Another Comparision?

Question

Nicklas Lidstrom or Scott Stevens

SCOTT STEVENS- Stevens was known for his clean but punishing open-ice hits, some of which have rendered opponents unconscious. Also known for his offensive abilities and his fierce physical presence on the ice. He is widely considered to be the greatest player in franchise history. He was the first player to have his number retired by the Devils organization.

NICKLAS LIDSTROM- Never a big and bruising defender, many experts say that the secret behind Lidstrom's consistent game is his ability to read the game; this, combined with his excellent skating ability, allows him to be at the correct spot of the ice at the correct time. Instead of delivering a big body check, Lidstrom prefers to steal the puck and create a turnover. His reliance on brains rather than brawn might explain his lack of injuries(has missed only 21 games in 15 years), and also draws very few penalties.

Who do you take and why?

Bob Loblaw- Good point I forgot to throw in there. He averages 26 minutes a game and has less then 400 PIM in his career.

James- Most of hits are when guys had there head down, considering there clean. He never leaves his feet when he lays the open ice hits.

PuckDat- you said "he is not nearly as good if he hasn't got a decent partner who plays a fair physical game" last time I checked Rafalski is not a physical player, neither is Schneider (last year). Last time he had a physical partner was Konstantinov in the 90s.

Answer 1

Honestly, Lidstrom has never impressed me. Two reasons: he is not nearly as good if he hasn't got a decent partner who plays a fair physical game and can also be relied on to move the puck. His lack of physical play doesn't scare players in his end and that makes them bold. Sure it makes them cocky and he can prey on that and steal the puck but a good strong physical game against him negates his skills. And if his partner can't be relied on to help out he gives up the puck. So basically he's only as good as his playing partner.

Second: When the Wings lose big games, he is the guy teams exploit. They dump the puck in his corner and take away the outlet to the other dman. When teams do this right, the puck ends up in the Wings net. I've seen him when there's too much pressure and he makes silly mistakes. When he's on the ice with the top line and a good partner he is calm and controlled because things go as they should but he can be rattled. And after two periods of being hammered he starts to hurry passes and make mistakes.

I like Stevens because he scares forwards. They don't take liberties in his end and they see him coming and they pass the puck. And pass is a chance at a turnover, especially one at the blueline. Stevens did contribute on O in his earlier years and was pretty good at it but in NJ they made him a backfield general and his job was to protect the Devils end and give Marty a chance to stop the first shot. And he did it like very few other guys I've seen.

Now Red Wing fans are going to moan and groan about this (and hand out thumbs down by the dozen)but after watching the game for 40 years I've seen a lot of guys come and go. And Lidstrom is better than plenty of them and he's been a good steady performer in Detroit all these years. But watch for what I'm talking about. When the Wings get scored on and he's on the ice it's because the other team pressured him and he shies away from physical play after they've pounded him for a while.
A defenseman who hands out the body rarely shies away. And that's why I'll take Stevens over Lidstrom.

Nothing like having some individual who's so blindly drunk on loyalty to his team to chirp in with half baked answers. Really makes the stew taste like napalm.

Answer 2

Easy call for me-Lidstrom. People seem to forget that Stevens used to chalk up a few points though. As far as him being a punishing checker, it was actually later in his career that he really mastered the punishing hit. He was a great stay at home DMan.
I will tell you what really sells it for me though (besides the 5 Norris trophies)- Scott Stevens had almost 3000 PIM's in his career, so far Lidstom has less than 400. I know Stevens would throw down can attribute SOME of this but as you said, Lidstrom has the ability to read the game and is SO positionally sound that he rarely puts himself in a position where he needs to take a penalty. I mean, to have full 80+ game seasons while taking 20 minutes in penalties as a big minutes defenseman is pretty insane. There are guys who get that and more in a game. Therefore, he is not putting his team in SH situations and in a hole. To me, that is where it makes it Lidstrom by a landslide.

Answer 3

This is a tough one because a they are very different players. Scott Steven's is a tough bruising defenceman in the mold of an Allan Stanley/Tim Horton type.

Nicklas Lidstrom is a Ray Bourque clone, except his plus minus is lower and he doesn't score as much.

Both of these are needed by teams today as they both fill a roll. If you had 6 Lidstroms, your team would be in trouble. If your team had 6 Stevens, your team would be in a different kind of trouble.

The other thing is I can't say.....I'll take Lidstrom because Scott Stevens are a dime a dozen and vice versa. These are two players that are extremely good at what they do.

I've made by decision. I'll take Stevens, so long as I can have Scott Niedermayer (whom I personally think is better than Lidtrsom - I find it funny how when Bourque retired all his Norris supporters moved their support to Lidstrom)

Answer 4

How can Stevens' hits be considered clean...sure some were beauties but his blindside hits close to the boards were always borderline.
I agree with Bob Lidstrom in a heartbeat.

Answer 5

Real tough call, but I'll take Lidstrom. Hard to defend anything while you're in the penalty box, and the way they're calling the penalties these days, Stevens would be racking 'em up pretty quick.

Answer 6

Stevens a big huge monolith makes the other team play a lot smaller game then they usually play, will not hear that from Lidstrom.

Answer 7

Stevens captained his team to 3 Stanley Cup championships; something that Lidstrom has yet to do.

Plus he took out Lindros.

Answer 8

nicklas lidstrom is the expert here and he is one of the better defencemen for detroit he would be on my team any day if i had to choose between those the players

Answer 9

stevans was a HUGE hitter but Lidstom is the best euro d-man ever make that best euro ever. Lidstom can score so much better and stevan was the best hitter ever.

Answer 10

i'd take the pair of them

Lidstrom the brains and Stevens the brawn

an unstoppable combination