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

[Zaddy]

Who?

As I stated weeks ago Adam Larsson is not required. We have better D prospects who are perfectly ready to play and are already better.

Nurse-Bear looked far better tonight than Nurse-Larsson has ever looked.

I'd do a trade where we gain capspace. Larsson ain't much at this point.

This is a very simple-minded analysis and not what I'd usually expect from you.

Nurse and Bear looks better than Nurse-Larsson for one simple reason: Bear is good at moving the puck. Neither Larsson or Nurse is great at that aspect of the game, which is why they always looked so bad together. They just don't complement each other's game in the way that Bear and Nurse does.

Doesn't mean that Larsson is not good or not required. Larsson (when healthy) together with Klefbom, who is also a puckmover, is still the Oilers best D pairing. I'm happy to keep him for two more years while Bouchard gains experience. After that, if Bouch shows that he's ready to handle top4 minutes I might not renew Larsson's contract (depending on what he asks for) but to say that he already at this point is not needed is IMO just plain false.

 

[Drivesaitl]

This is a very simple-minded analysis and not what I'd usually expect from you.

Nurse and Bear looks better than Nurse-Larsson for one simple reason: Bear is good at moving the puck. Neither Larsson or Nurse is great at that aspect of the game, which is why they always looked so bad together. They just don't complement each other's game in the way that Bear and Nurse does.

Doesn't mean that Larsson is not good or not required. Larsson (when healthy) together with Klefbom, who is also a puckmover, is still the Oilers best D pairing. I'm happy to keep him for two more years while Bouchard gains experience. After that, if Bouch shows that he's ready to handle top4 minutes I might not renew Larsson's contract (depending on what he asks for) but to say that he already at this point is not needed is IMO just plain false.

The Larsson that isn't healthy, and apparently hasn't been for sometime (if we're accepting that health factors are the entire limitation) hasn't been good for quite awhile.

Nurse is at least as good at moving the puck as Klef is. Certainly he's better than Larsson. Which I've been consistent in saying. Nurse will be a better D than Larsson moving forward. That's almost a given. Bear will probably be better as well.

Larsson isn't worth his capspace on a cash strapped team. My premise would be to move him out before the whole league knows he just isn't good anymore. Certainly not worth his contract.

 

[Zaddy]

The Larsson that isn't healthy, and apparently hasn't been for sometime (if we're accepting that health factors are the entire limitation) hasn't been good for quite awhile.

Nurse is at least as good at moving the puck as Klef is. Certainly he's better than Larsson. Which I've been consistent in saying. Nurse will be a better D than Larsson moving forward. That's almost a given. Bear will probably be better as well.

Larsson isn't worth his capspace on a cash strapped team. My premise would be to move him out before the whole league knows he just isn't good anymore. Certainly not worth his contract.

I think a lot of the time that Larsson has looked 'bad' is when paired with Nurse, who then also has looked equally bad. They just aren't a fit. I want to see Larsson long-term with Klefbom again before making any judgement that he "isn't good anymore". I also disagree that Nurse is as good a puck-mover as Klefbom. He's not. He may be slightly better than Larsson in that aspect but it's not enough for that pairing to work.

Also to say that Larsson isn't worth his capspace on a team which has no proven top4 RD without him is weird to me. Even if you don't like Larsson he's still at minimum a capable top4 D. Persson is not a long-term solution on the top pair with Klefbom. When Larsson is back I want to see Persson on the 3rd pair with Russell, a position he is much more suited for. And Bear is doing quite well right now but he is still very much a rookie and who knows how long he can keep this up?

It's way premature to say that Larsson should be moved and it's not like his contract is an albatross. He is signed to a fair deal.

EDIT: Also for all the praise Nurse and Bear are getting, they are the only pairing so far that has a negative goal differential at 5v5, having scored 2 and allowed 5. All three pairs are getting outshot too. Adding Larsson back into the mix will bring more balance.

 

[Jumptheshark]

our D will look interesting when Larsson and his 22 to 25 minutes is back

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think a lot of the time that Larsson has looked 'bad' is when paired with Nurse, who then also has looked equally bad. They just aren't a fit. I want to see Larsson long-term with Klefbom again before making any judgement that he "isn't good anymore". I also disagree that Nurse is as good a puck-mover as Klefbom. He's not. He may be slightly better than Larsson in that aspect but it's not enough for that pairing to work.

Also to say that Larsson isn't worth his capspace on a team which has no proven top4 RD without him is weird to me. Even if you don't like Larsson he's still at minimum a capable top4 D. Persson is not a long-term solution on the top pair with Klefbom. When Larsson is back I want to see Persson on the 3rd pair with Russell, a position he is much more suited for. And Bear is doing quite well right now but he is still very much a rookie and who knows how long he can keep this up?

It's way premature to say that Larsson should be moved and it's not like his contract is an albatross. He is signed to a fair deal.

EDIT: Also for all the praise Nurse and Bear are getting, they are the only pairing so far that has a negative goal differential at 5v5, having scored 2 and allowed 5. All three pairs are getting outshot too. Adding Larsson back into the mix will bring more balance.

Two of those goals against are the Smith misplays. Specious time sample in anycase and they're a relatively new pairing so probably too early of you to critique them on it. They're working it out and showing quite well in tough minutes.

Larsson wasn't good, whatever he was facing, all of last season. he hasn't been that good for the last couple seasons really.

Larsson admitted himself he was crap last season, endeavored to get better, but looked like crap in the preseason, now he's out injured again. Kind of hard to feel positive about the player.

The reality is the Oilers haven't gotten much out of this player or contract in quite a long time.

 

[alphahelix]

I’m not the biggest Russell fan but I’m starting to think he might just be a guy who plays best when limited to 15-17 minutes, and wilts when playing more. He seems to do alright against good opposition when he is well rested. Maybe a Russell-Larsson pairing would actually be good enough defensively to justify existence? I am still on the fence with Persson, is he a long-term member of the D or is he holding space for Bouchard? Interesting. If Persson isn’t going to be here long-term then I might prefer reuniting Klefbom-Larsson, although I think Larsson hadn’t been contributing much in that role.

 

[ConnorMcNugesaitl]

Tough to say what they have with Larsson since he's coming off a prolonged period of struggle that extends to before the death of his father.

On the other hand good Larsson provides the tough punishing quality defensive defenseman the Oilers lack.

But I also wonder if the emergence of someone like Lagesson will make not just Russell but Larsson unnecessary as well.

 

[dustrock]

Too early to write off Larsson but the team's performance through 5 games has been pretty defensively.

 

[Betelgeuse]

Would be nice to have this guy back... for depth.

He's really just a Ladislav Smid. Someone we Oiler fans search for reasons to validate his existence, but when viewed by the rest of the league is just a roster filler.

 

[iCanada]

our D will look interesting when Larsson and his 22 to 25 minutes is back

I think our defence is already fine, and will be increasingly fine when we consider we have Lagesson / Jones / Bouchard / Samorukov waiting in the wings as well.

We need another forward that can generate pressure, I'd be ok just flat trading Larsson.

 

[dingbathero]

I haven't read through the thread and sorry to bump this old one.

I have a question.

Why has Larsson never played on the PP?
Does he just not have a clue on it?
What is the issue?

We know he can score some, always wondered why he was never used on the PP.

Coming in the league with a division rival, devils, you could see the potential.

 

[LTIR]

I haven't read through the thread and sorry to bump this old one.

I have a question.

Why has Larsson never played on the PP?
Does he just not have a clue on it?
What is the issue?

We know he can score some, always wondered why he was never used on the PP.

Coming in the league with a division rival, devils, you could see the potential.

Not creative enough, doesn't walk the line, hasn't shown a booming shot, isnt a fluid/mobile pick mover

 

[Stoneman89]

I haven't read through the thread and sorry to bump this old one.

I have a question.

Why has Larsson never played on the PP?
Does he just not have a clue on it?
What is the issue?

We know he can score some, always wondered why he was never used on the PP.

Coming in the league with a division rival, devils, you could see the potential.

Have been been watching him at all? There are very little offensive chops shown that would lead a coach to throw him on a PP.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I haven't read through the thread and sorry to bump this old one.

I have a question.

Why has Larsson never played on the PP?
Does he just not have a clue on it?
What is the issue?

We know he can score some, always wondered why he was never used on the PP.

Coming in the league with a division rival, devils, you could see the potential.

His shot is nothing to write home about, he's not quick enough laterally to easily open up a shooting lane for himself and he's not the fleetest of foot in the event that the puck is turned over up high.

 

[thadd]

Am I the only person who is surprised that Larsson wasn't suspended?

 

[belair]

Am I the only person who is surprised that Larsson wasn't suspended?

Probably. It was a minor penalty in most games. If Adam Larsson intentionally wanted to elbow a 5'8 TJ Tynan in the head, there's a good chance he's leaving the ice on a stretcher.

It was a dumb play by the guy and it was magnified by a dumber punishment.

 

[belair]

His shot is nothing to write home about, he's not quick enough laterally to easily open up a shooting lane for himself and he's not the fleetest of foot in the event that the puck is turned over up high.

His shot is awful. He's smart on the cycle and knows when to jump in. But he wouldn't be overly effective on the PP simply because guys would be looking off him far too often because he doesn't move the puck quickly enough.

 

[guymez]

Talk of moving him is way premature. In a couple seasons? Yeah, probably.

Klefbom-Larsson
Nurse-Bear
Russell-Persson

Solid as rock there. If you want a more offensive pair and a shutdown pair, you can switch Persson and Larsson. Plus Larsson will still be super useful for the playoffs, more imo than the two rookies. Even with how well they're playing rn.

I agree.
The only change I would make to this would be to suggest that the TD next season might be appropriate time for trading Larsson assuming players like Bear and Jones keep progressing.

 

[oobga]

Am I the only person who is surprised that Larsson wasn't suspended?

Fortunately Kozari doesn't also work in DoPS in the evenings.

 

[Pointteen]

Am I the only person who is surprised that Larsson wasn't suspended?

Hell yes. That was a nothing play. They happen to every team. It just got grossly overpenalized.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

I've always worried about Larsson's back. Watch highlights of him in his rookie year before the Subban hit. Dude was a completely different player, way more dynamic, way more willing to carry the puck up, way more willing to make plays in the O-zone carrying the puck. Then he got belted and effed up his back. He was projected to be on a Hedman level offensively... and has hints of Lidstrom in his game. He's now either too slow / too scared / too injured to make high end plays with the puck it seems.

I like his snarl, and every now and then he shows some semblance of offensive ability in the O-zone... but it seems like we were sold damaged goods for Hall if it really is his back screwing up his potential. Another epic and embarrassing Oilers management failure, what's new.

Injuries like this really do affect some players. I honestly think RNH's shoulder issues led to him being less aggressive in the offensive zone... and his surgeries probably sapped a fair bit of his range of motion.

 

[thadd]

Hell yes. That was a nothing play. They happen to every team. It just got grossly overpenalized.

It looked intentional.
The target was the head.
The player that Larsson hit didn't seem to have the intention to do anything to him.
Heck it was even after the play.
I think we've seen suspensions for worse things.

 

[fuswald]

Head shot of any sort should have stiff penalties. Intentional or not.

 

[belair]

It looked intentional.
The target was the head.
The player that Larsson hit didn't seem to have the intention to do anything to him.
Heck it was even after the play.
I think we've seen suspensions for worse things.

It happened in a fraction of a second. How can you determine whether there's intent there? Larsson isn't even facing him.

 

[rboomercat90]

Am I the only person who is surprised that Larsson wasn't suspended?

You thought he’d be suspended because of a guy skating into his elbow? That’s essentially what happened. He made no elbowing motion whatsoever. Him not being suspended by a league determined to stamp out headshots proves how ridiculous of a call it was in the first place. If anyone deserves a suspension here it’s Kozari. He had the benefit of using video review to make his decision and then doubled down on his poor judgement. I can understand how a referee can make a bad call at game speed after only seeing something for a split second. When you still can’t get it right watching it happen again just means you’re a bad referee.