Looking back at Niklas Hjalmarsson

[Eye of Ra]

What are you guys memories of him? The Chris Tanev Thread made me think of this guy. Surely Hjalmarsson was considered one of the best stay at home ds when he played?

 

[Mrfenn92]

He was a stud

 

[Hull2Roenick2Kane]

Hammer probably still has bumps all over his body from all the shots he blocked.

 

[Goatlender]

Hjalmarsson, Tanev, Vlasic, Mitchell, Hamhuis, and Stralman were the best defensive defencemen of that era imo.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Hjalmarsson, Tanev, Vlasic, Mitchell, Hamhuis, and Stralman were the best defensive defencemen of that era imo.

2 Swedes ! 2 Canadiens and one serb

 

[Kocur Dill]

Hjalmarsson, Tanev, Vlasic, Mitchell, Hamhuis, and Stralman were the best defensive defencemen of that era imo.

Girardi

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Girardi

no

 

[Coffee]

I am Ra

 

[12ozPapa]

Underrated and under appreciated

 

[Summer Rose]

Amazing for the Coyotes. Great shutdown defender who allowed his defensive partner to roam free and join on the attack. Liked that he could play both sides, but he was on the right side a lot, sometimes paired with fellow Swede, Oliver Ekman-Larsson. That was a nice pairing to watch, although if we made that pairing then we'd have to also have to put up with a pairing of Keith Yandle with Connor Murphy, which was... not ideal, to say the least. They were a trainwreck defensively.

I modeled my game after him, since I was a left-shooting defenseman who preferred the right side (but for skating reasons, I was much better at pivots and turns if I played on the right - that I shot left was irrelevant to the preference). I could make some nice plays if I played at a low enough level, but if I played at higher levels (in Arizona there was A through D or over 30, I was basically a B/C tweener and the over 30 was about on par with B) I could get away with it by simplifying my game since I skated really well.

Thanks to being inspired by Hjalmarsson, but also because of my lifelong preference for it, I generally preferred to err on the side of caution in the name of playing more defensively than taking risks in an attempt to press the attack.

 

[Oneiro]

Hjalmarsson, Tanev, Vlasic, Mitchell, Hamhuis, and Stralman were the best defensive defencemen of that era imo.

If you're including Stralman, then Andy Greene, who was a better defender by far, is on this list.

 

[End of Line]

Quiet guy who did everything right

 

[ExarKun80]

2 Swedes ! 2 Canadiens and one serb

Tanev is a macedonian name.

 

[Goatlender]

If you're including Stralman, then Andy Greene, who was a better defender by far, is on this list.

If I recall correctly, Stralman was great but had a very short prime.

 

[Wedontneedroads]

If only the Hawks didn’t match the offer sheet. Sharks end up with Hammer instead of Niemi and who knows what else happens.

 

[Paper]

Hjalmarsson, Tanev, Vlasic, Mitchell, Hamhuis, and Stralman were the best defensive defencemen of that era imo.

You left off Regehr.

 

[CallMeShaft]

Him and Keith on a pair together was something special. Haven't seen a pair have as good of gap closure since they were together and in their primes.

 

[majormajor]

Amazing for the Coyotes. Great shutdown defender who allowed his defensive partner to roam free and join on the attack. Liked that he could play both sides, but he was on the right side a lot, sometimes paired with fellow Swede, Oliver Ekman-Larsson. That was a nice pairing to watch, although if we made that pairing then we'd have to also have to put up with a pairing of Keith Yandle with Connor Murphy, which was... not ideal, to say the least. They were a trainwreck defensively.

Murphy and Hjalmarsson were traded for each other, so I imagine you're thinking of someone else.

 

[jetsforever]

Great player

 

[AzHawk]

the game worked out, but I still wish he got to have this (loud) moment count:

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

2 Swedes ! 2 Canadiens and one serb

Always thought of Hjalmarsson as of Icelandic descent with that surname although of course he is Swedish.

 

[Shark Finn]

If only the Hawks didn’t match the offer sheet. Sharks end up with Hammer instead of Niemi and who knows what else happens.

The world would have been robbed of this, that's for sure:

 

[Summer Rose]

Murphy and Hjalmarsson were traded for each other, so I imagine you're thinking of someone else.

Why yes, I must be. Thank you for correcting me!

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Beast

 

[Eye of Ra]

Always thought of Hjalmarsson as of Icelandic descent with that surname although of course he is Swedish.

Hjalmarsson is a swedish Name