So Larkin Made Some Interesting Comments.

[FMichael]

They flat out sucked from the drop. Were terrible on November 1st and were terrible when they let Newsy go. Made it back into playoff contention before Larkin got injured at 4 Nations and Copp got injured.

This team was screaming 'please do not buy at the trade deadline'.

What exactly is/was Lakin's injury?

Was it ever revealed?

 

[Run the Jewels]

What exactly is/was Lakin's injury?

Was it ever revealed?

You're in a thread on his end of season press conference. May be a good idea to watch the thing, yeah?

He said he sustained 'multiple injuries' but when pressed on the severity he said he'd have to talk to the doctors or something along those lines.

So generally he was injured but was still able to play. His play down the stretch would fit with him being injured.

 

[FMichael]

You're in a thread on his end of season press conference. May be a good idea to watch the thing, yeah?

He said he sustained 'multiple injuries' but when pressed on the severity he said he'd have to talk to the doctors or something along those lines.

So generally he was injured but was still able to play. His play down the stretch would fit with him being injured.

Yeah - I had watched the 9 min video a few days ago - just 'picked up a couple of injuries there ' that apparently affected his play - nothing specific revealed which was what I was asking about.

 

[RRhoads]

They flat out sucked from the drop. Were terrible on November 1st and were terrible when they let Newsy go. Made it back into playoff contention before Larkin got injured at 4 Nations and Copp got injured.

This team was screaming 'please do not buy at the trade deadline'.

Sucked is putting it mildly. Most of points we got were pure luck.

Yeah, agree about buying at the deadline.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Yeah - I had watched the 9 min video a few days ago - just 'picked up a couple of injuries there ' that apparently affected his play - nothing specific revealed which was what I was asking about.

I believe they are going to have a presser with medical records involved and doctors answering questions.

Just kidding, they’ll never announce anything.

 

[SCD]

From a GM perspective, would you mortgage the future on a team that:
-has lost four straight going into the deadline.
-captain is battling injuries and play is sub-par (Yzerman, unlike fans, is privy to the severity).

Frustration aside, Larkin's rant was misplaced. I do not see anything positive coming from his comments.

 

[RRhoads]

Unless you are a contender, you shouldn't be buying short term at the deadline. It's kind of obvious.

 

[Snuggs]

What grade would people give Yzerman the past two seasons....

Good job, bad job? I think how people answer that question, will say a lot about how they feel about this.

 

[Winger98]

What grade would people give Yzerman the past two seasons....

Good job, bad job? I think how people answer that question, will say a lot about how they feel about this.

c+/B-?

People are going to want to rant about the UFA pickups, but the issue with me was Lalonde. I really wanted that guy to work out, but he should have been gone sooner.

 

[Snuggs]

c+/B-?

People are going to want to rant about the UFA pickups, but the issue with me was Lalonde. I really wanted that guy to work out, but he should have been gone sooner.

Well shouldn't both be combined. And possibly how the young players/vets on the roster were iced?

 

[theYman]

Sounds like someone is gonna be on the trading block soon. And doesn't want to be here.

 

[Winger98]

Well shouldn't both be combined. And possibly how the young players/vets on the roster were iced?

My feeling with the UFA is a lot were plugs out/plugs in. I care more about the draft, which I liked. I liked that he finally moved more kids into the lineup. And I like that he went out and got what will hopefully be a massive upgrade at coach.

And after McLellan came here, the only guy on the team that I was consistently unhappy with was Holl. Tank still didn't produce but I never thought he was dogging it. Same with Gus. Holl...well, he showed up every night and I assume laced his own skates.

 

[RRhoads]

I'd give Yzerman a B, if we go back two years. It is what was done in free agency two years ago that tied his hands at free agency last summer.

What saves the grade are the draft picks. Danielson, Augustine, ASP, Finnie, MBN, Plante, and even trading Gibson for Kiiskinen. The Prospect pool grew a whole lot the past two summers.

 

[JoesuffP]

The vibe in the locker room cannot swing so wildly from each win and loss streak it’s up to leadership to keep everybody composed and believe they are a good hockey team. You can see when they lose a few they play scared. They’re right on the edge of decent team to bad team and if they lose belief that they can compete with the roster they have than it’s a wrap. It’s sad to see. Lack of confidence and belief in their teammates. You cannot go out sad like that. Punch some faces but don’t go down without a fight that has to end

 

[FMichael]

From a GM perspective, would you mortgage the future on a team that:
-has lost four straight going into the deadline.
-captain is battling injuries and play is sub-par (Yzerman, unlike fans, is privy to the severity).

Frustration aside, Larkin's rant was misplaced. I do not see anything positive coming from his comments.

I can understand his frustration when compared to former 'C' (Yzerman, Lidstrom, Zetterberg) and the teams they were on in terms of talent in comparison.

He's been on teams and there's only so much he can do.

 

[FMichael]

c+/B-?

People are going to want to rant about the UFA pickups, but the issue with me was Lalonde. I really wanted that guy to work out, but he should have been gone sooner.

IMHO Lalonde set this team back a few seasons...Uncle Fester was worse than Blashill...WTF was Yzerman thinking in hiring him in the 1st place and keeping him on after the 2023/2024 season?

 

[SoupGuru]

What if Lalonde wasn't the problem? What if it doesn't matter what coach works with a bunch of Whiny McWhinersons? Outside of the new coach bump, was the team really any better under McClellan? I'm telling you, these same problems have dogged the team under three separate coaches.

 

[USAHockey97]

I'd give Yzerman a B, if we go back two years. It is what was done in free agency two years ago that tied his hands at free agency last summer.

What saves the grade are the draft picks. Danielson, Augustine, ASP, Finnie, MBN, Plante, and even trading Gibson for Kiiskinen. The Prospect pool grew a whole lot the past two summers.

Agreed. The last two years of free agency were not good. Yzerman deserves some blame there.

I also get where Larkin is coming from. Probably should have kept it internal. Maybe he already did though? Who knows.

As for the picks, some of them look ok on paper. ASP and maybe Augustine are the only two that truly stand out. A lot are depth players. That’s great and all but you need a few more high impact players.

 

[USAHockey97]

What if Lalonde wasn't the problem? What if it doesn't matter what coach works with a bunch of Whiny McWhinersons? Outside of the new coach bump, was the team really any better under McClellan? I'm telling you, these same problems have dogged the team under three separate coaches.

Then we are in for trouble.

 

[USAHockey97]

IMHO Lalonde set this team back a few seasons...Uncle Fester was worse than Blashill...WTF was Yzerman thinking in hiring him in the 1st place and keeping him on after the 2023/2024 season?

He inherited a NHL rookie coach in Blashill, then hired another rookie coach. Wasn’t Cooper one as well? His luck ran out and he had to finally hire an experienced NHL coach. Lalonde should have been fired much earlier. Yzerman hurt the team for longer than it should have. He likes the squishy middle I guess?

 

[USAHockey97]

Sounds like someone is gonna be on the trading block soon. And doesn't want to be here.

If that is the case, Yzerman needs to nail this trade or the Wings could be in rebuild mode longer.

 

[saska sault]

What if Lalonde wasn't the problem? What if it doesn't matter what coach works with a bunch of Whiny McWhinersons? Outside of the new coach bump, was the team really any better under McClellan? I'm telling you, these same problems have dogged the team under three separate coaches.

The team was much better under McLellan this season. The team was borderline unwatchable with Lalonde. End of last year the team was exciting down the stretch with Lalonde as the coach.... whatever happened , they eventually gave up on him.

In my mind though, McLellan >>>>>> Lalonde.

 

[Run the Jewels]

What if Lalonde wasn't the problem? What if it doesn't matter what coach works with a bunch of Whiny McWhinersons? Outside of the new coach bump, was the team really any better under McClellan? I'm telling you, these same problems have dogged the team under three separate coaches.

I have two random thoughts:

1. Perhaps Perron played an important role on a team managed by Lalonde? Totally vibes, but he could be that guy who would get buy in, which may be necessary if Lalonde was more of a player's coach.
2. Team looked really good under a reasonably proven coach in McLellan. It was only once Copp and Larkin got injured that the team really fell off.

Can't do anything about Perron other than maybe try to sign a veteran guy in the summer to help Larkin lead. With McLellan, if we have Larkin, Kasper, Copp and possibly Danielson that would be our best depth down the middle in a very, very long time, which should bode well for next season and beyond.

 

[RedHawkDown]

What grade would people give Yzerman the past two seasons....

Good job, bad job? I think how people answer that question, will say a lot about how they feel about this.

D. Still think Larkin was out to lunch with his comments and is a bad captain.

It can be both.

 

[Run the Jewels]

c+/B-?

People are going to want to rant about the UFA pickups, but the issue with me was Lalonde. I really wanted that guy to work out, but he should have been gone sooner.

Larkin's comments at the end of last season were supportive of Newsy. They cannot be interpreted any other way. I do wonder whether Yzerman would let Larkin's opinion - plus the fact they put up 91 points - make him less inclined to pull the plug?

Regardless, after the month of October 2024 it was clear something needed to be done, and that's 1000% on Yzerman IMO.