Confirmed with Link: Taylor Hall Acquired for Adam Larsson
- Thread starter StevenToddIves
- Start date
- Status
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
AfroThunder396
[citation needed]
Larsson is excellent positionally, both in terms of body and stick positioning. Very good at controlling gaps and disrupting lanes. He's recently started to assert himself physically (in particular he's very good at hip checks along the wall when guys are trying to gain the zone, it's a thing of beauty to watch). Not a guy that goes out of his way for trouble, but will stand up for himself and teammates.
His skating is at the low end of average, very awkward and lanky stride. His acceleration is poor, but he gets going he's "alright". Outlet pass is elite, crisp and on target. He doesn't forces passes if they're not there, going so far as to circle back into the defensive zone to reassess his options.
Shot is not very hard, but accurate and deflectable. He's scored a few goals just blasting the top corner through traffic. Holds the line very well and makes great pinching decisions. Even when he makes mistakes at the line, he recovers well due to his reach. Very good anticipation in both zones, reading the play before it happens.
I'd assume Edm was the first to reach out on this deal ya? And I also assume Chiarelli would have preferred to deal RNH then Hall? Is that fair?
If so you really have to give to Shero for holding out. He could have taken RNH and walked away still looking like the winner. Or at least very even steven.
Perhaps Shero wanted RNH+( a first rounder perhaps) and Chiarelli figured he would have lost more face dealing RNH+ then Hall straight up?
I feel the behind the scenes is more interesting on this one then in most other trades.
If so you really have to give to Shero for holding out. He could have taken RNH and walked away still looking like the winner. Or at least very even steven.
Perhaps Shero wanted RNH+( a first rounder perhaps) and Chiarelli figured he would have lost more face dealing RNH+ then Hall straight up?
I feel the behind the scenes is more interesting on this one then in most other trades.
there was a piece posted that said Shero refused to budge until Hall was on the table, and even then refused to add anything because of the cap hit difference
We often say Larsson is not a good skater, but he's very strong on his skates in the midst of physicality. Rarely do you seem him falling after a collision.
Conversely Gelinas was considered a good skater but was always getting knocked to the ice.
Different types of skating I guess. But Larsson is definitely strong on his skates. Underrated physically too.
Conversely Gelinas was considered a good skater but was always getting knocked to the ice.
Different types of skating I guess. But Larsson is definitely strong on his skates. Underrated physically too.
Man they wanted Larsson bad.
And Chiarelli get's grief for this trade, but again, is Larsson not the exact type of player that team needs?
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
He isn't a strong skater though. He gets caught flat footed way to often and doesn't have the best stride.
Oilers fans are griping because they wanted a true #1 D. One who will put up the points, QB a PP, and shut teams down.
They were just insanely unrealistic at what the cost of a player like that is
Devils Army
Rebuild Over.
Larsson is great at keeping the zone too, on multiple occasions has reached back one handed and pulled it through his legs
Elite passer, he doesn't always look the smoothest but is a great defender and just a good guy
Elite passer, he doesn't always look the smoothest but is a great defender and just a good guy
I agree he's not, at least not in the traditional sense, but did we not often say Gelinas was a good skater, and in the open ice he was, but he was often knocked off his skates.
I guess what I'm saying is Larsson, despite not being a good skater, does keep his feet under him.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
Did we? I never thought Gely's skating was anything noteworthy. Only thing positively that stood out for Gely was his shot, and he was big.
Lar's strength is his vision. He is able to put himself in the best possible position to help off play his skating woes.
Still it hurt him against certain guys. Kreider absolutely abused him last year. He had no answer for his speed, and that is a limitation to his full potential.
Great kid, great talent, but he has limitations.
He used to get abused more times than not early on. He has learned a little bit. It could be he just learned to play angles better. You just don't see him get beat as much to the outside as he once did
McVirginOil
Registered User
- Jun 30, 2014
- 3,078
- 1,751
Oilers fan here, I find it funny after the trade people start pulling this out of their ***. There were rumors that Hall was part of a clique in the locker room, and had ostracized Yakupov for his nationality/religion for whatever reason.
Just here to say I'm 99% confident this is bull****.
Enjoy Hall, he's one heckuva player, the man can carry lines on his own.
While we did lose the trade, Larsson addresses Oilers needs and makes them a better team than yesterday. Hall does the same for Devils.
He is, which is why Chiarelli went after him. Anybody who thought they were getting an elite young #1 defenseman straight up for Hall was being delusional. Those kind of players don't get moved, unless in rare cases like Subban, but even there they got Weber in return.
It's not a fair deal for Edmonton in terms of value, but with McDavid, RNH, Draisatl, Eberle, Puljurarvi, they can probably absorb losing Hall better than most teams could. Plus Larsson is under contract through 2020-21 which is even more important for a team that has trouble attracting free agents.
- May 1, 2011
- 133,593
- 63,348
I'm laughing at a poster on the main board implying that we're going to be worse defensively because we acquired an offensive ONLY player in Hall. As if Hall causes more goals against than goals for.
VainGretzky
Registered User
- Jun 4, 2015
- 14,033
- 12,736
He will put up 85+ points this year just hitting his stride . Him and Henrique will dominate the east together. He will soon make you forget about Larrson 5 games in.
VainGretzky
Registered User
- Jun 4, 2015
- 14,033
- 12,736
Wheatking
Registered User
- Sep 25, 2006
- 15,945
- 71
We're also upset because we loved Hall. You guys will too. He has his flaws but he's special. There have been a lot of nights over the last 6 years where he was the only reason to turn on the Oiler game.
Not that he should feel bad about going to New Jersey, but I really do feel for him. He handled all the bad years like an absolute pro. He faced the media every night and answered all the tough questions while also holding himself accountable. Now it looks like things are about to turn around in Edmonton and he gets shipped out.
He was friends with McDavid and took him under his wing, so I don't buy for a second that he was jealous. He admitted at the end of the season that McDavid was the team's leader. I thought that was a pretty classy comment. With that said, I do think Hall is better when he's "the guy." He thrives under pressure.
Just look at what he and Draisaitl did when McDavid got hurt. He had to step up and he did just that. Things got ugly for the entire team in the final 30 games but Hall had 48 points in the first 50 games of the season. He was in Beast mode with a 19 year old as his center.
In the lockout year, the Oilers held a playoff spot for a couple nights on April. He was 20 years old and put up 15 points in 6 games to will the team to the 8th seed. Unfortunately the team sucked so much that despite putting up a respectable 9 points in the final 12 games, the team collapsed and missed the playoffs.
He's also a machine 5 on 5. Something I know you guys desperately need.
He also beat Gretzky's Oilers record for fastest hat trick to start a game. It was 12:38. Hall did it in 7:53. This was during his run of 15 points in 6 games.
Last edited:
kiwidevil
____________________
- Mar 10, 2008
- 8,382
- 392
The main thing I would worry about Larsson if I were an oilers fan is if he has to start his confidence clock again.
Ever since the Subban hit, he is nowhere near the same offensive player and he only really started gaining confidence again, even defensively is when he was glued to Greene.
He only really seemed to be growing a personality in the team, also. Which coincided with his improved play. He may have to start from scratch again now, and I am not sure the EDM media or fans are going to give him much of a grace period.
Ever since the Subban hit, he is nowhere near the same offensive player and he only really started gaining confidence again, even defensively is when he was glued to Greene.
He only really seemed to be growing a personality in the team, also. Which coincided with his improved play. He may have to start from scratch again now, and I am not sure the EDM media or fans are going to give him much of a grace period.
According to Friedman if Shattenkirk had agreed to an extension, Hall would be a Blue. So, thank you Shattenkirk.
JimEIV
Registered User
- Feb 19, 2003
- 67,720
- 30,557
The main thing I would worry about with Larsson is him fitting into a more open skating scheme. I'm not sure he can do it.
The "he blossomed once DeBoer left" was a crafty narrative but the truth was DeBoer's system asked the defense to skate more...while DeBoer was running the show the wingers first option was always the point and the defense pinched more aggressively than I've ever seen in NJ. That required our defenders to stay in the zone that extra half second...that is why Volchenkov was useless here and only played 11/12 minutes of 5v5 time...he couldn't skate from blue line to blue line with anyone....and in that system Larsson's skating was exposed on nightly basis.
Larsson isn't winning any foot races with anyone, if he has to skate back into his own zone without a good gap between him and the attacker he is always in trouble.
So we stuck him in shutdown role for the last two years. He has performed a role similar to guys like Mark Fayne and Bryce Salvador for the last two years. Which is Stay at Home.
The "he blossomed once DeBoer left" was a crafty narrative but the truth was DeBoer's system asked the defense to skate more...while DeBoer was running the show the wingers first option was always the point and the defense pinched more aggressively than I've ever seen in NJ. That required our defenders to stay in the zone that extra half second...that is why Volchenkov was useless here and only played 11/12 minutes of 5v5 time...he couldn't skate from blue line to blue line with anyone....and in that system Larsson's skating was exposed on nightly basis.
Larsson isn't winning any foot races with anyone, if he has to skate back into his own zone without a good gap between him and the attacker he is always in trouble.
So we stuck him in shutdown role for the last two years. He has performed a role similar to guys like Mark Fayne and Bryce Salvador for the last two years. Which is Stay at Home.
I totally agree. Adam is great positionally which makes up for some of his skating deficiencies, but between him and Severson I'm very glad that we traded the former and kept the latter. Sevs has the better mobility and I'll take that trait any day of the week.
CKPLAYA
Ping Pong Ball Enthusiast
Well put. The devils kept the Defenseman with more upside. Larsson was/ is to deficient in too many areas to ever be a a true #1. The funny thing is if Larsson was a 4th overall for any other team this board would be calling him a bust.
- Status
