The New Jersey Devils will be much better defensively this season. I can say this with confidence, thanks in part to GM Lou Lamoriello and his pseudo-guarantee that Swedish phenom Adam Larsson will be on the teams final roster.
“I think you’ll see Adam Larsson on the team at this point, There’s no reason to think he won’t be the way he’s played. We’ll just see how he handles it once the rosters become full. He’ll be given a chance.” Lamoriello told members of the media with a gleam in his eye.
Larsson, the No. 4 overall pick in June’s NHL Entry Draft, becomes the first player since Petr Sykora to make the Devils as an 18-year-old. Larsson made the most of his preseason audition playing with poise and confidence well beyond his years. In four preseason games he collected three assists and led the team in ice time each of the last three games averaging over 24 minutes a game.
Lamoriello was satisfied with how Larsson conducted himself in camp. When the Devils drafted Larsson, team brass all but high-fived and chest bumped on the way up to the podium. It has to be rewarding to see that the kid really is that good. At the very least it has to be a relief.
“Without question he deserves it the way he’s played in the preseason. It has nothing to do with where he was drafted. It’s the way he played. I hate the word assume because anything can happen, but I think you can assume that he’ll be on the roster.”
“First of all, he certainly hasn’t played as an 18-year-old,” Lamoriello continued. “I think the two years prior to him coming here, playing in the (Swedish) elite league with men, it shows. He’s handled himself very well both offensively and defensively and his strength is certainly OK.”
It’s quite obvious that Lou is extremely high on the newest member of the Devils blue line. However, Larsson cannot be satisfied with just making the team. He has to work even harder to keep getting better every practice, shift, period, game and so on. When your 18 and you play defense for arguably one of the most successful defensive franchises in the league you have to have that mind set. He may not have many critics now, but trust me there is a critic born everyday.
Now that Larsson’s spot is secure the Devils are down to 23 signed players left in camp, 14 forwards, 7 defenseman and 2 goaltenders. Only Sykora and fellow tryout Anton Stralman remain unsigned. That’s 25 players left for only 22, maybe 23 spots. Lamoriello said the team hasn’t decided how many they would carry. We will know the fate of Sykora and Stralman by Wednesday the latest. That’s the deadline for teams to complete their rosters.
Forwards: Zach Parise, Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora*, Ilya Kovalchuk, Dainius Zubrus, Nick Palmieri, Adam Henrique, Jacob Josefson, David Clarkson, Eric Boulton, Brad Mills, Mattias Tedenby, David Steckel, Cam Janssen, Rod Pelley (cleared waivers)
Defensemen: Adam Larsson, Andy Greene, Henrik Tallinder, Mark Fayne, Bryce Salvador, Anton Volchenkov, Anton Stralman,* Mark Fraser (cleared waivers)
Goaltenders: Martin Brodeur, Johan Hedberg.
*Unsigned try-outs.
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Thanks to Tom Gulliti for the Lamoriello quotes!
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