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Would you trade Adam Larsson...


Beetlebum

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whats worrying me and I KNOW Lidstrom wasnt like that either. But i just can't see Larsson being super aggressive, quick, relentless and hustling hard, battling and skating/backchecking like a madman like Pietrangelo, Doughty, Subban, Letang, Parise or wtv player who's always battling and you see their "fire". Larsson seems so calm, relax and slow. I know it's a good thing to be poised and relax at such a young age but i simply can't picture Larsson catching up to a guy on the breakaway with a crazy backcheck or something like doughty could do. Maybe he can but i never saw anything that suggests that he has the speed for it. Just seems to me he'd try and endup gliding by the end trying to reach for the guy lol

i hope im wrong but thats the thing i don't like in Adam, he seems numb with no emotions all the time. Maybe it's just the haircut?

In all fairness, the only one player we have had in NJ that had the qualities you speak of above was Scott Niedermayer. The other two defensemen, hanging adjacent to his banner at the Rock were also pretty good too. But, I can't picture Stevens or Dano chasing a break-away of Matt Duchene with a tenacious backcheck.

Larsson has a different quality and we need to hone that.

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There have been worse trades in the history of the NHL but I wouldn't do it. I think Larsson is still developing into what he will become. Hopefully his plateau will be much higher. If his current history is an indication then he will still get much better, which means his value will climb. That's just my opinion, of course, but Larsson seems like a keeper. Of course there are very few truly untouchable players in the league. If someone threw a slew of 1st Rounders, established prospects, and really good players into the mix I would personally drive Larsson to the airport, but that isn't going to happen.

That said, with the way Clarkson is looking, I can't help but wonder if his value is creeping up enough to make him worth trading. Then again, why trade a forward when we need the help at forward? Just an idle thought.

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If Clarkson continues to have a knack for putting pucks in the net, even if it seems like some of it is by blind luck, I get the feeling he's here for the long haul. Starting to feel like he's one of those guys who is just destined to be here.

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976
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If Clarkson continues to have a knack for putting pucks in the net, even if it seems like some of it is by blind luck, I get the feeling he's here for the long haul. Starting to feel like he's one of those guy who is just destined to be here.

Clarkson loves being a Devil. And Lou loves keeping guys here who buy into that whole mentality. I think it would take a lot for Lou to part with him.

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I didn't think it was possible, but this thread got even more ridiculous overnight.

Yeah, man I sure wish that 19 year old showed more emotion! I wish he got himself out of position more often so we could see if he would make a desperation back check! How in the hell is it a bad thing that a 18 year old rookie shows composure and poise on the ice? Are you people kidding me? You NEVER see 18 year old defenseman in the NHL, let alone one as composed as Larsson was out there last year.

And to take another quote in this thread: "No natural skating ability whosoever". This might just be the stupidest thing I've read on here in a while. You don't go 4th overall with "no skating ability". He's not going to develop into Nieds, but how many freakin defenseman have? There's such a HUGE middle ground between a solid top pairing D-man and HOF Nieds in terms of skating ability. Just a stupid thing to try and justify.

Uh man some of you guys...congratulations, you've actually managed to rustle my jimmies. Thank God you naysayers aren't working for the Devils staff in any way, shape or form.

I agree with everything except what you said about composure. You say he showed poise as a rookie, but really I thought he was lost out there at points. Which is expected from an 19 year old playing overseas,I just hope some of those big hits he took and healthy scratches won't stunt his development in the long run. But also, I'm not saying that I wished he showed more emotion, I'm just saying that seeing Larsson last year and Henrique last year there was a big difference in terms of attitude of the two guys. Then again, whether Larsson turns into the next Niedermayer or a bust I doubt we'll be talking about any of this, just trying to be reasonable amongst all this jimmy rustling.

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I agree with everything except what you said about composure. You say he showed poise as a rookie, but really I thought he was lost out there at points. Which is expected from an 19 year old playing overseas,I just hope some of those big hits he took and healthy scratches won't stunt his development in the long run. But also, I'm not saying that I wished he showed more emotion, I'm just saying that seeing Larsson last year and Henrique last year there was a big difference in terms of attitude of the two guys. Then again, whether Larsson turns into the next Niedermayer or a bust I doubt we'll be talking about any of this, just trying to be reasonable amongst all this jimmy rustling.

Lidstrom showed zero emotion as a defenseman. Scott Stevens and Chris Pronger showed tons. You can do it even if you're as stoic as a statue. you can't tell their attitude just by looking at them. Maybe Larsson's a jerk and Henrique's the most beloved guy on earth off the ice I don't know but on the ice, the demeanors tell you exactly nothing except that they're two different people

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Clarkson loves being a Devil. And Lou loves keeping guys here who buy into that whole mentality. I think it would take a lot for Lou to part with him.

My only question surrounding Clarkie is, what is he going to be looking for on his next contract? I would think at least 5 years at around $4M-$4.5M/year....

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Lidstrom showed zero emotion as a defenseman. Scott Stevens and Chris Pronger showed tons. You can do it even if you're as stoic as a statue. you can't tell their attitude just by looking at them. Maybe Larsson's a jerk and Henrique's the most beloved guy on earth off the ice I don't know but on the ice, the demeanors tell you exactly nothing except that they're two different people

I don't know if you understood exactly what I meant, there were times last year that Larsson looked like he lost his best friend, like he was defeated before the puck was dropped. I guess what I really should have said was confidence because Henrique just always seemed ready to go with a spark in his stride while Larsson, not so much.

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I know this is a forum and forums are meant to promote open discussions and this thread is an example of one such discussion, but my goodness. I can't believe a thread talking about trading Larsson has gone seven pages. Are we that hard-up for topics?

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This thread is so full of stupid that Pierre fvcking McGuire would say you're over-projecting. Kid doesn't look like the next Niedermayer? Kid isn't cut from the same rock as Stevens? He won't be the next Lidström? THOSE ARE GENERATIONAL PLAYERS, HALL OF FAMERS, LEGENDS. And obviously those other picks from the same draft will turn into the next Lemieux...

Yeah, sometimes top 5 picks don't pan out. In fact, most of them don't pan out according to the Best Possible Player Projection Comparison (which is stupid anyways). Comparing him to other picks from the same draft, because of what they have accomplished is also downright criminal. None of them have played more than 85 games and (hopefully) have more than 10 seasons ahead of them in the league. The amount of "show me now!" in this thread is ridiculous - the kid stepped into the league at least a year ahead of 95% of all d-men and was just fine. What the hell else do you want? Put up 90 points and fondle you at the same time?

As for "you can't improve your skating" is a bunch of horsesh!t. Kid is barely 20 and has plenty of time to fill out his frame and adjust his body. Or maybe you're so naive that you think it's some random deity that grants a player with skills and he can't do anything to change? Ask Gary Roberts about that. If Larsson wants to, he can improve his skating, explosiveness and stride. Even if he doesn't, he's virtually a lock for being a top 4 defenseman with his vision and first pass.

/vent

Exactly. I got a buddy who's like 6'5". He's 21 and still has a pretty goofy gait when he WALKS. Give Larsson time, he'll get better. These lanky, tall guys always seem to take longer to get their stride down right. He'll become a better skater, count on it. We may not see tons of spin-o-ramas from him as he gets away from defenders a la Nieds or Paul Martin(in terms of skating prowess), but he can already beat guys with passes out of the d-zone, imagine what he'll be able to do once he reads the ice better. If he looks weak and slow at 25, we can call him less than expected, but before the kid can even get a couple full seasons in, gtfo.

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I know this is a forum and forums are meant to promote open discussions and this thread is an example of one such discussion, but my goodness. I can't believe a thread talking about trading Larsson has gone seven pages. Are we that hard-up for topics?

We're that hard up for forwards.

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I was going to say yours was the only voice of reason. rustle my jimmies... niiiiice. I wish you were a science major - you'd be so fun in our lab at Rutgers.

I try, but couldn't resist throwing that last bit in there :lol:

I actually just graduated from Rutgers in December. Was an engineer, spent my fair share of time in the labs in that horrible engineering building on Busch campus :giggle:

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I think some people here are misinterpreting what i've been saying.

1- First of all im not bashing the kid.

2- I'm not saying Larsson is a bust.

3- I'm not saying I expect him to carry our team right now and be ready in his 2nd season.

4- I KNOW most good dmen took awhile to get there and that he could turn out to be really good for us.

5- I wouldnt want to trade Larsson

that being said I still see things from him like his speed and softness that * could potentially * lead him to be just a "good dman" and not a franchise dman like some folks here tagged him with as soon he got drafted. His visions and poised could overcome that lack just like it did with other great dmen. But all things considered those things won't get THAT MUCH better with time and time will tell how good he'll be.

But thats my whole point, i see risk of him not being as good as some folks here are projecting him to be. And some here think the same way based on some post and we get flame for it ? thats like a mother who can't stand to hear that her son may not be as successful as she wants and simply refuse to even consider the possibility / believe it and she's getting pissed at people telling her that.

Nobody here saw enough of Larsson to gauge exactly what he will become, it's totally up in the air. Nobody here can GUARANTEE he's gonna be a top 5-10 dman in the league and no one can guarantee he'll be a bust.

i think he's too good to endup a bust and to make the NHL at his age is remarkable and it's a good start to be a REALLY good dman for sure but who knows.

in 2006 when the Blues drafted Johnson i can assure you they we're thinking they were drafting a future top5 dman in the league, he had all the tools to be the one. Then what we're they thinking watching Toews and Staal lifting the cup few years later and having to trade Johnson cause it was not working out. I dont think we're immune to a similar story, again.. who knows?

Edited by SterioDesign
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I know this is a forum and forums are meant to promote open discussions and this thread is an example of one such discussion, but my goodness. I can't believe a thread talking about trading Larsson has gone seven pages. Are we that hard-up for topics?

Schedule's too damned light to start the season...I know it's not true, but for some reason it feels like every other team is playing except for the Devils!

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Schedule's too damned light to start the season...I know it's not true, but for some reason it feels like every other team is playing except for the Devils!

Good, more time for me to watch the free preview on Center Ice and more time for the Devils to ease back into action while most teams are hitting the ground running a marathon.

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This is the dumbest fvcking thread I've ever seen on here. I don't even know where to begin.

Look at any of those "stud" defenseman that have been mentioned. Doughty, Pietrangelo, Subban, even Ekman-Larsson. It's hard to argue that any of these guys had a better first year at the pro level than Larsson did. And of course nobody cares to account for the huge adjustment it is to begin playing professionally.

Also, why is it that a top defenseman has to have the skating ability of Nieds, but also the poise and composure of Lidstrom? Different players have different styles. Just because one defenseman gets 60 points/season, doesn't mean he's better than the one who puts up 30. Larsson has a lot of time to develop still. When he's 23, let's see if we'd still want to make the Subban trade.

Larsson did not look lost or out of place playing in NJ last year. That's saying a lot when he's playing alongside some seasoned veterans on a roster that, toward the end, did not have a weak spot on D.

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But that's the thing - I look at all these defensemen drafted high, Eric Johnson, Jack Johnson, or even back to Redden and Berard and the list goes on - many of the top defensemen in the league were not high draft picks, and many of the ones taken high don't work out as well they should. I'd be wary about Seth Jones, he has incredible tools but defense isn't just about that - it's about body position, stick position, the outlet pass, all these things that the stat sheet, even the 'advanced' stat sheet, doesn't cover.

In my eyes, Larsson demonstrated that he has all those things last year. He hacked his way to being an average defenseman despite being pretty damn slow. You can't do that on 'tools'. He did it on knowing where to be and making the right plays. Soft?! Larsson took so many big hits I feared for his health and safety. With more speed and anticipation he'll be able to avoid those hits. Being a top defender isn't about speed, otherwise Weber, Chara, and Pronger would never be considered. Even Lidstrom wasn't all that fast - he just knew where to be.

Edited by Triumph
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But that's the thing - I look at all these defensemen drafted high, Eric Johnson, Jack Johnson, or even back to Redden and Berard and the list goes on - many of the top defensemen in the league were not high draft picks, and many of the ones taken high don't work out as well they should. I'd be wary about Seth Jones, he has incredible tools but defense isn't just about that - it's about body position, stick position, the outlet pass, all these things that the stat sheet, even the 'advanced' stat sheet, doesn't cover.

In my eyes, Larsson demonstrated that he has all those things last year. He hacked his way to being an average defenseman despite being pretty damn slow. You can't do that on 'tools'. He did it on knowing where to be and making the right plays. Soft?! Larsson took so many big hits I feared for his health and safety. With more speed and anticipation he'll be able to avoid those hits. Being a top defender isn't about speed, otherwise Weber, Chara, and Pronger would never be considered. Even Lidstrom wasn't all that fast - he just knew where to be.

I wouldn't say "soft" so much as he does get pushed around. It happened on the Subban hit as well as in the World Junior Championship. I agree though that not getting pushed around is not necessary to being a good or even elite defenseman, the same as speed is not. I only brought it up when comparing Larsson to Doug Hamilton. Both appear to have the same skill set, but Hamilton appears to be tougher.

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I know this is a forum and forums are meant to promote open discussions and this thread is an example of one such discussion, but my goodness. I can't believe a thread talking about trading Larsson has gone seven pages. Are we that hard-up for topics?

Discussing hypothetical trades is always fun though. I think it's fun to play "armchair GM" from time to time.

Except that most of this thread has centered around trading Larsson for 'another' defenseman.

That would be my only complaint. I'm really high on both Larsson and Subban and think trade like that would be too much of lateral move. The only way Larsson should ever get moved as I said earlier would be for a young and elite offensive talent like one of the Oilers young guns (which won't happen since teams always value their own prospects more than others).

Getting back to reality there is probably no way that the Devils trade Larsson. He showed so much at such a young age last year, I'm truly excited to see how he develops over the next 5 years.

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Larsson plays timid. He's not ready for the league and should have spent last year in Sweden or the 'A'. His stats are decieving. Yes, he has very good offense kill. However, many times he made the scared play instead of the right play. I love the kid's potential but he's gotta grow a pair and act like he belongs. People talk about Subban being a fvcker but that's also apart of what makes him good. Larsson needs some of that. I'm not saying he needs to tell his coach or his captain to fvck off. He just needs to act like a big boy in a boy's league or else he's going to end up having a very short career cause next time maybe Subban puts him straight through the ice! Maybe, they're hoping keeping him around Stevens will change his mentality a bit. I don't know....

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I think everyone just needs to layoff with criticizing Larsson so much. Im not saying he is perfect but he is only a kid, cut him a break. I'm not saying he is the next Lidstrom or Nidermayer, but who is?? I think we should give him a chance to show us what he really is, before we all assume that he will turn out to be nothing more then a below average d-man.

Just felt the need to say this.

Edited by ziti17
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Larsson plays timid. He's not ready for the league and should have spent last year in Sweden or the 'A'. His stats are decieving. Yes, he has very good offense kill. However, many times he made the scared play instead of the right play. I love the kid's potential but he's gotta grow a pair and act like he belongs. People talk about Subban being a fvcker but that's also apart of what makes him good. Larsson needs some of that. I'm not saying he needs to tell his coach or his captain to fvck off. He just needs to act like a big boy in a boy's league or else he's going to end up having a very short career cause next time maybe Subban puts him straight through the ice! Maybe, they're hoping keeping him around Stevens will change his mentality a bit. I don't know....

I think this is the exact opposite of how Larsson played last year. He stood in and took the hits without coughing up the puck. That play with Subban, he took the hit because he kept the puck so long, and he kept the puck so long because he tried to make a play.

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Larsson plays timid. He's not ready for the league and should have spent last year in Sweden or the 'A'. His stats are decieving. Yes, he has very good offense kill. However, many times he made the scared play instead of the right play. I love the kid's potential but he's gotta grow a pair and act like he belongs. People talk about Subban being a fvcker but that's also apart of what makes him good. Larsson needs some of that. I'm not saying he needs to tell his coach or his captain to fvck off. He just needs to act like a big boy in a boy's league or else he's going to end up having a very short career cause next time maybe Subban puts him straight through the ice! Maybe, they're hoping keeping him around Stevens will change his mentality a bit. I don't know....

Timid? Based on what exactly? He looked like a kid who played with some cajones and fantastic mental strength last season. Maybe if he was a good ol north American boy he wouldn't be stereotyped as a 'soft' player - at least that's the only reason I can think of how someone interpreted him as being soft when hes playing in the NHL away from home, on a team full of good dmen, with loads of expectations, as a 19 year old and performed well.

Edited by devlman
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