Prospect Info: 15th overall — C Dylan Larkin: Larkin signs 3 year entry deal

[Frk It]

He also said Toronto is "Canada's Team" and he wants to help restore that title all shiny and new. Guy is a super proud Canadian, so we should have seen this coming. I thought it would be Edmonton, though.

Anyway, this is the Larkin thread so everybody, myself included, needs to get back on track.

I always thought Toronto was a possibility, even though for some reason it was dismissed quite often here. Maybe others didn't realize just how Pro-Canadian he is? Which I don't really know how one would, but oh well. Maybe not everyone has read his book. It just oozes Canadian patriotism.

But yes, I don't think Babcock going to Toronto is a knock on Larkin in any way. They have no equivalent center prospects there at the moment. Hopefully Larkin scores a lot of goals against Toronto in his career

 

[SoupNazi]

I will never, ever understand Mike Babcock.

 

[Bench]

I will never, ever understand Mike Babcock.

He's giving the kid a pat on the back on the way out. It's nice praise.

 

[icKx]

He's giving the kid a pat on the back on the way out. It's nice praise.

It's fawning.

 

[Hadoop]

He also said Toronto is "Canada's Team" and he wants to help restore that title all shiny and new. Guy is a super proud Canadian, so we should have seen this coming.

That's funny. I'm a proud Canadian but have never considered Toronto to be "Canada's Team".

Maybe not everyone has read his book. It just oozes Canadian patriotism.

I doubt most folks have. I mean come on now. We may hide behind the Internets but we're not bookworms here.


Annnnyways back to Larkin. Big jump for him turning Pro after only one season at U of M, but if he felt he was ready then I look forward to seeing him prove it.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

He's going to a decent situation in Toronto. They'll have Marner, Hanifin, or Strome this year on top of Reilly and Nylander. Bernier's usually a great goalie and Shanahan and Dubas are a formidable tandem. A lot better than the train wreck that Burke inherited and then recreated. I think he's sincere in his praise for Larkin. I really hope Larkin generates some great chemistry with Mantha. They, along with Tatar, are the real foundation to our future success I think.

 

[Bench]

That's funny. I'm a proud Canadian but have never considered Toronto to be "Canada's Team".

It is now. The Prince of Canada has spoken!

Annnnyways back to Larkin. Big jump for him turning Pro after only one season at U of M, but if he felt he was ready then I look forward to seeing him prove it.

It was mentioned earlier in the thread and all the coaches from the international tournament said he was ready. So it looks like there's a lot of reassurance there that he, and the Red Wings, are making the right decision.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

It is now. The Prince of Canada has spoken!

The amount of media attention around Babcock this week has been nauseating. Did you see this, Bench?

It was mentioned earlier in the thread and all the coaches from the international tournament said he was ready. So it looks like there's a lot of reassurance there that he, and the Red Wings, are making the right decision.

I didn't watch any of the tournament, but apparently he was matched up against Kopitar and did well? If that's indication of anything, then I think he's ready to go. I just hope people are more patient with him than they have been with Mantha.

 

[newfy]

I didn't watch any of the tournament, but apparently he was matched up against Kopitar and did well? If that's indication of anything, then I think he's ready to go. I just hope people are more patient with him than they have been with Mantha.

Thats the only American game I watched and he definitely looked fine against him. If you look fine in the World Championships against elite players theres no way you should go back to the NCAA

 

[Claypool]

Thats the only American game I watched and he definitely looked fine against him. If you look fine in the World Championships against elite players theres no way you should go back to the NCAA

He looked good in a short tournament, yes. How will he look after 50 games in a pro league? We'll have to wait and see.

 

[loudernow*]

Calling GRs bottom 6
AA Larkin Porter
Tvrdon Aubry Mantha
Larkins earned it, right?

 

[RayMoonDoh]

Just caught the end of the game and highlights.

How'd he look tonight?

 

[Hendricks433]

Just caught the end of the game and highlights.

How'd he look tonight?

I only saw part of the first and half of the second but looked very good.

 

[newfy]

Just caught the end of the game and highlights.

How'd he look tonight?

Hes the type of player everyone is going to love, especially if he hits his potential. His first goal was a nice set up from Mantha and Athanasiou but he buried it from the slot. The second goal was a good hard shot but it kind of squaked through Markstrom. He probably shouldve had it.

But you get those breaks when you hustle like Larkin was. Hes a beast on the forecheck and back check and dangerous offensively. He doesnt look like a guy thats going to lay a bunch of guys out but when he gets the chance he'll throw his weight around. At one point he got targetted by someone on Utica and didnt back down either, threw some gloved punches.

Hes just a ridiculously well rounded player and looks like the type of center that the wings have built their 24 years of playoffs around.

 

[obey86]

Larkin will be a full timer NHLer by age 20 at the latest. We won't be "over-riping" this kid. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if by mid-season next year he's in the NHL for good.

 

[taliababa]

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/d...ro-game-helps-griffins-tie-ahl-western-final/

The buzz around Larkin is continuing to grow.

 

[BamaWing]

If he keeps growing and getting better like this him and Sheahan could turn into a great duo at center for us in the future. Be interested to see who else gets into the mix at center for us

 

[hot dog]

I think it'd be nice to have him on the roster to learn from a still productive Datsyuk. But it's hard to really predict Kenny breaking his overripening strategy so significantly. Next year mid season to the year after probably is realistic and optimistic.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I think it'd be nice to have him on the roster to learn from a still productive Datsyuk. But it's hard to really predict Kenny breaking his overripening strategy so significantly. Next year mid season to the year after probably is realistic and optimistic.

Actually you have probably named the guy that will lead to him being called up at some point next year if he has played his way in Grand Rapids to the top of the depth chart. Datsyuk will probably get Larkin a chance to make an appearance in Detroit with his injury issues.

 

[Bench]

Actually you have probably named the guy that will lead to him being called up at some point next year if he has played his way in Grand Rapids to the top of the depth chart. Datsyuk will probably get Larkin a chance to make an appearance in Detroit with his injury issues.

Then you've got Zetterberg and Helm, injury wildcards. They stayed healthy last year, though, so that's nice.

There will be injuries at center, we can bank on that, I think.

 

[hot dog]

Actually you have probably named the guy that will lead to him being called up at some point next year if he has played his way in Grand Rapids to the top of the depth chart. Datsyuk will probably get Larkin a chance to make an appearance in Detroit with his injury issues.

True, Datsyuk is a near guarantee to miss 15 games minimum. If he does well with the Griffs he'll certainly get a chance to play in Detroit this year.

 

[Syckle78]

Some players are outside the mold over ripen. Larkin is the best prospect we've had for a really long time. Don't think Holland's past record of slow playing prospects will be relevant with this guy. He's on a different level and hopefully will be up quickly.

 

[Winger98]

eh, if Weiss is still here when camp rolls around I don't think it's to save face on the signing. It's because no one else wanted him enough to give up anything, and there's not a whole lot else to spend that cap hit on anyway. Maybe we go after Soderberg then, but not if we're also expecting Larkin to contend for a spot in camp.

And we could probably find the room to go after Soderberg regardless of what we did with Weiss.

 

[haulinbass]

You guys really think Holland is brain-dead? You don't think he realized the success of bringing in young guys over signing the available vets in today's game? He learned. Believe it or not having to bring in a boat load of young guys is a new experience for him as an NHL GM. In the past he was able to sign top free agents and trade for top players. He was able to sign a little better quality of vets to fill what little gaps were left. It's the first time he had to sway from what was his proven and very effective strategy. I don't think you guys have to worry anymore about him signing 3 vets per off season to fill holes when we have talent in GR. Yes he may sign somebody if he feels there is a specific need but he is going to allow the kids to step in whenever he gets a chance. Sometimes people who had great success doing things a certain way for along time take awhile to adapt to new ways. Sometimes it takes an accident. This vet over talented prospect is a thing of the past. All he talks about now is the prospects and how we need to draft our roster to find success. Will he still over ripen guys? Yeah for sure, but he is going to be much more likely to give guys a chance sooner.

 

[obey86]

Some players are outside the mold over ripen. Larkin is the best prospect we've had for a really long time. Don't think Holland's past record of slow playing prospects will be relevant with this guy. He's on a different level and hopefully will be up quickly.

Exactly. Nyquist, Tatar, Pulks, etc are different types of prospects than someone like Larkin. Larkin already does all the little things the Red Wings like and isn't so undersized and weak.