Quoting: Leafsfan98
Paragraph 1: Agree to a certain extent. The example I have is Pontus Holmberg (Drafted mid 4rth round), is he Dasyuk and Zetterberg; of course not. Is he doing better than some guys drafted 2 rounds ahead of him; yes.
Paragraph 2: It does take time for Yzerman to build but when he hits that top point; he isn't coming back to rebuilding for a long time. As for Larkin, he looks happy to be in Detroit and is from Michigan (I believe). I think Yzerman has him around 2 million dollars less than Larkin but he still does want to stay in Detroit. I think a Larkin package will be similar to Horvat's if you look at how similar they are on the outside looking in (both captains; 1C; the superstar on their team etc.) Goalies take more time to develop so I would still wait on Cossa (If you look at the "Called out" segments for the World Junior Team, you would agree with me that he seems like a good guy). I love Spider and picked him in Fantasy. I think at least 2 of the 3 prospects you've listed will hit due to their production in their minor league years. Worst case scenario, you've got a bright future with Larkin/chariot/Bertuzzi and the other vets getting shipped for promising prospects and draft picks
Paragraph 1: right. And you end up with a Nyquist. Or a Tatar. Both great players, but they still are not elite. To win, you need a handful of elite, not just very good or even great. Nyquist and Tatar couldn't carry the torch the same way Zetterberg/Datsyuk could.
Paragraph 2: Glad to see optimism for my team from a rival. Larkin is very entrenched in Michigan, but you can't always take that for granted; his dad coached my sister's high school soccer team well before Dylan was born and Dylan's fiance is from Michigan. I just don't want Dylan to walk and I don't want Steve to pay market value, or you end up in a Leafs or Oilers situation!
Horvat and Larkin are sort of similar. I'd like to add Horvat to be honest. Horvat is a 2C, and earns his living being one of the most elite defensive centers in tbe league. Horvats offense is where he drops out of elite; this year is an anomaly with inflated shooting percentage. Horvat is the perfect 2C deployed as a defensive center that is not a black hole offensively. Larkin is perhaps one of the top 10 two way centers in the league in that neither suffers because of the other. Larkin is not elite offensively and he is not elite defensively, but he is well above average at both. If I had to choose a 1C, I'd go Larkin, but if I already had a 1C like, let's say Mackinnon, I'd go Horvat to be 2C to give me better options.
Finally, Chairot is fine, but his deal sucks and he will never live up to it. Bertuzzi might or might not get traded for a haul or peanuts. Larkin isn't leaving Detroit, but you never know. Cossa, I appreciate your optimism, but goalies are voodoo and it looks like bust thus far. And yes, Seider does kick ass, even with his down production; dude is already top 20 right now.