Player Discussion Alexis Lafrenière

[Lgrsean]

The kids playing like ass for 65% of the regular season but becoming a force in the playoffs is actually the best thing that we could hope to happen to this franchise and it's playing out before our very eyes. Why?

Because then we don't have to pay them all... (at least for a little while longer).

Opens up a much bigger window of contention for us versus Lafreniere and Kakko putting up 60 even strength points each. As crazy as it sounds, we don't need that level of production from them. It would actually be detrimental long term because salary cap.

This has been the plan all along and Drury/Gallant have executed to a T. Every time one of you guys scream about them getting 30 seconds of PP time, I can promise you that shit is by design.

Panarin, Kreider, Mika and Fox are all already getting paid. They have to be the ones that produce the most or we wind up selling these guys for draft picks we don't need to clear cap space

If they keep it up, Chytil could get close to 60 points this year and Laf/Kakko could push close to 50 each.

 

[LORDE]

Maybe, but what exactly is a true rebuild in your eyes? Was the Devils sucking for nearly a decade a true rebuild even though they signed Hamilton and Palat to expensive FA contracts. When was the last time a team actually built a stanley cup winner just through the draft?

Colorado Avalanche

Largely through the draft and then added pieces when they were ready.

Again, I maintain that the method we use and have used in my lifetime has worked once. Just once.

Tampa, the pens, the lanche have all won almost as many Cups in the last 3 decades as this org has won overall.

I just wanted to do something different. We're here tho, as I said... so lets get after it.

 

[cwede]

so much for the expectation of a rising Cap

 

[duhmetreE]

so much for the expectation of a rising Cap

It's restructuring.

IF revenues take a short term hit it would be felt next season imo.

These RSN have fallen behind the times... it's a new world.. They need to make streaming services an option. MSG at least is getting with the times.

 

[bhamill]

If RSN can’t pay what theyre supposed to, breach their contract, these teams will be free to make new deals and possibly bigger money deals. If it’s an impact it will likely be small and short lived, no?

 

[mas0764]

It's restructuring.

IF revenues take a short term hit it would be felt next season imo.

These RSN have fallen behind the times... it's a new world.. They need to make streaming services an option. MSG at least is getting with the times.

Think Bally’s does have a streaming option but it’s ridiculous. It’s like $30 a month. And you get your one regional network.

I pay like a third of that for the ESPN+ bundle with Disney and Hulu and I get every non blacked out game.

If they can’t figure out a way to be profitable without overcharging by 600% then they don’t have a chance.

 

[Synergy27]

That’s all she wrote for me. Don’t choke you pricks.

 

[jerseyjinx94]

How's everyone feeling lately

 

[mistaclick]

I’m not a Rangers fan but I come in peace as a hockey fan. What’s the story with Laf? I don’t get to see him play at all really, but I watched him in the Q many times and see him when he plays my team. Where is he at now and what’s his honest potential at this point? He looked so dominant, creative, competitive in juniors. Figured you would know best, cheers in advance!

 

[jerseyjinx94]

Hello

 

[Bob Richards]

The absolute boy is at it again

 

[mrmovies779]

He's coming along just fine..all the kids are

 

[yada]

I’m not a Rangers fan but I come in peace as a hockey fan. What’s the story with Laf? I don’t get to see him play at all really, but I watched him in the Q many times and see him when he plays my team. Where is he at now and what’s his honest potential at this point? He looked so dominant, creative, competitive in juniors. Figured you would know best, cheers in advance!

He wont put up huge numbers because he doesnt get legitimate pp time. His even strength numbers have been decent mostly last year but hes improving this season and is on a productive stretch. During middle dec to mid January he was playing terrible and went 12 or 18 games without scoring a goal. Once he broke that streak hes scored 4 more goals including tonight against the oilers and he scored a nice rebound goal in OT a few games ago.

His skill has been a knack for scoring around the net. His vision is getting better With some nice one touch passes and quick redirections. Hes not super fast so the rush plays havent really been there and he doesnt dangle the opposition.

I have no idea what his potential is.

 

[Rangers in 7]

9 points in his last 10 games

Give him 2 or 3 years and first line PP mins, he’s going to be a 90 point player

 

[Psycho for Perreault]

He comes up in big moments. Even in his struggles that’s been who he is. That’s why I was screaming for him to get a shootout chance earlier. Felt confident he’d close it out.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

Bust, amirite?

 

[Mandar]

Bust, amirite?

Do you think he should be on PP1?

 

[LORDE]

I voted him as star of the game last night... 2nd time this season.

Wasn't just the 2 goals either... he was very active the whole game... that's all I've asked all along.

 

[ReddestRum]

Bust, amirite?

I don't understand these takes when a guy like Yakupov, who is considered one of the top busts of all time, had more points at the same time in his career, with the same amount of games, than Laf. I've never, ever, called Laf a bust, just a disappointment, but these kinds of gotchas when looking at raw statistics is funny, lol. Go back 20 years from 2020 and tally up the points of every 1OA after their 3rd season. Including 1OA D-men. Where would Laf stand right now?

 

[The New Russian Five]

I’m not a Rangers fan but I come in peace as a hockey fan. What’s the story with Laf? I don’t get to see him play at all really, but I watched him in the Q many times and see him when he plays my team. Where is he at now and what’s his honest potential at this point? He looked so dominant, creative, competitive in juniors. Figured you would know best, cheers in advance!

It's definitely been a journey for him. What mostly impacted his coming to the NHL was that he wasn't physically ready for it. He was too slow and lost almost every puck battle. He as clearly very overwhelmed. But, you could see the skill and vision at times. Because he wasn't ready he was losing most battles and his confidence was definitely taking a hit. He finally seems to have regained his confidence. Playing with Chytil and Kakko has certainly helped. They have a lot of chemistry together and read each other really well, which has helped Laf's game a lot.

Laf's top potential depends if he can physically keep developing so that he is faster and stronger. I think he'll eventually be a 30 goal 40 assist guy who plays a solid 2-way game and finds away to elevate his game in big situations. But that likely won't come until the current vets on the team start tapering away on the team, allowing for Laf to enter the top PP unit.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I don't understand these takes when a guy like Yakupov, who is considered one of the top busts of all time, had more points at the same time in his career, with the same amount of games, than Laf. I've never, ever, called Laf a bust, just a disappointment, but these kinds of gotchas when looking at raw statistics is funny, lol. Go back 20 years from 2020 and tally up the points of every 1OA after their 3rd season. Including 1OA D-men. Where would Laf stand right now?

Not sure why that matters? Most 1st overall picks land on garbage teams and get thrown right into big minutes and spoon fed PP minutes, like your example of Yakupov who never improved over seasons while Laf has shown improvement. It was a totally different situation for Laf who has been brought along extremely slow due to the depth the team had. So trying to compare his point totals with other 1st overalls 3 years into their career is silly.

 

[The New Russian Five]

I don't understand these takes when a guy like Yakupov, who is considered one of the top busts of all time, had more points at the same time in his career, with the same amount of games, than Laf. I've never, ever, called Laf a bust, just a disappointment, but these kinds of gotchas when looking at raw statistics is funny, lol. Go back 20 years from 2020 and tally up the points of every 1OA after their 3rd season. Including 1OA D-men. Where would Laf stand right now?

You can't look at it in a vacuum though. Yakupov was also terrible defensively, was pretty 1 dimensional, and was getting PP1 time.

 

[EdJovanovski]

You can't look at it in a vacuum though. Yakupov was also terrible defensively, was pretty 1 dimensional, and was getting PP1 time.

I think we often conflate lack of flash, skating & skill with being good defensively. Flashy players are considered bad defensively and players who don't flash much skill are assumed to be responsible players. I don't think Laf is very good defensively.

 

[ReddestRum]

Not sure why that matters? Most 1st overall picks land on garbage teams and get thrown right into big minutes and spoon fed PP minutes, like your example of Yakupov who never improved over seasons while Laf has shown improvement. It was a totally different situation for Laf who has been brought along extremely slow due to the depth the team had. So trying to compare his point totals with other 1st overalls 3 years into their career is silly.

So in the context of replying to a poster who is trying to mock people calling Laf a bust, am I really wrong in comparing the production of other 1OAs to Laf's production? Including the on-paper statistics of an actual bust? What's silly about that?

Still, it's absolutely fair to say that every player's circumstances are different, but what seems to be a constant in the NHL is that if you have the talent and still to play at the top, you're going to play at the top. I don't understand why this fanbase lives and dies on top minutes and PP1 time when it comes to our top picks. I can't look at the 1OA list over the last few decades and say to myself, without laughing out loud, that the superstars on that list are only superstars because they played minutes and got shoved onto PP1. In fact, we saw Laf on PP1 and it didn't result in some drastic change of his talent and skill. We've seen Laf on a lot of line combos and we've even seen him get some top line minutes, but he's always looked the same. Chemistry goes a long way and he's absolutely improving, but relies on Chy a lot to finish his plays and KK's cycle. Guy can shoot, but he doesn't do it enough. A lot of you want to count your chickens before they hatch in terms of you want to call him a success. His 4th season AFTER his off-season work will be a great example of actual improvement in his overall game.

 

[Shadowtron]

Bust, amirite?

For a first overall? Kinda lol. My personal opinion, of course, but with hindsight being 20/20 not a chance I’d pick him 1st in a do-over. That opinion can change should he really breakout. He looks great on the kid line.
I’m rooting for him. But He did this last season too, so I’m less giddy than some of you. I’m hoping this is the start of great things And doesn’t lead to another 5-10-15 mid-season stat line next year.