Letang is better defensively, More physical, Both are great skaters. I will give him better offensively but not all around. To say he's the best player in the league is just silly because no GM would pick him over Crosby or Toews if there was a draft!!!

No, Letang actually plays defense. He isn't just a winger who plays at the blue line. Mike Green would be a more accurate comparison.
- kill.monsters

BTW, I watch Mike Green every night. He is consistently vulnerable to an aggressive, physical forecheck (which often results in him coughing up the puck) - I don't watch Karlsson every night, but in the games I have seen him play I didn't get the sense that he is plagued by this same issue as Green.

Letang is a quality dman with a superior skillset who often frustrates his own team/fans with his uneven play.

Crosby = Best hockey player in the world

It's not debatable. Not even close guy.

Apparently Iginla's house in Calgary is on the market
http://www.justlistedcalg...64210-628-britannia-dr-sw



Seeing his wine "cellar", he might sign here after this season afterall, just to spend some time at Mario's house.
- rival22

I guess he needs to sell it to make up for the pay cut he will be taking here, lol.

Its a horrible comparison. If you're saying that barreling into a goalie takes the same amount of precision as using your skate blade to sever someone's Achille's tendon, you have to be an utter idiot.
- thickman1178

Next time you watch a game, any game.. watch how many times player x pins player y on the boards.

Each time you do, write down how many times player x lifts his skate blade that far off the ice when he pins player y.

I'm not saying Cooke did it on purpose. There's no way in hell someone could possibly put it there on purpose. Let's get past that, ok.

What I am saying is that the play was reckless. Players who have a history of trying to hurt other players should have to answer for their reckless actions.

A poop leopard can't lose it's poop spots.

BTW, I watch Mike Green every night. He is consistently vulnerable to an aggressive, physical forecheck (which often results in him coughing up the puck) - I don't watch Karlsson every night, but in the games I have seen him play I didn't get the sense that he is plagued by this same issue as Green.

Letang is a quality dman with a superior skillset who often frustrates his own team/fans with his uneven play.
- MadCap2008

My problem with Letang is between his ears. He has perhaps the best all around skill set of any D-man in the league, but some of his decisions with the puck make you shake your head.

BTW, I watch Mike Green every night. He is consistently vulnerable to an aggressive, physical forecheck (which often results in him coughing up the puck) - I don't watch Karlsson every night, but in the games I have seen him play I didn't get the sense that he is plagued by this same issue as Green.

Letang is a quality dman with a superior skillset who often frustrates his own team/fans with his uneven play.
- MadCap2008

LOL @ a Caps fan acting like they understand defense

Letang is better defensively, More physical, Both are great skaters. I will give him better offensively but not all around. To say he's the best player in the league is just silly because no GM would pick him over Crosby or Toews if there was a draft!!!
- lloyd095

But who would GM's pick if it were between Karlsson and Letang ?

You're 3 years behind. Congrats, you just described Karlsson in the 2010-2011 season.
- Charliebox

...and saying things like THIS doesn't make them true either.

In my opinion Karlsson is not nearly as talented defensively as he his offensively. Having said that, I think that he is the best offensive defenseman in the league by a WIDE margin. I also happen to think that there are several more well-rounded defenseman, Letang being one of them although not the best of them (that would be Shea Weber, in my opinion).

Next time you watch a game, any game.. watch how many times player x pins player y on the boards.

Each time you do, write down how many times player x lifts his skate blade that far off the ice when he pins player y.

- Charliebox

Depending on the size differential of the players, it happens quite often.

And don't say "then why don't more guys get cut?"

Dozens of times a night, you see a player falling awkwardly, or a trip or a hit when skates come off the ice, and 99.99% of the time, no one is cut then either.

The Ottawa Sun when it comes to this topic is starting to become like Al Jazerra new outlet to me - a figment of lies. If Matt Cooke intentionally injured Karlsson, sure, he should scrap, but people with a hockey IQ understand he didn't. This is why I'm starting to think hockey fans in Ottawa are stupid beyond belief; just like management and their media. Anyone who sees that play again and can even think he did it intentionally is a buffoon.

If I were the GM and coach, send the AHL team - Engelland, Bortuzzo, TK, Vitale and Adams to play them. That would piss off the masses to no end.
- Oneonta Penguin

Ironic post from a guy confusing the Ottawa Sun with the actual fanbase.

But who would GM's pick if it were between Karlsson and Letang ?
- MadCap2008

I'm guessing it would be close but I don't have to be a homer all the time 49% Letang

But who would GM's pick if it were between Karlsson and Letang ?
- MadCap2008

Yeah, it all depends on your current roster and team needs. I would guess that most would still take Karlsson though, and likely all of them right now with Letang's contract situation.

Dude, the Penguins have BY FAR the best roster, on paper, in the league. There is zero question. It's also a lineup that given the salary cap, will not be even remotely possible to ice in future years. Malkin, Crosby are clearly elite players, Neal and Kunitz are incredible supplemental scorers, and Iginla and Morrow are former elite players with veteran leadership. It's actually insane the amount of talent on this roster, so even if you take half of the talent off of it, you're still left with a pretty good team- and their record without 87 and 71 are evidence of that.
- Jordo

Yes this offseason is going to be a tough one for Shero. Especially with the cap going down to 64 million, and Letang, Geno, Dupuis, Cooke, Iggy, Morrow, Murray and others needing new contracts.

If there is one guy that I want handling this it is Ray Shero. Hands down THE BEST GM in the game.

One season at a time for one purpose and obviously that is to raise another banner. Nothing is given but I like what I see now.

BTW I went to a Laker Clipper game and saw the Kings banner and almost threw up.....8th seed winning a title.

Depending on the size differential of the players, it happens quite often.

And don't say "then why don't more guys get cut?"

Dozens of times a night, you see a player falling awkwardly, or a trip or a hit when skates come off the ice, and 99.99% of the time, no one is cut then either.
- rival22

No it doesn't. Specifically watch for guys pinning other guys. The only time I see legs come up, is when a player is already pinned, and the guy doing the pinning, wants to keep him there. And even at that, it's still pretty rare.

You also can't compare a player falling down, to a player doing reckless things. Cooke was in control and wasn't falling down.

Next time you watch a game, any game.. watch how many times player x pins player y on the boards.

Each time you do, write down how many times player x lifts his skate blade that far off the ice when he pins player y.

I'm not saying Cooke did it on purpose. There's no way in hell someone could possibly put it there on purpose. Let's get past that, ok.

What I am saying is that the play was reckless. Players who have a history of trying to hurt other players should have to answer for their reckless actions.

A poop leopard can't lose it's poop spots.
- Charliebox

TSN showed examples of similar instances that transpired the same evening as Cooke/Karlsson in the Flames game.

Fact is it happens more often now than it used to. Players try not to use their free hands in order to avoid holding calls, their response to this is to try and wedge their knee in between the opposing players legs to maintain leverage and direct the offensive player where they want.

LOL @ a Caps fan acting like they understand defense
- Killian

Hey, I was honest in my assessment of Mike Green - doubt you are capable of the same with Letang. You don't need to hear from me, though - look back at comments on prior Pens' blogs to see how frustrated some Pens fans have been with Letang.

But who would GM's pick if it were between Karlsson and Letang ?
- MadCap2008

I'd say about 20 of the 30 teams in this league would go with Karlsson, and the others with Letang. Luckily I think the Pens are one of the 10ish teams with enough offensive talent to benefit more from what Letang brings to the table.

I want to make it clear that I am not saying Karlsson is anything short of ELITE. The guy is a phenomenal athlete, and I get why Sens fans get so excited about him. It just so happens that some Sens fans get a little too excited/emotional about him, just as Pens fans often get too excited/emotional about Crosby and Malkin, and fans of any sports franchise get about their best players.

I didn't read all the comments, but all Cooke has to do is fight.

Cowen knocked Skinner out of a game, and he fought twice in the game (which happened to be his first of the year)

If Cooke doesn't fight, that's when things will get ugly

If the league folded and they had a dispersal draft (new teams with every player), I'd argue that Karlsson would be picked ahead of Crosby or Towes.

Before you charge me as a homer, I'm simply saying that because:
1. Dmen play more mins and are more valuable than forwards.
2. Karlsson is younger than both and Crosby has injury problems. No one really knows if the next concussion will end his career.

Now I could see how one would argue that Weber or Chara would be picked ahead of Karlsson. There is the age issue there as well though.

But mainly, simply because Dmen eat up more mins and are much harder to find than good forwards, I would think Karlsson would probably go #1 or at least ahead of any forward (outside possibly Stamkos).

Crosby = Best hockey player in the world

It's not debatable. Not even close guy.
- Killian

Honestly the only debate should be who is #2.

Nobody dominates like Sid at full strength.

Yes this offseason is going to be a tough one for Shero. Especially with the cap going down to 64 million, and Letang, Geno, Dupuis, Cooke, Iggy, Morrow, Murray and others needing new contracts.

If there is one guy that I want handling this it is Ray Shero. Hands down THE BEST GM in the game.

- Sell My Monkey

The approach this summer really revolves around what happens this year in the playoffs. If it's a long run, Shero will likely try to keep as much of the team together as possible under the cap.

If it's an exit in the first two rounds, there is going to be some house cleaning, and not just the UFA's.

If the league folded and they had a dispersal draft (new teams with every player), I'd argue that Karlsson would be picked ahead of Crosby or Towes.

Before you charge me as a homer, I'm simply saying that because:
1. Dmen play more mins and are more valuable than forwards.
2. Karlsson is younger than both and Crosby has injury problems. No one really knows if the next concussion will end his career.

Now I could see how one would argue that Weber or Chara would be picked ahead of Karlsson. There is the age issue there as well though.

But mainly, simply because Dmen eat up more mins and are much harder to find than good forwards, I would think Karlsson would probably go #1 or at least ahead of any forward (outside possibly Stamkos).
- Charliebox

Now if you asked a REAL NHL GM that same question, I think the answer would be pretty obvious.

I'd say about 20 of the 30 teams in this league would go with Karlsson, and the others with Letang. Luckily I think the Pens are one of the 10ish teams with enough offensive talent to benefit more from what Letang brings to the table.

I want to make it clear that I am not saying Karlsson is anything short of ELITE. The guy is a phenomenal athlete, and I get why Sens fans get so excited about him. It just so happens that some Sens fans get a little too excited/emotional about him, just as Pens fans often get too excited/emotional about Crosby and Malkin, and fans of any sports franchise get about their best players.
- kill.monsters

Agreed - this is why I don't fault Sens fans for being mad about the Cooke incident - it was an accident, but any fanbase who loses an elite player is going to have at least a portion of that fanbase lash out (and the fact that Cooke is involved adds to that - imagine if that same hit is laid by Subban on Letang, and Letang is injured).

If the league folded and they had a dispersal draft (new teams with every player), I'd argue that Karlsson would be picked ahead of Crosby or Towes.

Before you charge me as a homer, I'm simply saying that because:
1. Dmen play more mins and are more valuable than forwards.
2. Karlsson is younger than both and Crosby has injury problems. No one really knows if the next concussion will end his career.

Now I could see how one would argue that Weber or Chara would be picked ahead of Karlsson. There is the age issue there as well though.

But mainly, simply because Dmen eat up more mins and are much harder to find than good forwards, I would think Karlsson would probably go #1 or at least ahead of any forward (outside possibly Stamkos).
- Charliebox

Elite centers are just as hard or possibly harder to find.