Edmonton Oilers D Adam Larsson Will Prove Naysayers Wrong in 2016-17
Edmonton Oilers D Adam Larsson has a new home in Northern Alberta following a blockbuster trade earlier this summer, but it will not be a heartfelt transition for the young defenseman
Edmonton Oilers D Adam Larsson has some big shoes to fill in his home of Northern Alberta. The good news is, he is already their best NHL-ready, right-handed defenseman. The bad news is no one is buying what Peter Chiarelli is selling.
After trading away their at-the-time captain Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for Larsson, fans started to question the direction of their team even more.
The need for a defenseman was present, but nobody thought the front office would cough up Hall, their best and most consistent offensive producer. However, scoring is not everything, and the Oilers learned that the hard way. With the need growing even more, and the draft showing no results, the Oilers took to the trading market.
The Scarce Right-Handed Defenseman
Jacob Trouba is the big name on the market after requesting a trade from the Winnipeg Jets. While this would have been a good fit for the Oilers, Larsson is an under-the-radar, defensive-minded blue liner with some untapped offensive potential. Trouba, on the other hand, is considered a high-end, all-around defenseman and will demand a much higher price tag.
Larsson signed a six-year, $25 million dollar contract with an annual average value (AAV) of about $4.2 million per season. Based on current price tags around the league, and the likely minimum of $5-6 million/year for Trouba, the Oilers landed a rare commodity in the NHL at a discounted price. The Devils rewarded the Swedish defenseman with a long-term contract, and the Oilers are ready to reap the benefits.
Why Move Taylor Hall?
Two words: Connor McDavid.
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Taylor Hall represented an era of Oilers hockey that needs to be forgotten. He was the ultimate prized possession in a bunch of prized-possessions. He was not only their most valuable NHL forward, but also their most popular.
That all changed with the arrival of McDavid. Hall is a disruptive, gritty forward who needs to be ‘the guy’. Now that the Oilers have a better number one player in McDavid, Hall became dispensable. Eberle was not performing to his full ability, and the rest of the Oilers assets were significantly unproven.
Who else could they trade?
Larsson is a right-handed defensive defenseman with a price tag of just over $4 million dollars. He played his first full season and averaged over 22 minutes per game. Based on the current market and available players, the Oilers may have landed a steal in the 23-year old Larsson.
Edmonton Oilers D Adam Larsson is Ready to be a 1A
After taking some time to transition to the North American game, Larsson has found his footing as a top-end NHL defenseman. Considered a skilled and mature defenseman as a teenager, Larsson was a household name in Sweden and was a primarily noticed for his World Junior Championship showing in 2010-11.
Next: Connor McDavid Will Dominate This Season
Drafted fourth overall in 2011, Larsson had his best offensive season in 2014-15. He scored three goals and 21 points in 64 games but fell to 18 points last season. However, Larsson made huge leaps in his defensive game, making him a huge asset for the not-so-defensive Oilers.
With Larsson finally comfortable at the NHL level, it will be interesting to see what he can accomplish offensively with a such a high-octane group. The Oilers have very little proven talent on the blue line, and Larsson is everything they need and more. Though the price was steep, expect Larsson to prove his worth in 2016-17.