I think that Edler is better now and will be better then Staal in the future. Edler, IMO, is better offensive and defensively. I would compare Edler to Lidstrom (not saying he will ever reach his level)
Edler has looked amazing. Its hard to believe any dman around his age, is better then him. Surprisingly amazing. Staal is probably not better then him.
The Bourdon and Staal comparison's always favoured Staal, but Edler is just above these guys right now.
I knew about the hype, but when i got to see this kid play i was amazed, his calmness on D, his hockey sense, positioning, and ability to carry the puck really are great assets for a kid that age.
Out of all the Canucks D-men i have seen play this season, Edler has by far been the best, there is no doubt that this kid will become a norris canidate. He is playing better than Ohlund...
When i read the hype about Edler maybe being the next Lidstrom, i admit, i laughed at the person who told me that, but when i got to see this kid play with that skill and hockey sense at this age, his future is definately bright.
Edler is seriously underrated here, but Staal is an extremely gifted defensive defenseman. Montreal would probably benefit more from having Staal than Edler but both are outstanding prospects in their own right.
I'm not sure if I'd go as far as DayQuil, but yes I do see that top pairing D-man potential, and he's already looking like he is an NHL regular. Really I think it'd be an absolute joke to see him sent down as he usually outplays even guys like Ohlund and Bieksa (pre-injury).
Just goes to show how available the Canucks should make one of their regular D to make room for him now. He deserves to be in the NHL every game here on I'd say.
Playing on the Top shutdown pairing with Mitchell while Bieksa is out, and not missing a beat playing against the Sakic/Hemsky/Iginla/Gaborik lines. Playing on the top PP unit as well in the past 2 games since Ohlund is suspended, and has 3 points in 2 games to show for it. Doesn't exhibit the same tentativeness that Staal still has occasionally, though Staal probably plays one-on-ones better than Edler does right now, and Staal is more physical, but recently Edler has been catching up (4 hits last game, laid out a few guys here and there in the past few weeks).
Overall, Edler has amazing calmness on D, with crisp outlet passes and great positioning and stickwork in his own zone, and making good decisions as the PP QB right now. I'd take him over Staal right now, especially given his amazingly steep development curve:
Draft Year: 3rd tier Swedish men's league [worse than ECHL] --> Modo Juniors
18/19 years old: WHL - at the beginning of the year, the Canucks scouts thought he probably won't make it in the WHL. He did, posting 53 pts in 62 games for the Kelowna Rockets in his rookie year.
19/20 years old: AHL/NHL - at the beginning of the year, the Canucks staff thought that he might not make it in the AHL, but sent him there anyways. Dominated, and came back up to the Canucks for some call-ups and the playoffs.
Now he's 21 years old, and he's pretty much a top-4 in this lineup. His transition was completed in THREE years, starting from a near-beer league draft year.
In 5 years? 10 years? Who knows who's going to be better.
That might be pushing it. Kane, Toews are definitely ahead. Also, Erik Johnson seems to be doing quite well down in St. Louis, as well as Tobias Enstrom.
That might be pushing it. Kane, Toews are definitely ahead. Also, Erik Johnson seems to be doing quite well down in St. Louis, as well as Tobias Enstrom.
If he keeps playing 20 minutes a night and produces about 40 points, which is about what he's on track for, i don't see why he wouldn't at least get a nomination. Defencemen usually do get the short end of the stick when it comes to the Calder tho.
That might be pushing it. Kane, Toews are definitely ahead. Also, Erik Johnson seems to be doing quite well down in St. Louis, as well as Tobias Enstrom.
From the Minimal amount of NHL I get to see in this country (UK) i've only managed to see Marc Staal play, and boy he looks like a great player in the making, so if the majority on these boards thinks Edler is the better player...he must be something special
From the Minimal amount of NHL I get to see in this country (UK) i've only managed to see Marc Staal play, and boy he looks like a great player in the making, so if the majority on these boards thinks Edler is the better player...he must be something special
he is.
If you asked me last year, even as a canuck fan, I would have said Staal... got more potential overall, or at least I thought.
This year, is just another consecutive year where Edler's progression has been out of the ordinary... he was a good player last year, and made a mark as a rookie (technically a rookie this year as he only played 22 games last year)... this year, he's looking like a vet out there.
What's also rare is so see a player his age and experience adjust to such a big role, so quickly, and to do it out of his natural side.
I criticized the canucks coaching staff earlier in the year for putting him on the right side... and he struggled there in his first 2 games. He's a natural left side guy and has played there so far in his career... but after 2 games, he's adjusted very well on the right side as well, and that too playing on the canucks top shutdown unit!
I've been following hockey for about 30 years now, and I've never seen a dman with his lack of experience look so poised out there so quickly. This is not a highly touted 1st rounder that was destined for stardom when drafted - like guys like Staal, or Johnson... he was playing in what amounts to a beer league when those guys were top juniors representing their country in international tournaments, hyped to be future all-stars. But he's jumped in to the WHL and dominated... the next season jumped to the AHL and dominated... and so far his performance in the NHL - while not dominating - is certainly turning heads right now.
Last season the canucks brought in Bieksa, who was thought to be a decent #5-6 guy going into the year, and become a top pairing dman that can play every situation and was on the team's top shutdown unit as well... this year, Edler is having that breakout - which is basically overshadowing Krajicek's breakout season this year - who was probably the canucks best dman, until about 10 games ago, when Edler seems to have taken over that label.
He's a top 4 dman already. I never thought I'd say that a year ago! 2 years ago, I thought he had an outside chance of making the NHL... a year from now, he could be a top pairing dman - wouldn't surprise me anymore seeing his meteoric rise so far.
Haven't seen Edler this season so i'm not going to compare. But Staal has been great for us. Started the season off playing about 11 minutes a game, slowly went to 15 minutes, now he's averaging about 20 minutes and last game he played over 24 minutes. That should show you how much he is impressing the coaching staff.
All of us are Ranger fans are extremely impressed by him already, nobody really thought he would be this good and be so poised so early on in his NHL career.
Always a great story when a less heralded prospect comes good. Great to hear he is having a killer season, NHL has got some fantastic young D men this year, JJ, EJ, Edler, Staal, Letang, Vlasic...not to mention the "older" young D men - Phaeneuf, Whitney etc
Marc Staal has been nothing short of phenomenal for his age so far. Man, what a treat this guy is watching. I haven't watched Edler at all (and really, what Rangers fan has, and vice versa?), so it's hard to compare. But the way Staal is playing right now he's going to become an elite shutdown defenseman in no time.
By the way, I don't buy the fact that Staal doesn't have any offensive upside. If you watched him at all this year, you'd see he joins rushes, makes great plays, and has a very decent shot. He's not going to produce like Pronger does, but he'll be raking in the points soon as well I think.
Edler's a second year pro. Staal went STRAIGHT to the NHL from Juniors. Edler has played a total of 87 career pro games. That's a really big difference and of course if the guy is a very good prospect he should be looking better than Staal right now (who is still finding himself). This would've been a much better comparison LAST year if Staal was able to play in the NHL/AHL.
__________________
"Of course giving Sather cap space is like giving teenagers whiskey and car keys." - SBOB
"Is it bad that I just visualized Stevens and Cormier skating at each other full speed, saw Stevens run Cormier over and stand over him shouting "lead with the SHOULDER!" then I laughed out loud?" - Classic Devil
Canucks fans say Edler, Rangers fans say Staal..... Edler has come into the NHL under the radar, making him a more interesting story.
And really, can you believe either. I have a hard time buying the idea that ANY Canucks fan has even watched one Rangers game this year. Same can be said for us
It would be nice for someone who's watched both teams to contribute
I've been following hockey for about 30 years now, and I've never seen a dman with his lack of experience look so poised out there so quickly. This is not a highly touted 1st rounder that was destined for stardom when drafted - like guys like Staal, or Johnson...
I guess you never saw undrafted Dan Girardi play last year if you never saw a guy with less experience be so poised so quickly.
Marc Staal has been nothing short of phenomenal for his age so far. Man, what a treat this guy is watching. I haven't watched Edler at all (and really, what Rangers fan has, and vice versa?), so it's hard to compare. But the way Staal is playing right now he's going to become an elite shutdown defenseman in no time.
By the way, I don't buy the fact that Staal doesn't have any offensive upside. If you watched him at all this year, you'd see he joins rushes, makes great plays, and has a very decent shot. He's not going to produce like Pronger does, but he'll be raking in the points soon as well I think.
that's the difference at this stage I guess...
cause Edler has looked phenomenal so far period! forget "at this age" ... he's already on the team's top shutdown unit and top PP unit! IMO he's looked better than Ohlund has when they both started in the league - and we all know how good Ohlund turned out... but similar styles in that both are quality 2-way guys, that show tremendous poise overall, and maturity beyond their years (when Ohlund was young of course). Ohlund has cemented himself as this organization's best ever dman, and I really believe that Edler has the ability to get there as well, and soon! That's really been the most impressive thing about him - no growing pains like you see with most young players... he's stepped in and is a top 4 dman already, after 22 games of NHL experience last year, 2 yrs removed from the WHL, and 3 yrs removed from what is the equivalent of a beer league!
I've followed a few Rangers games this year, and I agree Staal has looked very good... I can definitely see him being a top pairing dman soon.
both teams have quality young dmen here, and both should be happy... I doubt either team would trade one for the other at this point.
And really, can you believe either. I have a hard time buying the idea that ANY Canucks fan has even watched one Rangers game this year. Same can be said for us
It would be nice for someone who's watched both teams to contribute
why do you have such a hard time buying that??
I live in Toronto, get center-ice... watch NHL hockey all the time and have seen every team play at least once this year already, if not multiple times...
it's not so hard to imagine... there are a lot of diehard hockey fans that live and breathe hockey... I'm one of them... probably the only thing I watch on TV these days.... makes it that much easier when the eastern games - like the Rangers - are usually my pre-game for the real game I'm waiting for which usually starts at 10pm local for me...
maybe it's different in the states, but I have a lot of friends here that watch a lot of hockey - and watch different teams as well. It's really not that uncommon around these parts.
It wont be long before Edler becomes terribly overrated...
I havent seen Edler, but Ive seen plenty of Staal, and he looks amazing...
you haven't seen him play at all, and yet you think he'll get "terribly overrated"???
maybe watch some canuck games and see this kid play before making such assumptions. as a hockey fan, I've watched the Rangers plenty of times over the years, and with the access to games these days - even watching games on the internet, it's easy to follow any team from anywhere.
I work on the road half the season basically, and don't miss a game... slingbox has worked great for me for this... can even dvr my games and follow all the teams I want to.
I guess you never saw undrafted Dan Girardi play last year if you never saw a guy with less experience be so poised so quickly.
I did see him last year... and he looked decent... but this guy also had several years in junior, including playing as an overager, and last year, I didn't notice him much - certainly not on the Rangers top shutdown unit, getting basically #5/6 minutes and sheltered role overall, not lining up against the opposition's top forwards at all.
hard to compare that "poise" to what you see in a 21 YO playing on the top shutdown unit and top PP unit?
