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Player Discussion Alexis Lafrenière

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Rangers in 7 said:
I can tell you from personal experience when you get stapled to the bench for long stretches and don’t ever see time on the PP it affects your game. You get in your own head. I have agreed that I want MUCH more from him but the best way for him to reach the next step is to play. I pray to god the rangers don’t cut the cord here because he will be successful elsewhere. Laf was miles ahead of stutzle in many regards at the junior level. It’s there but he needs to be put into positions to succeed.
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At the end of the day, Laf is vying for a contract to continue playing in the NHL. At the end of the day, he's there to perform in whatever capacity is needed of him. He's a hockey player, about to make millions, why does he need to be coddled? There are plenty of other players that want to be where he is right now that would kill for 10 minutes of ice time in the big show. If one benching is going to mentally break him then he doesn't need to be playing in the NHL.
 
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ReddestRum said:
At the end of the day, Laf is vying for a contract to continue playing in the NHL. At the end of the day, he's there to perform in whatever capacity is needed of him. He's a hockey player, about to make millions, why does he need to be coddled? There are plenty of other players that want to be where he is right now that would kill for 10 minutes of ice time in the big show. If one benching is going to mentally break him then he doesn't need to be playing in the NHL.
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I’m not saying that one benching is going to mentally break him. But constantly pigeonholing him isn’t going to work
 
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Rangers in 7 said:
I’m not saying that one benching is going to mentally break him. But constantly pigeonholing him isn’t going to work
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I get you, but not giving him the ice time some fan thinks he needs, sitting some shifts in lieu of the vets, or being shuffled in the lineup which seems like it happens every f***ing night for everyone on the team isn't pigeonholing. Sometimes you guys make it sound like he's being picked or something.
 
ReddestRum said:
Why does it keep needing to be said that players are ultimately in charge of their own development. Most have their own development coaches in which a lot of players of different teams train under the same coaches during the off-season. Players don't generally move from average to elite in the middle of the season, but the jump in production comes after improving themselves in the off-season, and not necessarily after they put up 2 assists in a random game while being carried by vets.

I don't understand why only our prospects are exempt from the rules of self-improvement as is what is expected of every athlete, in every sport. It's not even that some of you guys are saying that the organization should shoulder some of the blame in Laf's development (I absolutely think they do), but that you guys are content to completely, 100% absolve Laf of his responsibility to get better himself and lay the entire blame on the organization. Kakko has gotten better. Chytil has gotten better. You can actually see it from the way they play and they are held to the same standards (and are more deserved of the TOI that some of you keep crying to give to an underpowered Laf).

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills when I see this. Even more-so when guys swear up and down that he'd be a 50-60 point player (60 points, really?) and try to back up conjecture with advanced stats that amount to nothing, really. Advanced stats that make the cope better to swallow in blowout losses that don't matter because it's still a loss. 5v5 EV specialist? Okay?? Sure?? And then look to compare him with players that back up their skill with actual production (And then go on to say that he's better in some meaningless way).
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While we disagree on some things I’m with you that work in the off season is essential. I’m not saying I agree the lions share of development happens there, in game experience trumps everything IMO so far as development as a PLAYER, but of course players have to work at their development and bear responsibility. Off ice/ off season training contributes greatly to your development as an ATHLETE, as well as developing muscle mass and strength. It’s hard to build mass during the rigors of the season.
 
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ReddestRum said:
I get you, but not giving him the ice time some fan thinks he needs, sitting some shifts in lieu of the vets, or being shuffled in the lineup which seems like it happens every f***ing night for everyone on the team isn't pigeonholing. Sometimes you guys make it sound like he's being picked or something.
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My problem is when people on this board point to other young players and how they are “so much better”

It all comes down to force feeding young players minutes. That’s my argument. I agree he needs to be better, ALOT better. But it’s a 2 way street imo
 
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I think the fact that Lafrenierre has pretty damn good EV point stats while really not LOOKING very good most of the time Is actually an indicator of how good he can end up being. When Laf gets his man strength, which is integral to his game, he’s not, and even in juniors wasn’t, the shifty speedy forward type, I think most of this board will be pretty relieved. But as @ReddestRum has pointed out, he’s got to work to develop that strength and power on the off season. I am sure the team will give him all the trainers he wants and more. Yeah, he’s not getting the best usage, but there’s things HE has to take responsibility for.
And no, I have no crystal ball, this is just what I see as most likely to happen.
 
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bhamill said:
I think the fact that Lafrenierre has pretty damn good EV point stats while really not LOOKING very good most of the time Is actually an indicator of how good he can end up being. When Laf gets his man strength, which is integral to his game, he’s not, and even in juniors wasn’t, the shifty speedy forward type, I think most of this board will be pretty relieved. But as @ReddestRum has pointed out, he’s got to work to develop that strength and power on the off season. I am sure the team will give him all the trainers he wants and more. Yeah, he’s not getting the best usage, but there’s things HE has to take responsibility for.
And no, I have no crystal ball, this is just what I see as most likely to happen.
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This was my point earlier in the thread. He’s never elected to do anything to make himself better in the 3 years of off seasons he’s had. That reflects on him. He came into the league with a gold spoon in his mouth and now it’s basically rusting.

His contract is almost up. He will get unlimited chances from all the teams since he’s a number one but right now he won’t be getting paid very well.
 
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Rangers in 7 said:
My problem is when people on this board point to other young players and how they are “so much better”

It all comes down to force feeding young players minutes. That’s my argument. I agree he needs to be better, ALOT better. But it’s a 2 way street imo
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Most young players are not force fed minutes. They almost all start in depth roles and work their way up. One would think the #1 pick would be more effective in a depth role than the guy who was the #10 pick when they break into the league.
 
n8 said:
Laffy scratched for Blais. That must be a career low-light. I hope it gets him going.
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How much more can he realistically get going. He's among the leaders on the team in EV points. He's there with Zibanejad, Kreider, Trocheck...

If he were stapled to PP1 he'd be a team leader in points. Take Trocheck off PP1. It's really simple. Trocheck has LESS EV points than Lafreniere.
 
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Had 112 points in 52 games his final year of juniors.

I don’t care what excuses there are regarding linemates, minutes, PP time. This player should find a matchup once every game or two where he drives the net, walks a defender, makes a slick feed, etc. He has no standout skill at this level. I feel like he felt like “one of the boys” and has not dedicated himself to developing one ounce since being drafted.
 
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GENESISPuck94 said:
How much more can he realistically get going. He's among the leaders on the team in EV points. He's there with Zibanejad, Kreider, Trocheck...

If he were stapled to PP1 he'd be a team leader in points. Take Trocheck off PP1. It's really simple. Trocheck has LESS EV points than Lafreniere.
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Well if you wanna ask a dumb question, I'll give a dumb answer. How about "3 points per game" going?
EDIT: you do specify realistically so 1 PPG is totally reasonable. You can look at all the fancy stats you want, the eye test says he's not engaging the play. Chytil, Kakko, Kravtsov all look more impactful than Laffy right now.
 
GENESISPuck94 said:
How much more can he realistically get going. He's among the leaders on the team in EV points. He's there with Zibanejad, Kreider, Trocheck...

If he were stapled to PP1 he'd be a team leader in points. Take Trocheck off PP1. It's really simple. Trocheck has LESS EV points than Lafreniere.
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points schmoints (no sarcasm)
 
Chaels Arms said:
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“…a mix of Pastrnak’s skill and the style of Ovi.”

My take-away from this is that Laf was misread as an NHL shooter and goal scorer. I don’t know if any of his pre-NHL opponents are in the big show now, but he seems to have encountered a new level of play with the Rangers he can’t master. He can hit, he can pass, but his skating is league-average and his shooting (so far) just doesn’t equal the draft narrative.
 
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WhereO Is Kakko said:
“…a mix of Pastrnak’s skill and the style of Ovi.”

My take-away from this is that Laf was misread as an NHL shooter and goal scorer. I don’t know if any of his pre-NHL opponents are in the big show now, but he seems to have encountered a new level of play with the Rangers he can’t master. He can hit, he can pass, but his skating is league-average and his shooting (so far) just doesn’t equal the draft narrative.
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I think his shot is fine. The bigger problem is he isn’t shooting enough
 
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