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I agree with this statement. Naslund probably had more pure offensive talent.

Although I recall in Koivu's second season he was leading the league in points after the first 22 games or so. Then he suffered a devastating meniscal tear( without going into medical details, I read it was in an area of the meniscus which is the worst in terms of recovery).

I imagine that slowed him down so....he may well have been just as tatented offensively originally.

Makes me admire his commitment and contributions all the more.

Just stop - honestly!

Does he, by chance, have a dog named Snoopy and a sister named Sally???

...because Saku Koivu sticks out badly on that list - like a late signaling left turning car in rush hour traffic!

Could've/would've/should've = didn't/doesn't/won't

P.S. Mats Natslund (as this thread has touched on previously) is wayyy beyond Saku Koivu in almost every measure of a player. Try another comparable!

I'll try one....Mats Naslund.

Mats Naslund was a quick, skilled, gutsy little player. But he played in the era of no-defense hockey. I actually think his points total makes him look better than he was. When things began tightening up in the late 80s, early 90s you started to see Naslund cross the blue line, curl, and look for the pass. He never figured out a way past the massed defenses that started appearing around that time. I'd say he totally stopped being a high-impact player soon after the 86 cup.

I say this is as a big Naslund fan. I felt the same way about him as I do about Saku Koivu, who hasn't been a high-impact offensive player for most of his career but has usually found a way to contribute through sheer drive. If the Habs had more skilled guys who drove to the net like Saku does, but with some size and power, we'd be something to watch. Even Ando would probably concede this.

His stats have him just as productive in the following two seasons and playing solid in the playoffs. His last year of which he missed 10 games to injury, he had 41 points which was halve the production from the prior year. He then retired from the NHL probably realizing the wear and tear was too much. Kudos to him because he could of lingered around a few more years.

As And-o has said before...Saku Koivu and Mats Naslund are NOTHING alike!

Agreed. Mats was shorter and stockier. He was shifty and strong and low to the ground; hard to knock off the puck. But as plouf points out, he played in an era where an 8-7 score was an everyday occurence and a 3.00 GAA was close to Vezina material, so that has to be taken into context. But even up, and having seen both their entire careers, I'd take Mats over Saku.

Three more comparables -

1. They both had a mean streak - I remember Mats elbowing Kenny the Rat Linesman right in the face!!
2. ... and they both had the grudging respect of European hockey's biggest critic - Don Cherry.
3. In the early 80s Mats was routinely pilloried on GoHabs.com by two posters - "AB-o" and a poster called "And Habman"

I forgot about the fact that Cherry liked Mats. In those days that was a serious accomplishment for a small Swedish player.

Saku was always Cherry's kind of player too, right from the start, pretty much because he played hard and on the edge, with no regard for his own health.

What really surprised me was how much Don Cherry liked Robert Lang. Lang always seemed like kind of a softy for Don's taste, but Lang is one of the good guys in the league, who loves to play the game. Don definitely appreciates those guys as well as the muckers.

Guys Don routinely disses in our lineup:
Kovalev - I think he hates Kovy
Andrei Kostitsyn and Tomas Plekanec....maybe he doesn't hate these guys, but he was sure quick to give them no benefit of the doubt on those slew-foots (which in Andrei's case is definitely fair enough).

Don also seems to be a big fan of Price.

He likes Komisarek alot too. I think he only likes Lang because he doesn't wear a visor .

A more important stat, because it deals with the here and now:

Saku Koivu leads all Habs in even-strength points, despite having missed 17 games to injury.

Koivu has been largely ineffective on the 2nd pp unit (lately he's done well on the first unit), but he has been good at even-strength.

And to update..the O'Byrne points tracker stands at 4.

His games-played tracker also seems stalled...........

Don Cherry liked Mats Naslund? I think you guys need to go consult your Rock Em Sock Em's volume 1-2 to double check that statement.

Here is a small clip of what Don Cherry thinks of Mats Naslund.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsIW9Mg9ZWo

Good one Nilan , but don't you think they're right?...I have (vague) memories of Cherry saying good things about Naslund at some point. Maybe I'm confusing him with Saku.