Less physical? Not even.
It's not even homerism (new word?) when I say that with the way Noesen plays, he could be a perennial top 5 hitter in the NHL. Not KAWABUNGA BOOM BOOM hitter, but in terms of sheer numbers, he could definitely be up there.
Regarding his hands, I'm going to accuse you of listening to what scout magazines say/said. I'd agree with you previously, but after watching him this year I think that, while he doesn't have Corey Perry hands), he certainly has VERY GOOD hands that have developed incredibly.
From what I've seen, I honestly think that the improvement of Noesen's offense easily surpasses the new offensive dimension that emerged from former stay at home defenceman Cody Ceci.
But overall, I agree with your comparison and thoughts (other than the hands and hits).