Larkin for Stamkos, would ya or wouldnt ya?

[yave1964]

As Stamkos mania is going to reach a fever pitch rivaled only by the powerball jackpot just passed, I pose an absurd question for Wings/Lightning fans:

 

Dylan Larkin for Steven Stamkos, would you or wouldn't you?

 

Let me offer my opinion, I know that Larkin is a teenage all star, the Wings first such since Stevie Y himself, I know he is a hometown boy with rosy red cheeks and has endeared himself to the fans (me included) and the girls swoon and the boys want to be him, and his numbers are awesome. I know.

 But

Stamkos is a premier goal scorer, possibly the best in the game although a Russian in Washington may argue that point.

If you could guarantee he would resign with the Wings long term, with apologies to the Larkin Family who go to every game and are photogenic and jump and cry at the right times when their boy scores, I wouldn't have to think, it would be done in a second.

 Larkin is a great talent, Stamkos is entering his prime years and as much as I love Larkin I would do it in a second.

Thoughts?

[mojo1917]

Provided I can resign Stammer I do this all day every day and i try to get a draft pick from Holland as well.

Dylan Larkin is still a kid, hasn't had the sophomore slump hasn't had the grind of an NHL season, he's a great prospect sure.  But Stamkos has the best shot in the game, and leadership qualities. Larkin is potential, Stamkos is proven.  like you said Yavy maybe Ovechkin is better but it's a small list of players who are better scorers than Stamkos. 

I totally do this.

[J0e Th0rnton]

6 hours ago, yave1964 said:

As Stamkos mania is going to reach a fever pitch rivaled only by the powerball jackpot just passed, I pose an absurd question for Wings/Lightning fans:

 

Dylan Larkin for Steven Stamkos, would you or wouldn't you?

 

Let me offer my opinion, I know that Larkin is a teenage all star, the Wings first such since Stevie Y himself, I know he is a hometown boy with rosy red cheeks and has endeared himself to the fans (me included) and the girls swoon and the boys want to be him, and his numbers are awesome. I know.

 But

Stamkos is a premier goal scorer, possibly the best in the game although a Russian in Washington may argue that point.

If you could guarantee he would resign with the Wings long term, with apologies to the Larkin Family who go to every game and are photogenic and jump and cry at the right times when their boy scores, I wouldn't have to think, it would be done in a second.

 Larkin is a great talent, Stamkos is entering his prime years and as much as I love Larkin I would do it in a second.

Thoughts?

I personally think Stamkos' best scoring has passed. He ain't scoring 60 goals and 97 points again.

Still good for 40 goals and 70 points.

Overall, I might be crazy, but no. Specifically because he is going to want a 10+ million dollar contract and I do not think he is worth it. If you could sign him for 8, I would be all over it.

I think Larkin will be a 35-40 goal scorer in a year or two and a 60-70 point guy, and that he could be locked up for 5-6 million if signed at the right time

 

Money is the only factor though. Yes Stamkos is above Larkin in talent, but I do not think he is worth 10+ million.

 

Like I said, call me crazy lol.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

@yave1964

Well, you will get some points of views from other Wings fans....and mine may be the only one here from the TB side, so here goes.

Obviously, I would like Stamkos to stay with the Lightning for the next 8 years (or whatever the max term is nowadays), as he IS a premier talent....the kind of talent that teams are ALWAYS pissing n moaning about NOT having.

Well, the Bolts HAVE one, and now there is the issue of 'can we afford him?', or, 'is he worth it?'.  IMO, the answer to both is a resounding YES. You didn't see the Penguins, Capitals, Blackhawks, and now reportedly, the Kings, letting go of their premier star forwards, right? TB should be no different.

Now.....whether Stamkos' heart is completely in TB like it used to be or whether the coach is really an issue with him are ENTIRELY other matters. Bolts locked up Coach Cooper with a new extension, so does that mean since Stamkos 'has issues with the coach' he is gone? Not necessarily (and I don't completely buy into that media hyped 'riff' either, BTW).

But it still may mean Stamkos has an eye to go elsewhere. And if that is the case, then Steve Yzerman HAS to make the best possible deal he can. No point in keeping a guy around, no matter how talented, if he really doesn't want to be there 100%. Only Stamkos himself, and whatever he has communicated to the organization, know the answer to that for sure.

And yes, there ARE scenarios where the Bolts can keep Stamkos....it will cost the Bolts not being able to keep some other young players, but yes, he can be kept on board, and still surround him with good enough talent to be able to win a Cup or two for the next several years.

 

That all said, and to the OP....I would NOT trade Stamkos for Larkin straight up.

Detroit would definitely have to package some other talent to go along with Larkin. Maybe a Nyquist, a 1st rounder, and/or some player from the Wings' pipeline (maybe Mantha).....all packaged WITH Larkin to make this a "Go" as far as I am concerned.

Why so high a price?

Why not? Like I said, Stamkos is a premier player....will be highly sought after, and some OTHER team will likely offer that type of package for him, especially if they think some other teams will be in on a deal with Yzerman. Then there is the trading within the division thing. Traditionally, teams DON'T trade elite type players within the division, but if they do, the price is usually higher than for a team outside the division....sorta to make up for the possible torching that a guy like Stamkos may turn around and inflict upon his old club many times down the road.

Larkin himself is an outstanding talent from the looks of things, but he is FAR from established. Great Under-18 National Player and a decent year at the University of Michigan, but has literally spent NO time molding into a pro at the AHL level and may find the NHL tough to crack once teams adjust to him.

I have no doubt that a guy like Larkin will eventually turn into a good pro, but to trade Stamkos straight up for a guy who "may" turn out well is a huge, huge risk....does Stevie Y really want to be the GM that 'traded the franchise player for a guy who turned out to be a mediocre player' ? Probably not anymore than Jay Feaster wanted to be the guy who traded Vincent Lecavalier when he came up (and reportedly had problems with Coach Tortorella at the time)....and as we all know, Torts and VLC worked things out, the team got stronger with the maturing and additions of other talents, and oh yea...they won a Cup together.

The one big fly in the ointment here is that Stamkos has a no trade clause.

If Stammer wanted to be a hard ass about things, he could hold the Lightning hostage and completely call the shots here as to where he goes...in which case, Yzerman may not have the amount of leverage he should have to make the best deal possible.

Here is to hoping Stamkos isn't that type of guy, as he has over and over, said good things about the organization that helped make him and about Yzerman as a GM as well.

 

Larkin for Stamkos straight up? No.

Larkin in a package with good players/prospects/ and a first rounder? Well, if Stamkos MUST go, then that is the sort of thing I would expect back.

 

 

 

[SpikeDDS]

@yave1964

A hesitant yes, with the understanding that Stamkos would probably need to be signed by TB prior to the trade to make sure he stays long-term.

I absolutely hear what you are saying about the hometown boy making good, and there would probably be a day down the road where Larkin would make th Wings pay for trading him, but I would still make this trade, talent-wise.

Now, OTOH, as far as cap space goes, this would leave us with SERIOUS cap issues, and so when you say Larkin straight up, the reality is that it will mean losing more than just Larkin. Not necessarily just to TB, but losing more nonetheless.

Will TB take Franzen (and his contract) with Larkin? ;-P

Seriously, before I pull that trigger, I've gotta be thinking about who I'm eventually gonna let walk away, because we will NOT be able to keep all of our good players. I'm too tired to put together permutations tonight, but until I do and se a few that work and don't sell the store, I hold off. I tend not to make deals and THEN figure out how to deal with the problems that accompany a deal. I like to have a plan up front. But that's me. Others will take the deal and "make it happen." I'm not comfortable with that, even though it's not "wrong."