ChristopherReevesLegs

I agree Larkin would be Top5 in a re-draft, just like Zadina was a Top5 ranked player. Good measuring stick. Because he couldn't even put up great numbers in a lesser league. Larkin skipped the Grifs for good reason, he's that talented. I'm not gonna buy the his linemates let him down excuse thing either. His linemates outscored him for one and have been consistently some of the top end players in the AHL. Guys like Terry and Pimple. I'll leave it at this: Zadina's first season as pro was disappointing, just like Larkin's sophomore season was disappointing. That doesn't mean I think Larkin is a dumpster player.

Zadina is only 7 months younger than Ras, has experience in men's leagues unlike Ras, and outperformed Ras at the CHL level. By this I would say Zadina is the more developed player. This is all speculation, but I think the plan was to start Zadina in the AHL, he would light the AHL up, and then get called up to join the Wings pretty quickly. Which is why the Wings made such a strong appeal to make him eligible for the AHL. They would potentially have an offensive dynamo they could call up at any moment if needed/wanted. Well he didn't light up the AHL, and only earned himself 9 games in the NHL. The Wings by this also saved a year of waiver ineligibility on his contract. If they thought he was a player that would never be sent down again, like Larkin, they wouldn't have cared about this. So the exactly 9 game stint is a little telling as well in a way.

Terrible example or not, you're missing my point. If I draft a player in 2019 who will be turning 18 on 9/15/2019, and then draft a player in 2020 who already turned 18 on 9/16/2019. Are they really at different stages of their life/career because they were in different draft classes? IMO, no. And I would posture that the player born 9/16/2019 should arguably be more NHL ready at the time of his selection. The point I'm trying to illustrate is that Larkin entered the NHL full time at 19 and 3 months of age. He went on to score 23 goals and 45 pts that season. For a 15th overall pick that's pretty thrilling. Comparatively, Zadina enter the AHL full time at 18 and 10 months of age. He went on to score 16 goals and 39 pts that season with a brief NHL callup. For a 6th overall pick, and when considering Larkin's performance at a similar age, It's a little disappointing. And I think it's completely reasonable to be disappointed by this. He should be the best player we've drafted in a very long time, but he's already showing signs he may not be Larkin level material. And I think Larkin is a good measuring stick for our future stars. Now he could very well just need time to develop. Kucherov didn't really become relevant in the league until he was 21. But then again, Kucherov was a 2nd round pick, and few teams or fans have expectations that a 2nd rounder can step right in to the league. Nerd

Are you gatekeeping being a Wings fan on a Wings fan site?

Zadina will be 19 next season for all of a month and a half Zadina was one of the oldest players in his draft class, he's only 7 months younger than Ras. Which is even more of reason he should have had a stronger showing to make the team, and even more disappointing considering he didn't excel in the AHL either. What is it about the +1 season that magically makes these players NHL ready? If I draft a 20 year old at 6th overall does he require a +1 season too?

I mean Larkin already had a full NHL season, 23 goals, and 45 points at 19. The 6th overall from his draft class had 55 GP at 19. The 6th overall from the 2015 draft class had 70 GP at 19. The 6th overall from the 2016 draft class had 70 GP at 19. Hell, even Rasmussen had 62 GP at 19. Zadina has 9, and was a middle 6 winger in the AHL

Hey they both did it this year. For a kid who was touted as a possible NHL walk on I am underwhelmed by this. I don't even understand this nickname. @Jonas Mahonas explain.

Shortened season, doesn't count.

Brad Stuart's fault

Do we need to send Holland down to Florida again to get you out of there too? Hopefully when Zadina gets outscored by Wade Megan and Matt Pimple in the AHL again Stevie can flip him for a young Russian Dman

Yeah but I don't want a boat full of 12 inch brook trout. I want a boat with one or two 30 inch steelheads. Which is why I'll be disappointed if Zadina is a brook trout. If Zadina is Galchenyuk we should sell him sooner than Montreal sold Chucky

Meh I use the terms bust loosely, sue me

So his basement is what Evgeny Svechnikov? And his ceiling is like Nikita Kucherov? I think it's a joy when 2nd rounders and 4th rounders become contributors like Tatar and Nyquist are. I think it will be a disappointment if a guy taken at 6th overall, who was ranked top 3 in his draft, only ever amounts to Tatar or Nyquist level. Might as well have just kept Tatar and/or Nyquist at that point.

I think Zadina will be about as good as Tatar or Nyquist was. Contributor, but not someone you build a team around.

Sadly, I have him penciled in at 3 But then again, I had Zadina penciled in at 3 too

Me mowing the lawn at 6 AM and none of the neighbors wake up, picking the right setting on the microwave for my bacon cheeseburger, asking the wife permission to go to the local sports bar and she says yes, listening to the same classic rock for the billionth time but still enjoying it. I have a separate touchdown dance for each one.

No I loved him

Found on the twitter

From Friedman's 31 thoughts:

Friedman speculates Red Wings will take Podkolzin Basically anyone taking Podkolzin has to wait two years for him to come over. We're basically the one team in the top 6 that can really afford to make that investment. I would be curious where Pods would rank if he was available to come over next season. Maybe he's #3? If that's the case Yzerman should BPA that bad boy and let's keep rebuilding another 2 years.

agreed 100% I much preferred Frank Grimes nickname "godstrom" Completely unrelated, but I miss when this team was coached by godcock

Certainly. I have no doubt, knowing the ownership of this team, that if Abby/DK/Nielsen were gone and we had a budgeted $20+ million available, they'd send Yzerman to the FA market to bring back only the finest of FA's.