Haha Larsson is a step below Hamilton I don't care what you say. He's got over twice as many points, and over 3 times as many goals.
- The-O-G

Tougher minutes, tougher competition.
Better defensively


I think larsson is undoubtedly better than Hamilton

Hamilton is a Really good pp guy with solid offensive instincts.
But I'm not even sure he's a quality top 4 guy 5v5

Jesus Christ man. You're darker than the hair on my ass today.
- Wildschwein

That is the most pathetic thing I've ever read
(no disrespect to Ek)

Tougher minutes, tougher competition.
Better defensively


I think larsson is undoubtedly better than Hamilton

Hamilton is a Really good pp guy with solid offensive instincts.
But I'm not even sure he's a quality top 4 guy 5v5
- Ihateallofu

I already know how it's going to pan out. We are going to sign Lucic and maybe Demers to long overpaid contracts. We will see improvement and make the playoffs next year. Everyone will be excited and happy to be improved. Then we will be stuck with overpaid guys long term trying to resign McDavid, Nurse and Drai and Puljuju but we'll be up against the cap. We will be a 15-10 place team in the league for a decade and nothing more.
- Iggysbff

Man, captain pessimism over here. What was your forecast before the trade? Was our #1 Dman going to be Nurse or Klefbom? Why would that be different now? The other alternatives we all discussed in here typically involved players of Larsson's level coming back in a trade. We weren't going to get a proven #1 Dman in return for any of our forwards. Do you know the ask for Subban was at least Leon, Nurse, and #4? That'd be lunacy.

We still have a forward corps that features McDavid, Draisaitl, Eberle, Nuge, PUJU, Pouliot, and maybe Lucic. Draisaitl's raise will be covered by Fayne, Korpikoski, and Hendricks' contracts expiring. PUJU's will be covered by either Eberle or Pouliot's contract expiring the same year. We'll make room for McDavid.

I have to admit I haven't watched a ton of Larsson, but if he's a borderline Top 2 D man that plays the right side then it had to be done. Every GM knew it was open season on Oilers F's (save McDavid) and that was the best offer he got. It makes the team better overall. Everyone knew he was going to lose a trade, wouldn've been nice if it wasn't a landslide though...

Can't believe the people that just wanted the status quo... For (frank) sakes, something had to change.

Jesus Christ man. You're darker than the hair on my ass today.
- Wildschwein

I've become pretty apathetic. I was worried when Chia became GM of the direction he was going to go. And hes going there. The Bruins were a one hit wonder that won a cup on having a monster dman and a goalie that stood on his head.

I see him building a team that will be good but never great.

I hope to sweet Jesus I'm wrong.

Too bad Mact wasn't still the GM. We would have Dougie Hamilton and Hall.

- PepinoPamplemousse

Hamilton has tons of holes in his game.
And did in Boston too.

Way overhyped

Played well in the second half this year, but was abysmal in the first half


While larsson has little to no hype because he struggled early in his career. Or was brought along slowly. Doesn't play a sexy offensive game. Defensive bottom 3rd team etc etc
But has proven he's more adept defensively and can handle bigger minutes against tougher competition.

I'd rather Adam larsson than Dougie Hamilton on the oilers .
You don't have to agree

I've become pretty apathetic. I was worried when Chia became GM of the direction he was going to go. And hes going there. The Bruins were a one hit wonder that won a cup on having a monster dman and a goalie that stood on his head.

I see him building a team that will be good but never great.

I hope to sweet Jesus I'm wrong.
- Iggysbff

They won the pres trophy and were my pick to win it all the year before last too. They were a great team. So deep, and balanced . But ran into Carey price and their nemesis. It happens

Losing boychuk, seidenberg out for the season and the wheels falling off chara hurt them the next season

I've become pretty apathetic. I was worried when Chia became GM of the direction he was going to go. And hes going there. The Bruins were a one hit wonder that won a cup on having a monster dman and a goalie that stood on his head.

I see him building a team that will be good but never great.

I hope to sweet Jesus I'm wrong.
- Iggysbff

Any good team with McDavid will be great.

Hamilton has tons of holes in his game.
And did in Boston too.

Way overhyped

Played well in the second half this year, but was abysmal in the first half


While larsson has little to no hype because he struggled early in his career. Or was brought along slowly. Doesn't play a sexy offensive game. Defensive bottom 3rd team etc etc
But has proven he's more adept defensively and can handle bigger minutes against tougher competition.

I'd rather Adam larsson than Dougie Hamilton on the oilers .
You don't have to agree
- Ihateallofu

Adam Larsson doesn't completely suck, but that's all that can be said about him. He somehow manages to have almost no impact on the game whatsoever.

Adam Larsson doesn't completely suck, but that's all that can be said about him. He somehow manages to have almost no impact on the game whatsoever.
- PepinoPamplemousse

K

29... How many have you had discussions with?
- laughs2907

None... thanks for verifying my original statement!

That is the most pathetic thing I've ever read
(no disrespect to Ek)
- DeflatedPucks

I sincerely doubt this.

Any good team with McDavid will be great.
- NugentHallberle

And the Pens have had Crosby and Malkin for years. They added Kessel but still the only reason they won the cup was because they got Con Smythe worthy performances from their #1dman and their goaltending. With out monster performances from Murray and Letang they never would have gotten past Washington. We NEED a number one dman. A goaltender can get hot. Remains to be seen if Klef, Nurse or Larsson can ever be a Letang, Keith, Chara type playoff performer.

I hope to god they can.

Tougher minutes, tougher competition.
Better defensively


I think larsson is undoubtedly better than Hamilton

Hamilton is a Really good pp guy with solid offensive instincts.
But I'm not even sure he's a quality top 4 guy 5v5
- Ihateallofu

Too early to say who is better. Check back in 3 yrs.

They won the pres trophy and were my pick to win it all the year before last too. They were a great team. So deep, and balanced . But ran into Carey price and their nemesis. It happens

Losing boychuk, seidenberg out for the season and the wheels falling off chara hurt them the next season
- Ihateallofu

They were a great team. But age waits for nobody and it sure didn't help that Hamilton wanted out for whatever reason.

And the Pens have had Crosby and Malkin for years. They added Kessel but still the only reason they won the cup was because they got Con Smythe worthy performances from their #1dman and their goaltending. With out monster performances from Murray and Letang they never would have gotten past Washington. We NEED a number one dman. A goaltender can get hot. Remains to be seen if Klef, Nurse or Larsson can ever be a Letang, Keith, Chara type playoff performer.

I hope to god they can.
- Iggysbff

You and me both.

I was one of the many clamoring for change. And now I got it. Time to see how things play out.

K
- Ihateallofu

Can I ask how many times you've watched him play?

Three years from, I think we can reasonably be looking at something along these lines.

Lucic (6)- McDavid (10)-_____
_____- Draisaitl (6)- PUJU (6)
_____- Nuge (6)- _____
_____- _____- _____

Klefbom (4.6)- Larsson (4.2)
Nurse (4)- Sekera (5.5)
_____- _____

Talbot (4.6)
_____

That's 56.9mil locked into 10 players assuming reasonable raises which leaves 11 spots needing to be filled maneuvering around with 15-20mil (depending of cap growth).

Part of the plan would likely involve moving one of Nuge or Drai for a younger and cheaper option that'd be better suited to a role at 3C. Let's say we can fill that with 3mil instead of 6mil.

Aside from that, Sekera could be moved if Nurse hits his stride as many of you believe will happen. That frees up 5.5mil to go to either a young Dman coming up (Bear, Paigin, Jones, other) or for Davidson to get his chance in the top-4. Let's assume that Dman costs around 2.5mil adding another 3mil to fill the team.

That gives the team now between 20-25mil to plug the holes. Use some combination of Pouliot, Eberle, Cagiulla, Khaira, Benson, Pakarinen, Slepyshev, Davidson, Reinhart, Bear, Paigin, Jones, Lagesson, or any future draft picks or trade returns. It's still very manageable as long as the team can draft well and identify the value of the Stempniak's of the world.

Too early to say who is better. Check back in 3 yrs.
- FLflames34

Agreed

Just replying to your comment bro

:and while I think larsson is the better fit and has true 1 ceiling with added pp time. I also believe hamiltons ceiling is even higher if he can iron out some issues

And the Pens have had Crosby and Malkin for years. They added Kessel but still the only reason they won the cup was because they got Con Smythe worthy performances from their #1dman and their goaltending. With out monster performances from Murray and Letang they never would have gotten past Washington. We NEED a number one dman. A goaltender can get hot. Remains to be seen if Klef, Nurse or Larsson can ever be a Letang, Keith, Chara type playoff performer.

I hope to god they can.
- Iggysbff

While I appreciate the references, the Pen's Murray got completely outplayed by his nemesis in Holtby. He also had put up 2 sh!tty performances.

Letang's point I agree with, he only had 3 pts in the 6 game series, but ate a ton of minutes
Believe me, the run wouldn't have happened without them, buts its fair to say our forward depth was the reason we got by Was. Crosby and Malkin on the top two allowed us to shelter Kessel and his cronies. (we learned as long as we have average goaltending or slightly above, our depth can carry us)

And the Pens have had Crosby and Malkin for years. They added Kessel but still the only reason they won the cup was because they got Con Smythe worthy performances from their #1dman and their goaltending. With out monster performances from Murray and Letang they never would have gotten past Washington. We NEED a number one dman. A goaltender can get hot. Remains to be seen if Klef, Nurse or Larsson can ever be a Letang, Keith, Chara type playoff performer.

I hope to god they can.
- Iggysbff

Based on what Chia got for Hall, there's only one way to get that #1 Dman and that's to draft him. I'm convinced you just draft d-men. They either pan out into a top pairing guy, or they become a Top 4 guy and you trade him for a star LW.

Larsson also makes Chia look a little less desperate for D and maybe he won't get trade raped again...

Either way, something had to give. Can't sit around forever finishing second last waiting for Nurse or Klefbom to take that step we so desperately need.

Can I ask how many times you've watched him play?
- PepinoPamplemousse

A few

But I've tried to follow him since he was drafted as I wanted him over Nuge. I'll say at the very least, I'm not ignorant to his game. But I'm no expert on him either


His development hasnt been linear by any stretch.
But last year he was anything but "doesn't suck" or "has no impact on the game
"

Silly statement.

The guy played the toughest minutes in the league last year at 23 and was ok. His shot suppression numbers are better than doughty or stralmans I just read.

Max gave me this link last night
http://www.allaboutthejer.../new-top-dog-adam-larsson


Tanner just directed me to Steve burtchs Twitter feed for some info .

A few Devils posters opinions I respect have said pretty much the opposite of the masses

Too early to say who is better. Check back in 3 yrs.
- FLflames34

Far too rationale a post. You need to dub everything either the best or worst thing to happen in hockey ever.