Nathan Smith

Cassius & Nyah's dad, Red Wings/Lions/Knights fan, music lover, book reader, Londoner.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@JakeSeverson1 @tmatthewshockey He had zero points at five on five in March. He had his fewest five on five points overall in a non-COVID season since 2016-17. As their 1C and alleged “leader,” he’s a major part of the problem.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@sportscryptid I loathe Friedman, but I’m not sure how anyone questions the veracity of this report. If it was false, Larkin/his agent/Yzerman could’ve or would’ve said something to shoot it down over the last few days. They haven’t, so… I think that tells you all you need to know.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@TheRedWingsGoon @Thrash94Gaming That was my thinking as well, but two 1sts from Tampa are basically 2nd round picks. Geekie and O’Rielly are intriguing, but neither inspires a ton of confidence. If it’s TB, it feels to me as if a third team needs to get involved

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@pearlosnhlpow @HockeySnobElite It’s weird that the awful team SY built is somehow good enough for Larkin to produce at well above a PPG for 75% of the season, and then it’s suddenly so bad that Larkin has no choice but to produce zero 5 on 5 points for the month of March, thus continuing his annual tradition.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@nicknactax Neither O’Reilly, nor Nylander had a contract when they held out. Any other examples in the NHL?

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@nicknactax A player under contract has literally never sat out during the cap era.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@geneinPA @HockeySnobElite I’m also very angry at Yzerman for letting Larkin produce at elite levels for the first half of the season, and then cursing him from the GM box for the month of March, resulting in Larkin scoring ZERO points at 5 on 5 en route to another late season collapse.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@JCSportsDetroit Yzerman isn’t blameless, but he did put together a team that was 1st in the entire conference for well over half the season. Larkin did his annual ghost routine in March, and now here we are… again. How is it on Yzerman that Larkin can never perform down the stretch?

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@McCartyDangles Not for Detroit in isolation, I agree, but they might have assets the Wings could then flip to another team for a package that does fit their needs.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@JCSportsDetroit If “leaders win, always” - that explains why Larkin is not a leader.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@JCSportsDetroit Why does it even matter? Yzerman isn’t in the room, he’s not on the plane, he’s not on the bench, and he’s not on the ice at practice. It’s such a cop out. Datsyuk, Zetterberg and others lived almost 24/7 with Babcock, and Yzerman with Bowman. Larkin can’t stand the GM? Get lost.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@charlieo_conn He was so impatient he scored zero points at 5 on 5 in March. What a stud!

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@JimCosta_ Larkin had zero 5 on 5 points in the month of March this past season. What a warrior.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@bobwojnowski lol - you think this is an act of altruism vs entitled, unaccountable selfishness?

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@JimCosta_ Stafford never shit the bed, routinely, when they needed him most.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@RedWingDiehards @ColbyCohen36 @JLazzy23 @DailyFaceoff @ProducerVick He made them good enough to hold down 1st place in the entire conference for the bulk of the season. Yzerman has flaws, but Larkin has gone absolutely ice cold the last 3 years down the stretch. If he plays in March the way he does in November, they’re likely in the postseason.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@SportsJAG If it's not true, which it obviously is, Larkin and/or his agent will issue a clear and emphatic denial before end of day today. Don't hold your breath.

[Nathan Smith @nrs82]

@LayzeeTrooper19 @39thbest @FriedgeHNIC That’s the point. If it was false, and they come to him and/or his agent for comment in advance of the story and they don’t refute it - that pretty much tells you all you need to know, doesn’t it?