So Larkin Made Some Interesting Comments.

[Shaman464]

Larkin is not sabotaging the team. He's been a soldier all the time, taking bullets left and right for the team. Now frustration and overall tireness boiled over.

Kasper is ready and Danielson will be ready next season, centre core is finally starting to look more NHL level. They push Copp down in the lineup and Compher on wing. Trading Larkin is a last thing we need to do right now.

If Larkin wants out, then it's a whole another ball game but the org has no reason to trade Larkin.

I think that would be a short list.

Columbus, obviously. And their most realistic offer, 1st+Sillinger+Del Bel Belluz.

I could see Boston as well, Pasta, Chuck MaC and Sway signed until 2030s. Re-tools this summer, adds good prospects in the mix. Their offer 1st+Mittelstadt+Poitras?

LA, perhaps. Old guard still has something left in the tank and some younger guys taking role. Their offer 1st+Danault+Greentree?

Whom ever it is, Wings would lose.

I wouldn't count either Kasper or Danielson as a top line center and Larkin isn't one on a playoff team. If they're going to dump Larkin they need to do it for someone they believe can slot into a top line role quick or else this team will be in the basement again.

 

[Gniwder]

What about Buch strikes you as a middle six winger? MBN I can understand as he hasn't really produced anywhere. Buch just had an equivalent season to Demidov who is being hailed as Montreal's saviour.

Demidov is 19 years old and did it in his D+1 season. He's also bigger.

Not a lot of first line players weigh 170lbs like Buch. He's gotta bulk up some. I have him as middle 6 winger as well.

 

[Retire91]

Montreal going to OT against the #1 seed, for all the people saying Yzerman doesn't just want to be like a MTL and get smoked in the first round.

this post aged well

 

[DanielMarois]

this post aged well

The youngest team in the playoffs taking the #1 seed to 5 games with some close games and with their started injured, not exactly smoked.

 

[Retire91]

The youngest team in the playoffs taking the #1 seed to 5 games with some close games and with their started injured, not exactly smoked.

Just giving you a hard time. Would rather it was our guys in there, but this also would have been the outcome if we free agent'd our way to the playoffs. Better to have the core in tact and get in organically even if it takes more time.

 

[Retire91]

You know I am not sure if it came up in the thread but Larkin essentially saying "Yzerman did not bring in help" isn't that also quietly yet publicly saying we have guys that don't deserve to be on the roster? What does that do for the locker room when several players are now wondering if Larkin is talking about them. For me Larkin was kind of handed the captaincy by default during a time when Detroit lacked talent. I wonder if we'll face a Patrick Marleau situation. I hope this is a growth oriented teachable moment that he can bounce back from. He has been through a tough career in terms of the standings but still such a total slip to hand that statement to the press.

 

[Snuggs]

You know I am not sure if it came up in the thread but Larkin essentially saying "Yzerman did not bring in help" isn't that also quietly yet publicly saying we have guys that don't deserve to be on the roster? What does that do for the locker room when several players are now wondering if Larkin is talking about them. For me Larkin was kind of handed the captaincy by default during a time when Detroit lacked talent. I wonder if we'll face a Patrick Marleau situation. I hope this is a growth oriented teachable moment that he can bounce back from. He has been through a tough career in terms of the standings but still such a total slip to hand that statement to the press.

Maybe you're just making something out of nothing real fast because he said guys in the locker-room were disappointed, meaning more than just him.

An if he's talking about a guy like Tarasenko who cares? Guy parachutes in with a bloated last contract and floats.

Defending Yzerman is taking something simple and spinning it like a kaleidoscope looking for all the different color and explain it away. I mean he's done very bad the last two years? Just bad.

 

[jkutswings]

isn't that also quietly yet publicly saying we have guys that don't deserve to be on the roster?

Yes. Because Detroit absolutely has guys that don't deserve to be on the roster.

 

[Run the Jewels]

You know I am not sure if it came up in the thread but Larkin essentially saying "Yzerman did not bring in help" isn't that also quietly yet publicly saying we have guys that don't deserve to be on the roster? What does that do for the locker room when several players are now wondering if Larkin is talking about them. For me Larkin was kind of handed the captaincy by default during a time when Detroit lacked talent. I wonder if we'll face a Patrick Marleau situation. I hope this is a growth oriented teachable moment that he can bounce back from. He has been through a tough career in terms of the standings but still such a total slip to hand that statement to the press.

It was an interesting choice by Larkin for several reasons.

• ~40 goal Alex DeBrincat was added.
• 80 point Lucas Raymond is coming into his prime.
• Mo Seider played the toughest mins in the league the previous season.
• Simon Edvinsson was dominant as a U22 d-man.
• Marco Kasper was one of the best rookie centers in the league.
• They brought on a coach with over 1,000 NHL games who has led other franchises back to the playoffs.

Weird time to s**t all over the rebuild, but I've never viewed Larkin as some sort of great captain. Like you said, he was handed the captaincy due to the fact we were so bad at the time. If he doesn't want to captain the team he should relinquish the role.

 

[deca guard]

personally i see larks as a great captain , but hes got a different emotional set than most . sort of like the highest highs and the lowest lows . like the big tear jerking moment when tuzzi left . theres people 100% all in with their hearts like that , no big deal . and those 100% all in types are the kind that wins championships , so hes chomping on the bit . and additionally when he attacks yzerman like that hes standing up for his teammates = a good thing

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Uh oh I guess a bunch of you can cross MacKinnon of your wishlist. The nerve to speak the truth and be dejected by failure.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Uh oh I guess a bunch of you can cross MacKinnon of your wishlist. The nerve to speak the truth and be dejected by failure.

You have to be kidding. Their GM did exactly what Larkin whined about and their window is looking really f**king short right now. This is cringe, even for you.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

You have to be kidding. Their GM did exactly what Larkin whined about and their window is looking really f**king short right now. This is cringe, even for you.

He blasted the team and told the truth. Again you live in a glass house.

I want Yzerman to do something. It doesn’t have to be at the trade deadline, getting Fowler from his best friend before that would have been a good one for instance. That or not just failing last offseason.

What you have said for weeks is you cannot win with a leader that does that. Now that the second best player in the league and a Stanley Cup champion did it I am bending the truth with a video displaying him saying that at the end of his season. Not using last years videos to talk about this year and some of the other garbage you have been espousing on a one way train to blame Larkin alone for the state of the team.

You have made a sweeping indictment of Larkin and the trade deadline and it drives at improving the team. Colorado did flip 10 guys, but my beef with Yzerman isn’t around just the trade deadline and never has been. He should be open to that criticism.

Larkin should have played better down the stretch. MacKinnon should have played better in this series if he didn’t want to go home too apparently. But it is merely pointing out some of the most competitive leaders in the world don’t particularly care for losing for those vilifying that reaction. What a pitty party out of that Avs leader eh?

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Uh oh I guess a bunch of you can cross MacKinnon of your wishlist. The nerve to speak the truth and be dejected by failure.

Do you really think this is similar to what Larkin did?

This clip is the captain speaking in the locker room immediately after a Game 7 playoff loss and his comment was about his team's on ice performance against their opponent.

Larkin's comments were a few days after the season was over and he was saying the players' emotional state was negatively affected because the GM didn't bring in players to help them.

 

[schuelma24]

Do you really think this is similar to what Larkin did?

This clip is the captain speaking in the locker room immediately after a Game 7 playoff loss and his comment was about his team's on ice performance against their opponent.

Larkin's comments were a few days after the season was over and he was saying the players' emotional state was negatively affected because the GM didn't bring in players to help them.

Yeah I don't get the correlation. At all.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Do you really think this is similar to what Larkin did?

This clip is the captain speaking in the locker room immediately after a Game 7 playoff loss and his comment was about his team's on ice performance against their opponent.

Larkin's comments were a few days after the season was over and he was saying the players' emotional state was negatively affected because the GM didn't bring in players to help them.

I think it is similar in not having the answers and being frustrated. Larkin is talking about improving the team, people have locked in too literally on that being a one moment in time. Not talking about picks or why don’t we get anything at the trade deadline and off seasons is cumulative and not just one moment in time. They are leaders being critical of failure. MacKinnon doesn’t let his teammates eat certain foods, I don’t think he will sound much different at dressing room clean out day. He is being honest and critical.

Look at it whatever way you guys/gals want. I am happy to have Larkin do it when he thinks it is true and not run him out of town. Feel similarly with MacKinnon, these guys are allowed to have feelings and be upset. It isn’t a pitty party, it is being a human being struggling with defeat. I would be more worried if they didn’t have these moments. That is where I am tying them together. Having 48 hours doesn’t change the truth of it, I get that will mean more to some. Here is a guy with a ring and lots of success still very dejected and critical of coming up short.

 

[deca guard]

I think it is similar in not having the answers and being frustrated. Larkin is talking about improving the team, people have locked in too literally on that being a one moment in time. Not talking about picks or why don’t we get anything at the trade deadline and off seasons is cumulative and not just one moment in time. They are leaders being critical of failure. MacKinnon doesn’t let his teammates eat certain foods, I don’t think he will sound much different at dressing room clean out day. He is being honest and critical.

Look at it whatever way you guys/gals want. I am happy to have Larkin do it when he thinks it is true and not run him out of town. Feel similarly with MacKinnon, these guys are allowed to have feelings and be upset. It isn’t a pitty party, it is being a human being struggling with defeat. I would be more worried if they didn’t have these moments. That is where I am tying them together. Having 48 hours doesn’t change the truth of it, I get that will mean more to some. Here is a guy with a ring and lots of success still very dejected and critical of coming up short.

yes i see your point and have flipped back n forth on wether larks shoulda or shouldnta voiced critical opinion . like you say emotions are involved here at highlest level competition in a very dangerous sport , so when i look at the big picture once again i see nothing wrong with larks or yzermans conduct . just a part of the high stakes and dangerous nhl life

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I think it is similar in not having the answers and being frustrated. Larkin is talking about improving the team, people have locked in too literally on that being a one moment in time. Not talking about picks or why don’t we get anything at the trade deadline and off seasons is cumulative and not just one moment in time. They are leaders being critical of failure. MacKinnon doesn’t let his teammates eat certain foods, I don’t think he will sound much different at dressing room clean out day. He is being honest and critical.

Look at it whatever way you guys/gals want. I am happy to have Larkin do it when he thinks it is true and not run him out of town. Feel similarly with MacKinnon, these guys are allowed to have feelings and be upset. It isn’t a pitty party, it is being a human being struggling with defeat. I would be more worried if they didn’t have these moments. That is where I am tying them together. Having 48 hours doesn’t change the truth of it, I get that will mean more to some. Here is a guy with a ring and lots of success still very dejected and critical of coming up short.

Sure in the broad sense it's about improving the team but I don't think most people have a problem with Larkin criticizing the team's on ice play. I sure don't. It's specifically about him saying the lack of moves by the GM at the deadline negatively impacted the team's morale. Meaning the players were disappointed they were not getting help, which is a lack of belief they could get it done.

Mackinnon said he and his fellow players didn't get it done on the ice. He's holding him and his fellow players accountable on the part of the game he can control as a player and captain. Conversely after a disappointing performance himself at the end of the season, Larkin's comment was saying the GM didn't help them and that made the team sad. Those two things are extremely different.

To be clear, I do not think Larkin should be traded or stripped of the C. I think his comment is getting blown way out of proportion, but it was still a self pitying comment and potentially a red flag about a mentally weak locker room.