, Tanev, Barrie, Muzzin, Rielly, Ekblad, Green, and still have Savard, Severson, Methot, Hamonic, etc.

Canadas top D's are aging all around 30 or over....

Im looking at the younger talent for Canada Vlasic, Brodie, Parayko, Hamilton, Ellis, , Barrie, Rielly, Ekblad, , Matheson for Florida , Chycrun , Josh Morrissey, Shea Theodore, Brandon Montour, Chabot from Ottawa - It depends how these youngsters develop

Also Nurse (it all depends how he develops also)

These youngsters can ALL skate

If 5 of these guys develop into superstars we are in top shape...i beleive we can have a few superstars... Ekblad, Reilly , Matheson, Chycrun , Morrisey , Theodore, Chabot

 

[JackSlater]

It's close. Sweden probably has the better top 8 defencemen individually, so I would go with Sweden if this were a poll. I do think that Canada's top group is more complementary though.

 

[Edgar Carrow]

Canadas top D's are aging all around 30 or over....

Im looking at the younger talent for Canada Vlasic, Brodie, Parayko, Hamilton, Ellis, , Barrie, Rielly, Ekblad, , Matheson for Florida , Chycrun , Josh Morrissey, Shea Theodore, Brandon Montour, Chabot from Ottawa - It depends how these youngsters develop

Also Nurse (it all depends how he develops also)

These youngsters can ALL skate

If 5 of these guys develop into superstars we are in top shape...i beleive we can have a few superstars... Ekblad, Reilly , Matheson, Chycrun , Morrisey , Theodore, Chabot

Pietrangelo, Subban, and Doughty are all younger than Vlasic.

 

[PecnoTrunk]

Pietrangelo, Subban, and Doughty are all younger than Vlasic.

Omg. Lol I really thought he was 26 or so.

Our core defence is really around 30 or older

But I have faith in the youngsters , Ekblad, Reilly , Matheson, Chycrun , Morrisey , Theodore, Chabot, montour, Parayko, Hamilton and some of the younger prospects from this past draft like makar, foote, Hague. Maybe. We will see how these guys develop

 

[major major]

It's close. Sweden probably has the better top 8 defencemen individually, so I would go with Sweden if this were a poll. I do think that Canada's top group is more complementary though.

Top 8 is where I think Sweden falls behind. I love the top 4 - Karlsson, Hedman, OEL, Lindholm, but the next guys - Hammer, Stralman, Klefbom are low end 1D types at this point. Canada's bottom pair is Letang, Pietrangelo, Weber. All easily among the top 15D in the NHL. Vlasic might be #8 and he's similar to Sweden's 5-8.

 

[mattihp]

Pretty sure that he is Finnish

We wish

Maybe they can give him to Finland for a couple of backup goaltenders?

 

[rent free]

Pretty sure that he is Finnish

he's swedish. finnish names usually have two vowels beside eachother

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

It's close but I'd take Sweden due to age. No Canadian D beats Karlsson or Hedman.

 

[Sensinitis]

Stralman has no business being picked over Ekholm, even if its for the right side.

 

[Big Phil]

In all honesty, how is it not Canada? Sweden would be 2nd for sure, but even if you pick Karlsson 1st, he did lose the Norris to Burns (although I had Karlsson to win it). So there isn't THAT much between them. Or Doughty for that matter. Just for fun, here are the past Norris winners:

2017 - Burns
2016 - Doughty
2015 - Karlsson
2014 - Keith
2013 - Subban
2012 - Karlsson

The last 6 winners are all likely on future Olympic/World Cup teams and have been in the past. Letang, Weber and Pietrangelo are going to be names along with Subban that they may have to cut. Imagine, a team where you have to cut one of those defensemen because they aren't good enough. That's depth right there.

 

[Tomas W]

he's swedish. finnish names usually have two vowels beside eachother

Finnish names and Swedish names are very different. Whats confusing is that there are many Finns with Swedish names and also some Swedes with Finnish names. H. Lindholm is Swedish though.

On the topic. NHL.com seem to think Hedman got a good shot on the next Norris!