Player Discussion Adam Larsson (Hall talk will result in a thread ban)

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Larsson was always a #3. Here and on the Devils. He should never be playing top pairing D in the first place unless being paired with a true #1D. That's not Klef either.

I would agree with that. Unfortunately Talbot masked a lot of problems on the defense and in two years not one upgrade has been brought in for the blue line. They're an ideal second pairing but unless we're going to magically summon two top pairing D...

 

[Little Fury]

A slow defensive defenseman that isn't very good at defense doesn't gather much value no matter what side he's on or what his contract is.

In a league where guys like Ron Hainesy and Kris Russell find gainful employment, yeah, you can find a taker for a 26 year old RHD on a pretty sweet deal.

He was brought in because of his defensive prowess and he was beaten like a rug on too many occasions this year especially after Klefbom went down. I'd go so far as to argue he might've been our worst top 4 D this season.

Smart teams tend to look beyond a single season when assessing a player's value, especially when that season was spent playing in front of trashcan in net.

 

[Zaddy]

No doubt Larsson had a poor season, and he's been the first to admit it but lets calm down a little shall we? He's proven in the past that at minimum he's a highly reliable top4 d-man. This year he struggled and it surely didn't help to have him play with Nurse (who was all over the place) and Jones (a rookie making typical rookie mistakes) for a large portion of the season. I'm pretty confident he'll bounce back next year and have a solid year again and at least look like a legit #3D.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

In a league where guys like Ron Hainesy and Kris Russell find gainful employment, yeah, you can find a taker for a 26 year old RHD on a pretty sweet deal.

They find employment because teams are stupid. Ask Leaf fans what they think of Hainsey. They'd move him if they could. On no playoff team would Kris Russell be in the top 4. If you can't get the puck to the forwards you're nothing more than a pylon. The age of "defensive defenseman" is looooooooong past.

Smart teams tend to look beyond a single season when assessing a player's value, especially when that season was spent playing in front of trashcan in net.

You're right. It's just a shame that Larsson hasn't been able to replicate any sort of good stretch since that one magical season. It's been 2 years and he hasn't shown any signs of being a top pairing defenseman since Talbot made the defense look better than it was.

I don't know what Larsson does well. He has next to no offensive game and finds himself frequently cited as "the guy who should've been covering the goal scorer". If it's not injury related (and it doesn't appear to be), the Oilers have a serious problem with this player. I liked him a lot but he's a complete shell of his 2016-17 self. No bite, no aggression, no nothing.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Only you would take Gravel over Larsson. lol

Take Larsson off this team, the Oilers would sink. Take Gravel off this year, the Oilers would just call up Jones

Larsson at segments of the season looked lost and overwhelmed. The guy looked like he needed happy pills. Looked disillusioned out there. Never did I say I would take Gravel over Larsson, just that it was so obvious Larsson was having coping difficulty for stretches and probably needed some away time. Something majorly wrong with him. Written on his face. This is the saddest looking player I've seen in years. Very seldom did I get the impression this season that his heart was even in it or he even wanted to be here.

You saw none of that?

 

[Little Fury]

They find employment because teams are stupid. Ask Leaf fans what they think of Hainsey. They'd move him if they could. On no playoff team would Kris Russell be in the top 4. If you can't get the puck to the forwards you're nothing more than a pylon. The age of "defensive defenseman" is looooooooong past.

This does nothing to counter my point at all. If the Oilers decide to move Larsson, they'll easily find a taker.

You're right. It's just a shame that Larsson hasn't been able to replicate any sort of good stretch since that one magical season. It's been 2 years and he hasn't shown any signs of being a top pairing defenseman since Talbot made the defense look better than it was.

You know Larsson was a good D man before he came to Edmonton, right?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

This does nothing to counter my point at all. If the Oilers decide to move Larsson, they'll easily find a taker.

Based on what? His contract? He sure hasn't looked like a $4m defenseman in quite a while. Just being a RHD on a decent contract isn't enough if he's not playing well.

You know Larsson was a good D man before he came to Edmonton, right?

I do know that. I'd really like to see that defenseman again. Sometimes players fall off cliffs. He hasn't shown any signs of climbing back up. Whatever his issue is, he needs to resolve it.

As much as I don't put much stock into it, he was -28. The next closest player was -14. That's deeply concerning.

 

[McShogun99]

Based on what? His contract? He sure hasn't looked like a $4m defenseman in quite a while. Just being a RHD on a decent contract isn't enough if he's not playing well.



I do know that. I'd really like to see that defenseman again. Sometimes players fall off cliffs. He hasn't shown any signs of climbing back up. Whatever his issue is, he needs to resolve it.

As much as I don't put much stock into it, he was -28. The next closest player was -14. That's deeply concerning.

He was also our most used defenceman and had numerous partners after Klefbom got injured. He still wasn’t good this year but he isn’t even close to being as bad as his +|- suggests.

 

[Little Fury]

Based on what? His contract? He sure hasn't looked like a $4m defenseman in quite a while. Just being a RHD on a decent contract isn't enough if he's not playing well

Based on the fact there's always a market for these kinds of defensemen.

I do know that. I'd really like to see that defenseman again. Sometimes players fall off cliffs. He hasn't shown any signs of climbing back up. Whatever his issue is, he needs to resolve it.
.

I think a big part of it is simply playing too much and too high up the lineup. A team that could play him where he belongs would get more out of him.

As much as I don't put much stock into it, he was -28. The next closest player was -14. That's deeply concerning

PDO is a killer sometimes.

 

[Little Fury]

He was also our most used defenceman and had numerous partners after Klefbom got injured. He still wasn’t good this year but he isn’t even close to being as bad as his +|- suggests.

Nurse played more and Larsson only spent about 25% of his TOI this year with D men other than Klefbom.

 

[space321]

I thought he had a nagging back injury? Running out of excuses....

 

[Zaddy]

He played great at the World's last year and proceeded to have another **** season so maybe he should sit this year out and focus on getting his head on straight.

Or maybe he just wants to have a positive end to a terrible season. Sounds a lot more logical to me. I don't buy into WC performance affecting the next season at all. Completely separate things.

 

[Aerchon]

I love this player and remember how great he was in 2016-2017.

He seems to have been a great influence on Klefbom and Nurse.

The last two years he has declined significantly instead of taking the next step that many thought he would.

Hope he can reset this summer and get back to improving his overall game.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Or maybe he just wants to have a positive end to a terrible season. Sounds a lot more logical to me. I don't buy into WC performance affecting the next season at all. Completely separate things.

Are they though? Its quite possible Larsson is compartmentalizing his feelings on the respective games. It really seems to me as if he does not like the NHL game as much as the Euro game. That of course is a huge problem and one that gets potentially reinforced each time he plays a few weeks in Europe and enjoys that. I think it potentially empowers a thought process where that hockey is the joy, and this hockey is the job. For sure I'm searching, but who can know, all we know is something is majorly wrong with this player when he plays here the last couple seasons. It actually frustrates me that he plays better away from here.

 

[Zaddy]

Are they though? Its quite possible Larsson is compartmentalizing his feelings on the respective games. It really seems to me as if he does not like the NHL game as much as the Euro game. That of course is a huge problem and one that gets potentially reinforced each time he plays a few weeks in Europe and enjoys that. I think it potentially empowers a thought process where that hockey is the joy, and this hockey is the job. For sure I'm searching, but who can know, all we know is something is majorly wrong with this player when he plays here the last couple seasons. It actually frustrates me that he plays better away from here.

Completely disagree, you're reading too much into it. The guy had a great time at the WC last year, winning the gold and being named to the all-star team. Why would he not want to try and repeat that this year, after the bad experience he (and the rest of the Oilers) had in the NHL this season? Just basic human nature to me that you'd want to end a season on a good note after having a season which probably wasn't much fun.

I wonder if you'd push along this narrative if it was a canadian guy going. Like Hall went to the WC both in 14/15 and 15/16 after two disappointing seasons. Didn't hear anything about him "enjoying the euro game better" then.

I don't know why there always seems to be a fuss about players going or not going to this tournament. Some players enjoy it, some don't, what's the problem?

 

[Drivesaitl]

Completely disagree, you're reading too much into it. The guy had a great time at the WC last year, winning the gold and being named to the all-star team. Why would he not want to try and repeat that this year, after the bad experience he (and the rest of the Oilers) had in the NHL this season? Just basic human nature to me that you'd want to end a season on a good note after having a season which probably wasn't much fun.

I wonder if you'd push along this narrative if it was a canadian guy going. Like Hall went to the WC both in 14/15 and 15/16 after two disappointing seasons. Didn't hear anything about him "enjoying the euro game better" then.

I don't know why there always seems to be a fuss about players going or not going to this tournament. Some players enjoy it, some don't, what's the problem?

What do you mean by this? Me, moi, reading too much into something? Why that couldn't be...

heh

Nah, I wasn't pushing a narrative about him playing or deciding to go, I think you might be jumbling my comments in with others found in the thread. I just don't want him to establish a dichotomy of Euro hockey +fun times and Oilers NHL hockey = sucks shit....

Wasn't it clear what I was stating?

But aside from that some people did blame Hall for going. I think particularly the one year when he pulled the parachute the last 25 games and was tired, and then went over there to play. just saying.

Don't read too much into it, heh, touche.

 

[BigFuzzyDice]

What do you mean by this? Me, moi, reading too much into something? Why that couldn't be...

heh

Nah, I wasn't pushing a narrative about him playing or deciding to go, I think you might be jumbling my comments in with others found in the thread. I just don't want him to establish a dichotomy of Euro hockey +fun times and Oilers NHL hockey = sucks ****....

Wasn't it clear what I was stating?

But aside from that some people did blame Hall for going. I think particularly the one year when he pulled the parachute the last 25 games and was tired, and then went over there to play. just saying.

Don't read too much into it, heh, touche.

that dichotomy has long been established, along with root canal fun oilers hockey sucks **** , waterboarding bliss oilers hockey sucks ****

 

[Panda Bear]

I can't overstate how losing a parent can affect someone.

Look at Zach Parise. His father died in early 2015, and he struggled by his standards all of 15-16, 16-17 and 17-18. While injuries certainly played a factor in his performance dip, I would argue that his father, who was the pillar of his hockey support system, had a massive impact on his ability to cope successfully with the lows experienced in sports.

 

[space321]

I can't overstate how losing a parent can affect someone.

Look at Zach Parise. His father died in early 2015, and he struggled by his standards all of 15-16, 16-17 and 17-18. While injuries certainly played a factor in his performance dip, I would argue that his father, who was the pillar of his hockey support system, had a massive impact on his ability to cope successfully with the lows experienced in sports.

Actually Parise's been plagued by injuries the past couple of years. Knee, back, rib, foot, etc. His 15-16 season is pretty much a career average 30-30 pace.

Suter's dad also passed away, and his play hasn't dipped at all.

We'll see what Larsson can do next season, but he has never been as good as most people here think.

 

[Austerlitz]

he has declined significantly instead of taking the next step that many thought he would.

Hope he can reset this summer and get back to improving his overall game.

What is with this team that this happens so often to so many players that come through here?

 

[Drivesaitl]

What is with this team that this happens so often to so many players that come through here?

Larsson was a protégé of Andy Greene, an outstanding vet D in NJ that essentially has been running a D hockey school there in Jersey for a longtime. Just as Talbot had difficulty years after leaving the tutelage of Lundqvist I think Larsson suffers similarly. Very smart D or players can impart a lot to others. But sometimes that is ongoing and without it, there can be confidence/performance drop off in time. I really think it likely that Larsson learned a lot from Greene, I always thought that, and we can forget such influence when its no longer available.

Another factor as mentioned is Larsson was not really a legit first pairing D aside from a Greene and so is constantly playing over his head and just isn't good enough. I didn't have the impression that Larsson Klefbom were good enough to be our ongoing top pairing. That's not nearly good enough.

 

[Captain Controversy]

Larsson will bounce back. He is a great players. Nurse should be fit with him. Klefbom is a good enough dman, he should be able to play with younger d man on the second pairing .

Nurse - Larsson
Klefbom-benning/Jones/bear
Sekera-russel

Larsson can play the top minutes. He says best when his physicality is involved.

 

[bucks_oil]

Larsson was a protégé of Andy Greene, an outstanding vet D in NJ that essentially has been running a D hockey school there in Jersey for a longtime. Just as Talbot had difficulty years after leaving the tutelage of Lundqvist I think Larsson suffers similarly. Very smart D or players can impart a lot to others. But sometimes that is ongoing and without it, there can be confidence/performance drop off in time. I really think it likely that Larsson learned a lot from Greene, I always thought that, and we can forget such influence when its no longer available.
.

Just because you have a period where you neglect to apply the lessons, doesn't mean they weren't learned in the first place.

Larsson has struggled with his confidence like most on our team. I don't doubt one bit that he'll bounce back to an elite level #3 or even complementary #2 once we have built our roster.

 

[oljimmy]

The last two years he has declined significantly instead of taking the next step that many thought he would.

The sad thing is you could copy and paste this into like 7 other player threads. Pulju, Talbot, Yams, Lucic, Strome, Rieder, Koskinen. That's the story of the Oilers right there.

 

[Louis Cypher]

Trading Larson is a no win scenario. The next player will still.be compared to Hall and will get piled on by our fans if he struggles. Besides unless it's another Right Shot D coming back we are back to square 1 again.

Need to move russel and try to improve the right side not make it worse by trading the only good right shot dman we have.