Dylan Larkin is the 38th best forward - agree or disagree?

[SCD]

The following statement comes from an article in The Athletic today entitled:

NHL No. 1 center tiers: McDavid, Matthews, MacKinnon and guys just taking faceoffs​

“Larkin is fine,” as one person put it, “but if you’re trying to win a Cup and he’s your top-line center, then you’re at a disadvantage against the teams you’re competing against.”

 

[Shaman464]

The following statement comes from an article in The Athletic today entitled:

NHL No. 1 center tiers: McDavid, Matthews, MacKinnon and guys just taking faceoffs​

“Larkin is fine,” as one person put it, “but if you’re trying to win a Cup and he’s your top-line center, then you’re at a disadvantage against the teams you’re competing against.”

That’s cold but probably true.

 

[RedWingzz]

DeBrincat at 45 is absolutely laughable...

hes so unbelievably bad

 

[Henkka]

Even if being only 35th best... guy is not far from 100% rating with JFresh.

I think that is very tight of group being elite. Think everybody over 95% is elite, and debating between these guys is just waste of time.

 

[odin1981]

I'm not saying he should be top 20, but I believe the drop in overall performance of the team illustrated why he should be say 25 or so. He is a #1 2 way center. And the roster couldn't absorb his injury from a depth perspective.

 

[RabidBadger]

I don't give a chit about the list. He's number 1 on the Wings and I can't wait until he's back.

 

[FabricDetails]

The whole "Larkin is ok" or "Larkin is fine" narrative and how the Wings are immediately at a #1C disadvantage against the Soo are so f'n good teams is not entirely wrong (and I kind of hope that's pissing him off a little even though it's hard to imagine him caring about that) but Jeebus... A team MVP is still a team MVP. I kind of wish the Wings had two Larkins.

 

[ColdToiletSeats]

Larkin is the best

lock this thread

 

[19 for president]

Larkin isn't a generational or franchise level guy but he is absolutely a #1 center in this league and should at any given point be in the 25-35 player range. The guy is massively slept on because he spent his entire career up until really this year playing with subpar guys or rookies. Bert and Mantha both saw big drop offs when not playing with him. Ray (up until recently) and DBC both looked significantly worse without him. The Wings as a whole have no one that can play at his level currently.

He also has a knack for making almost any player around him look better. Z was another one that had that skill.

The only legit criticisms for Larkin are that he has a tendency to dive a bit and is a bit injury prone. Besides that he duel threat offensively (passing & shooting), fantastic skater, solid on faceoffs, and overall excellent 2 way center.

Now the Wings just need another Larkin or Larkin+ to really start competing. We don't have the center depth to play good hockey when he goes down.

 

[RRhoads]

I think Larkin and Eichel should be in the same tier.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

What nonsense. He's at least the 36th or 37th

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Larkin might be a top 30 forward, he's also by far the best player on the Wings, and given that there's only a little over 30 teams, I mean it kinda would be pretty sad if he wasn't.