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

[nabob]

lmao. Draisaitl had 70 pts this season. Not sure what you were watching. Drai didn't play better in Europe than he did here. He's doing fine here. A new low point for you, blah blah blah, yada yada.

Also I missed where Larsson was very good to close out the season.

Have the last word. You can respond with anything you like I guess.

Your response says it all for me. We aren't allowed to degrade other posters.

 

[nabob]

When did I ever say anything about Hall? Why does freaking Hall have to be brought up every time we talk about Larsson even in a conversation that has nothing to with Hall?

All I'm saying is that it's tough to keep spirits high during a miserable hockey season and then losing your father during miserable hockey season. He is further removed from both events so he's playing with joy. Why would anybody crucify the young man for this?

Not even a POS reporter like Damien Cox would stoop this low. It's f***ing pathetic.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Also;

Oh, where is Adam Larsson, somebody find him, he's not on this list.

Fantasy: Top 50 defenseman rankings for 2018-19

But Darnell Nurse gets at least honorable mention.


Looks like my opinion on Larssons NHL stature is not isolated. He's not even in the convo league wide. He would be arguably the most ordinary top D guys in the league. If your clubs bsst D is Adam Larsson your team probably isn't getting a lot of help.

 

[CupofOil]

It's sad that what should be a feel good thread about Larsson winning Gold at the worlds has turned into this. It's too bad that there's a portion of the Oiler fanbase that feels they have to stoop to criticizing everything about him just because of who he was traded for.

 

[ujju2]

Also;

Oh, where is Adam Larsson, somebody find him, he's not on this list.

Fantasy: Top 50 defenseman rankings for 2018-19

But Darnell Nurse gets at least honorable mention.


Looks like my opinion on Larssons NHL stature is not isolated. He's not even in the convo league wide. He would be arguably the most ordinary top D guys in the league. If your clubs bsst D is Adam Larsson your team probably isn't getting a lot of help.

Where did you miss the word FANTASY? Larsson isn't a big point-producer, so he's not gonna be on a lot of fantasy lists. Fantasy hockey is all about points.

 

[Drivesaitl]

When did I ever say anything about Hall? Why does freaking Hall have to be brought up every time we talk about Larsson even in a conversation that has nothing to with Hall?

All I'm saying is that it's tough to keep spirits high during a miserable hockey season and then losing your father during miserable hockey season. He is further removed from both events and was playing in a meaningful tournament for his beloved nation so he's playing with joy. Why would anybody crucify the young man for this?

Crucify? C'mon. It would be nice to see Adam Larsson elevate his game here, you know, with the Oilers, the subject of this board. Who cares what he did for Sweden. I sure don't. Theres no value added in that. I just don't get the hand clapping for his play in a nothing tournament.

The bigger picture is I'm long since fed up with Oilers even playing in this tournament instead of the NHL playoffs. To the degree that I don't waste time watching any of it.

In anycase then, what if anything that Larsson did in this tournament will be transferrable here in the NHL? That's a valid question considering he's never been an offensive D in the NHL.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

I heard comments about Schultz being a future Norris winning Dman. lol.

Thinks the game incredibly well? That's overstating his contribution. He's a physical top pairing D that when on makes opponents pay for sitting around the crease. Adam Larsson as recently as this season wasn't on any top 50 list of NHL D that I saw. Which is about apt from what I've seen.

In anycase I've seen much more offensive acumen from the much younger Darnell Nurse, who I think is ultimately going to be a better D than Larsson, and even from Ethan Bear who hit the NHL running with some enticing offensive NHL chops. I rarely see anything like that from Larsson at the NHL level. Nobody really has.

You missed the part where I said nobody has given him the opportunity yet...

Very few see Nurse becoming better than Larsson. I think you're in a strong minority there.

 

[Panda Bear]

"Ignore" is one hell of a function for improving your everyday Hfboards experience.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You missed the part where I said nobody has given him the opportunity yet...

Very few see Nurse becoming better than Larsson. I think you're in a strong minority there.

I just provided an NHL list where Nurse is seen ahead of Larsson. Nurse is much younger and is leaps ahead of where Larsson is right now as an offensive D. Nurse is learning the 200ft game at a great rate. Nurse is arguably a better D right now. I have little doubt he will be. Not an isolated view either.

 

[CupofOil]

Crucify? C'mon. It would be nice to see Adam Larsson elevate his game here, you know, with the Oilers, the subject of this board. Who cares what he did for Sweden. I sure don't. Theres no value added in that. I just don't get the hand clapping for his play in a nothing tournament.

The bigger picture is I'm long since fed up with Oilers even playing in this tournament instead of the NHL playoffs. To the degree that I don't waste time watching any of it.

In anycase then, what if anything that Larsson did in this tournament will be transferrable here in the NHL? That's a valid question considering he's never been an offensive D in the NHL.

Well, it wasn't a "nothing" tournament for him or Team Sweden for that matter. Just because it's nothing for you, that doesn't make it nothing for everybody.

Furthermore, he's an Oiler so I care that he does well no matter where he plays and the fact that he lost his father (which hit him really hard) made me root for him harder.

I explained why he played more motivated for the national team. It was a really bad year for him on many fronts so why not congratulate him on a well earned accomplishment?

 

[bobbythebrain]

So as Oilers fans we get a complete another season of misery, few things good going on, Larsson is supposedly injured all year and yet he apparently puts on his best play all season in Europe in some crackerjack tournament and as an Oiler fan I should be thrilled about that? It actually bugs me when players have their very best efforts elsewhere. Albeit as an Oiler fan I'm conditioned to see that.

Further, and this is the key point, without headcoach changes all I can look forward to is to not see whatever version of Larsson was on display in Europe. Because I've never seen offensively productive play from him here. About what I've seen is him be a Swedish version of Jason Smith. That being on a good year.

Wow....did somebody kick your dog? Relax

Larsson gave his "best efforts" this year!! He actually started the season fantastic. By Nov end, despite a TEAM losing record, Larsson was a massive bright spot. He was actually better than the previous year infact. Then injuries, the inevitable stench of losing, and the death of his father happened

So many Edmonton Oilers trending down this year, but not Adam Larsson

Seeing him get passionate and playing well is a good thing.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Where did you miss the word FANTASY? Larsson isn't a big point-producer, so he's not gonna be on a lot of fantasy lists. Fantasy hockey is all about points.

Well he's not on this list either;

The definitive ranking of the NHL's top 23 defencemen over three seasons - Sportsnet.ca

He's as I stated the most ordinary top D in the league. He's not a shutdown D, he's not a PMD, he;s not an offensive D, but he's great according to comments in this thread.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Well, it wasn't a "nothing" tournament for him or Team Sweden for that matter. Just because it's nothing for you, that doesn't make it nothing for everybody.

Furthermore, he's an Oiler so I care that he does well no matter where he plays and the fact that he lost his father (which hit him really hard) made me root for him harder.

I explained why he played more motivated for the national team. It was a really bad year for him on many fronts so why not congratulate him on a well earned accomplishment?

Fine, but I've never attacked the player or anything like that which others are suggesting I'm stating. I'm merely pointing out that I would prefer to see Larsson play well here, than in Europe.

Wasn't impressed that you joined in with the inappropropriate attacks.

But open season here I guess.

Remind me posting here in offseason, any offseason, is a bad idea.

seeya

 

[CupofOil]

Fine, but I've never attacked the player or anything like that which others are suggesting I'm stating. I'm merely pointing out that I would prefer to see Larsson play well here, than in Europe.

Wasn't impressed that you joined in with the inappropropriate attacks.

But open season here I guess.

Remind me posting here in offseason, any offseason, is a bad idea.

seeya

I didn't attack you.

 

[BleedingOil]

He was definitely the shut down Dman on the gold medal team, who posts fantasy hockey lists when critisizing dmen lol

 

[ujju2]

Well he's not on this list either;

The definitive ranking of the NHL's top 23 defencemen over three seasons - Sportsnet.ca

He's as I stated the most ordinary top D in the league. He's not a shutdown D, he's not a PMD, he;s not an offensive D, but he's great according to comments in this thread.

Using advanced stats wrong again. Those stats are meant to compliment the eye test, not be used as the be-all-end-all method of determining how good a player is.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I didn't attack you.

You claimed that I "stooped to criticizing everything about him" " Its sad"(whatever that meant) and that I crucified the player, was hypocritical, etc.

You would think that kind of reply is reasonable?

hey, I'll respond in kind if at all

 

[Panthera]

Fine, but I've never attacked the player or anything like that which others are suggesting I'm stating. I'm merely pointing out that I would prefer to see Larsson play well here, than in Europe.

Wasn't impressed that you joined in with the inappropropriate attacks.

But open season here I guess.

Remind me posting here in offseason, any offseason, is a bad idea.

seeya

You never attacked the player, really? Saying he was "supposedly" injured and saying you don't like seeing his "best efforts" elsewhere is hard to take as anything other than you saying you think he was just lazy and deliberately not working very hard in Edmonton this year

 

[CupofOil]

You claimed that I "stooped to criticizing everything about him" " Its sad"(whatever that meant) and that I crucified the player, was hypocritical, etc.

You would think that kind of reply is reasonable?

hey, I'll respond in kind if at all

None of those are personal attacks. I'm just getting frustrated with some people (not just you) criticizing Larsson just for the sake of criticizing him.

Criticizing him for giving it all for Team Sweden and not giving it all for the garbage dump team in Edmonton in a season when his father passed is a bit low IMO. Criticizing him for his lack of offense is perfectly valid. I don't see him being a PP guy either.

 

[mjlee]

Don't want to interrupt again, but regarding his numbers (or rather non-numbers) both Grönborg, openly, and Adam implicitly, said that in Edmonton he's basically not allowed to be an offensive d-man and jump up on the play but he's coached as being strictly defensive.

It's hard to put up numbers when your coaches tell you to just focus on the defensive side. That's part of why he had fun, because he was encouraged to be creative and two way. Even Lidstrom who does know something about playing two-way defense said it must have been fun and Adam was obviously happy to agree. I know he's had to be the defensive rock in the Larsson-Klefbom pairing, but why not try and unleash him a bit next season? Also you guys really should stop with the Hall-Larsson trade, the only fanbase even more obsessed is the Habs with Subban-Webber.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You never attacked the player, really? Saying he was "supposedly" injured and saying you don't like seeing his "best efforts" elsewhere is hard to take as anything other than you saying you think he was just lazy and deliberately not working very hard in Edmonton this year

Thanks for asking about that. That comment wasn't on Larsson specifically. I happen to think he probably has a high pain threshold. Just that so often on this board I here "player was injured all year" as a defense of subpar performance. If I worded that unclearly than mybad.

but thanks for bringing it up. In the heat of a moment its good to get concise feedback on what might be confusing.

Hey I'm a long frustrated Canadian Oiler fan. It doesn't make me happy to see Sweden have Success, Canada fail, and the Oilers fail all in one season. Its been that kind of hockey year, sigh.

 

[Zaddy]

Crucify? C'mon. It would be nice to see Adam Larsson elevate his game here, you know, with the Oilers, the subject of this board. Who cares what he did for Sweden. I sure don't. Theres no value added in that. I just don't get the hand clapping for his play in a nothing tournament.

The bigger picture is I'm long since fed up with Oilers even playing in this tournament instead of the NHL playoffs. To the degree that I don't waste time watching any of it.

In anycase then, what if anything that Larsson did in this tournament will be transferrable here in the NHL? That's a valid question considering he's never been an offensive D in the NHL.

So why are you even in this thread and posting? Seriously.

 

[nabob]

So why are you even in this thread and posting? Seriously.

Good question. I'm sure if he hasn't that he'll pull out the victim card soon and make the thread all about himself, just like Replacement used to.

 

[Drivesaitl]

So why are you even in this thread and posting? Seriously.

What other Oilers news is there. Maybe I could be talking about Canada failing at the WC, the Oilers failing at hockey, the NHL failing as Vegas is awarded a cup or some such thing.

These are sad times to be a Canadian Oilers fan.



At least theres a Football world cup on this summer, oh, but its in Russia..

 

[Healthy DiPietro]

People are just really attached to these offensive defensemen nowadays. A guy like Burns is tremendous offensively but terrible in his own zone. It's honestly a bit of a joke that a guy like him won the Norris. The guy had 58% OZ starts that year too, the most out of anyone on that Sharks team and had Vlasic and Braun taking all the tough minutes. Guys of Larsson's ilk don't get enough recognition in this league.

Imo, people tend to get a bit blinded by semantics when discussing this. In Swedish a defenseman is called a back, which turns a lot of that stuff on its head. A back is just another player positioned behind the forwards, and the role he plays is up to him and the coach.

There's no way I'd pick Larsson or Vlasic over a guy like Burns, because what Burns excels at is much harder to do. His job is to get the puck into a tiny space, as opposed to getting it anywhere but that same place. That's simplified but it's also the gist of it.