At this point I can't go any further than saying Libett may be the better player all things included, but as far as defense goes Erixon certainly has a clear advantage based on the evidence presented. If I were building a pure checking line I'd certainly take him over Libett at this point.
I'd like to here from some more folks who watched both though.
The Sleepwatchers are pleased to select an excellent defensive defenseman who could end up being our most important PKer... D, Richard Matvichuk.
From the available numbers at nhl.com, from 97-02 Matvichuk was the #3 defenseman in toi/g each season on the strong Dallas stars squads behind Zubov and Hatcher every season. For 6 seasons he was 2nd on the team in shorthanded toi/g behind Hatcher, and once first ahead of Hatcher.
4x Stanley Cup Champion
3x Top 10 SHG(1, 3, 10)
27th in Goals, 1981
Golden Puck Winner for Best Swedish Player in the World, 1979
1st in SEL in Goals, 1975
Swedish World All Star Team, 1979
3rd in SHG during career(behind Gretzky, Goring)
1st in Playoff SHG from 1981-1984
7th in Assists in NHL playoffs, 82-83
7th in Selke voting, 1980
SH TOI/G Ranks On Team(min. 50 games): 2*, 1, 5**, 2*, 3***, 4****
*Behind Bob Bourne
**Behind Bob Bourne, Trottier, Goring, and undrafted
***Behind Bob Bourne, and Butch Goring
****Behind Trottier, Brent Sutter, and undrafted
Quote:
Anders Kallur was a gifted offensive producer in his native Sweden before becoming a pat of the New York Islanders' Stanley Cup dynasty in the early 1980s. He played only six years in the NHL but had four Stanley Cup rings and 211 career points to show for his work. His strength as a player rested with his blazing speed, quick lateral movement, and vast array of fakes and moves while in motion.
Kallur's timing couldn't have been better as he joined the Isles' as they began a run of four consecutive Stanley Cup titles. Things started slowly for the Swede as he missed most of his first NHL training camp with a groin injury. He was sent to the CHL's Indianapolis Checkers for two conditioning games then returned to Long Island where he worked on a checking line with Bob Bourne and Wayne Merrick as well as a more potent unit with Bryan Trottier and John Tonelli.
His offense and composure under pressure helped him fit in well with one of the NHL's elite clubs. He recorded 22 and 36 goals in his first two NHL seasons then settled into a more specialized checking role since New York had Mike Bossy, Bob Nystrom, and Duane Sutter to supply offense from the right side. During the team's drive to a fourth Cup in 1983, Kallur's playmaking was crucial as he recorded 12 assists in 20 post-season contests. The "drive for five" fell short in the 1984 finals versus Edmonton. Kallur played one more season before retiring in 1985.
Coach Arbour's most important decision will be where to play the swift Swede, who missed the playoffs because of an injury. Kallur is usually a right wing, but...
They won four straight Stanley Cups, beginning in 1980, with some talented Scandinavians, like Tomas Jonsson, Stefan Persson, Anders Kallur and xxx, playing important roles.
Kallur and the Islanders were the best Tuesday night. The native of Ludvika, Sweden, scored a shorthanded goal and set up a tally by Bryan Trottier in lifting New York to a 4-1 victory.
It was Kallur and the Islanders who did the pushing, pressuring Montreal into rushed plays and forcing a number of giveaways.
With Bourne sidelined, versatile forward Anders Kallur suited up. Kallur, a five year veteran but a part timer this season, killed penalties, saw duty on power plays, won the second game against the Capitals with an overtime goal and scored a go ahead goal while the Islanders were shorthanded in Game 5.
"And Andy Kallur? What can you say? Mr. Superstar as far as I'm concerned, I thought he won the game(Wednesday). The guy has played unbelievable since he came in.
I reach a little here but with my 12th pick at #166 overall I select centre Terry Crisp.
Crisp was known more for his defense than his offense but he had a good reputation for an all-around game and though he's a little bit of a reach I feel confident he'll adapt well to the role I have for him on the team.
Terrific pick, much like Mckegney a guy I always liked growing up. He'll get you goals, if I'm not mistaken he had a good 2-way game as well. Was hoping to snag him later.
With picks 168 and 169, the Brandon Shamrocks select two complementary blueliners from the 1920s.
Percy Traub, LD
Traub is on the team for solid and steady defence. I'll just cut to the chase and steal TDMM's bio from last year.
And add this:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Edmonton Journal, 5/8/1948
Old-time hockey followers all over the west will learn with real regret of the death of Percy (Puss) Traub which occurred at the wheel of his car near Swift Current (Sask) on Wednesday. A sudden heart attack was the cause of death.
Back in the early 1920's when the Western Canada Professional Hockey League was in its fullest flower and fragancy [sic], “Puss” Traub was one of the circuit's outstanding defencemen with Regina Caps...Traub was the steady rock at the Regina blue line. Never a showy player – he couldn't carry the puck like Joe Simpson, Red Dutton or Harry Cameron for example – Traub nevertheless was a standout in most games in which he played because of his checking. He could “lay the body” and it was seldom a forward got past him without being tagged in some degree...It's seldom they come as rugged and durable as the late Percy Traub.
Abbie Newell, RD
A largely forgotten defenceman from the 1920s, Newell at first glance might seem to be an offensive specialist. Starting his senior hockey in Manitoba, he was second in goals among defencemen in 1917/18, and improved to first in assists and second in points among defencemen in 1918/19, playing in a league which included names such as Harry Oliver, Haldor Halderson and Bullet Joe Simpson.
Moving from there to the Saskatchewan league, which two seasons later would provide two teams to the newly-formed WCHL, Newell led all defencemen in points in 1920/21, and led the entire league in assists. Now he was in a league playing against Rusty Crawford, Dick Irvin and George Hay. The following season he again led all defencemen in points.
In the WCHL in 1922/23, Newell was third in blueliner points per game, behind only Joe Simpson and Red Dutton. In 1924/25, he was fifth in points per game, behind Herb Gardiner, Joe Simpson, Bobby Trapp and Harry Cameron. In 1926 he left to play in the California professional league with several other Canadian star players, and led that league in goals.
But he was more than a scorer. When his Regina Capitals had the best defence in the league in 1923/24, Newell was one of the starters on the blueline, playing ahead of [Undrafted] who was used as a substitute. The following quotes demonstrate his defensive reputation. The last quote is interesting, showing that a young Eddie Shore was an adequate substitute for an injured Newell.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Regina Morning Leader, 2/14/22
For Moose Jaw, Abbie Newell, [undrafted] and [undrafted] proved the particular bright meteors. Newell, in addition to supplying one of Moose Jaw's counters, played a sterling defensive game in combination with [undrafted].
Quote:
Originally Posted by Regina Morning Leader, 2/11/24
Besides playing sterling defensive hockey, Newell also came through with a goal, instigated the rush and made the pass for the goal which gave the Caps their overtime win on Saturday night.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Regina Morning Leader, 1/21/25
Caps will take the ice up north tonight without the services of Abbie Newell, star defence man. Newell is suffering from an injured hip and will not be able to participate in the game, but Eddie Shore will step into the vacant place in the line-up, and [coach] declared he's satisfied with his substitute.
Although Newell was a LHS, the evidence points to him playing RD. He was a regular partner with Percy Traub, who was also a LHS, and when Newell was injured he was replaced by Eddie Shore, a RHS.
Last edited by Iain Fyffe: 07-24-2011 at 10:23 AM.
Play-off Points – 1st, 3rd , 4th , 10th
Play-off Goals – 1st , 2nd ,3rd , 6th
Play-off Assists – 2nd , 4th , 9h
From 1941 to 1945, Liscombe was, by quite a large margin, the leading play-off scorer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DRW legends
Anticipating the retirement of Herb Lewis and disappointed with the showing of his Stanley Cup champions at the start of the 1937-38 season, manager Jack Adams of Detroit brought up Carl Liscombe from Pittsburgh of the AHL.
Carl was about the same build as Lewis and had many of his attributes, being fast and a smart stickhandler. He led his the team offensively, scoring goals in bunches. In one game in his rookie season he scored three goals in 1 minute and 52 seconds, a record that would stand until Bill Mosienko scored his famous 21 second hat trick in 1951-52. In the same game he dropped the gloves with Red Horner, universally considered hockey's baddest man.
He was on a first place team and Stanley Cup winner in 1942-43 playing on the top line with Syd Howe and Mud Bruneteau. In the playoffs he led the scorers with 6 goals and 8 assists.
The following year was his best individual season when he scored a whopping 36 goals and had 73 points in 50 games in 1943-44. He finished 2nd in NHL goal scoring and 4th in NHL point scoring. In the final game of the playoff series with Boston in the 1944-45 season, he practically won the game single-handedly by scoring 4 goals as the Red Wings won 5-3. The Red Wings would come up short against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup finals, however.
Brad Stuart ranking for defenseman points on his own teams:
99-00: 1st ( ahead of Gary Suter )
00-01: 2nd ( behind Gary Suter )
01-02: 2nd ( behind Gary Suter )
02-03: Only Played 36 games
03-04: 1st
05-06: 1st ( Played for 2 team , tied with Tom Preissing for all dmen of both teams )
06-07 : 4th ( 2 team again , behind Chara , Hamrlik and Phaneuf ( his calgary trip was a nightmare ) )
The rest of His career in Detroit he basically finished behind Lidstrom , Rafalski and Kronwall every year , probably losing many PP opportunity with 2 big names to compete with.
Even though this migh not be golden information , almost every wings fan I know cosider the core of the red wings to be zetterberg , datsyuk , lidstrom , kronwall , franzen and stuart , which is at least flattering to stuart.
Yeah, I had to go to bed last night as I had been on the go for over 18 hours at that time, nevertheless I'm here now and with my Round 11 pick I'm proud to continue my checking line by selecting Left Winger Shawn Burr.
Burr brought a bit of offense to the table with 440 points in 878 games but it was his defensive game that led me to pick him right here as evidenced by 2 top 5 finishes in Selke voting.
With pick #172, the Pittsburgh Hornets select Stewart Evans, D.
Captain of the 1935 Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Maroons, Evans will provide the squad with leadership and steady defensive play on the blueline. He'll serve as the Hornets' second Alternate Captain.
