thecoffeecake Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Larsson is steady, physical and one of the smartest young players in the league. We don't deserve the playoff's this year, and I would actually love to see PDB just play the kids the rest of the way. Merril, Gelinas and Larsson are going to be the foundation of this team the next decade. We are in very, very good shape on D moving forward. Agree. But don't forget about Fayne. Hopefully he doesn't walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triumph Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I imagine that being hit as hard into the boards and in the face as Merrill has been this season that any screws he's got would be loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neb00rs Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 What do you mean he's got a screw loose? evidence? No evidence. Just my opinion. Didn't claim it as fact. He just seems not all there. You're welcome to hate on that opinion. Are you basing that off his suspension in college years ago? Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Nope. That wouldn't be fair. I imagine that being hit as hard into the boards and in the face as Merrill has been this season that any screws he's got would be loose. Fair point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devlman Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 (edited) Larsson has not demonstrated that he's better, or even as good as Merrill. Lol please stop. I like Merrill's potential, but until he actually plays post season hockey and learns to skate like an NHL'er, don't compare him to Larsson. People have short memories... Edited April 2, 2014 by devlman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Lol please stop. I like Merrill's potential, but until he actually plays post season hockey and learns to skate like an NHL'er, don't compare him to Larsson. People have short memories... What does playing the postseason have to do with Merrill and Larsson? If I had to choose between taking Merrill and Larsson for a game tomorrow, I easily take Merrill. If I'm looking to pick between the 2 long term then I think I'd have a coin flip on my hands. That's not really a knock on Larsson, but a compliment to Merrill. Merrill has been pretty effective with the exception being against very physical opponents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Lol please stop. I like Merrill's potential, but until he actually plays post season hockey and learns to skate like an NHL'er, don't compare him to Larsson. People have short memories... Taylor Hall hasn't sniffed the playoffs. So obviously he's not as good as Henrique. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capo Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Lol please stop. I like Merrill's potential, but until he actually plays post season hockey and learns to skate like an NHL'er, don't compare him to Larsson. People have short memories... Larson skate? hah. Merrill's already 100 times the defensemen Larsson is. I still have hope for Larsson but he'll never be a good skater. #3 in his last year was a better skater than Larsson is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilsfan118 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 (edited) Larson skate? hah. Merrill's already 100 times the defensemen Larsson is. I still have hope for Larsson but he'll never be a good skater. #3 in his last year was a better skater than Larsson is now. This is such crap, no offense. Merril's had a decent rookie season, but he's got nothing on Larsson's rookie and sophomore seasons. The kid has poise beyond his years and almost always makes the smart play. There is so much more to playing defense than skating, but that's all you guys seem to harp on. But I guess people have short memories, I know I do at times. And I suspect this has something to do with Larsson doing almost all the small things consistently well. You never notice when he's out there - which is a good thing. Larsson will be as steady a top-4 defenseman as they come in this league. Hopefully he exceeds that into a top-pairing role, but we'll see. Edit: Not to mention the fact that Larsson came in and played in the NHl as a freakin 18 year old kid. AND he put up better scoring numbers than Merril has this season. I'm not knocking Merril - I think and hope that he's going to be a great defenseman too. But to discredit Larsson while praising Merill is absurd. Come on people. Merril's 22 this season..he's a year Larsson's senior, and it took him almost 4 years longer to break into the league. Edited April 3, 2014 by Devilsfan118 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devilsrule33 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 This is such crap. Merril's had a decent rookie season, but he's got nothing on Larsson's rookie and sophomore seasons. The kid has poise beyond his years and almost always makes the smart play. There is so much more to playing defense than skating, but that's all you guys seem to harp on. But I guess people have short memories, I know I do at times. And I suspect this has something to do with Larsson doing almost all the small things consistently well. You never notice when he's out there - which is a good thing. Larsson will be as steady a top-4 defenseman as they come in this league. Hopefully he exceeds that into a top-pairing role, but we'll see. Edit: Not to mention the fact that Larsson came in and played in the NHl as a freakin 18 year old kid. AND he put up better scoring numbers than Merril has this season. I'm not knocking Merril - I think and hope that he's going to be a great defenseman too. But to discredit Larsson while praising Merill is absurd. Come on people. Merril's 22 this season..he's a year Larsson's senior, and it took him almost 4 years longer to break into the league. This is his 1st pro season. Didn't take him longer at all. Forgetting age, I think Merrill has been every bit if not a better than Larsson in their respective rookie seasons. Good news is we are debating two players that will be on the Devils blue line next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilsfan118 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 This is his 1st pro season. Didn't take him longer at all. Forgetting age, I think Merrill has been every bit if not a better than Larsson in their respective rookie seasons. Good news is we are debating two players that will be on the Devils blue line next season. Didn't Merril have a full pro year in the AHL? I mean, Larsson stepped right in from the SEL (forgive me if I get that wrong) as an 18 year old, while Merril played out college and had a year in the AHL to develop I think. Not that it matters really, but my point was that Larsson definitely has the tools and, imo, looked better as an 18 year old rookie than Merril has as a 22 year old rookie. Like I said, it's not like I'm rooting against Merrill at all. But it just irks me to see people ragging on Larsson when he's shown he's clearly got the potential. He just needs to play and grow. I hope he, Gelinas and Merrill play out the season up here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Didn't Merril have a full pro year in the AHL? I mean, Larsson stepped right in from the SEL (forgive me if I get that wrong) as an 18 year old, while Merril played out college and had a year in the AHL to develop I think. Not that it matters really, but my point was that Larsson definitely has the tools and, imo, looked better as an 18 year old rookie than Merril has as a 22 year old rookie. Like I said, it's not like I'm rooting against Merrill at all. But it just irks me to see people ragging on Larsson when he's shown he's clearly got the potential. He just needs to play and grow. I hope he, Gelinas and Merrill play out the season up here. Merrill played a total of 26 games in the AHL. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevils1214 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 That picture is hilarious. I've been bitching he shouldn't have been in the AHL since before the Olympics. It's a travesty that it took this long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils Pride 26 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Larsson isn't slow. He thinks too much and it makes him slow to react at times. Once he calms down he'll be fine. Kids 21 and has all the tools for a long, successful career Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Larson skate? hah. Merrill's already 100 times the defensemen Larsson is. I still have hope for Larsson but he'll never be a good skater. #3 in his last year was a better skater than Larsson is now. Is this a day late in April. Larsson has far better long term potential than Merrill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muevelos Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 (edited) That's debatable. Is this a day late in April. Larsson has far better long term potential than Merrill. Edited April 3, 2014 by CarterforPresident Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Is this a day late in April. Larsson has far better long term potential than Merrill. Far better? So is Larsson's potential generationally great defenseman or is Merrill's potential 3rd/4th defenseman? Myself, I have a hard time saying either holds a potential edge long term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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