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Adam Larsson’s Calder campaign can begin now in New Jersey

Adam Larsson

New Jersey Devils defenseman Adam Larsson (42), of Sweden, takes a shot during NHL hockey training camp Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

AP

When the New Jersey Devils lucked out in the NHL draft lottery and got to move from eighth to fourth thanks to winning the lottery, they were set to get a great player no matter what. When their turn came up, Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson was there for the taking and talk began immediately about how Larsson could start right away for the Devils.

Fast forward to today, Devils coach Peter DeBoer is talking big things about Larsson saying that the 18 year-old has all but won a spot on the team for opening night. With the Devils being a slight bit thin on defense and in need of a guy that can move the puck and not make mistakes with it, Larsson has been all that and then some in training camp. An kid in his first year in the NHL with poise and showing like he belongs right away? We’ll just go ahead and start discussing him as a preseason favorite for the Calder Trophy.

Fire & Ice’s Tom Gulitti has the take right from DeBoer about what Larsson is showing him in camp and the big minutes he’s played in preseason games.

“It’s not optimal,” DeBoer said of those kind of minutes for an 18-year-old during the regular season. “But the kid has handled it so far no problem. We’ve been loading him up with the regular shift, penalty kill and power play to see where his strengths lie and where we think we’ll see him during the regular season. I’m not saying he’s no going to play 24 minutes a night. On some nights in the regular season, that’s a real possibility, but I don’t see that as an every-night thing. It’s been more a situation where we’re throwing everything at him and seeing what’s the best fit for him.”

DeBoer probably will limit Larsson’s time on the penalty kill during the regular season. Playing him on the power play seems like a certainty, though.

“He’s handled himself everywhere,” DeBoer said of the No. 4 overall pick from June’s NHL Entry Draft. “I think where we’re at, he’s done a real good job on the power play up there. I think the guys are comfortable with him. I think it’s just a matter of them getting a lot more reps together and some tough luck around the net for it to go, but I think probably to start if we have to limit some special team action it will be his penalty kill.”


Getting Larsson off the penalty kill and on the power play gives him all the chances in the world to shine offensively while limiting his ability to make mistakes. That can go a long way towards improving Larsson’s psyche and helping him fit in even easier in New Jersey.

Larsson is going to help Devils fans feel a bit better about how the team did last year when he evolves into their next generation version of Scott Niedermayer. It’s lofty advance praise and a lot of things can happen in the future, but he’s got the tools and the skills to become something very special.