I would like to see what others feel about Victor Hedman so far.
My opinion is that for such a big guy he plays soft. Would love to see him start hitting with authority. ALso, I know he's young but he makes too many mistakes for my liking. Would love to see the rest of the season start showing me that he can be the force that folks are predicting...so far I don't see it. What say you?
I would like to see what others feel about Victor Hedman so far.
My opinion is that for such a big guy he plays soft. Would love to see him start hitting with authority. ALso, I know he's young but he makes too many mistakes for my liking. Would love to see the rest of the season start showing me that he can be the force that folks are predicting...so far I don't see it. What say you?
What is it you are expecting from him? He's playing monster minutes on the PK and his over TOI is up too. Be patient with his development...he's on track to reach his potential. It amazes me that fans expect these youngsters to come into the league and be Nik Lidstrom by the time they are 20.
If you are a Bolts fan, there are much bigger things to worry about. Hedman isn't exactly in the best situation when you look at the rest of the defense/goaltending around him.
I would love to see him play more physically but other than that the kid's a monster. Even I have to remember myself sometimes that he's just 20 years old. He's still a little inconsistent but then again: Let's not kid ourselves here, the whole team has been so far this year. Veterans like Kubina play a lot worse and less smart in comparison to him. Wait another two years or so and he'll be among the top defensemen in this league.
I think he's largely been playing great. Puts up huge minutes and is a rock on the back end. He makes mistakes, and I wish he would join the rush a bit more, and obviously be a bit more physical, but I'm very happy with the guy.
He's going to be fine. He is shouldering a lot of extra responsibility for a 20yo. This team has bad D and iffy goaltending. Hedman is one of the few bright spots. He has really only had one very bad game this year, and a couple where the entire team decided to nap on the ice.
I do wish he would work on his shot a bit. I don't know if he's trying to get the bounce for his forwards when he shoots "just wide of the net", but he'd probably get better results putting it on goal and hoping for the rebound. Maybe even get a couple that go in.
This is a good story from the beginning of the season that kinda answers those 2 big criticisms on Hedman. The knacks on him it seems are that he doesn't crush people with his huge size, or he doesn't rush the puck even though he skates great and has a good offensive mind.
Quote:
Hedman loves to produce offense. Just talking about it puts a smile on his face. But joining the rush sometimes took him out of position for when the puck came the other way.
"I learned my lesson the first two seasons," Hedman said before Saturday night's 5-1 loss to the Canadiens in the preseason finale at the Pepsi Colisee. "Good offense comes from good defense. You want to make plays when you have the time, but, I mean, always think defense first. I'm just more secure in my game about when to go and not to go.
Quote:
Hedman's game is not nearly as physical, something for which he has taken outside criticism. But Lightning assistant coach Dan Lacroix, who handles the defense, said that is unfair.
"The way we ask him to play is to have a great stick and make sure pucks don't go through," Lacroix said. "We don't put as much emphasis on the physical play of our D until they are in front of the net and battling."
I sorta said my opinion of him in the other thread but even though this is his 3rd NHL season there are only 9 dmen who are younger than him in the league and 6 of them are rookies. (Cowen, Erixon, Orlov, OEL, Fowler, Gudbranson, Faulk, Leddy, and Larsson) You want to see your 6'6'' Pronger/Lidstrom compared 2nd overall draft pick play the part. You look around the league at Doughty, Subban, Meyers, and Karlsson and you see the flashy dekes and end to end rushes, the monster hits, or the high point totals. But Hedman is a different beast. I'm incredibly happy with the kid we have now and he's going to only get better.
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"It's still All In to me dammit." - Felonious Python
Last edited by TheDaysOf 04: 11-26-2011 at 04:02 PM.
I wish we could trade him for the ghosts of Rudy Poeschek and Enrico Ciccone. Then we wouldn't be so soft.
I hope Hedman doesn't go the way of Kubina v1 where "Lightning Nation" overlooked the fact that he was a pretty good defenseman on a cup winning team and booed him just because he didn't hit like Stevens.
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"Embrace and savor the moment." -- WF
Last edited by Death Taxes Conacher: 11-26-2011 at 05:15 PM.
I wish we could trade him for the ghosts of Rudy Poeschek and Enrico Ciccone. Then we wouldn't be so soft.
I hope Hedman doesn't go the way of Kubina v1 where "Lightning Nation" overlooked the fact that he was a pretty good defenseman on a cup winning team and booed him just because he didn't hit like Stevens.
I dont think SFY gives a **** about what we think.
I dont think SFY gives a **** about what we think.
I'm talking more of making the fanbase look like idiots booing one of the best defensemen in franchise history because he doesn't fight than I am about Hedman being traded or leaving as a free agent like Kubina.
I'm talking more of making the fanbase look like idiots booing one of the best defensemen in franchise history because he doesn't fight than I am about Hedman being traded or leaving as a free agent like Kubina.
I remember when that was going on. Was embarrassing for the more intelligent portion of the fanbase to listen to.
I wish we could trade him for the ghosts of Rudy Poeschek and Enrico Ciccone. Then we wouldn't be so soft.
I hope Hedman doesn't go the way of Kubina v1 where "Lightning Nation" overlooked the fact that he was a pretty good defenseman on a cup winning team and booed him just because he didn't hit like Stevens.
I'd boo him if he did hit like Stevens.
Especially now, would almost all of these hits not receive a suspension today? The Willis hit was good IMO. Lindros is iffy, as he had his head down, and the results of it blow the hit out of proportion. Shanny would say the onus is on Stevens though to avoid or minimize contact with the head.
I was one of the relatively few people who were knocking Stevens before the lockout as a dirty hitter though. He was blindsiding and headhunting before Matt Cooke made it uncool.
Last edited by Felonious Python: 11-27-2011 at 07:49 AM.
Hedman had a phenomenal game tonight and actually got mean with people. He's going to be a number 1 for a long time with his play style.
Agreed, he had a great game. That's what I want to see on a consistent basis. It will come. I was just trying to gauge how others feel about him, not giving up on him at all.
Not looking for Stevens hits either just use his size and let folks know he's there.
He is still on his progression curve to become an elite player. Coaching staff has been trying to get him to concentrate on defense until it becomes automatic, after that you will see the complete package. Up to now you just see some flashes of what he can do moving the puck, expect more of that in the future.
Anyone expecting more out of a 20 year old defenseman doesn't know a lot about hockey. He is young and Boucher already rides him for all the tough minutes. I think he is extremely impressive and he will only get better.
Anyone expecting more out of a 20 year old defenseman doesn't know a lot about hockey. He is young and Boucher already rides him for all the tough minutes. I think he is extremely impressive and he will only get better.
I don't think insulting someone's knowledge of hockey for attempting to get a forum started on a DISCUSSION FORUM shows your hockey superiority. I had an opinion, right or wrong, and merely wanted to see what others felt. Sorry you took that as an opportunity to deride my knowledge.
