Larsson back in line up ?

[captainscott]

What boggles my mind is Lou admitted the whole eight D thing was a distraction last year. And now this year he's allowed it to get far worse since they have eight (really nine but they quarantined Harrold ftm) but basically only six play, one's being pigeonholed into being Kurtis Foster and another one who's better than a handful of the guys currently playing is wasting his time down in Albany. Larsson's not going to forget this when it comes contract time either.

tell me on the top 6 who Larsson is better than?

the answer is maybe volchenkov on his off nights.. that's it that is why none of you are gm's and coaches

Larsson is just fine and will get back in the lineup but the devils have one of the best defensive corps in the league right now in my opinion and he is the odd man out until there is a trade ....everyone clamoring for lou to make a move? he will if its' there.. there was no telling what we had in gelinas and Merrill until they played games....Larsson is still a ? mark in the management's eyes as an everyday guy. so the team will not rush to trade on top of that they are going to see where they stand when deadline roles around... with some of there vets we could get some real hefty returns for a package deal with a guy like fayne included why not wait? so we don't hurt adam Larsson's feelings he has not earned his position as an every day player yet

 

[Tundra]

tell me on the top 6 who Larsson is better than?

the answer is maybe volchenkov on his off nights.. that's it that is why none of you are gm's and coaches

Larsson is just fine and will get back in the lineup but the devils have one of the best defensive corps in the league right now in my opinion and he is the odd man out until there is a trade ....everyone clamoring for lou to make a move? he will if its' there.. there was no telling what we had in gelinas and Merrill until they played games....Larsson is still a ? mark in the management's eyes as an everyday guy. so the team will not rush to trade on top of that they are going to see where they stand when deadline roles around... with some of there vets we could get some real hefty returns for a package deal with a guy like fayne included why not wait? so we don't hurt adam Larsson's feelings he has not earned his position as an every day player yet

Larsson is a tier or two above Fayne and Salvador. It's not even a discussion. And he's better than Merrill as well.

 

[captainscott]

I don't think he should be treated like a superstar but they chained the kid up something awful. I think it has more to do with the way they tried to change him as opposed to being given a lineup spot. Why would he want to stay when he can't be himself? Who needs that? I'd be looking for the nearest exit if I had the choice of going to an organization that wouldn't 'straightjacket' me. Adam Larsson has to do what's best for the development of Adam Larsson. The devils can go pound sand with their backward ways.

then here's the door the devils know what they are doing when it comes to defenseman....quite frankly my opinion of Larsson is completely up in the air ....I think he could be could but I also think he could be a bust.....

why do you think they are restricting him? the devils dmen are as active as any in the league...Larsson does not have the tools to be a dynamic offensive player in the NHL please get that through your head now or you will be disappointed with his career up until his most recent stint playing with gelinas he wasn't very consistant at all

 

[captainscott]

Larsson is a tier or two above Fayne and Salvador. It's not even a discussion. And he's better than Merrill as well.

that is a joke!!! you may not like Salvador's style of play as much but any coach in the nhl if they had to choose one of the two players right now, today, in a big game would take Salvador... Fayne is as good for his role right now ( yes I agree Larsson has way better upside) but we are talking right now.

you like the sexy players....Merrill is too soon to make judgement but Merrill has been more impressive early on compared to Larsson early on

 

[SeidoN]

Greene is the only clear cut better D than Larsson

 

[billingtons ghost]

then here's the door the devils know what they are doing when it comes to defenseman....quite frankly my opinion of Larsson is completely up in the air ....I think he could be could but I also think he could be a bust.....

why do you think they are restricting him? the devils dmen are as active as any in the league...Larsson does not have the tools to be a dynamic offensive player in the NHL please get that through your head now or you will be disappointed with his career up until his most recent stint playing with gelinas he wasn't very consistant at all

I think it's a confidence thing in that he's got a short leash and is ripped from the lineup. Gelinas/Merrill came in with nothing to lose, and now... when the team needs to actually rely upon them, we are seeing them grip their sticks quite a bit more.

Gelinas bouncd back after his benching - not sure if Merrill reacts the same way... bottom line is: I think Larsson's confidence in playing at the NHL is more fragile than Gelinas's.

When challenged, and given a little rope and chance to be the 'stable' guy in that pairing with Gelinas, Larsson showed a lot more.

I think he's showing a lot in Albany right now (going down below the circles to make plays, attempting more passes, pinching)...

If he can translate that to his NHL game, he'll ultimately be the best defenseman of the bunch. As of right now, he's better in our zone than most all of our dmen not named Greene.

 

[Tundra]

then here's the door the devils know what they are doing when it comes to defenseman....quite frankly my opinion of Larsson is completely up in the air ....I think he could be could but I also think he could be a bust.....

why do you think they are restricting him? the devils dmen are as active as any in the league...Larsson does not have the tools to be a dynamic offensive player in the NHL please get that through your head now or you will be disappointed with his career up until his most recent stint playing with gelinas he wasn't very consistant at all

I don't think you've been paying attention:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=661300

"He's a different player now because in Sweden he was more of an offensive player with puck control, passing, and he played a lot on the power play," Marts told NHL.com. "He doesn't play the power play as much now and he's going to have to adjust to this kind of hockey."

Marts was asked if Larsson was a player on his radar for consideration for the World Championship, which will take place between 16 countries from May 3-19 in Finland and Sweden.

"Definitely -- we need some right-handed defensemen so he could be, yes," Marts said.

There's no doubt Larsson's role has changed a bit this season with the Devils as he is concentrating more on his defensive game. He's been earning more than a full minute more of ice time on the penalty kill than the power play in his second NHL season.

"For him, it's good to be on the PK, because you have to work twice as hard as the power play, but also have to be smart," Devils defenseman Andy Greene told NHL.com. "It forces you to play sound defense and will give him confidence moving forward going against some of the bigger, better top lines in the League."

Marts said it's different for him seeing Larsson playing a bigger role on the penalty kill.

"That's odd for us to see, with the type of [offensive] ability he has," Marts said. "He can't make any mistakes because the opponents are so good, so they can score immediately. I think he's got to adjust to that kind of hockey -- playing it simple and trying to take care of his defense first.

"But I hope they will use him in other things, too, because he has those kinds of tools."

The New Jersey Black Hole may have claimed another one.

 

[billingtons ghost]

that is a joke!!! you may not like Salvador's style of play as much but any coach in the nhl if they had to choose one of the two players right now, today, in a big game would take Salvador... Fayne is as good for his role right now ( yes I agree Larsson has way better upside) but we are talking right now.

you like the sexy players....Merrill is too soon to make judgement but Merrill has been more impressive early on compared to Larsson early on

I see what you are saying - and I agree that Merrill is more impressive early on. I think agewise, Larsson is still younger than Merrill - so if you compare them completely apples to apples and throw out the 'high draft pick' stuff -

I think Larsson will get his game together and be very good for this team.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

I don't think you've been paying attention:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=661300



The New Jersey Black Hole may have claimed another one.

You watch Larsson playing in international play as a kid and Larsson in NJ and it's just night and day. The kid in international play had an edge to him and an offensive swagger in him. This kid is just, neutered.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

give me a break ... what has Larsson done so wonderfully that he should be treated like a superstar..? he has been so far a disappointment if you ask me... im not saying I don't like him and don't want him on the team but he is 20 yrs old and arguably not in the top 6 on this team ....wouild I rather see him in lineup than volchenkov ?? yeah probably over Salvador? no way!!

Salvador has been complete ass for a while now. He does very few things well at this point in his career. I'd have Larsson ahead of him on the depth chart if it was up to me, especially when we already have someone (Volchenkov) who does Salvador's job better than him. There's really no need to even have Salvador on this roster right now, to be honest. Hes just blocking Larsson and Gelinas from being in full time. I'd pull a San Jose and jettison him at the deadline, even if were still in it but since hes the Captain, for some weird reason, he'll probably stick around.

Larsson was playing some of his best hockey before he got hurt and Pete stopped being a dumbass and yanking him out of the lineup or limiting his minutes after 1 measly turnover. He should be getting around 20 minutes a night assuming hes healthy.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

Under Robinson, Larsson showed that he had the capabilities of being a solid 2 way d-man for us. 18 points as an 18 year old playing on North American ice for the first time is quite impressive.

Whatever Stevens was doing with him wasn't working because the guy did look scared to death to do anything creative out there. The stuff he was doing in 2012 pretty much disappeared. Same thing is happening with Gelinas. Take the training wheels off of both of them and let them do there thing. Don't try to turn then into ****ing Colin White or Captain Grenade Handler. Let them do what there good at.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

You watch Larsson playing in international play as a kid and Larsson in NJ and it's just night and day. The kid in international play had an edge to him and an offensive swagger in him. This kid is just, neutered.

Exactly, and this is why losing Robinson was a killer. Whatever he was doing with Larsson obviously worked. The kid looked like the player people thought he was going to be when drafted. The more I hear about how the defense is run, the more I think Stevens has too much say and really has no idea what hes doing. Its not a coincidence that Larsson game and confidence went downhill after Larry left.

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

Robinson made Oduya, Mottau and others very rich men. He makes chicken salad out of chicken guano. Very few guys in the business can do what he does.

 

[SeidoN]

You watch Larsson playing in international play as a kid and Larsson in NJ and it's just night and day. The kid in international play had an edge to him and an offensive swagger in him. This kid is just, neutered.

its not even strictly international. you see flashes of fantastic offensive vision when hes in the AHL. sure, the skill level is lower but I refuse to believe the skill disparity makes up for the vastly different style he plays

 

[GhostofKenKlee]

The thing is certain players respond to certain coaches. When JohnnyMacAttack coached Tao looked like he was going to be a player in the NHL.

Lou needs to clear the decks a bit here and make room for Larrson period.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

There are worse places for Larsson to play under Albelin, a much better defensive coach IMO than Stevens.

 

[billingtons ghost]

It's been so long since we have had a stud Dman prospect, that we've all just forgotten that they tend to (occasionally) make a bad read, take the wrong man, do something foolish with the puck, yadda yadda.

I guess we had Martin and Hale - but they both made some stupid scrambly plays for a few years there. Every other 'new' Dman we've brought up - outside of a very safe Mark Fayne, has looked worse than the three kids we have now... or has been a fully baked adult free agent who had been playing against men elsewhere (Oduya, Rafalski..)

Honestly, Larsson/Gelinas/Merrill at their worst are still having fewer breakdowns and bad reads than Niedermayer did as a kid.

They'll come around.

 

[devilsblood]

If we are talking "right now" I think Larsson is a better defensemen then Gelinas. But Gelinas brings much needed offensive weapons. So in this instance, Gelinas is the "sexy" pick.

Similarly I think Larsson brings offensive elements that neither Sal nor Volch bring. So even if we say Sal and Volch are better d-men "right now" does their pure defensive play outweigh Larsson's offensive attributes(predominantly ability to skate with the puck and passing)? Given how redundant Sal and Volch are I'd like to see only one in the lineup. I'd rather have Larsson in over one of them. Prefer to keep Sal and lose Volch, but I don't care much.

I think Larsson, Merrill and Fayne are virtually interchangeable at this point.

 

[StvBroDan]

I don't think you've been paying attention:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=661300



The New Jersey Black Hole may have claimed another one.

Fill the hole with PD before he does ruin Larson

 

[devilsblood]

I really don't have an issue with Larsson in Albany at this point.

But the log jam needs to be cleared, and Larsson brought back up b4 the trade deadline.

Actually I prefer Larsson swapping with Merrill prior to that point.

 

[tycobb]

You watch Larsson playing in international play as a kid and Larsson in NJ and it's just night and day. The kid in international play had an edge to him and an offensive swagger in him. This kid is just, neutered.

International he was playing against people his own age. He never put up offensive # in the SEL. His last year in the SEL he put up 9 points in 37 games.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

He play against kids his own age in the SEL too?

 

[SeidoN]

hope Larsson comes back soon. I have a more or less finished GDT thats been sitting in a folder on my PC for weeks, just waiting for his return

 

[tycobb]

He play against kids his own age in the SEL too?

Obviously not. When he played against people better than him he didn't put up a bunch of points which is my point. The quote people are using is misleading. Larsson was always a defensive first , two way defenseman. He was never drafted with the thought getting 20+ goals and 30+ assists.

 

[GDDevils*]

People honestly think Merrill looks better than Larsson did at the same point of his career? How short are your memories? At a comparable number of games played Larsson was playing 20-25 minutes a night, while being 3-4 years younger AND showing more offensive flashes. Please, let's not mistake our coaches use/miss use for his actual ability.

Larsson, for whatever reason doesn't/hasn't received the same forgiveness for his mistakes that Merrill has. I like Merrill and think he's going to be great, but he by far has not shown more than Larsson.

Up to this point Larsson has been the good soldier and done what was asked of him. Last season he was asked to focus more on his defense and he did. He played the press box shuffle and said all the right things. When Pete finally let him off the leash while playing with Gelinas he looked fantastic.

Merril on the other hand has looked good at best. Not a knock on him, he just needs some time and experience. But can we not pretend he looks better than a player he clearly isn't right now?