I like Larkin if I wasn't lazy I would dig through my post history and show how I had him top 5 in most of my 2014 re drafts
C Dylan Larkin (2014, 15th, DET)
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Watched the game. And regarding the discussion back a moment ago:
First of all, Larkin had a great game.
Secondly, my persecption about him only strengthened. He was the high motor guy who almost every time with the puck goes directly to the net rather than slows the game down and seeks for passing options (he didn't really do that at all). He's really strong on the boards and corners for a guy his age.
Sure the goaltending and defending from Toronto was absolutely brutal on all of those goals (and goals where Larkin potted points). If Abdelkader scores a hattrick you know there's something like that going on.
Did I see a player who is going to be puck possession wise similar to Kopitar/Toews and be a dominant playmaker? No. Did I see a player who will create a tons of scoring chances thanks to his really strong skating and work around corners/boards with the ability to hold the puck all the time? Yes.
Sure, he was playing as a winger and Z was the center, but he played pretty much the same kind of game as I have seen him done so far.
I think Larkin fits really well to the Detroit Red Wings of Jeff Blashill. They play a lot more faster hockey than they did under Babcock, and Larkin will benefit from it big time.
He plays more like Crosby than Toews/Kopitar. Stylistically. Why slow the game down when you can out-skate everybody?
Roomba With a Bauer
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Larkin doesn't need to slow the game down because he thinks the game as fast as he skates.
Heraldic
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Exactly. He doesn't play the game like the players I have seen many comparing him. Thanks for finally agreeing with him.
And style-wise he indeed is more comparable to Crosby. But there is a reason why Crosby is the only franchise-center who can be as good as he is without controlling the pace of the game (and even he does it, but not as often as the two mentioned). Or are we know talking about Larking being comparable to not Toews/Kopitar but to Crosby?
Let's first just wait and see how his skating is against an actual NHL team and not a tanking one. He is a great skater, but he is nowhere near being Pavel Bure or someone like him. He isn't even a better skater than McDavid or Eichel. He isn't going to be a dominant player just by his skating (just like McDavid or Eichel won't be) - even when being a strong player with ability to hold the puck effectively with him.
Great first game, I hope he has 81 more games like that so I can give a true evaluation of him.
Larkin definitely has franchise centre potential. You wanna look for players who have been rising throughout the season and Detroit found themselves a diamond.
Gamble9
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had a exceptional game 2night against the leafs I think the Crosby comparisons stylistically are off personally I don't see that bottom heaviness I think Toews is right on now its just a question of bringing it every night he won't play center right away and that's fine he's a real treat to watch using his speed on the wing
I also hope he scores about 164 points. That would let the evaluation process go smoothly
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I also hope he scores about 164 points. That would let the evaluation process go smoothly
He'd be a bust if he didn't.
This is such bs. Have you watched Zetterberg the past year or so? He's still a very effective player but let's not pretend Larkin is playing with Crosby here. We love our captain but he is basically an average first line player these days. There's a reason Datsyuk had his best year production wise in a while last year. He was finally playing with a legit winger basically all year with Tatar. But Tatar was probably sheltered too right? Why can't we just say that both benefit each other? Or are we really that insecure about this whole Larkin Vs. Nylander debate that we have to say that Larkin is sheltered to constantly downplay him. He's on the first line as a 19 year old and he hasn't looked out of place yet, no matter how you want to spin it, that's pretty damn impressive.
Roof Daddy
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I was very impressed by Larkin last night. The wheels, ability to get shots away when challenged by defenders, and the way he pushes the pace - kind of reminded me of a young Yzerman (stylistically). A lot of times when a play was broken up, if Larkin picked up the loose puck he'd make like he's retreating so everyone can regroup, then the second the opposition backed off he'd be right back on the attack. I'm not sure that's a great description/explanation on my part, but that's what reminded me of Yzerman.
Obviously not to the extent of what Yzerman did on this goal, but when he skates back to the blue line and the defender backs off a bit and Stevie Y sees an opening, he's quick to the open area of the ice. I saw a similar approach from Larkin last night (with the obvious differences that D systems aren't as passive as the 80's/90's, and by no means am I suggesting Larkin=Yzerman).
Obviously not to the extent of what Yzerman did on this goal, but when he skates back to the blue line and the defender backs off a bit and Stevie Y sees an opening, he's quick to the open area of the ice. I saw a similar approach from Larkin last night (with the obvious differences that D systems aren't as passive as the 80's/90's, and by no means am I suggesting Larkin=Yzerman).
Cotton
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Zetterberg isn't average, if you think so then you've been spoiled.
And it isn't an insult (Or shouldn't be intended as one) to say he's being sheltered. He's just a kid still.
He's good, and with the opportunity he's getting he's a legit favorite for the Calder.
Crosby, Malkin, Stamkos, Seguin, Backstrom, Toews, Kopitar, Getzlaf, Giroux, Tavares, Bergeron, Datsyuk, Thornton, etc. are all better or right there with Zetterberg. That would put him right around average for a first line center. Zetterberg's a very good player, but there are a lot of good first line centers in the league. Larkin's not benefitting any more than the average winger on the first line from his center.
UsernameWasTaken
Let's Go Hawks!
He's facing tougher competition than he would be if he were in the bottom 6. Larkin would be 'sheltered' if he were playing on the third line, away from Zetterberg.
Shaman464
No u
Kelly
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They were playing the Leafs... No such thing as tough competition on that team. You're kidding yourself if you think playing with Z and Abdelkader isn't more beneficial to a young kid rather than playing with players like Miller and Glendening.
UsernameWasTaken
Let's Go Hawks!
I didn't say he wouldn't benefit from it. I said he isn't more sheltered on the top line with Zetterberg than he'd be elsewhere in the lineup. Which is what Leafs fans ITT were insisting as yet another justification about why Larkin is in the NHL and Nylander isn't.
But Leafs fans can continue to delude themselves into thinking Nylander's game is as NHL-ready as Larkin's.
Most players who break into the NHL as teenagers are on non-playoff teams. This is because it's the high first round picks who typically make it the fastest and the teams who selected them are usually the weakest. Perhaps the reason Nylander is in the AHL right now is because his game needs more improvement before he is ready to be an NHL regular.
Heraldic
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I agree that it's not accurate to say that a rookie playing on the first line with the best player on the team isn't exactly sheltering.
But it still is a lot different thing than to carry your line in a position where you're supposed eventually to play (playing as a center instead of a winger).
Zetterberg isn't as good as he was on his prime, but he is far from being an "average first line center". If a center has toughest matchups on his team, plays really good defensive game and pots +65 points not even having full amoun of games, and he is considered "average", the vast majority of the centers are worse than average, which is logically bit wierd. If Zetterberg had played 5 games more and potted 4 points more, he would have been the only center in the league to 1) have toughest match-ups on your team AND 2) potted 70 points or more. THE ONLY ONE.
That hardly is an average first line center.
Tougher competition?
I thought they were playing the Leafs. Have you looked at their lineup?
Kelly
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He's being put in a spot where he can succeed. The Leafs don't have that same option with Nylander. we could throw him to the wolves put him with Bozak or Kadri and everyone would expect him to carry our teams offense, while Detoit can throw him beside an all world talent like big Z and have expectations relatively low, I don't see what's so hard to understand about that.
Putting him with big Z, rather than suffocating him on the fourth line is putting him in a place where he can have success, who cares if he's gonna be playing against defenseman like Matt Hunwick and the known defensive rock Dion Phaneuf rather than guys like Marincin and Gardiner
..Have you not been paying attention to the team in Edmonton the past couple years? Then look at teams like LA, Anaheim, (old) Boston, Tampa Bay, Chicago etc where they can put young guys like Toffoli, Saad, Kucherov, Pastrnak, Lindholm etc into situations they can actually succeed in and not throw them directly into a dumpster fire?
Good on Toronto for doing the right thing, for once. Don't see why fans of other teams feel the need to talk down Nylander only to talk up Larkin though.
Cotton
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There isn't a rookie playing that can't use some improvements. Larkin had a good game playing on the 1st line as a winger against the worst team in the NHL, let's not get carried away. Especially because we all know he'd be in the A this year (and still may be), if Babcock was still in Detroit.
I like both players, and Larkin's looked great, but Nylander is NHL ready.
UsernameWasTaken
Let's Go Hawks!
So you think he would face tougher competition playing the Leafs if he were on the third line than on the top line?
He's being put in a spot where he can succeed. The Leafs don't have that same option with Nylander. we could throw him to the wolves put him with Bozak or Kadri and everyone would expect him to carry our teams offense, while Detoit can throw him beside an all world talent like big Z and have expectations relatively low, I don't see what's so hard to understand about that.
Putting him with big Z, rather than suffocating him on the fourth line is putting him in a place where he can have success, who cares if he's gonna be playing against defenseman like Matt Hunwick and the known defensive rock Dion Phaneuf rather than guys like Marincin and Gardiner
Have you not been paying attention to the team in Edmonton the past couple years? Then look at teams like LA, Anaheim, (old) Boston, Tampa Bay, Chicago etc where they can put young guys like Toffoli, Saad, Kucherov, Pastrnak, Lindholm etc into situations they can actually succeed in and not throw them directly into a dumpster fire?
Good on Toronto for doing the right thing, for once. Don't see why fans of other teams feel the need to talk down Nylander only to talk up Larkin though.
No one is talking down Nylander to talk up Larkin - in fact it's quite the opposite. Leafs fans continually invade other threads to minimize the success other prospects are having while trying to promote Nylander.
Tampa and Chicago both had players enter the league when those teams were non-competitive and they did fine. So did the LA Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins.
The reality is that Larkin is in the NHL right now because he has shown, so far, that his game is NHL-ready. Nylander is in the AHL right now because it was apparent watching him during pre-season that despite his potential his game still needs more improvement before he is ready to be an every day player. It isn't very surprising; most players are not ready for the NHL when they are 19 (including 3 of the players drafted ahead of Nylander; 4 if Virtanen is sent back).
He's being put in a spot where he can succeed. The Leafs don't have that same option with Nylander. we could throw him to the wolves put him with Bozak or Kadri and everyone would expect him to carry our teams offense, while Detoit can throw him beside an all world talent like big Z and have expectations relatively low, I don't see what's so hard to understand about that.
Putting him with big Z, rather than suffocating him on the fourth line is putting him in a place where he can have success, who cares if he's gonna be playing against defenseman like Matt Hunwick and the known defensive rock Dion Phaneuf rather than guys like Marincin and Gardiner
Have you not been paying attention to the team in Edmonton the past couple years? Then look at teams like LA, Anaheim, (old) Boston, Tampa Bay, Chicago etc where they can put young guys like Toffoli, Saad, Kucherov, Pastrnak, Lindholm etc into situations they can actually succeed in and not throw them directly into a dumpster fire?
Good on Toronto for doing the right thing, for once. Don't see why fans of other teams feel the need to talk down Nylander only to talk up Larkin though.
This is hilarious. Please read these threads and you'd see it's exactly the opposite. Larkin is knocked at every opportunity by Leafs fans because he's not Nylander.
Babcock disagrees, and I'll side with Nylanders coach.
It's not a bad thing, it's better than rushing him.
Soooo sensitive, if you don't want to listen to reasonable posters, then listen to Babcock, he's on record saying Nylander would make the team if he earned it and that he wasn't destined to be sent down.
Babcock is also on record saying Nylander is good, but has A Lot to work on still.
You quoted the article in one of your posts, are you calling Babcock a liar?
If Nylander was NHL ready, he'd be playing in the NHL. Kid still needs a year or two in the minors, it's not a bad thing, and it's better than rushing him and ruining his talent.
Edit: oops, this is the Larkin thread, lol. Well to stay on topic, Larkin looked amazing last night, kid is definitely NHL ready, he won't be back in the minors until his late 30s.....welcome to the show kid, great mid first pick by the wings!
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