Player Discussion Adam Larsson
- Thread starter sandhu111
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Mcnotloilersfan
I'm here, I'm bored
Just loved watching how easily he broke up plays and sent the puck the other way. Stats can't show enough just how great of a player he is, and how important he will be to us winning a championship.
McFlyingV
Registered User
Flawless angling and gap control on the Calgary attack, and the guy just has a knack for identifying the dangerous option and making sure he's in the right place to stop it. Very very smart player. Hard to tell from one game, but his skating might have improved a little over the summer as well. I know his one weakness last year was getting beat wide the odd time. Gaining a step would have definitely helped him in his only real weakness on the defensive side of things.
Niten Ichi Ryu
Registered User
- Jul 1, 2018
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He was so good in 2016-17, and in spurts of last season..but this season, he has regressed, big time
He's actually admitting this is the worst hockey he is playing right now.
"I'm too passive, not skating, it's not part of my game, I know how good I can be and I'm not even close right now"..."This is as bad as it's been and as bad as it will be..."
Feel bad for him, we know what he can do, but it seems his game has taken a major slide since the coaching change
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Panda Bear
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- Apr 2, 2010
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The entire defence save Nurse (and even then...) went down and sunk him. He's a #2 at his best, and can't carry the load like a Doughty can.
Only a few forwards are able to take advantage of his passing, too, which compounds his issues.
He'll rebound.
Only a few forwards are able to take advantage of his passing, too, which compounds his issues.
He'll rebound.
I feel like Larsson used the media to put the pressure on himself. I'm confident we'll see a totally different player next game, and then we just hope like hell he doesn't regress over the 11 day break
Everybody has slumps. His has happened at the worst possible time but I respect that he recognizes the problem and it’s on him to figure it out.
Fourier
Registered User
Larsson is playing very poorly but he is not someone I'd be concerned about long term.
Yep. Guys like Larsson I don't worry about long term. He has shown a very strong NHL ability defensively, recognizes his issue and is at least saying he is going to fix it.
This time last year he lost his father too, so no doubt that's been on his mind as well.
lol this thread... his slump has lasted almost 2 years now
if it's really his back hurting him, then he needs to get that fixed ASAP. we're not making any cup runs this year so just put him on IR and get surgery or rehab or whatever.
if it's really his back hurting him, then he needs to get that fixed ASAP. we're not making any cup runs this year so just put him on IR and get surgery or rehab or whatever.
LTIR
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- Nov 8, 2013
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Larsson under Hitch -12
Larsson under TMac -1
Maybe it's because of Klefbom but maybe it's the new system.
Larsson was not very adventurous under TMac but seems .to jump In a lot now
Larsson under TMac -1
Maybe it's because of Klefbom but maybe it's the new system.
Larsson was not very adventurous under TMac but seems .to jump In a lot now
I hope he turns it around but it's not as easy as people think. His issues appear to be confidence. It can be extremely hard to turn that around. He says he feels passive and not really skating hard and aggressive. That can be more difficult a mind set and feel to get back than people realize. hard to explain but if you try to turn it around by simply skating harder it could actually get worse as you can start to make bad plays and decisions. hockey is extremely difficult in that you have to feel aggressive, feel the confidence and pop in the legs but also have the proper and calm enough mindset to process things PROPERLY and steady enough to make the plays under pressure. it can be a difficult feel to get back when you lose it.
dem
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- Mar 17, 2002
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I'd be happy if no one ever posted Adam Larsson on the shitter ever again.
Remember when NJD fans came to tell us how great THE EAGLE was? lol now they're laughing at us every time "one for one"
Fourier
Registered User
Drivesaitl
Finding Hyman
More of this crap. We have 3 of the best forwards on the planet that are excellent at transition. Yet you turn this around to indicate that its the forwards at fault. In our scheme its often the forwards who are transitioning the puck out.
Because we lack pmd. The only D we have that are confident even skating the puck out are Nurse and Jones. Larsson makes passes almost any top 4 D can make. Nothing spectacular and his on ice real time reads are pedestrian.
Larsson has shown very little of the playmaking transition passing ability he was supposed to have and the expected increase in his offensive contributions and adaptation has not occurred.
What has occurred is as predicted. That this D would have more difficulty playing in the more physical WC and absorbing punishment of some forecheck monsters that we have in this division and conference.
Drivesaitl
Finding Hyman
Larsson was ordinary last season and sub par almost all of this season. Since X-mas this has entered into him being bad. Not sure how much is due to his back, his over use, but he's drowning. Of course we could expect fall back in his play, this is a difficult situation with D injuries, but oddly Nurse has looked better under the same strain and the team are riding Nurse more. The team rode Nurse more last season as well when other players, including Larsson, were injured.
Of course this is reasonable view, but what you are defining here is why the acquisition, for the price we paid was insane. You don't trade an MVP capable player straight up for an ordinary top 4 D that lacks any offensive acumen.
Of course fans are always going to expect Larsson to be better, play better, and do more than that. The org set up that dynamic with the worst Oiler trade of the Millennium (not counting Pronger which was a coerced situation)
ToeMcDrag83
5-14-6-1
All due respect to the man (whom I like as a person), have we not heard this sentiment before in the past 2 seasons?
"It starts with me... I have to be better...I have to lead by example" all things he's said multiple times.
Haven't seen any improvement any time he's brought it up.
It's just words at this point. Like most of the Oilers players, staff and beyond.
This is not a unique slump of 5-10 games. He has been more than poor all of this season and less than mediocre all of last season.
Forget offense, even at the one skill he is supposed to be good at (defending) he isn't getting it done. Out-muscled, out-skated, out-positioned, out-battled, out-thought at every turn by the opposition. He has not pushed the needle for us in any way whatsoever. His outlets and passing to my eye are hesitant, delayed and off the mark. Of course our "breakout" as a team where the only option is ringing it around the boards anyways doesn't help.
If these post game comments are somehow different this time, good for him, we could use a top 4 defenseman.
But history suggests it's more of the same: more talk/less walk. A fault of the whole team certainly, but he is not exempt.
I get that the mental exhaustion of the last couple years for him (personally and professionally) combined with continued crap GM'ing to bring in no help and leave the D group bare (despite knowing about Sekera's injuries beforehand TWICE) are big detrimental factors. But the individual player is not doing anything well that is in his control either.
"It starts with me... I have to be better...I have to lead by example" all things he's said multiple times.
Haven't seen any improvement any time he's brought it up.
It's just words at this point. Like most of the Oilers players, staff and beyond.
This is not a unique slump of 5-10 games. He has been more than poor all of this season and less than mediocre all of last season.
Forget offense, even at the one skill he is supposed to be good at (defending) he isn't getting it done. Out-muscled, out-skated, out-positioned, out-battled, out-thought at every turn by the opposition. He has not pushed the needle for us in any way whatsoever. His outlets and passing to my eye are hesitant, delayed and off the mark. Of course our "breakout" as a team where the only option is ringing it around the boards anyways doesn't help.
If these post game comments are somehow different this time, good for him, we could use a top 4 defenseman.
But history suggests it's more of the same: more talk/less walk. A fault of the whole team certainly, but he is not exempt.
I get that the mental exhaustion of the last couple years for him (personally and professionally) combined with continued crap GM'ing to bring in no help and leave the D group bare (despite knowing about Sekera's injuries beforehand TWICE) are big detrimental factors. But the individual player is not doing anything well that is in his control either.
Fourier
Registered User
Last year I am sure it was his back. Before it was reported that he was having issues I thought that he might have a problem. I was at 8 games last year and typically try to get tickets down low. As people might guess I am a fan of the way Larsson plays. Very old school. He's got a bit of a nasty streak and he really punishes guys. So I have made a bit of a habit of watching him from up close. Just shortly before it was made public that he was battling a bad back I saw him play twice and he looked very noticeably tentative. Much more passive along the wall and hesitant to mix it up.
This is not what I am seeing now. He looks like a guy who just expects bad things to happen but he does not look hurt to me.
Drivesaitl
Finding Hyman
The real problem for Larsson, and its amazing it hasn't already occurred, is when the fans at Rogers turn on him and his play. Last night the single worst D play of the season (not counting Jones, Benning who are in a league of their own in that regard occurred)
Larsson, on an elemental dump in somehow got beat clean of the puck, in one on one pressure, when he was first to the puck. Somehow the forechecker not only managed to beat him clean, but walk untouched to the front of the net and score while Larsson was counting stars completely annihilated on the play.
It was the most egregious play of the sort here since Mike Grier with a busted shoulder completely undressed a D, stole the puck, and fed a goal. But for Larsson to actually allow the forechecker himself to walk out and score is astounding. The play would not have unfolded any differently if Larsson were not even present. The forechecker was playing against air on the player with Larsson doing nothing.
This play needs to be noted on the thread for posterity.
In the words of the Canes broadcast Neidereiter owns.
Neds is a big player, a handful, but Larsson has to be able to handle that as a top pairing D. Has to.
Larsson was -3 on the night ftr
Larsson, on an elemental dump in somehow got beat clean of the puck, in one on one pressure, when he was first to the puck. Somehow the forechecker not only managed to beat him clean, but walk untouched to the front of the net and score while Larsson was counting stars completely annihilated on the play.
It was the most egregious play of the sort here since Mike Grier with a busted shoulder completely undressed a D, stole the puck, and fed a goal. But for Larsson to actually allow the forechecker himself to walk out and score is astounding. The play would not have unfolded any differently if Larsson were not even present. The forechecker was playing against air on the player with Larsson doing nothing.
This play needs to be noted on the thread for posterity.
In the words of the Canes broadcast Neidereiter owns.
Neds is a big player, a handful, but Larsson has to be able to handle that as a top pairing D. Has to.
Larsson was -3 on the night ftr
Drivesaitl
Finding Hyman
Thank you for this very honest assessment. Can't disagree with any of it. With the nature of NHL disclosure though we'll never really know what the nature of the back injury is or how degenerative, but I agree from the way that he initiates physical contact it doesn't seem like he's in appreciable difficulty. He's making bad reads, not anticipating well, and not handling forecheck pressure very well.
