GoldenKnight
Registered User
I’d go with the player who won MVP. Malkin is still adding to his resume and by the time he retires with 500+ goals and 1300+ points, I think we will have a clear consensus answer to the question of who was better between the two in the 2000s.If we exclude anything before January 1st, 2000, Lidstrom loses exactly 650 games. Not a small amount - that's 41.5% of his career total.
On the other hand, Lidstrom wasn't equally good throughout his career. It took him half a decade to develop. He was a Norris trophy finalist 11 times; 8 of those seasons took place after 2000 (plus he should get credit for half of the 1999-00 campaign). Even if we exclude everything before January 1st, 2000, Lidstrom would still get credit for all seven of his Norris trophies, plus his Conn Smythe.
Malkin still ends up with more games (1,145 vs 914). Is Malkin so much better that 231 extra games makes up the difference? Maybe. But if I had to choose between a defensemen who gave me 8 or 9 years as Norris trophy finalist (with seven wins), or a forward who placed in the top ten in scoring four times, I'd go with the defenseman.
Nostalgia always tends to favor the retired player, but when both played in the NHL at the same time, Malkin was always considered the more impactful player.