Frank Seravalli and Colby Cohen discussed some older NHL players who turned back the clock on the latest episode of "Daily Faceoff Live."
Frank Seravalli: There’s been some unreal performances this year from some of the vets in the league. Guys that, not to say you passed the game by, but certainly a reminder from them that they’re very much still here. When you look at Oliver Ekman-Larsson and his move from Vancouver to the Florida Panthers. Victor Hedman and the way he’s bounced back to Norris Trophy form. Sidney Crosby and the unbelievable campaign he’s had and hasn’t been talked about nearly enough for the Pittsburgh Penguins this year. Anze Kopitar as well.
Of those four guys, who do you like best this season and why?
Colby Cohen: I went with Oliver Ekman-Larsson. I want to just qualify the fact that I picked him because I still expect the level that we’re seeing out of the other players that you mentioned, whether it be Crosby, Hedman, or Kopitar. Those are still my expectations for those players. Now, Oliver Ekman-Larsson is a guy that, to be honest, I thought was over the hill. He’s on the back nine, he’s probably closer to 18 than he is nine and I just watched him play uninspired hockey the last couple of years. Whether it was in Vancouver or whether it was in Phoenix (Arizona) before that.
I look at the way he held down the blueline for the Panthers. You and I on this show both doubted the Panthers this year because we worried that by the time American Thanksgiving came, they’d be so far out of it because of their blueline. Without Montour and Ekblad and this guy played 20+ minutes a night, he stepped up, he is a career -125 playing plus hockey on a team that defends well but not great. He’s brought some of the other players along in Florida on the D-core and he’s putting up points.
He hasn’t had more than 30 points since 2018, well he’s on pace to do that. So to me, he stands out as a guy I did not expect to ever see this level again from the group that you mentioned. Not to say he’s been better than those guys but like I said, I personally expect that from those other players so I gave the nod to OEL.
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