Hi there folks! As a Skellefteå AIK and Adam Larsson homie, I would really like to know from you guys how he has been playing in his first NHL season. Ups and downs? Has he met up to your expectations? What does he need to work on? Expectations for years to come?
Can we get him back to our black and yellow team anytime soon?
Hi there folks! As a Skellefteå AIK and Adam Larsson homie, I would really like to know from you guys how he has been playing in his first NHL season. Ups and downs? Has he met up to your expectations? What does he need to work on? Expectations for years to come?
Can we get him back to our black and yellow team anytime soon?
He's awesome. Gets coned every now and then and could get a little faster, but give it some time.
Hi there folks! As a Skellefteå AIK and Adam Larsson homie, I would really like to know from you guys how he has been playing in his first NHL season. Ups and downs? Has he met up to your expectations? What does he need to work on? Expectations for years to come?
Can we get him back to our black and yellow team anytime soon?
No, not returning. Maybe for the Olympics, but thazzit.
His foot speed is the only thing that has left a bit to be desired, but his hockey IQ is exceptional at such a young age. It's so good that he shouldn't have a problem overcoming the speed issue. And that's not to say he's slow by any means, just not one of the fastest guys out there.
Occasionally he makes one of those "what the hell were you thinking?" plays, but that's to be expected of a rookie. Thing is, he does it much less than any other veteran on the team. I like what I've seen of his offensive game. He might not be the flashiest guy, but he has a willingness to join the rush and carry the puck into the zone that's a welcome change from most Devils D men in recent memory. He rarely gets caught in the offensive zone. He only moves in when he knows he has someone covering for him. Again, very high hockey IQ.
I think where he excels most is in the defensive zone along the boards with the puck on his stick. He can make these subtle yet brilliant little stickhandles and positions himself in such a way to open up a passing lane. And he very often makes the correct play; whether that's to skate it out himself or find the open man breaking out of the zone.
He's a keeper. A future number one. Hell, he's arguably a current number one on this team. So no, you can never ever have him back
Totally agreed on his foot speed. I'm sure he'll work on that in the off-season.
He's been impressive and, as mentioned, sometimes you forget he's only 19. He has learned from his mistakes as there have been less of those "what the heck just happened?" kind of plays out of him as the season has progressed, as you'd expect.
His foot speed is the only thing that has left a bit to be desired, but his hockey IQ is exceptional at such a young age. It's so good that he shouldn't have a problem overcoming the speed issue. And that's not to say he's slow by any means, just not one of the fastest guys out there.
Occasionally he makes one of those "what the hell were you thinking?" plays, but that's to be expected of a rookie. Thing is, he does it much less than any other veteran on the team. I like what I've seen of his offensive game. He might not be the flashiest guy, but he has a willingness to join the rush and carry the puck into the zone that's a welcome change from most Devils D men in recent memory. He rarely gets caught in the offensive zone. He only moves in when he knows he has someone covering for him. Again, very high hockey IQ.
I think where he excels most is in the defensive zone along the boards with the puck on his stick. He can make these subtle yet brilliant little stickhandles and positions himself in such a way to open up a passing lane. And he very often makes the correct play; whether that's to skate it out himself or find the open man breaking out of the zone.
He's a keeper. A future number one. Hell, he's arguably a current number one on this team. So no, you can never ever have him back
First, temper these comments with the fact I am ok with his overall play and there is no question that there is a ton of promise in this player...But...
His mistake rate or the WTF-O-meter is without a doubt the highest on the team. It hasn't cost the team much other than some very quality chances. But let's be honest and not let that "promise" fool us into believing he has played better than he actually has...Since returning from injury his play hasn't been very good. He is often too high on his man on the rush, and if he doesn't win the battle in the corner he often loses his man -- again it is like he doesn't understand the speed, the time and space of the NHL game...In my opinion what some people are seeing as a foot speed "issues" is more him having difficulty with reading the play and understanding the time and space. I expected that early on but it really hasn't progressed much as the season has gone on.
His pinches and times he enters the zone are very dicey. He often goes too deep and at inopportune times. It's the situation recognition that needs a lot of work. He doesn't join in much, but the percentage of not-so-good choices to overall chances is not good.
That is the bad...
The good is he wins a lot of his battles along the boards he has that ability to come away with the puck more often than not. His strength and physicality are far greater than I imagined from an 18/19 rookie. His passing is only second to Zidlicky on the team. I feel extremely comfortable with him once he has the puck on his stick. He takes care of the puck very well and seems to make quick decisions once he has the puck. He has the tools and we have to see where it goes.
This is going to be a process for Larsson and I think we should all understand that.
I agree he's been not so great since the return from injury. Getting lit up will do that to you. However, I wouldn't necessarily say he screws up any more than someone like Sal or Volch, it's just that he does it in a more noticeable way. A cross ice pass in your own zone that is picked off for a clean chance is more noticeable than taking a bad angle and letting a guy get around you, or failing at clearing the zone up the boards with full possession of the puck, or even clearing it over the glass in your own zone.
That said, I understand what you're saying. What I say speaks a lot to Larsson, but also to the overall extremely mediocre D this team currently has. Obviously he wouldn't be a number one D man yet on a team with a good D. You can see the potential there, though. It's quite obvious, and it's quite high.
I agree he's been not so great since the return from injury. Getting lit up will do that to you. However, I wouldn't necessarily say he screws up any more than someone like Sal or Volch, it's just that he does it in a more noticeable way. A cross ice pass in your own zone that is picked off for a clean chance is more noticeable than taking a bad angle and letting a guy get around you, or failing at clearing the zone up the boards with full possession of the puck, or even clearing it over the glass in your own zone.
That said, I understand what you're saying. What I say speaks a lot to Larsson, but also to the overall extremely mediocre D this team currently has. Obviously he wouldn't be a number one D man yet on a team with a good D. You can see the potential there, though. It's quite obvious, and it's quite high.
That is a good point. I agreed with both of your post by the way.
He moves like Chara, and Chara once had a hard time getting his timing down because of his size and mobility issues that come with that size (foot work, first step, stops & starts and so forth). For Adam, at 6' 3" I don't think it's that he's so big (he's not really), but rather he's so young and hasn't gotten used to his size from growing as a young man and adapting that to the speed of the NHL.
He'll adjust and get more comfortable - and hopefully put on a few pounds to start laying guys out along the boards better. He ties them up ok and slows them down but I think he could start really using his frame to punish the attackers more often when they start to go to the outside. A little Volchenkov in his hitting game wouldn't hurt and would solidify him as a true 2-way Dman.
his stick work is probably the best of our defensive corps right now. mentally he's great for a rookie, but bad for an nhl d-man. his decision making will have to improve for him to become the #1 we all expect, but i have no doubt it will get there.
I wonder if this is the part of the season where the length of the schedule plays a factor. He did miss alot of time from the Subban hit which should help in that regard but I think we can all agree he has kind of hit the "rookie wall" lately.
I expect (okay, hope) that he will find another gear soon and really start to mature as we near the playoffs.
He does get burned to the outside a little too much for my liking, but as others have said, that is mostly due to the speed of the game. He often recovers well from that.
Sometimes he goes for a hit at the blue line and takes himself out of position, leading to odd man rushes.
Otherwise, I really can't complain much about his play. He's one of the better defencemen the Devils have on the breakout, and his offensive game is beginning to emerge too. I am confident he will be a legitimate #1 defenceman within two years, and for that reason, no, Skelleftea cannot have him back.
I disagree to an extent, Jim. He`s definitely shown some progress as the season progressed. Then went back to Sweden for a funeral, then got injured. You probably don`t remember, but mid-November/early December he was playing noticeably better. It`s understandable that his first game back was awful, but I see him getting more comfortable every game. As DeBoer said: "he`s like a sponge soaking up all the things Larry`s trying to teach him."
With some PO experience, one full offseason and one more NHL season under his belt, he`s going to be much much better at all those things you mentioned.
I think his playoff play is going to be more telling about his future at the NHL level then his regular season play so far, and I agree with the vast majority of what has been said in this thread.
__________________
"Why I'll be a Devil forever [...] two words. Trust and respect." - Mr. Pat Burns
"I learned not to question Cowbell's willingness to ban." - Brian Boyle
Not a chance he is a keeper.
