Quoting: Pensfan89
Just as good, if not better than ZAR? ZAR is one of the better defensive forwards in hockey, has more goals and has more points in less games. I don’t see how Nico Sturm has been better 🤷♂️
Quoting: Dan10900
I am a massive Sturm fan, but just no, he's a good 4C, ZAR is one of the best defensive forwards in the game tho (well forechecking forwards, but like the opposing team gets almost no chances when he's on the ice, so similar outcome)
Quoting: Dan10900
I said one of, not the best, ik JEE is an absolute stud, but this isn't about JEE, it's about Sturm and ZAR, the latter of which is closer to JEE than he is to most other players in the league defensively (he put up comparable numbers to what JEE is currently doing last year, and is still near the top in EVD GAR again)
You see, this is what cracks me up a bit inside. I had this
exact discussion with Pens fans last year when I had the
temerity to imply that JEE was better than ZAR and among the best young defensive centers in the league. Needless to say, I was shot down pretty quick because his points totals weren't as good and because ZAR got Selke votes and JEE didn't.
Selke votes are first and foremost a joke, to say the least. ZAR gets Selke votes because he plays for the high-profile Penguins, JEE didn't receive any because he plays for a flyover team as far as most fans and the casual media are concerned. JEE is getting them now, because he's broken out offensively this year and because of the absolute tear the team's been on of late. Having Kaprizov has forced others to actually look at the other players on our roster and seeing first hand that Wild fans aren't just blowing smoke whenever we talk about them. People have had to recognize just how good JEE actually is.
Here's the thing, I'm a fan of
both teams. I watch
both of them religiously. I've watched both players a great deal and like them both equally. ZAR is the better
defensive player, that is true. Sturm however is much much faster, and is dynamic offensively even if the points haven't come for him yet. But they will in time. Sturm is also extremely solid defensively in his own right, even if ZAR is better in that department.
The bottom line is they're different players with different strengths but enough similarities to justify comparisons of each other. In that regard, after having watched them both at length I can comfortably say that Sturm is just as good of a player as ZAR if not the better
overall player.