Player Discussion Alexis Lafrenière

[Filthy Dangles]

I think he’s definitely been a disappointment so far but one thing’s for sure, his apparent skating issues were way overblown. A lot of games I’m forced to watch the opposing teams broadcast and they kept talking about how great of a skater he is and how fast these kids are now a days People were saying he was slow going into the draft

His skating is fine and always was. People always knock the skating of prospects if it isn't elite level.

 

[Rangers in 7]

I totally think he does. I think he's going to get better and better with time and, you know, actual centers on the roster.

obviously losing chytil has hurt him, but i mean he has another gear at 19 that he isnt hitting.

last night was the perfect example, even from that video posted above, he has not played like that, i hope he continues to play like he has in the past 2 games

 

[True Blue]

The last thing I want to see is Kakko follow in his footsteps, a #2OA traded in his fifth year despite putting up some great numbers. There is something inherently wrong with that.

Laine is a one trick pony. His one trick just happens to be very good. But you cannot win with a team full of them. Imagine what Laine could have been if discipline was instilled in him from the very start.

 

[will1066]

I think that is pretty much hitting it on the head.

And yes, he has looked tentative. But only at times. Overall, he has looked fine. People forget that in the Q, he was and thinks of himself as a facilitator. And he has set up some of the vets with glorious chances that have not been buried. And he has had some chances that have not been buried.

Appearing to be at times tentative is natural for a 19 year old rookie. It is expected. What seems silly is to heap this on the coach. Maybe a 19 year old rookie appears tentative because, well he is a 19 year old rookie in the NHL and is not somehow getting his talent coached out of him by his wicked coach?

It is still a small window, but young players tend to get better under Quinn. So, as they say, trust the process. And that can go for Lafreniere, for Kakko, and for the whole rebuild. Rome was not built in a day, despite some people's need for instant gratification or the delusions of grandeur that they have crafted around their team after spending most of a year in a lock down situation.

And we're thinking Quinn is wicked for limiting minutes, where it took all of one game for Laine to find Torts' doghouse.

 

[JCProdigy]

All of ya'll getting hung up over FLASH AND DASH are out to lunch. Single dumbest criticism Ive read here.

Most players, even the BEST ones or the "flashiest ones", are rarely doing this shit. The plays like he one he made to Strome yesterday? Those happen alot. Those also go in the net more often than they have when Lafreniere has been involved (his teammates are shooting 0%!)

Once again, I really really really recommend people go and watch rookie season highlight vids on youtube of past 1st OA picks and watch the way they score most of their goals. Very few individual efforts resulting in highlight-reel type goals and many goals resulting from finding soft spots in d-coverage, going to high-danger areas and using body positioning to score off the pass or rebound.

Of course I stayed away from McDavid's highlights because that's just not fair to anybody.

 

[IronBloodedLion]

He had some really good plays last night. I really think Chytil coming back will help him and solidify that third line.

 

[True Blue]

And we're thinking Quinn is wicked for limiting minutes, where it took all of one game for Laine to find Torts' doghouse.

Imagine what the board's reaction would be if he was scratched for a game, right after scoring a goal, the way that Cozens was?

 

[BKGooner]

I joked last night that Kakko has completed his development into Chris Higgins. Laf too.

LAF has a little more Kotalik in him. From the side!!!!

 

[huerter]

Please please PLEASE get him away from Howden.

Screenshoting this will be fun to post for years

Again, you are making up this narrative that I'm anti-Laf. What's wrong with you people? All I did was offer a take it or leave it. What was I supposed to offer..."hey would you take Laf being the best player in the draft class or would you let it play out". I felt like Laf being 2nd best in the class was also a clear take. So I offered 3rd best. SUE ME! IM A HATER!

 

[huerter]

When I see Lafrenière play, I can't help but think back to that quote by Kakko last year...

"Towards the end of the season I didn't really try anything special because if I tried something, then coach said Don't do this and don't do that"

Would this affect Lafrenière as well? Because it honestly doesn't look like he is playing his own style. The plays we have seen him make in the past just aren't there.

How rattled were you when Nick Nurse got thrown out of the game this week and then the Raps got the comeback win? #Rabbitears

 

[Overcast]

Again, you are making up this narrative that I'm anti-Laf. What's wrong with you people? All I did was offer a take it or leave it. What was I supposed to offer..."hey would you take Laf being the best player in the draft class or would you let it play out". I felt like Laf being 2nd best in the class was also a clear take. So I offered 3rd best. SUE ME! IM A HATER!

 

[Scott r]

12 games..1 Goal no assists. Shocking....

 

[Scott r]

Better get rid of coach..if hes not helping...before its too late

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

His skating is fine. His passing is good. But he's playing soft as hell. Not what i expected given his scouting report.

 

[True Blue]

Better get rid of coach..if hes not helping...before its too late

Quick. Before he is ruined like Kakko and Chytil.

 

[Raspewtin]

I don't really agree with the overall portrait of Lafreniere setting up a ton of plays this season that are getting botched.

I do agree that he hasn't deserved to be benched in the 3rd period of so many games. And I do agree that last night in particular he really elevated.

I tend to agree with this but I lean into the former part of this point more. He's definitely set up many plays that would usually go in. He himself got many chances that great saves were made on. I do think they were a little spottier than he got credit for, like he'd do it 1-2 times every other game.

 

[Peltz]

I really can't wait for Chytil to come back. I really want to see them play together now that Laf has a few more games under his belt. That could turn into a great line someday.

 

[Hire Sather]

Again, you are making up this narrative that I'm anti-Laf. What's wrong with you people? All I did was offer a take it or leave it. What was I supposed to offer..."hey would you take Laf being the best player in the draft class or would you let it play out". I felt like Laf being 2nd best in the class was also a clear take. So I offered 3rd best. SUE ME! IM A HATER!

You are declaring yourself correct 12 games into his career.

That is the issue.

and I am someone who is not accepting all these excuses for Laf in this thread. He's been very dissapointing thus far. Doesn't mean he is a bust or not the best player from this class.

 

[NYR3]

You are declaring yourself correct 12 games into his career.

That is the issue.

and I am someone who is not accepting all these excuses for Laf in this thread. He's been very dissapointing thus far. Doesn't mean he is a bust or not the best player from this class.

Not sure why it's so hard for people to accept that he has been a bit disappointing so far but people still have plenty of faith in him to become great. It's like it's one or the other and nobody understands anything

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Exactly. I don't think it's asking for much to want to see these guys hold onto the puck, maintain a cycle and set up their teammates once in a while. The idea the people who are being critical are asking for the world out of these guys is a strawman. Admittedly, Kakko has been doing it more often which is nice

Strawmen are the fuel that drive this place unfortunately. Strawman fuel ignited by condescending snark. That's why, after dealing with it stupidly for the 8000th time from the usual suspects (long tenured posters) I finally just put them on ignore. My ignore list is huge but I went from willingly banning myself from HF NYR to being able to at least have an actual discussion from time to time with the few people here who aren't just trying to go for short term ego boosts.

 

[Ruggs225]

I would move laf up to play with zib and buch for a game or two to see if that can get them all going.

kreiders game would be fine on the 3rd line

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

If you look at my past posts regarding Lafreniere. I expect him to, at the very least, perform at the level previous teenagers have (about a .48 pt/gm) over his first season. Yeah I'd be a little concerned if he did not approach that. I also posted what each of the 1OA picks (last ten years) have done in their first 10 NHL games. Am I bummed that he has not scored pts yet? Yep and I've said so. Am I overly concerned? No, not 11 games into his career because the sample size is way too small. Lets talk about it after 40 games.

Also I personally believe the way things got all screwed up because of covid is a valid reasoning for some augmentation of early expectation. It would be hypocritical of me not to feel so as I've felt this for those that work under me in real life and I definitely gave them more leeway and lowered my expectations on their work output as the way they had to go about many things was turned upside down. Of course, that has a shelf life and it has expired for them and it should for Laf as well as he gets more acclimated to the pro game.

Totally fair and later( in that post I made) I said something to the extent of this being pretty much where I'm at too (or that this is pretty reasonable. Something to that effect).

But your other comment at the time and (more specifically) the other post you were agreeing with were reallllly pushing just blindly being optimistic while painting any and all dissenters as just relentless pessimists. I felt there was a lot of room in the middle where most people fit and that the angle the other guy took was pretty unfair as a result.

I strongly suspect this is primarily a coaching philosphy issue that has caused us to see none of the offense we all predicted. But usually talent can flash a bit more frequently. So we're left hoping it's just horrible luck, covid and a bunch of other factors. Havent seen yesterday's game yet so hopefully I get surprised by something good, Im seeing 5 pages of unread comments. So it's good or really bad

 

[mas0764]

Honestly at this point, I want them to start getting points that match their play just to stop some of the nonsense that has permeated this board like a f***ing disease lately.

Because it's obvious that it doesn't matter what the hell the kids do.

Someone buries those chances, and Laf gets credit for four assists in the last two games = good.

Someone doesn't bury those chances and nothing shows up in the box score = bad.

Meanwhile nothing changed in the areas that Laf can actually control.

The entire offense just looks like warmed over crap.

Scoring 2 goals total in the past 2 games. Yuck.

It's obviously way more fun to lose 4-3. People are frustrated and on edge (no pun intended).

 

[JCProdigy]

But your other comment at the time and (more specifically) the other post you were agreeing with were reallllly pushing just blindly being optimistic while painting any and all dissenters as just relentless pessimists. I felt there was a lot of room in the middle where most people fit and that the angle the other guy took was pretty unfair as a result.

Not so much that I was agreeing but pointing out that no matter the state of the team there has always been the grouping of posters on the margin. Yeah I feel enough people fit in the middle that it's interesting to be here. I never will look down upon a dissenting argument if it's born out of logic based on facts and critical thinking. Also with acknowledgment that to a great degree, most here speak their opinions out of some ignorance and thus accept that into their opinions.

Regarding Lafreniere and Kakko, the two teenagers on the team. I don't know how much coaching is playing a part of any struggles. I know that when Chytil was a teen he was benched or had ice time reduced but it never was because he tried some high-risk, high-skill plays but rather because of his uneven effort (according to Quinn) which Quinn even said is typical of young players. I remember Quinn also saying that he didn't want to negate Chytil's skill and wanted him to keep on trying those plays as long as they were within the boundaries of playing smart.

Still even with that, if Kakko's quote ends up being a miscommunication from coach to player then that does fall on the coach as well.

 

[NYR3]

The entire offense just looks like warmed over crap.

Scoring 2 goals total in the past 2 games. Yuck.

It's obviously way more fun to lose 4-3. People are frustrated and on edge (no pun intended).

Seriously. It's not even about points, it's the entire offensive gameplan