EQUAL TIME: ROBIN FIGREN ON VICTOR HEDMAN
“He’d love the style the Islanders play”
Islanders prospect Robin Figren was teammates with 2009 draft sensation Victor Hedman on Team Sweden at the 2008 World Junior Championships. This season, Figren faced Hedman as opponents in the Swedish Elite League. By popular demand after Justin DiBenedetto gave us his take on John Tavares, we called Figren on his cell for some background on Hedman.
“For starters, I should tell you that Victor is just a really good person,” Figren said from Bridgeport, where the Sound Tigers host the Penguins in Game 4 tonight. “Everyone likes him because he’s down-to-earth and he really cares about his team and about winning. He loves hockey and he’s real serious about it. He’s also a very calm guy off the ice, and you’ll see that’s how he is on the ice. He is always under control.”
The only knock on Hedman in some quarters is that he doesn’t use his 6-7 frame to his advantage, that he does not play as physically as he should.
“That’s not what I’ve seen, as his teammate and then playing against him four times in Sweden this year,” said Figren, the Islanders’ third round draft selection in 2006. “He’s definitely not soft. He plays the body all the time. Because of his size, everyone wants to compare him to Chris Pronger. I think that’s fair, and I think Victor can definitely become that kind of player in the NHL.
“The thing you’ll see about him is, he’s huge, but he skates and handles the puck so well. Maybe people need something to criticize so they talk about his physical play. I don’t see that being a problem at all. To be honest with you, Victor doesn’t have any below-average aspects of his game.”
You can’t talk about a possible Islanders player without wondering how he would fit into the team’s style of play.
“Oh, I think he’d love the style the Islanders play,” said Figren, who played this season for Djurgardens of the SEL. “He’s a defenseman who really likes to join the offense. There’s no question in my mind he’d be an excellent fit in this system.”
I mentioned to Figren how Hedman seems determined to come to North America right away and play in the NHL next season. He didn’t know that for certain about his friend, but said the defenseman with Modo of the SEL would make the adjustment with little difficulty.
“At 18 years old he played in the Swedish Elite League this year and did not look at all like a young kid,” said Figren. “Sure, he can handle the NHL right away. He’s such a smart, skilled defenseman. I have no doubt Victor’s ready for The Show.”
115 Responses to EQUAL TIME: ROBIN FIGREN ON VICTOR HEDMAN
“He’d love the style the Islanders play”
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Matt says:
If we can trade down from 1 to 2 and get kings ransom while taking Hedman, I would strongly consider it.
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Joey303 says:
Now thats what Im talkin bout !!! Keep those Hedman blogs comin
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fan19 says:
so what are the chances we trade down to 2. and how much can we get besides the 2nd pick
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JP39 says:
It’s very nice to hear from a current Isles prospect in Figren and his praise for Victor Hedman. There’s no doubt in my mind that Hedman goes on to have a very successful NHL career.
But with that being said — TAKE TAVARES!
We need the scorer. Bottom line. No hesitations here, please Garth, please! Do the right thing!
LET’S GO ISLANDERS!
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bob l says:
another good read, thanks Chris…
my biggest fears are true then, i was thinking the same thing (that he’d fit perfect for this team)but they need a sniper badly too… it’s really crazy how badly they need them both…win-win situation here that can possibly get even better if he trades up those 2nd rounders
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to NYI: Vincent Lecavalier and 2nd overall
to TBL: 1st overall picksorry chris, i had to make a maple leaf fan type of trade proposal.
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if we were to draft hedman, we could sign the sedin twins also!
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Macch says:
Matt – who says that Hedman wouldnt go #1 if we traded down
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Smokey says:
I would take Ryan Malone and a high draft pick or two back from Tampa before I take Lecavalier. Dude just had surgery and is on a ten-year contract. Malone could bring some toughness and the ability to pick up some garbage goals.
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Justin Marques says:
Matt, I wouldn’t want Vincent Lecavalier or his tremendous contract. It simply is not worth it. That being said, I feel that if we drafted Hedman, we would be forced to try and make a trade to have another top-6 draft pick so that we could grab a Duchene, Brayden Schenn, or Evander Kane. If we are to grab Tavares with the first overall pick, we could try to get a draft pick in the top-12 and we could come out with a solid 1-2 defensemen such as Despres, Kulikov, or Cowen. There is plenty of great talent to be had, but our first overall pick will dictate everything obviously. I truly do believe that Snow will try his best to acquire another pick in the top-10 to top-15.
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Ryan says:
You all need to quit thinking it would be a mistake or armageddon if the Islanders took Hedman. Maybe not the sexy pick but he IS the right type of player for this team at this point in time. He’ll play more minutes, play in ALL situations (PP, PK) and he’ll be a DOMINANT D-man in short time. Given the options, Hedman is who I would draft.
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Riley says:
I voted for Hedman as soon as the lottery was finalized and i’m going to vote for him again now. A supposedly great skater, huge body, offensive minded. He seems like he would be a great fit. Defensmen of his caliber, with his experience don’t come around all that often. I think it’s very important to remember he has experience against bigger, stronger opponents in the Swedish Elite League compared to Tavares in the OHL. I’d definitely take Hedman 1st. As for trading down to 2nd, why would Tampa even consider giving away so much? They are guaranteed VH or JT, you really can’t go wrong with either. It wouldn’t be worth it for them to trade away all-stars for a #1 pick instead of #2.
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Luke R says:
tampa would not give up anything to move from 2 to 1, especially since they would be more likely to take hedman over tavares than us anyway. there’s no reason for them to give up anything additionally, its win/win for them.
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Nova Scotia Isles Fan says:
While I am certainly one with ym feet planted firmly in the Tavares camp, for many reasons, I would not be terribly upset with Hedman, especially if we could get something in addition.
Realistically, however, our dance partners for a trade involving the #1 pick (or even in exchange for a promise not to take Hedman or Tavares with the #1, which really amounts to the same thing), are limited to TB. If TB comes to us and says “We want to take (insert Hedman/Tavares here), either as the #1 or as #2,what will it take to get it done?” what can we reasonably expect to get? A Second rounder? A second and a fourth?
I don’t think the extras are huge, but if TB would give us their #2 and their second for the right to choose first, we could then package some combination of SJ’s first and one or more of the plethora of seconds we will then have, to move up into the top 15.
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beatlebailey says:
IMO only way we trade down to 2 to take hedman is if Toronto has moved up to 2. So if we really want hedman we should hope toronto somehow can get up there. maybe a Schenn and the 7 for the 2nd overall which toronto then turns around and trades to us plus their first next year to get tavares. We then end up with hedman plus another number one next year which would not be bad at all
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Hale says:
to 13..umm no no no….NOBODY would complain with vinny and hedman…NO ONE
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If the Isles draft Hedman so be it. He’d be a nice addition just like Tavares would. I couldn’t fault Snow for drafting either player. I wonder if he has talked to TB to see what it would take to pry the 2nd overall pick from them so we can draft both. Well, one can dream, right?
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I understand and completely respect the opinions of fellow Isles fans who are hoping that we select Hedman over Tavares. But I just have a question — Don’t you all think that we already have the offensive defenseman that we need in Mark Streit? I mean, it doesn’t get much better than Streit in the NHL these days in regards to solid two-way defenseman. He’s a proven NHL offensive defenseman who probably would be up for Norris consideration this year if the Isles didn’t finish 30th in a 30-team league. He’s got plenty of years left in him, and he’s signed for the next few years. Let’s build on that, and get the goal scorer. In fact, Streit even said in an interview when the season ended that the Isles need a sniper up front.
Like I said, I completely respect everyone’s opinion. However, my point is that I’m not hoping for Tavares just because he is the “sexy pick”. I’m hoping for Tavares because we already have Streit on the blueline and to QB the power play for the foreseeable future, and this organization has been lacking a player of Tavares’ offensive caliber for the last decade.
LET’S GO ISLANDERS!
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We draft JT and sign a UFA D-man. Try and move up with our extra picks. Thats the plan and Snow is stickin to it….LOL
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Streit had a great year, no doubt. Hedman would provide a dynamic that maybe 2 teams can put on the ice night after night – a huge,mobile d man with great hands,joins the play and plays in all situations. You have to remember that after Streit, the Islanders have basically spare parts on D… this would truly help the cause of building up our D man. HE IS a better ALL AROUND player (given their positions) than Tavares. That’s why I want him. Won’t jump off a bridge if the take Tavares and no one else should do the same if they take Hedman.
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Tim says:
I can’t decide anymore. Draft day can’t come soon enough.
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Hud says:
Hedman looks like a stud, Snow should say, “I am doing everything I can to get both Hedman and JT, I will not stop until this is done”
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Mikey says:
CB, thanks for a great read, and thanks for trying to give equal time for both prospects. Please keep it coming. Islander fans need to be mentally prepared for a JT or VH selection. Both are terrific prospects, and we should be happy with whomever the scouting staff decides is the right fit. I just want to make a point regarding Mark Streit – He is turning 32 in December and will not be around when Kyle and Josh start hitting their prime. His presence on the team does not obviate our need for a no. 1 defenseman in the system. After Streit’s work with Bruno this year, I can only imagine the effect he would have on Hedman.
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C.J. says:
I don’t know what it is that leads me to say this, but I just have a gut feeling that the Isles would be better served drafting Hedman.
I’ve never seen him nor Tavares play, but if you simply go off the way each are described, Hedman sounds 1. like a more sure-bet 2. has weaknesses that are more easily remedied
The biggest knock on Hedman is that he’s not overly physical. Players can learn to develop that competitive mean-streak. Worst case scenario, he doesn’t need to and achieves the same results via speed, positioning, and poise (ask Nik Lidstrom).
Tavares’ biggest issue appears to be his skating. That’s a major issue in the new NHL that is all about speed. Ask Trent Hunter or Mark Parrish how they’ve been able to improve that facet of the game. Everything I hear is that Tavares is noticeably slow. You can be a magician all you want w/the puck, but in the NHL, lack of speed for a forward typically makes a player one-dimensional. Whether it be a grinder along the boards, a fighter, or a PP specialist (take a peek where the majority of Tavares’ points come from… it’s not 5 on 5 and it speaks volumes).
We need a player w/unlimited upside. That’s a franchise player and that’s why I advocate Hedman as the pick.
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Melvin says:
CB – I’m a daily reader and your stuff has been great.
I had a crazy thought. What if Snow offered TB a “Ditka-Williams” type package for the #2. Just give Tampa every other pick the Isles have for their #2. The Isles get #1 and #2 and Tampa get’s a boatload of high and mid-round picks in a pretty deep draft. Too crazy?
Yeah, maybe too crazy. But Snow should at least ask, right?
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JP39, my main issue w/your post is that GMG shouldn’t be drafting based on NOW. Streit will be long gone when Hedman and/or Tavares truly emerge and hit their peek. You don’t pass on a franchise Dman because you have a 32 year old all star on your team. If Streit was 23, your argument holds water. Beyond Streit, this organization has no true D prospects.
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Well said CJ.
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people, stop it with this toronto trading up talk, it’s not going to happen, not only are they not trading luke, but they are likely targeting his brother in the draft (the man did trade up to get both sedins)
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I flip flop everyday. But it seems like Hedman has unlimited potential and at least the Islanders have KO and Bailey up front. On our back line is no one that is young and promising. If you look at his attributes and if you have seen him play Hedman jumps out at you. Its the right pick to make
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RichM says:
At least the Isles have a good problem for once. Deciding on Taveras or Hedman. Thing about Hedman is that he could play 25 minutes a night and dominate like a Pronger or Lidstrom type. Tough call.
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Man is this organization going to have a tough time picking between these guys. Its like having a bunch of your favorite ice cream flavors right in front of you when youre really, really hungry.
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I prefer Tavares, but I just hope we pick the guy that ends up having the better career.
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Ive said it before and Ill say it again. When your leading scorer is Streit, you draft the kid who broke Gretzky’s junior goal scoring record.
I have no doubt that Hedman will be a stud D-man. And if the Islanders werent so anemic on the goal scoring front it might be a different story. But we need someone who can put the puck in the net on a regular basis.
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lefty says:
Devon posted ;
To Tampa:
Witt, Bailey, and our next three first rounders
To NYI:
HedmanHow about we just keep Witt, Bailey and our next 3 first rounders and pick Hedman?
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todd says:
I don’t think there is any doubt that we have to take Hedman and then try to get another center in the draft. If we could possibly get Tavares and Hedman, GARTH FOR PRESIDENT
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I can see us taking Tavares with the 1 because there is a solid amount of 2nd tier defencemen we can get in the late first early second. Guys like Runblad, de Haan, Erixon. All show promise, not like Hedman, but the drop in forwards I think is a lot bigger this year
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Isles19 says:
Watching the playoffs most of goals are scored around the net in the dirty areas. This is exactly where Taveras has excelled with his insticts and puck skills. It would be really tough to give up that type of talent.
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RobsIsles says:
Take Hedman. I also have flip-flopped back and forth. However my choice is Hedman and I’m sticking to it. This kid will bring size and skill to our defence. I understand that we need to put the puck in the net, given time Kyle, Bergy, Frans can all be legitimate scorers. Hedman will be a perfect fit in the system. I’m sure he would be glad to be an Islander.
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AZS says:
I really love reading about all of the great trade proposals and how we should try and get Tavares AND Hedman …all really smart well thought out ideas …
Maybe we could trade Jon Sim to Washington for Ovie while we’re at it …yeah, I like that …then we could have Tavares, Ovie, and Hedman!
Sorry …
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felix says:
one word TAVARES, all of this hype around Hedman and Duchene is not good. people are doubting picking Tavares, big mistake.
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Cisco says:
# 34, I hear what you are saying. But that offensive dynamic from the point that Hedman will provide will make it a helluva lot tougher to defend the forwards when he is on the ice.
# 36, well the drop off is what the scouts must take into account when deciding which way to go, i.e. Hedman and move up for another forward or Tavares and move up for a Dman.
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Healy says:
Just a little comment on the “he’ll eat up more minutes” argument. Does that truly mean he will be of higher value? On average there are half as many defensemen dressed as forwards, of course defensemen play more minutes. I don’t really care if Hedmen plays 60 minutes a game. You need to score goals to win. Granted Hedmen seems to be able to do that and I don’t really think the Isles can go wrong with either one.
TOI just doesn’t seem that important, better to pay attention to what they will do with that time.
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Yea i’m switching to Tavares again
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Felix, # 40 – WHY is it a big mistake? Explain that to us. Tavares isn’t Mario or Ovechkin, doesn’t possess the all around game that those guys do. You make is as if Hedman is Scott Scisssons.
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Gloobenberg says:
I still think it’s easier to sign a FA D-Man than sign a guy that scores 40-50 goals a season.
I really do think that Snow and Co’s plan is to take Tavares and move up to grab one of the big D prospects.
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Scott D. says:
I believe strongly that Tavares will be the pick and he’s the guy I have wanted all along. But just to play devil’s advocate for a second, if you’re watch the playoffs, you’ll notice that the dominant D-Men seem to be impacting the game in so many ways, whereas with the top offensive player seems to be more hit and miss. Even the best ones in the world can be zeroed in on and shut down. Guys like Pronger and Chara, there’s no way to game plan against them. You just have to deal with them, like it or not. And if they are out there imposing their will, there’s not much you can do about it. It’s much tougher for a forward to have the effect. The caveat being that we’re talking about a playoff series. You can’t get to the playoffs if you can’t score goals during the long regular season.
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Cisco (#44)
You have mentioned Scott “He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named” Scissons. Shame.
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Scott Scissons? Now this has all gone downhill. I guess if they take Hedman they can continue the call up of the 30 forwards they have at Bridgeport, all of whom have some talent but none of whom can score like JT.
Scenario 1:
Hedman gets the puck, dishes to Hilbert, he misses the net! Hedman steals the puck, up to Tambs, loses the puck!Scenario 2:
Streit carries it over the blue line, drops for Okposo, Okposo to Weight, Weight to JT, JT back to Okposo, back to JT, he scores!That my friends, is what I want to see next season.
Dang, I should do some work.
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Madchef says:
I think either pick will be a slam dunk….lets not get cute and trade it. we can sign a free agent defenseman as there will be a few available or even better trade some later picks to move up which to me sounds like the best idea. I still think Tavares is the answer even as bada@# as Hedman sounds and will probably be. The problem is we still need so much to turn the corner. With that being said I would rather lose more games next year 5-4 than 1-0
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Spartiarti - RVC says:
Here is the problem i have with Hedman. All the talk about is how gifted he is yet he doesnt even stand out in Swedish League. He has 7 goals and 14 assists? Now i dont expect him to have a ton of goals as dman but if he has blistering shot, great skater and good puck vision shouldnt there be bunch of assists there.
Tavares might be playing in juniors but he dominating. If im a betting man, John tavares wll score plenty of goals in NHL as well.
Gretzky said it this year in newspapers. You can teach someone how to get better in others aspects in game, you can’t teach someone how to be a goal scorer. thats comes naturally.
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I wouldn’t worry too much about Tavares’ skating. Luc Robitaille wasn’t the fleetest of foot and he was one of the greatest goal scorers (and one of my all-time favorites) of all time. Some players just have a nose for the nest and a quick release with their shot that they can compensate for their skating deficiencies.
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art says:
A Tavares pik is best for several reasons First nobody can guess the future either guy will be great but we know this now the better choice is Tavares because he’s the poster boy of North American hockey. The spot light in all the media electronic; print and personal appearance wise favors Tavares this is particularly important in the NY area media because it could be helpful in keeping the ISLES here. I and many others wouldn’t care who is playing on our team in the future if we lose the franchise. A young exciting winning team will fill empty seats and give Wang a little financial breathing time beyond this fall’s so called deadline. Look for an unofficial extension of the so called Dropdead OCT. deadline.
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(49) The problem with that assessment is that the Swedish League is head-and-shoulders better than the junior league. Tavares is playing against kids while Hedman is playing against men.
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sincityhockeyfan says:
whats the deal with all the “sexy” pick talk…. i dont want the islanders to make a sexy pick unless we’re talking ice girls.. the islanders dont need a sexy pick. they need to draft the best player available, regardless of position of the player… lets face it the islanders have holes to fill everywhere.
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I think it’s ridiculous to suggest that Hedman’s stats imply he didn’t stand out in the Swedish league. 21 points in 43 games for a 17-18 year old defenseman is incredible for that league. For comparison, Lidstrom had 16 points in 39 games the year AFTER he was drafted. 2 years later, he had a 60 point campaign in his rookie year. 30 goal scorer Anze Kopitar had 20 points in 47 games the year AFTER he was drafted. And he’s a center! I’m not saying that these stats mean that Hedman will be successful in the NHL, but you can’t compare his stats playing against men to JT’s stats against boys. You need to look at it in the proper context.
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If the Islanders do not draft Tavares the draft party is gonna burn down the coliseum. You do not pass up the opportunity to draft this kid, not for Hedman, draft picks or Duschene. Tavares is exactly what this team needs. We need the scoring, the buzz, the next great goal scorer in an Islander Jersey.
Hedman is a nice pick and I use to lean towards him, but I am firmly in the Tavares camp. He has stated that he wants the Islanders to draft him number one. Snow will do just that.
Unless someone totally blows us away with a ridiculous offer, which isnt likely.
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I guess everyone is the Swedish league is great so we should always draft a player from that league. In fact, with the immense talent of those men in Sweden, the NHL is almost obsolete.
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agreed post 52 look at gilroy’s stats as he is much older than his other college players….hedman’s stats in swedish league are great for his age and playing against men.
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49- The OHL is a much more of a high scoring league than the SEL. BTW Hedmans numbers were very similar to Kings center Anze Kopitar in his final year before coming to the NHL so take that into consideration
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I respect peoples opinions and the right to have one… but i dont understand the logic on some of the posts. Some people here have strong opinions on who to draft without ever seeing any of the top 5 names ever play a single second. and only base their opinions on descriptions read by writers. isnt that the same thing having an opinion on how good or bad a movie is by reading a critics review and having never seen the movie yourself. I be really interested in hearing the logic or rational behind this. anyone care to elaborate or expand on this?
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Steve says:
Victor sounds like he might be a good guy and a great player. Much like Bouwmeester, who we already know is both. Draft Tavares and sign Bouwmeester sounds like the answer. After all, there are no other free agent Tavareses out there!
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59 – I’ve watched both play at the World Juniors. Scouting reports are very accurate
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# 60 – Problem is Bouwmeester is not going to come here.
# 45 – Great observation, everyone needs to keep this in mind.
# 54 – Thank you for some much needed clarity on that fact.
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Just because you are a Man does not mean you are a great hockey player, they play in Sweden for a reason, they cannot play in the NHL. Many more of the players JT is playing against will be in the NHL, this topic makes no sense to me.
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@49, VH had to earn ice time in that league as well, he didnt just show up and have #1/2 defensive ice time…
that being said, i still want tavares, but it’s only b/c i like guys with high #’s on their jerseys
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StevieL says:
I really think the Isles past draft history, will make it very difficult for them to pass on Tavares. Tavares is the safer pick, he is the concensus peoples choice, he is a media star. he will score goals and start immediately. If they pass on him and draft Hedman, Hedman has to be a star! Not just a good player, a great player, because he will be compared to Tavares forever. Isle fans have a boatload of “what if” players, Luongo, Heatley, Parise etc. and management knows it! We can’t afford to add Tavares to that list. Also for those who say Hedman will play lots of minutes, How much ice do you think Tavares will see as a first liner and on the PP. If he penalty kills, he see’s almost the same or more amt. of ice time.I think Wang sitting in London the other night told you which way they are leaning! Tavares!
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Chickendirt says:
I said it earlier and I’ll say it again. Guys like Streit and McCabe were late round picks. They weren’t taken at the top of their drafts.
The Isles NEED Tavares AND Hedman.
Thing is you can get a good Defensemen in the 2nd round and beyond. You’re not going to get a Tavares.
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Isles4cups says:
Matt(8) Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I am so tired of hearing people say the Islanders should sign the Sedin twins. Have you seen these guys play? They are not that special, and I think in the Eastern Conference they would get beat up physically.
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Strummer's Army says:
#13 I hope you are joking.
I’m fine with who ever the Isles scouts feel is the best player.
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OHL vs Swedish Elite, I understand, But Tavares is dominating Juniors, Hedman i can tell you probably isnt best Dman in Swedish elite.
Lidstrom was drafted in 3rd round of the 1989 draft. He stayed 2 more years in Swedish elite before he hit NHL. You cant compare.
Patrick Kane, Sam Gagner, Stamkos, Doughty, Bogosian, Eric Staal, Rick nash all played in OHL. they tranlated nicely to NHL. Tavares is more exciting than all those guys.
Good example is 2002 draft. You have #1 pick. Do you take Rick Nash or Jay Bouwmeester. Bouwmeester is big, gifted smooth skating DMAN. Rick Nash was high scoring OHL Player. Who would you pay more to see play?
My money is that Tavare makes a splash in year one. It would be different story if we had a 40G+ scorer on our team already.
for tampa its a no brainer. They have VinnyL, St Louis and Stamkos already. Who is there best Dman?
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Gutty says:
Funny that no one mentions this – imagine we did the right thing last year and drafted Schenn or even Filitov – now how easy would this draft be if we did the right thing last year- Schenn on D and Tavares up front. Not one mention of this anywhere. I actually think Snow is doing a decent job and Bailey is a decent player – maybe a 15 goal peak with 40 – 50 assists but boy would we all be chomping this year. Filitov coming up this year with Hedman. Now you are talking building something. Should have could have but still something worth discussing about last years draft impacting this years.
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Joey says:
To # 63, i have no idea what you are talking about, can you elaborate? If your inference is that it’s no big deal to play against men as an 18 year old, you are way off base. IF you are inferring that Tavares is a better pick simply because more kids come into the NHL from the juniors in Canada, that’s even more silly. Please clarify what you mean, your logic doesn’t wash.
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I am not sure we will all make it to June. My head is spinning already from this debate – I guess at the end of the day we are getting a great player but we wont sign a sniper – we know the difficulty in that already – we have a shot at signing some D men though so thats the way to go – Tavares over Hedman simply because we need goals more than anything. We also have to remember – love him or not Ricky is back next year and hopefully healthy. He makes a difference in the way the team plays – he can move the puck quickly out of the zone- he stops the dump and chase and doesnt allow teams to get in and start the cycle – he does change the dynamic of the game. If he could only stay healthy. Ahhhhhhh
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Gutty, the question mark in goal is even MORE reason to look for Hedman over Tavares.
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Gutty (70)…Snow did do the right thing. Last year’s talent was good, but not nearly as good as this years. By drafting Bailey, he lined up a long-term, second-line center who will provide balanced scoring and great playmaking. As for this year, drafting a true number one center with the first overall pick would truly line the Islanders up very nicely down the middle for a long time (Tavares, Bailey, Nielsen). You need a balanced team all around, and Snow is doing just that!
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Oliver says:
I, like many of fellow Islander Fans, have not had the opportunity to watch either Hedman or Tavares play a complete game and can only base my opinion on a combination of scouting reports and youtube videos that are cut to ‘show’ the best side of both of these apparently tremendous talents. That being said I would love to see Garth package either a (defensive?)prospect/player or two (not Bailey – he is a keeper) with our second first round pick and some later pick(s) so that we can trade for Tampa’s 2nd overall pick and just draft both of them. As for the slow skating speed that apparently is the newest knock on Tavares there is the possibility that a workout technique used to prepare NFL wideouts for their ‘Pro-Day’ workouts may help his footspeed and that of some of our other below average skating D-Men (Witt and Sutton). They use a specially modified shoe that forces these football prospects to run on the balls of their feet in order to develop more fast twitch muscle and thereby improve their running speed. I don’t know that it will help with skating speed and I don’t think that anyone else does either – be it pro or con. I just think that it may be an option worth considering.
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Of the top 20 dman in NHL points this year only 4 were drafted in 1st round
They are Scott Niedermeyer, Chris Pronger, Dion Phaneuf and Ryan Sutter. Niedermeyer is only guy in top10. The majority of top dman playing right now was drafted in 2nd or 3rd round.Don’t forget, Isles have late round #1 and three – 2nd rounders to find a least one if not 2 promising dman. If we can’t then we really don’t have good scouts.
In the meantime, You can watch Tavares score 40-50 goals but not be a Franchise players (that was joke from redline report for those that did not get it)
Tavares isles jerseys will not be just bought by Isles fans. Look how many lil kids wear Crosby jerseys. Tavares is as good a franchise players as you can get.
Justin put it the best. We have 3 studs potential in center ice. DRAFT TAVARES. find a dman with other picks
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Eyes to Sky says:
Would hate to see Josh Bailey dealt in any scenario.After watching Niklas Backstrom,of the Caps,last game I’m hoping that he’s the type of player Josh might become.What a tremendous assist on Poti’s goal.
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Chris M says:
I agree with 77. If the Islanders were stacked with scorers then I say go for it. But its much easier to find a D-Man with all-star potential with our late 1st round pick or early 2nds. The chances of there being a 1st line center is a lot slimmer, not impossible, but slimmer.
The pick needs to be Tavares or, if theyre not that high on Tavares for whatever reason, gulp, trade down and get one of the other top 5 fowards
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Will OC says:
Pronger was drafted in the top 10 (2nd overall)…where were Datsyuk and Zetterberg drafted? they’re pretty high in points right… Its a crap shoot and to say that their will be more Dmen later in the draft is not accurate because no one knows at this point
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and why is every one ruling out Okposo to be our “Sniper” for years to come. 40 points in his first full season and he didn’t play the whole time. He could be our 40-50 guy and Streit/Hedman can be our Lidstrom/Rafalski
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isles72 says:
theres a youtube video of Hedman that I watch every day and when I’m done watching it 3 times in a row I say to myself , John who ?
really dont think we can go wrong with either guy folks .
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Valentino says:
The Isles need TAVARES. Interestingly, TAVARES needs the Isles just as much. He has something to prove. Mark my words.
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Okposo is a stud and will be a 35 – 50 goal scorer in 2 – 3 years. We need another legit sniper and have playmakers in Neilsen and Bailey. Add Tavares to the mix and draft/sign another big bodied D man to go along with Streit. I like Witt and Sutton but you cant rely on Sutton with his injury status. Ditto on MArtinek. We have a few young D men in the farm that may pan out. I think we take Tavares and focus the other first and second rounders all towards D and a goalie unless a forward falls to us that we feel we have to take.
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81, K.O. will never score 40-50 without a stud centering his line…hmm…wonder who in the draft they could pick up to fill that role?
(disclaimer- i love KO, his effort and ability to be a devil-killer so early in his career have convinced me he was not a reach at #7 (even tho central scouting didnt even have him in the top 10 in N.A. skaters that year) -
Peter says:
Tavares in my opinion would be the right pick for the islanders now. Right now we are desperate for goals and a franchise who is on the brink of being moved. We need an immediate impact player that can spark some excitement back into Islanders and help the islanders stay on the island. In regards to Tavares’ weakness is that he is bad skater or bad defensively, that stuff can be tought to people. Putting up 40-50 goals a year can’t be taught.
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coral springs isle fan says:
Hedman sounds great, any player compared to Chris Pronger is intriguing. However, the need for the Isles is a true goal scorer. IMO you have to take Tavares and look to draft a D-man later in the 1st round. This is why it is great that Garth has 5 picks in the first two rounds. He has the ability to fill some other holes with quality players. I know in a perfect world the Isles would be able to get the sniper and the top two D-man but when you build a team you have to realize it does not happen overnight. Go with the most glaring need and that is the true goal scoring sniper that can put the puck in the net. Get another good d-man later in the first or middle of the first (if you can move up) and develop him in your system. I don’t think the Islanders are in position to sit at their draft table and take into consideration July 1st free agent season. We’re just not a big player. Our Free agency season is like always drafting in the later rounds, you hope you get that diamond in the rough (Streit).
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How is Tavares going to prevent this team from moving? Do you think Kate Murray/Joe Mondello actually know anything about him or care about the Islanders? The reason the Isles might be gone is due to the shenanigans of brain dead politicians, not fan interest. Last time I checked, Joe Sakic and Peter Forseberg did not prevent the Nordiques from moving. Selanne scored 76 goals his rookie season with the Jets; a few seasons letter they were gone.
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On Edge says:
Hedman is a beast and I would love to see him on the Island…but…I still think you have to go with Tavares. I would totally go crazy if they draft JT and sign Bowmeister from Florida. That would just make me
like a lunatic. One can dream and fantasize right? -
To all that are pro Hedman. Lets say they draft Hedman. Tavares goes on to score 30 goals where ever he is which is highly prabable. Who the hell is gonna score besides KO? I can just see it now, last again in scoring.
And JT becoming a star, and the Islanders going to KC or where ever. I understand the concept of building from the goal out. But we need an immediate turn around in the right direction. We dont have the luxury of anyone basically that can put the puck in the net on a consistant basis besides KO and thats a maybe.
Streit was in the top of the league in defenseman. We didnt draft him. As unique as Hedmen may be, a top line center is much harder to come by. Not to mention ones that break Gretzky’s scoring records in juniors. Tavares will score prolifically. He has been all the rage since they made the exception to let him play early in juniors. At every level he has succeeded. There is no reason to think he wont in the NHL.
All this Hedmen nonsense is ridiculous
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i just want to point out to people about JT not playing on the penalty kill, he led the ohl in shorties with 6, 1 ahead of london teammate naz kadri (who led in overall shorty points with 5-5=10)
on the down side, JT was 1 out of 7 in Shootout attempts – and we were pretty bad in those
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#77 – Mike Green was a first-rounder (albeit 29th overall) and led all NHL defensemen in points this season: 73 in 68 games. That’s five of the 20, which isn’t unreasonable.
BTW, the absolute worst-scoring center in the whole NHL this season, minimum 40 games? According to hockeyreference.com it’s our own Nate Thompson, four points in 43 games. (Closely followed by rookies Brandon Sutter, 6 in 50, and Colton Gillies, 7 in 45. Of course both those kids are still only 19 years old.)
OK, so that looks like a point for Hedman and then a point for Tavares… Gonna be a long two months.
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“gonna be a long two months.” — you said it nightfly, just wait til the combine in 4-5 weeks, it’s going to get even crazier, they wont be doing anything on skates either, but it will create a whole new wave of love/hate for this debate
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72, my point is, nobody knows what Hedman would do with the London Knights or what JT would do in Sweden. Let’s put down JT because he is not playing with men, it really makes me laugh. JT must be skating around with a bunch of pee wees.
Two months more of this and the Hedman and Tavares camps will look like the Leafs vs Isles camps.
Wait til CD’s Duchene article comes out!
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Tony says:
I don’t want a 6’4 d-man who is a wuss. He might be willing to hit, but he has no mean streak. For a d-man in today’s NHL, that’s a BAAAAAADDDDDDD trait to have.
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Eric Cup says:
Sounds like Hedman is the real deal –
TAVARES!!!!!!!
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Jimmy Mac says:
Have to stick with Tavarses. He is the #1 player in the draft.
I don’t care if people say he can’t skate, or play defence.
Neither could Brett Hull…
Just score goals… put him on the wing and let him play hockey.
The rest will come later.
Yes Hedman will be great… I want Tavarses.
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pete debenedetto says:
food for thought…..
Komesarik might be considering a move out of Montreal with a loss tonight……hard to be an american kid when the hometown is booing your anthem….
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
Ya know … I was wondering after CB wrote that piece about DiBo’s opinion of Tavares if we had anyone that could tell us about Hedman … I totally forgot about Figren. Figgy … thanks for the insight … I think we can conclude that both Tavares and Hedman would fit the Islanders and improve them.
I was reading some stuff about both JT and VH and seeing how they picked their game apart … critiquing about JT’s skating, and Hedman’s softness … trying to put a tarnish on both prospects … then mentioning … that at only 18 years old those little things can be worked on … LOL … then what’s the problem? Both players will be welcome … even if we collectively prefer Tavares.
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I think we have to be prepared for Snow to do the unconventional at the draft. I for one will not act like I just ate sour grapes if Snow picks Hedman … even though I prefer Tavares … I think it’s a hockey decision and Tavares IMO wins by half a step over Hedman. I just feel it’s easier to acquire star defenseman UFA’s with a good offense than it is to acquire star forward UFA’s with a good defense … the Isles are exhibit A. We’ve had good defense before and couldn’t attract FA forwards.
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What IF??? Snow does decide to trade down? What if he and the scouting staff feels Matt Duchene is the best fit for the team & with more upside? … and in the process of trading down gets a good young defenseman or forward prospect?
I don’t think we should tear the NVMC apart … I couldn’t be surprised if he did that … Especially if Matt is projected to be a top career forward … and Tavares’ ranking has partly been b/c of expectations … I’d like to see a profile about Duchene … I challenge the other players to change my opinion of JT.
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Jeff says:
Tampa Bay is set up front and needs D. Isles should let it be known that they might pick Hedman first, setting up a swap of #1 and #2 with Tampa, with Tampa throwing in one of their top three forwards. It would benefit both teams.
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UIF says:
I’ll be sort of ticked if we don’t take Tavares, personally. Fine, that’s probably irrational, and I’m sure Hedmen is great, but I’m sick of seeing “hard workers” and never seeing goals. I forgot what it looked like to see actual pure goal scorers scoring goals until I got Center Ice last year and watched other teams’ players doing it. It’s exciting when a player gets the puck and you’re actually expecting to see him do something besides float it to the net, shoot wide, or dump it in the corner. Yashin? Yeah, sometimes, I guess, but really, I haven’t seen it here consistently since Palffy…and I hardly even remember that anymore. KO’s a nice start, but please, give us Tavares.
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randy boyd says:
Ok, first of all, i don’t pretend to know which is the “right” pick, Tavares or Hedman. The only “wrong” pick, in my mind, is trading down and getting neither.
To those who knock tavares because most of his ridiculous amount of goals are supposedly on the pp and from in close, give me a break. Is it unusual for an elite offensive player to excel with the man advantage? isn’t that kind of what you expect? If he scores from close in, that means he goes to the net and has an ability to be where the puck is. those are two fantastic attributes for a forward, one which can be taught and the other which can’t. There is a guy named parise who skates in jersey who has both of those attributes and 45 goals this year. i understand the braintrust passed on him because of concern about his “skating”. We’re not going to make that mistake again, are we?
finally, with all due repect to each of them, to suggest Okposo (who i absolutely love as a player), bergenheim, bailey and/or Frans neilson have anything close to the expected potential of tavares is drinking a little too much of the KoolAid.
Please, Lord, let them get this one right.
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Isles-9-19-22 says:
I think your crazy if don’t go for the guy who puts the bicuit in the basket.
That said… This draft depends (like all drafts) on scouting and taking advatage of desperation. Take JT with the number one then let then let Garth weigh the plusses and minuses of 3 more picks or trading up.
For all of Burkes talk he needs bodies, so does Colorado. Tell me that they would not listen to trading down. If we can’t increase the return on investment then we keep 4 picks in the top 37 and Jankowski’s boys do their magic.
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Ugly Roe From Massapequa says:
I’ll take Hedman. Size does matter.
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Dadi says:
Mr.Chris…thank You!
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107 – I never suggested bergenheim, bailey or nielsen were in tavares territory but Okposo could be…40 point rookie season while missing more than 15 games…Okposo, had he played a full season, would have been around 20+ goals and around 50 points in his rookie season. I’m not sure why people would be pessimistic of Okposo being a 40-50 goal scorer and a perennial all-star.
The most commoncomparison made of Okposo to another player is Iginla. It took Iginla 5-6 years to be an allstar caliber player, and had Okposo played a full season he would have put up almost identical numbers to Iginla’s rookie season.
Oh, and lets not forget Okposo did this on the far and away worst team in the NHL.
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terry says:
I voted for tavares since the great free agent purge two years ago, but I can’t help but tihnk hedman might be the right pick. The league is all about skating now, and by all accounts he is a huge offensive minded shut down d-man who can skate like the wind. I don’t know if I’m buying into the second guessing of Tavares, or I’m still afraid of all the first round bust defensemen we drafted under Milbury, who only used a tape measure to pick players. Have to convince ourselves we’ll get the right player, no matter what. Having Streit locked up, I’ll say we need Tavares more.
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eric says:
just a thought, pick hedman andpick up mike cammalleri this summer.
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or pick tavares and pick up rob scuderi.
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Bill says:
We have an oft-injured, inconsistent, and untradeable goalie, an oft-injured defensive corps, and the highest GA in the NHL. We need to build a solid D, starting with Victor Hedman. We should also sign Mattias Ohlund and Johnny Oduya in free agency.
Hedman and Ohlund will add to the offense as well as making the D stronger. We can either trade up in the draft for another forward or sign one in free agency.
Wouldnt be shocked if the Isles drafted him… With his size and skating, he might not be the sexy pick, but he could be the right one.