James Tanner: And the Best Coyotes Player of All-Time Is....... Declaring that the best Coyotes player of all time is...

You know The Cure is from the UK and were just being cheeky right...

I think your blurb about OEL is the first time I have ever agreed with one of your over opinionated rants lol. I'd swear Lidstrom found himself a time machine and changed his name. Love watching him play

You know The Cure is from the UK and were just being cheeky right...
- hawken

Actually, I wasn't joking, I meant to write "The Boss" and I had the Cure playing on the stereo, so I guess I typed that by mistake.

I think your blurb about OEL is the first time I have ever agreed with one of your over opinionated rants lol. I'd swear Lidstrom found himself a time machine and changed his name. Love watching him play
- Shaundre93

Hey, I like a back-handed compliment as much as the next guy, but isn't accusing a writer of being over opinionated a little like accusing a beaver of cutting down too many trees? haha

What is your definition of "predominatly" ?

Most would assume more than 50%, but I guess thats not the case here.

I knew you were going to find a way to get OEL in there. In past blogs you have stated that OEL is a top 3 NHL defenseman. I have a hard time giving him that high of a rating.

I go Doughty, Keith, Weber, Suter, Chara, then OEL.... who out of that group would you say that he is better than?

Hey, I like a back-handed compliment as much as the next guy, but isn't accusing a writer of being over opinionated a little like accusing a beaver of cutting down too many trees? haha
- James_Tanner

In all seriousness, what about OEL makes you so high on him? I'd give him as a top 15, .. maybe top 10 depending on the year. But I'm not sold on him being much higher.

In all seriousness, what about OEL makes you so high on him? I'd give him as a top 15, .. maybe top 10 depending on the year. But I'm not sold on him being much higher.
- YzermanIsTheMan

Its because he does everything so smoothly and is never really out of position. He plays smart hockey, using angles and positioning to put himself constantly in the right spot.

When he gets the puck, he never panics. On the Power play he's one of the best in the world. He makes insanely accurate passes and breaks up plays constantly.

But the main thing about him is that he's enjoyable and fun to watch. He just plays hockey like no one else. The best thing about him though is that you really gotta watch him to appreciate him, cause he'll only get on sports centre basically on the PP goals he sets up, but he does so much more than that.

And, he's only 24. All the guys mentioned in the "who would you rank him ahead of" are either on better teams or have played in the league longer. The best real comparables to him in terms of age, experience and talent are Subban and karlsson, and I'd say - with no hesitation - that OEL is a better overall player than either of them. Though Karlsson they are both probably better offensively.

I agree about OEL. He's a treat to watch.


and not to nitpick, but you spelled Tkachuk wrong.

I believe Doan being the face of the coyotes has more weight than the 334 points Tkachuk posted in 332 contest in a coyotes uniform. Also if Thachuk enters the " Hall" it would be as a Blue not a Yote but thats my opinion. On OEL I think he's a stud but you are reaching when you say he hits 70 points......I don't see it happening especially with the coyotes. The Norris thing......possible but he has some stiff competition.

Its because he does everything so smoothly and is never really out of position. He plays smart hockey, using angles and positioning to put himself constantly in the right spot.

When he gets the puck, he never panics. On the Power play he's one of the best in the world. He makes insanely accurate passes and breaks up plays constantly.

But the main thing about him is that he's enjoyable and fun to watch. He just plays hockey like no one else. The best thing about him though is that you really gotta watch him to appreciate him, cause he'll only get on sports centre basically on the PP goals he sets up, but he does so much more than that.

And, he's only 24. All the guys mentioned in the "who would you rank him ahead of" are either on better teams or have played in the league longer. The best real comparables to him in terms of age, experience and talent are Subban and karlsson, and I'd say - with no hesitation - that OEL is a better overall player than either of them. Though Karlsson they are both probably better offensively.
- James_Tanner

Better check that birth certificate on Doughty pretty sure he is only 24 as well. I think your dead on in putting him in a class with Subban and Karlson. You can't punish Chara or Keith for being on better teams, at the end of a players career often times you judge them on what they have done in the post-season Olympics or big games.

I agree he is a treat to watch and a true number 1 on most teams in the NHL but I don't think you can put him in the top 5 quite yet. He will be, that is for sure but not quite yet.

I agree about OEL. He's a treat to watch.


and not to nitpick, but you spelled Tkachuk wrong.
- CaptainRivet

Nah, that's not nitpicking, nitpicking is when you point out one random word. I appreciate being told about errors that are relative to the point of the article, so thanks and fixed.

Better check that birth certificate on Doughty pretty sure he is only 24 as well. I think your dead on in putting him in a class with Subban and Karlson. You can't punish Chara or Keith for being on better teams, at the end of a players career often times you judge them on what they have done in the post-season Olympics or big games.

I agree he is a treat to watch and a true number 1 on most teams in the NHL but I don't think you can put him in the top 5 quite yet. He will be, that is for sure but not quite yet.
- QuicksEnnormous

Fair enough, but I included Doughty as a guy who's on a better team. And its not to punish the or discredit them because half of what makes those teams good is that they have those guys, but my point is just that a guy on a worse team never looks as good as a guy on a great team.

I have no way to prove this, but from watching them both so much, there isn't a lot to choose between OEL and Doughty. If you put OEL on LA, they probably still have two Cups and if you put Doughty on PHX you'd be asking me why I love Doughty so much. They are both outstanding and obviously b/c of his career success, people will definitely rate Doughty as one of, if not the very best defenseman in the NHL. That's reality, just not sure it's entirely fair.

I believe Doan being the face of the coyotes has more weight than the 334 points Tkachuk posted in 332 contest in a coyotes uniform. Also if Thachuk enters the " Hall" it would be as a Blue not a Yote but thats my opinion. On OEL I think he's a stud but you are reaching when you say he hits 70 points......I don't see it happening especially with the coyotes. The Norris thing......possible but he has some stiff competition.
- RobFlyers#1

Tkachuk played half his career with the Coyotes/jets and the other slightly less than half with the Blues. But all his best years were in PHX and WPG so I think he should go in as a Coyote/Jet but who knows, you could be right.

And about Doan, that's why I broke it up as I did. Doan is the Coyotes, but no one else other than Tkachuk had five point per game seasons and hit 50 goals.

While "Walt" is a good candidate you have to go with Shane Doan. Walt took the trade to St. Louis while Doan had the choice to go elsewhere but stayed. Got to go with Doan.

Maybe consideration should go to Sean Burke whom is still with the team ?

James Tanner: And the Best Coyotes Player of All-Time Is.......
Declaring that the best Coyotes player of all time is...
- James_Tanner

Klinkhammer

Actually, I wasn't joking, I meant to write "The Boss" and I had the Cure playing on the stereo, so I guess I typed that by mistake.
- James_Tanner

LOL! I was thinking ... Dude, Robert Smith's accent is pretty thick eh?

Its because he does everything so smoothly and is never really out of position. He plays smart hockey, using angles and positioning to put himself constantly in the right spot.

When he gets the puck, he never panics. On the Power play he's one of the best in the world. He makes insanely accurate passes and breaks up plays constantly.

But the main thing about him is that he's enjoyable and fun to watch. He just plays hockey like no one else. The best thing about him though is that you really gotta watch him to appreciate him, cause he'll only get on sports centre basically on the PP goals he sets up, but he does so much more than that.

And, he's only 24. All the guys mentioned in the "who would you rank him ahead of" are either on better teams or have played in the league longer. The best real comparables to him in terms of age, experience and talent are Subban and karlsson, and I'd say - with no hesitation - that OEL is a better overall player than either of them. Though Karlsson they are both probably better offensively.
- James_Tanner

Fair enough. 24 is a hell of an age to grade a defenseman, though. Doughty, OEL, DeKeyser, Tyler Myers, Bogosian, MDZ to name a few. Really, I won't truly grade a defenseman until their about 28-30. I mean, christ, Lidstrom (arguably the best defenseman of the last 25 years) didn't win his first Norris until he was 31, and got another six after that, even into his forties.

OEL has some high potential, I'll give you that. Swedish defensemen just get better with age.

Klinkhammer
- glove_was_stuck

this

Fair enough. 24 is a hell of an age to grade a defenseman, though. Doughty, OEL, DeKeyser, Tyler Myers, Bogosian, MDZ to name a few. Really, I won't truly grade a defenseman until their about 28-30. I mean, christ, Lidstrom (arguably the best defenseman of the last 25 years) didn't win his first Norris until he was 31, and got another six after that, even into his forties.

OEL has some high potential, I'll give you that. Swedish defensemen just get better with age.
- YzermanIsTheMan

God I miss Lidstrom... I'm not even a Wings fan, but I feel the sport was better with him in it. We lost too many great D men over the last few years to retirement.

God I miss Lidstrom... I'm not even a Wings fan, but I feel the sport was better with him in it. We lost too many great D men over the last few years to retirement.
- Distrad

Neidemeyer, Lidstrom, Pronger, Stevens, Rafalski, Foote, Chelios.. 1990s-2000s were the golden era of defensemen I think.

Neidemeyer, Lidstrom, Pronger, Stevens, Rafalski, Foote, Chelios.. 1990s-2000s were the golden era of defensemen I think.
- YzermanIsTheMan

I'm sure someone will come in and female dog about it, but I agree. I'd have to say that among that group, Lidstrom is for my money the best. So smooth. I remember looking at the stats one year and he and Rafalski combined for something stupid like 18 hits all season.

I'm sure someone will come in and female dog about it, but I agree. I'd have to say that among that group, Lidstrom is for my money the best. So smooth. I remember looking at the stats one year and he and Rafalski combined for something stupid like 18 hits all season.
- Distrad

Yeah. They knew how to PLAY defense. Then you got defensemen who lead the league in hits these days and are always let a 2 on 1 occur afterwards. Lidstrom was the greatest. Who needed to hit when you had Konstantinov, Chelios, Stuart, Kronwall, Coffey, etc.. to do that for you.