Mid-Season Analysis of Adam Larsson

[MCDevils]

What are people's thoughts on the budding star of our blue line?

Is he better/worse than expected?

How has he evolved over the last 4 months?

What's his upside?

What does he need to improve on most?

 

[MadCaptain]

I personally hate rushing defensemen to the NHL because they're given leeway in their defensive coverage. I would have preferred Larsson to stay in SEL this past year and learn how to lead a team offensively. I obviously didn't expect him to play lots of minutes from the start but its mostly because the other options aren't that good. He's been a lot better than i expected for a rookie Dman. He deserves the minutes he gets now and has really turned around his game from November. I'd say he has 'evolved' very well in the last 2 months. His offensive abilities are there but I don't think he's going to ever put up a lot of points just because he's never been in a position to control the offense. I think He'll put up less points than Raffi and Nieds did for us. I'm guessing a role like Ryan Suter has. He still needs to improve on a lot but so does all rookie Dmen. I don't thing there is a specific aspect of his game which is lagging behind so just overall improvement in positioning.

 

[MCDevils]

I personally hate rushing defensemen to the NHL because they're given leeway in their defensive coverage. I would have preferred Larsson to stay in SEL this past year and learn how to lead a team offensively. I obviously didn't expect him to play lots of minutes from the start but its mostly because the other options aren't that good. He's been a lot better than i expected for a rookie Dman. He deserves the minutes he gets now and has really turned around his game from November. I'd say he has 'evolved' very well in the last 2 months. His offensive abilities are there but I don't think he's going to ever put up a lot of points just because he's never been in a position to control the offense. I think He'll put up less points than Raffi and Nieds did for us. I'm guessing a role like Ryan Suter has. He still needs to improve on a lot but so does all rookie Dmen. I don't thing there is a specific aspect of his game which is lagging behind so just overall improvement in positioning.

If he turns into a Ryan Suter caliber player, I think we should all be ecstatic.

 

[DevilishWon]

I think he's doing great for a 19 YO. He still makes some rookie mistakes but he's learning. I think he might actually wind up better than Raffi offensively..we'll see.

 

[MCDevils]

My major thoughts:

- He's good under pressure when the other team dumps the puck.
- He's most vulnerable when the opposing team comes in off the wall and tries to go around him. SOMETIMES, he can get beat to the outside and has to stretch to make the play, which I think is the wrong move. He needs to take the body out in those situations. Again, he basically stretches out and then his skating suffers.
-His acceleration needs to get a bit better.
- It seems like sometimes he doesn't know when to go full speed, but this has been decreasing notably throughout the first half.
- As said above, for an 18/19 y/o I don't know how much more you could ask for. He's earning his minutes.

 

[MCDevils]

We totally just cursed this kid. Hope he's ok.

 

[MCDevils]

Devils say it's a bruised lower back.

 

[Indian Chief]

He learns from his mistakes and always tries hard. I can't really ask for much more from a 19 yo rookie defenseman.

 

[kellmit]

This kid blows me away every night.. he seems to be getting a better idea of when to join the rush, and he is making less and less mistakes... I very much approve!

 

[KennyBanyeah]

I'm a big fan of Larsson and have been since about 18 months ago.

He made me a bigger fan tonight by taking a crushing, hard hit and taking it like a man by giving a heads up to Subban.

The kid is all class and a real hockey player.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I think the Devils got themselves a very good defenseman for the next 15 years.

 

[MCDevils]

I'm a big fan of Larsson and have been since about 18 months ago.

He made me a bigger fan tonight by taking a crushing, hard hit and taking it like a man by giving a heads up to Subban.

The kid is all class and a real hockey player.

I literally said, "oh god, he's dead" after that hit happened. Luckily I was wrong. Bruised back seems like a miracle considering how hurt he looked on the ice.

 

[CalamityX11]

I see the potential as an offensive type defensemen...

Yes he's young, but I'm not ready to crown him or praise as a top defendor. Experience will help him IMHO.

Again, he's very young so i need to cut back on the critics, but for him to blossom more IMO, he'll need to add some muscle and speed on the ice. Still very manageable glares since he's real young.

Needs to tame that throw the puck w/o looking habit away. He has hurt his goalie and defense at times with such carelessness.

Stop watching and i feel he could do more and give more IMO.

It was a pick we needed to have and hopefully it pans out, I like the "potential" behind him, good puck handling and control, solid touch and a team player. But I see him more of that offensive type guy than a true defendor which may have been his forecast to begin with.