Draft 2020 Draft & Undrafted Free Agent Thread: Part V

[QJL]

This is from January. It’s amusing how many people have already changed their tune.

View attachment 360877

Lafreniere’s two peaks of prospect hype were the back half of his 42 goal QMJHL rookie season and his domination at a World Juniors with 10 points in 5 games. This poll was made right after one of them.

Lafreniere is a top 10 prospect since Crosby. The only two names clearly above him going into a draft are McDavid and Tavares.

 

[LeetchisGod]

That’s a hell of a level

He didn't win CHL player of the year back to back for nothing. Laf is the real deal. As much talent as he has, reading about his compete level is what gets me going. We don't have enough players that will skate through walls to get the job done.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Yeah it just feels hard to believe that we got this lucky.

I'm trying as hard as I can to stay level headed about this whole thing, it's not very easy

 

[Trxjw]

Christ I’d be happy with Huberdeau while you guys are talking about MacKinnon and Kane lol

Is Lafreniere really that legit?

Absolutely. He's potentially a 100pt franchise-level talent.

Keep in mind that this is a kid who was, hands down, the best player a the u20 WJC this year. As an 18 year old.

 

[Irishguy42]

It cannot be understated how lucky the Rangers were in moving up to 1OA and 2OA in back-to-back years. Insanely lucky.

Never want to hear that this franchise isn't lucky/doesn't have anything good happen to them for at least....15 years.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Absolutely. He's potentially a 100pt franchise-level talent.

Keep in mind that this is a kid who was, hands down, the best player a the u20 WJC this year. As an 18 year old.

And people thought he was going to miss it with a knee injury if I'm remembering correctly. Think he also jammed his ankle or something during the WJCs

 

[Thirty One]

It cannot be understated how lucky the Rangers were in moving up to 1OA and 2OA in back-to-back years. Insanely lucky.

Never want to hear that this franchise isn't lucky/doesn't have anything good happen to them for at least....15 years.

You know damn well the next time in the lottery we're going to hear the same old "it's the Rangers, we won't win".

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

It cannot be understated how lucky the Rangers were in moving up to 1OA and 2OA in back-to-back years. Insanely lucky.

Never want to hear that this franchise isn't lucky/doesn't have anything good happen to them for at least....15 years.

I'm with you, but the next time something goes wrong people are going to use this as them being lifted up to be dropped from a great height

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Absolutely. He's potentially a 100pt franchise-level talent.

Keep in mind that this is a kid who was, hands down, the best player a the u20 WJC this year. As an 18 year old.

Also he played 3 games on basically one leg... And still carried that team to gold.

 

[Trxjw]

And people thought he was going to miss it with a knee injury if I'm remembering correctly. Think he also jammed his ankle or something during the WJCs

He was nursing an ankle injury in the selection camp, I think. Definitely got busted up during the tourney and despite some people thinking he was done, he came back to be named the best forward overall.

This is the kind of player who has not only the talent to put the team on his back, but the drive to do it as well.

 

[Irishguy42]

You know damn well the next time in the lottery we're going to hear the same old "it's the Rangers, we won't win".

Yes, and I will be among the first to say as such.

 

[Kords]

You know damn well the next time in the lottery we're going to hear the same old "it's the Rangers, we won't win".

Idk man, I was pulling my hair out at all the jinxing going on around here and on social media. Kinda still feel the same when I hear everyone call him MacKinnon/Kane, 100+point tier but then i'm a big ol' negative nancy.

 

[Polar Bear]

It cannot be understated how lucky the Rangers were in moving up to 1OA and 2OA in back-to-back years. Insanely lucky.

Never want to hear that this franchise isn't lucky/doesn't have anything good happen to them for at least....15 years.

Also should be fortunate of the drafts we moved up. We got 2nd in what was considered a top two player draft. And more importantly, we moved up to 1 in a draft with a player who is both the unanimous top prospect by just about all accounts and is certainly one of the better 1st overall talents in the past 10-15 years.

 

[aufheben]

These shift-by-shift replays offer so much more insight than highlight reels. Kid goes after the puck like a dog after a tennis ball, and plows his way through anyone in his way. Nuts. His teammates can barely keep up with him, not to mention the other team.

 

[Edge]

These shift-by-shift replays offer so much more insight than highlight reels. Kid goes after the puck like a dog after a tennis ball, and plows his way through anyone in his way. Nuts. His teammates can barely keep up with him, not to mention the other team.

PITBULL.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

f*** I would have loved to have been in Montreal to see him drafted live. But then again I doubt we would have been in a position to draft him had the pandemic not happened.

 

[aufheben]

PITBULL.

This kid looks like he could be our 3rd best forward tomorrow.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

PITBULL.

I heard it somewhere a few days ago, and it's kind of growing on me, but he's really got some Jamie Benn to him

 

[Polar Bear]

f*** I would have loved to have been in Montreal to see him drafted live. But then again I doubt we would have been in a position to draft him had the pandemic not happened.

If there is anything good for me that came from this pandemic it's Laf. lol

 

[Edge]

It cannot be understated how lucky the Rangers were in moving up to 1OA and 2OA in back-to-back years. Insanely lucky.

Never want to hear that this franchise isn't lucky/doesn't have anything good happen to them for at least....15 years.

And it's not just having those slots, it's the drafts they had them in as well.

Having the first or second pick in 2011 and 2012 is fine. But you're not coming away with the guys we're going to come away with.

To be able to grab this type of talent, in back to back years, is nuts.

Teams are going to be hard pressed to ever touch what Pittsburgh got with Crosby and Malkin, or Edmonton got with McDavid and Draisaitl in back to back drafts, but this definitely has the potential to contend for that next tier.

 

[broadwayblue]

Elite Grinder

 

[Edge]

This kid looks like he could be our 3rd best forward tomorrow.

I will not put any expectations on him. But yeah, that's not a completely out there concept either.

 

[mas0764]

Christ I’d be happy with Huberdeau while you guys are talking about MacKinnon and Kane lol

Is Lafreniere really that legit?

I hope Kakko is better than Huberdeau frankly. Or at least reaches Huberdea level quicker.

 

[mas0764]

think he could make the switch to center in a couple years ?

Some say yes, but probably best not to count on it.

 

[Rangers394]

I just love all the people claiming it was fixed. I love it a lot. If it's fixed in our favor, please fix it more.