Adam Larsson..

[Scorcho]

Not really. I'm mostly right and you all make believe that that previous conversations never happened when you're proven wrong.

This is the same statement I used to make is 5th grade when I was a giant smartypants.

 

[JimEIV]

This is the same statement I used to make is 5th grade when I was a giant smartypants.

Me too, but I was right then also.

Happy New Year. And here's to Larsson becoming anything more than average.Salvador without a tan seems to excite people these days.

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

Me too, but I was right then also.

Happy New Year. And here's to Larsson becoming anything more than average.Salvador without a tan seems to excite people these days.

Chill with that

Happy New Year

 

[devilsblood]

I only look at 5v5 points. Damon has 8, no one else on the team has more than 4. Massive difference
when you consider ice time.

And we are talking about a kid 88 games into his career who just turned legal to have a beer 3 months ago.
Sexy! Adam was a healthy scratch or sent down to the AHL at this stage of his career....but we can revise history so we all can feel good on New Year's Eve.

Actually Damon has 9, and Lars has 7.

Edit: actually Moore has 7 as well. Are we talking Devils d-man even strength point totals?

 

[Bleedred]

Salvador? That's stretching it a lot.

Not that Salvador was a bad defenseman from 2001-2012.

 

[MadDevil]

Why am I not surprised we're ending 2015 arguing over Larsson?

 

[Tedenboozled]

Jim's making it awfully hard for me to stick to my New Year's resolution of not replying to Jim posts and I'm only two hours in

For the rest of you lot, stop egging him on. It's either bait or a dislike based solely off the fact that his name isn't Adam Smith

 

[Bleedred]

Jim's making it awfully hard for me to stick to my New Year's resolution of not replying to Jim posts and I'm only two hours in

You can just pretend that you're in North America where it's still December 31st!

 

[goonybird]

rofl what an epic tantrum

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Me too, but I was right then also.

Happy New Year. And here's to Larsson becoming anything more than average.Salvador without a tan seems to excite people these days.

Jeeze, I know you like fishing, but this seems extreme. And I suppose Andy Greene is something akin to Rob Scuderi these days, since Larsson has basically been better than Greene at every facet of the game this season? And Merrill, jeeze I can't even think of a suitable comparison. Tiny Doug Murray with no physical presence? Sounds promising.

I mean it's nice to see Severson putting up some points at evens, but you'd think with some of the easiest minutes in the entire NHL this season, he'd sure as hell better be leading the D in points at evens. And even then, Larsson has a better goals differential at 5v5. To accomplish that with the role he's been given is pretty impressive, IMO.

But Jim is still right that, in the end, as much as we argue, we're still rooting for all these kids to succeed. So yeah. Props for positivity.

Alright, that's it. That'll be my one Larsson argument this year, no more taking the bait. See you next year, everyone!

 

[GDDevils*]

Not really. I'm mostly right and you all make believe that that previous conversations never happened when you're proven wrong.

Larsson has proven everything you said about him wrong thus far. It was around this time last year when you were calling him a bust. Busts don't get top pairing minutes. I think it's funny that now after another half season of very good play, you would start with this argument again.

You don't even have a real argument. Points? Really? Are you a PK Subban defender? Is that what a good defender is to you? Points have never been an indicator of a good defenseman. Larsson is doing what is being asked of him and doing it very well. I'm sure if the coaching staff asked for more points he could do that as well.

I'm not sure how anyone can be disappointed in Larsson at this point in his career. He's playing as well or better than anyone drafted around him.

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

I'd put Larsson ahead of Doughty but behind Mottau.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

I'd put Larsson ahead of Doughty but behind Mottau.

With Peter Harrold eternally on the top of the heap.

 

[JimEIV]

I was feeling a bit belligerent last night.

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

Don't worry about it

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

if Larsson has just been average, what is John Merrill? or Damon Severson?

anxiously awaiting the response.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Happy New year everyone!

 

[JimEIV]

This guy wants to compare today...I guess it's good to live in thehere and now but that is really not how defensemen progress.

We have an 88 game total pro experience player in Severson

A 146 game player in Merrill

And a 230 game player in Larsson.

Is it hard for that guy to understand that these 3 players are nowhere near each other in their development path?

Why do we want to make believe that 3 years of stagnant development didn't exist for Larsson?

Larsson at about game 50 through 150 or so was horrible, making the same exact mistakes night after night. The gap control was horrendous, his reads were late getting him caught flatfooted every night leaving him chasing the play regularly. To this day we haven't seen play that bad from Merrill. Merrill's first 146 games compared to Larsson's has been far superior. I don't see how that is even debatable. Larsson was sent down a couple of times in that time frame. One of those times he was sent down it was clearly in favor of keeping Merrill in the lineup, don't remember that?

And Seveson's growth has been on the express train, he has been head and shoulders better than either of them through his first 88 games and continues to improve at a very nice rate. Severson trajectory is off the charts compared to the other two.

 

[guitarguyvic]

I hate to say it but I agree with Jim here. In 230 games I have yet to see anything from Larsson that would indicate he's got the potential to be a true #1 which I think was the (reasonable) expectation for the first defender picked in the draft. That's not to say he's not a good player in his own right, I just don't see him being anything but a reliable top paring guy in the mold of maybe Andy Green.

Severson on the contrary has displayed flashes of play that clearly show potential for an all situations type of defenseman. He has accomplished quite a bit for someone with just 88 games under his belt.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I find it hilarious how people tout Severson yet hate on Larsson.

Severson had a good 3 weeks at the start of last season. since then, he has been OK. nothing more.

Larsson has shown for over a year+ now that he is a legitimate top pairing DMan. at 22 years old (yes I know he just turned 23).

 

[devilsblood]

But I'm a big Severson fan. Because he is playing so well, so early in his career, I do not then attack Larsson.

I think Merrill's "bad" play over the past year and half has been over played, but I think when comparing him to Lar's, even though Lar's has played more games in the NHL, Merrill is the older player and was drafted a year earlier. So when comparing the beginnings of each's career we have to factor Lar's turning 19 during his rookie career while Merrill turned 22 his rookie season.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

But I'm a big Severson fan. Because he is playing so well, so early in his career, I do not then attack Larsson.

I think Merrill's "bad" play over the past year and half has been over played, but I think when comparing him to Lar's, even though Lar's has played more games in the NHL, Merrill is the older player and was drafted a year earlier. So when comparing the beginnings of each's career we have to factor Lar's turning 19 during his rookie career while Merrill turned 22 his rookie season.

Pretty much sums up my view. Happy to have Larsson and Severson. Hoping for the bet out of Merrill.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Why do we have to discredit one player to build a case for another?

 

[guitarguyvic]

I find it hilarious how people tout Severson yet hate on Larsson.

Severson had a good 3 weeks at the start of last season. since then, he has been OK. nothing more.

Larsson has shown for over a year+ now that he is a legitimate top pairing DMan. at 22 years old (yes I know he just turned 23).

Do you understand the difference between potential and realized potential? I don't see anything in Larson that suggests he can become anything more than what he already is now. Severson has shown the tools and flashes of potential for much more.

Either way it's not a contest. I like them both and hope they both continue to get better and become great players for us. I'm just calling it as I see it right now.

 

[ForeverJerseyGirl]

Why do we have to discredit one player to build a case for another?

Exactly what I wonder.