Karlsson vs Doughty vs Hedman

[MOGlLNY]

Drew’s ability to control games is lost on most, but he and headman are very close. Easy 1A/1B argument to be made there.

EK is not a defenseman that you win championships with, so he is definitely a distant 3rd unless all you care about is points.

I agree but I don't know about distant 3rd for Karlsson. Still have Doughty and Hedman ahead but the numbers are too good.

 

[Signupnow]

Doughty has been good since the Kings have returned to the playoffs.

I feel like Doughty gets a ton of rope because of how good he was for Canada in the Olympics in 2010 and then the Kings in the cup runs. Outside of those performances I don’t think he really comes close to touching EK or Hedman career wise.

You can probably argue Hedman was the best all around D from 2015 - 2022. So I get the idea of placing him 1st.

But even in that tournament he was worse than karl

 

[Sasha Orlov]

There is no universe where Karlsson is a better defenseman than Victor Hedman

 

[Sol]

1.Doughty
2.Hedman

5.Karlsson

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Hedman >= Karlsson >> Doughty

Peak Karlsson circa the 2017 playoffs was the best of the group, but the fall off in his two way play in the back half of his career really hurts him here (though I do find that part of his game to be extremely underrated early in his career).

But Hedman was just so steady for so long.

Doughty is great but gets a bit overrated IMO. He's been arguably the best of them the last 2-3 years but aside from that he's behind the swedes. The polling results seem to support this.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

EK is the clear #1, the rest are interchangeable

I won't hold the injuries too much against EK, he played at higher level than Hedman or Doughty

 

[NyQuil]

Peak Karlsson circa the 2017 playoffs was the best of the group, but the fall off in his two way play in the back half of his career really hurts him here (though I do find that part of his game to be extremely underrated early in his career).

Wasn't even his peak in terms of his skills.

 

[NyQuil]

There is no universe where Karlsson is a better defenseman than Victor Hedman

When Karlsson was on the Swedish Olympic Team in 2014, he led that team in goals (4), assists (tied with 4), points (8), plus-minus (+5), PPG (3), GWG (tied with 1) and was not on the ice for a goal against in the entire tournament.

Of the guys in this list, he had the least support in the NHL when he was in his prime.

 

[RickyLafleur]

this again?

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

Hedman basically had a 5+ year stretch where he was a top 3 offensive defensman while also being a top 3 defensive defenseman. None of the other guys can say that. Peaks you could argue but career wise definitely Hedman for me.

 

[Jericho111091]

I personally would probably go Doughty, Karlsson, Hedman but I don't think any order it's wrong with these three

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

But even in that tournament he was worse than karl

Karlsson didn't even play in the 2010 Olympics, don't need to make up bullshit to pump his legend, he's got a great case of his own without.

And in the 2014 Olympics Doughty led the gold medalist in scoring, can we stop pretending he was just kind of there

He also went on the very same year to win a Stanley Cup, he had an absolutely massive 2014 and that wasn't even the best player he could be

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Would have been so fun to see prime EK on a stacked team. Too bad the Sens kinda sucked.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Hedman >= Karlsson >> Doughty

Doughty is great but gets a bit overrated IMO. He's been arguably the best of them the last 2-3 years but aside from that he's behind the swedes. The polling results seem to support this.

That's simply because Doughty has hurt too many feelings in prominent markets on this site.

There's no world in which either of these guys are > > Doughty, or that any of them > > than the other really, posters just lay their biases bare when they do so.

 

[Jared Dunn]

I know EK has the numbers but I can't put anyone above Hedman, I think his impact on the game is much greater overall and I don't think there's a person on this board who would genuinely choose EK over Hedman for a cup run

 

[TruePowerSlave]

I know EK has the numbers but I can't put anyone above Hedman, I think his impact on the game is much greater overall and I don't think there's a person on this board who would genuinely choose EK over Hedman for a cup run

Prepare to be surprised then

 

[norrisnick]

Prepare to be surprised then

Indeed. Some even believe EK's Glorious 3 rounds are better than Hedman's Conn Smythe run.

 

[Voight]

There is no universe where Karlsson is a better defenseman than Victor Hedman

Except in SensLand. God forbid people say Karlsson wasn't Gods gift to hockey.

 

[bland]

Doughty was the best defenseman on the planet for a good 4 years. He didn't quit or give up like some have said - as the team declined from prominence he tried to do way too much and wore down over the course of the year. He is still a highly effective force and the single best transition defender the game has ever seen. 3 on 1, 2 on 1, doesn't matter, the odds are still always on Doughty making the right play.

 

[Bileur]

Doughty was the best defenseman on the planet for a good 4 years. He didn't quit or give up like some have said - as the team declined from prominence he tried to do way too much and wore down over the course of the year. He is still a highly effective force and the single best transition defender the game has ever seen. 3 on 1, 2 on 1, doesn't matter, the odds are still always on Doughty making the right play.

Out of curiosity what period of four years was this?

 

[amnesiac]

There is no universe where Karlsson is a better defenseman than Victor Hedman

2022-23?

 

[Kshahdoo]

Ek has the most counting stats and won 3 Norris to 1 each for the other two. I can certainly see why he would win this.

I’d prefer both prime and career Hedman then Doughty on my team then Karlsson though.

Norris means shit nowadays. I mean Weber didn't get a single one and he was the best defenseman of the league for quite a few years.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

2022-23?

Close! That is a year

In all seriousness though, Karlsson had a lot of points but it was one of the worst defensive seasons in history

 

[Golden_Jet]

Close! That is a year

In all seriousness though, Karlsson had a lot of points but it was one of the worst defensive seasons in history

Sure if you include 19 empty net goals or whatever it was.
Had the second highest 5 on 5 points, missed out on first by a point.

 

[amnesiac]

Close! That is a year

In all seriousness though, Karlsson had a lot of points but it was one of the worst defensive seasons in history

I don’t disagree, but playing on the worst team in the league will do that. His elite puck possession skills is still part of being a great Dman. It’s not as if he was coughing it up all the time. Also wasn’t just a PP specialist, 20G 74P even strength was damn impressive.

I wouldn’t even say a -26 was that bad considering he logged 25:37 TOI that season.