Larsson

[Marshall]

Out of curiosity...how long is PDBs contract? I haven't seen any details on that.

[The 29th Pick]

its a though call on DeBoer, cause well in a way a coach can only do with that the GM is giving him, which he saw his roster lose some big tools in the last few years.

 

in the other hands lately DeBoer is trying to use screwdrivers to hammer down nails and he's leaving his hammer in the car. 

yeah, I agree, I dont think Debo is that bad, and the lineup is ....well...not great. 

Also, I dont know of a really good, cant miss replacement for him right now.

[MadDog2020]

Lou can't waste too much time here though. He said the same sh!t about the 2011 team- how much he believed in those players and that coach and yada yada yada. We all know how that turned out. Don't fvck around here Lou...

[Anhkheg]

“I guess that’s how it is right now,” Larsson said. “We’re pretty desperate to take points and we’re losing a couple of guys. We have to change something. I’m not going to be too low right now. I think it’s too early in the season to start thinking. That was pretty much what was killing me last year. When I was sitting out, I started thinking too much. Not cause I want to sit out, but it feels like I’m better prepared for it now because of last year. So, I’m just going to continue working hard and when I get a chance again, I’m going to try to take it.

“But if feels like I’ve done what they said before I was sitting out last time, so it’s very disappointing. I don’t feel like I’ve played bad these three games at all. But I guess they want more.”

Larsson, 20, was a healthy scratch 11 times last season, including the first five games of the season. He said he let that get to him mentally.

“Because it just kept going and going,” he said. “I was out for a pretty long time, so it kind of got to me last year. I would start thinking. You never want to sit out. You lose confidence. You lose the game timing and the game speed. It doesn’t really matter how hard you (conditioning) skate. Still, timing and those type of things you get rusty on.”

Larsson, the fourth pick overall in the 2011 draft, had a rough game in Sunday’s 3-0 loss in Winnipeg. The moment that stood out most, though, was Evander Kane flying past him on the left wing before throwing the pass in front that went in off Devils defenseman Andy Greene for the first goal of the game.

I asked Larsson what he could have done differently on that play.

“I think on those guys if you can’t keep up with their speed, you have to stay on the safe side or pretty much take a penalty because they’re so fast those guys like he and (the Islanders Michael) Grabner,” Larsson said. “They’re pretty much the fastest guys in this league and I don’t think people really realize how fast they really are. So, you have to have good timing on those guys.”

But Larsson didn’t think that goal hurt his confidence.

“Worse things have happened before,” he said. “You make mistakes and that was one of them.”

This sounds like a guy who has lost faith in this team and definitely his confidence.

[MadDog2020]

To be honest, I'd just dress anyway if I was Larsson and tell Pete to fvck off. Make me get off the ice, you eggheaded jerk off.

[The 29th Pick]

To be honest, I'd just dress anyway if I was Larsson and tell Pete to fvck off. Make me get off the ice, you eggheaded jerk off.

I would shoot pucks at his head during practice like Madden did to Julien...........hey that got the coach canned!!!

[Daniel]

I would shoot pucks at his head during practice like Madden did to Julien...........hey that got the coach canned!!!

Maybe he'll then go win a cup with his next team.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[CarpathianForest]

I imagine if Larsson went rogue on PDB he wouldn't see the ice for a long time.

[NJDevs4978]

Yeah, Madden could get away with that **** cause he was a key piece on multiple Cup winners.

[The 29th Pick]

Yeah, Madden could get away with that **** cause he was a key piece on multiple Cup winners.

Those were the days

[dmann422]

I would not be surprised to see Fayne in a top 4 position on another team. It's INSANE that he is not playing in each and every game when you could put him in for Volch or Harrold.

I know Volch and gionta are the popular kicking bags around here, but to me there person who should be sitting is Harold. He doesn't bring anything that we can't get from other guys, including fayne. The idea that he is some great puck moving or offensive defenseman is really overrated.

Ps why the hell does the iPhone autocorrect "fayne" to "gayness"?

[sundstrom]

hopefully tonight gets harrold to finally sit and put him back to the 7th he's supposed to be. he was not good again tonight.

 

also thought zidlicky didn't have a great game. i did think volchenkov was good.

 

henrique was the best forward out there tonight - he had a great game.

[thecoffeecake]

Maybe Larsson will start playing shtifaced when he turns 21 and loosens up a little. I never played hockey drunk, but if it was half as effective as it was in turning me into a better skiier, Id be all over that.

[Mike Brown]

This , plus when you have the likes of Merril, Gelinas and Severson already pushing hard for a place on the team, and they were all taken outside the 1st round peoples expectation is the guy taken a whole round earlier( in some cases nearly two rounds earlier) should automatically be better.

 

The entire problem with Larsson is expectation.

 

Personally i think we have ourselves another Victor Hedman. Their SEL numbers are very similar (Hedman 25 points in 82 games, Larsson 26 in 86) and so are their numbers for the first year in the NHL ( Hedman 74 Gp G4 A16 20PTS, Larsson 65GP 2G 16A 18PTS). Of course we are all hoping Adam can kick on and become elite, but i would be happy with a Victor Hedman.

 

I'd take a Hedman type of player.  Hedman is very quietly turning into a very good defenseman.

[Pepperkorn]

OK -- this was in response to lazer in the Marty thread asking about Larsson.

 

I have ZERO clue   but I still went off on the subject.  The bolded parts are the parts a normal person woudl have left this at.

 

 

Let's look:

 

Culture: Swedish psyche isn't second nature to me.  So I can't make any sweeping cultural generalization with any confidence. Right now I feel that they are a people of great humor and darkness, and extreme subtly, until they hit a wall and appear to snap.  When they snap in a negative way, people say "See?  I KNEW they felt like that all along" but I don't believe that - just when they hit the wall they fall back on a snap assumption they pronounce loudly. When they happy snap, people think too much Aquavit  (I'm watching a lot of Wallander on Netflix. Pontus rocks - he could be my son! I think the actor and I have the same birthday even. This show is for sure something to base assumptions on a whole society upon )

 

Age: I'm just not sure.  Larsson's not so much mature as collected - which will be confusing to coach.  I don't feel he's fully confident with his peripheral vision of the game - personally, I think that's what makes him slow.  If it's age causing that, physical growth, and he's just not certain of how his body fits on this ice?  It's a new body for him - how far do his arms reach exactly? Is he check how he's doing while he's playing because he doesn't feel sure where his stick is? He can't skate backwards or allow the instinctive puck stop because he's not sure where he is, literally, on the ice, unless he sees it with his own eyes first? Is it that he depends too much on his eyes? That's stressful and time consuming.  When he tries to intuit, does it looks like a lapse in focus and then he gets punished?

 

Personality: This is where it becomes problematic.  Is he just an overly exacting kind of guy?  Just too detailed oriented? Does he have to play a slow, clean, purposeful game and can't roll with what's thrown at him?

 

What it would help to know:

How often does he honestly just wish he was back in Sweden?

 

What does he want to do in his off hours?  Watch TV?  Does he think "Oh gawd no" when it's time to get off his ass and go to work (like we all do in our normal jobs)? 

 

When it comes easy, it's very hard to learn how to work (Gomez is poster boy for this). 

 

You just know Lidstrom worked on himself, on his own time, purely for the joy of it - all the while being off radar in terms of fans and press.  Neids did it on radar, he found a way to do it while hating to be under the microscope the entire time - this is really the most impressive to me.  Stevens - same way but he had his aggression to screen his development - to take focus from expectation.  His hits bought him the space to grow into a really aware player.

 

Does Larrson have that passion for hockey and passion for the physical movement, the art of it?  I can't tell you if Larsson has that - or if they're drumming it out of him expecting to be able to teach the unteachable.  When given space to learn, does he take it?  I dont know. 

 

When the staff benches him, this tells us with no knowledge, no, he doesn't.  I'm not feeling that it's motivating Larsson to work harder in any way - I see it as only serving to undermine his trust thanks to us and TG and new players being held accountable for their shoddy play. - and I'm not sure these guys get that (Stevens & DeBoer)  They are not delicate patient guys by nature.

 

This is a bad climate for Larsson at the moment, because he understands the lessons being taught, but he also can sense the air of injustice fans, reporters and probably some of the new teammates give off. So it ends up a mixed message and he can't be expected to hear just DeBoer/Stevens.  It is unreasonable for coaching to expect that of him, because this staff is not so hot at communicating. 

Their patience I'm certain reads as barely contained frustration. He's not quite secure enough to be patient with them, where their patience in return is not readily apparent. He's been here long enough that a two-way street has developed and coaching needs to work with that.  Coaching needs to be able to tell him that BECAUSE they need him NOW, he has to be pulled from some games to not fortify bad habits. It's not out of lack of trust that he's benched, but for his development. He may know that... but fans don't

[Z-Man]

PDB just gave the ultimate WTF comment about Larsson playing tonight:

 

"You have to be solid in all areas.  I'm not looking for a goal or an assist, just physical play, reliable defensively, get the trust of the coaches.  Not be minus-5 or 6 in five games."

 

Umm, coach...have you seen these stats to which you are referring?  Practically the whole damn team is minus.  Your pet project Harrold is a minus-6.  If that's what you're looking at, then bench the whole team other than Zubrus and Jagr, who are pluses.

[Triumph]

PDB just gave the ultimate WTF comment about Larsson playing tonight:

 

"You have to be solid in all areas.  I'm not looking for a goal or an assist, just physical play, reliable defensively, get the trust of the coaches.  Not be minus-5 or 6 in five games."

 

Umm, coach...have you seen these stats to which you are referring?  Practically the whole damn team is minus.  Your pet project Harrold is a minus-6.  If that's what you're looking at, then bench the whole team other than Zubrus and Jagr, who are pluses.

 

That is why Harrold is sitting for Larsson, I don't think DeBoer is being inconsistent in what he is saying here.  Larsson's had some tough breaks in addition to not playing well, but if anyone wants to contend he's played well at the beginning of the season, I'm not sure what you're watching.

[lazer]

and i do like the +/- stat because zubes and jagr have played somewhat above what was expected, hustling.

 

at this point; that larsson will be great is "projection" will he be better of course maybe not as a devil.

 

if he and gelinas really are a pair tonight i fully expect them to get beat bad, hope im wrong.

 

usually the answer is within the question and that question is does he have the will to work?

 

no one is asking will larsson be great, if he can be another tallinder well than great.

[maxpower]

That is why Harrold is sitting for Larsson, I don't think DeBoer is being inconsistent in what he is saying here.  Larsson's had some tough breaks in addition to not playing well, but if anyone wants to contend he's played well at the beginning of the season, I'm not sure what you're watching.

 

Eh, I don't know why Harrold is sitting because PDB is contradicting himself now.    IMO, he's just flailing at this point, there's alot of passive aggressive stuff in his quotes lately

[coldply123]

That is why Harrold is sitting for Larsson, I don't think DeBoer is being inconsistent in what he is saying here. Larsson's had some tough breaks in addition to not playing well, but if anyone wants to contend he's played well at the beginning of the season, I'm not sure what you're watching.

That thinking doesn't mean jack when there are at least ten other players who commit far worse mistakes and have been stinking left and right. Spare me that load of horsesh!t about Deboer having some mastering of his team and the lineups.

There is no defending Deboer on this. He is just all over the place with his decisions and shows he is desperate at this point. He's been exposed.

Edited October 25, 2013 by coldply123

[2ELIAS6]

Pisses me off that deboer talks sh!t about lars.. hes outta here sooner then later anyway.

[lazer]

larssons best game tonight with gelinas i am eating raven

 

ill cry for him when he gets his game

 

edit: reverse psychology is a hell of a thing

Edited October 25, 2013 by lazer

[Mike Brown]

I thought Larsson looked good tonight.

[The 29th Pick]

I thought Larsson looked good tonight.

he looked better than Fayne tonight

[NJDevs4978]

Larsson had his best game in a long time tonight (although he still shows ZERO confidence in firing any shot more than 5 MPH in the offensive zone) - maybe Lou had a talk with DeBo and got the guillotine removed?

 

Of course I'm still expecting the same ol' same ol' when Sal comes back Saturday or next week.

Edited October 25, 2013 by NJDevs4978