Player Discussion Alexis Lafrenière

[NickyFotiu]

Joe Thornton drafted #1 and highly rated did little in his rookie year (3 goals-7 points).

Brendan Shanahan (7 goals-26 points) was doing little as a rookie as well.

That gives me hope for Laf who would basically be finishing his rookie season.

As for Kakko he really needs to start producing in the next 2 seasons. At least near .5 points per game.

 

[duhmetreE]

I do not understand why people expect something more from Laffy than what we're getting from our established vet superstars.

How does Panarin look 5v5?
How does Fox look 5v5?
Besides them playing well, as of late, Kreider and Zibs are not great 5v5.
Where has Strome been 5v5?
Chytil?

There's a trend here. The entire team does not understand how to generate offense 5v5. We are extremely opportunistic. We do not have sustained pressure/scoring chances. The entire gameplan needs to be re-worked or they need to do a much better job implementing/executing it.

We've become relegated to Opportunistic ES goals, PP and Shesty. Panarin and Fox used to lead us offensively, they have looked worse than Lafreniere.

 

[EdJovanovski]

I think this says more about how you evaluate players than what actually makes a player good

How so?

 

[EdJovanovski]

The fact that you’re saying Laf doesn’t have a shot, let alone a one timer is hilarious and clear you either don’t watch the games or ignore anything that doesn’t fit your narrative.

He barely ever takes slapshots and even back in junior this was the case. But I moreso meant his mentality, he defers too much and is not a volume shooter. Kravtsov is much more assertive offensively. Kakko on the other hand does have an awful shot.

 

[will1066]

How so?

Sorry, but what you posted was just silly.

 

[IDvsEGO]

He barely ever takes slapshots and even back in junior this was the case. But I moreso meant his mentality, he defers too much and is not a volume shooter. Kravtsov is much more assertive offensively. Kakko on the other hand does have an awful shot.

You dont have to be a volume shooter to have a good shot. Laf is not a volume shooter, he's a playmaker.
Laf doesn't take slapshots because he's a wing, but he has a good shot, and again, he's going to primarily look to pass, because thats the style of game he plays.

If you want a volume shooter, look at othmann.
Laf will never shoot the puck 450+ times.
Will he likely still score 30+ goals? I'd say yes.

 

[EdJovanovski]

You dont have to be a volume shooter to have a good shot. Laf is not a volume shooter, he's a playmaker.
Laf doesn't take slapshots because he's a wing, but he has a good shot, and again, he's going to primarily look to pass, because thats the style of game he plays.

So he’s a playmaker with 5 assists in 55 games?

 

[Anthony5967]

I was team kravs. He had this swagger when he was on the ice that I felt was visibly noticeable. However what he pulled kinda reminds me of Messier post-playing career. He wants everything now and is banking on his past to get it rather than putting the work in. With hindsight, had he agreed to spend what would have been roughly a week in Hartford, this season would have been very different for him.

For Laffy, I doubt he ever lives up to being the #1 draft. I hope I'm proven wrong. Still, he is a heck of a hockey player who does a lot of little things right. He fits well on that top line, and it was good to hear why Turk moved him for the night. I totally agree with Kakko being afraid of his own shadow, but not Laffy. He's got balls. He's the one going into the corners digging out pucks. If there was tertiary assists given, he'd probably have a shitload more points.

I can't find what he said regarding this move. I was not happy about it.

 

[Anthony5967]

So he’s a playmaker with 5 assists in 55 games?

When was the last time Gauthier scored? He was on that line with G and Chytil majority of the season. Are we serious? Can we see him play more than a lousy Krispy Kreme dozen on the top line? Was last night the final straw? Back to Chytil and Goodrow now? If this guy had on a Panthers or Avs jersey he would be Lundell right now.

 

[Harbour Dog]

So he’s a playmaker with 5 assists in 55 games?

But Kravtsov can be an assertive offensive force with a cannon for a shot, while only scoring 2 in 20 in the NHL and 6 in 39 in the AHL?

 

[duhmetreE]

So he’s a playmaker with 5 assists in 55 games?

Is Laffy's age 21 season ( next season ) going to be more successful than Kravstovs, age 21, 20 game stint ( last season ) ?

 

[IDvsEGO]

So he’s a playmaker with 5 assists in 55 games?

Right and Playing with gauthier and Chytil/goodrow as his linemates.

And now with Mika and Ck who in every gdt the same line is repeated “man Laf should’ve had 3-4 assists there”.

sometimes a player starts a play by making a good/great play but doesn’t get a point because there’s extra passes.
It’s why assists can be a useless stat at times. Sometimes a second assist is fluff and sometimes it’s crucial to the play.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

Before he got put on the third line last night, I thought he actually looked a few steps quicker than usual.

 

[will1066]

I can't find what he said regarding this move. I was not happy about it.

Gallant said moving Laf and putting Reaves on the top line came down to a "matchup" thing. He stressed that he wasn't unhappy with Laf's play.

 

[EdJovanovski]

But Kravtsov can be an assertive offensive force with a cannon for a shot, while only scoring 2 in 20 in the NHL and 6 in 39 in the AHL?

He was stripped of several points and his first NHL goal, his metrics were miles ahead of Laf in virtually every category. His linemates were Howden & Rooney, Laf’s most common linemates this season have been Kreider & Mika. Why does the AHL hold more weight than the KHL? He’s one of the skill players who plays up to his competition, the AHL is a grinders league. Even in his preseason 2019 where he was our best player when asked why he didn’t celly after scoring he said it’s just the preseason what’s there to celebrate about? That’s his mindset, he’s the kind of player who will play better the higher the competition is. Demonstrated by the fact he’s the most productive playoff player in KHL history at his age. Kravtsov’s excellent KHL production is irrelevant? Go back and read those GDT’s from those 20 games man. NOBODY thinks Laf looks better than Krav did, until some developed a bias against Krav because of what happened.

 

[Anthony5967]

Gallant said moving Laf and putting Reaves on the top line came down to a "matchup" thing. He stressed that he wasn't unhappy with Laf's play.

He was probably aggravated that that line was getting their @$$ handed to them by the Foligno line. I'd love to have that guy on my team.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Right and Playing with gauthier and Chytil/goodrow as his linemates.

And now with Mika and Ck who in every gdt the same line is repeated “man Laf should’ve had 3-4 assists there”.

sometimes a player starts a play by making a good/great play but doesn’t get a point because there’s extra passes.
It’s why assists can be a useless stat at times. Sometimes a second assist is fluff and sometimes it’s crucial to the play.

So some assists are useless but all his garbage tap-in goals with no goalie in the net are markers of 1st overall talent?

 

[duhmetreE]

Gallant said moving Laf and putting Reaves on the top line came down to a "matchup" thing. He stressed that he wasn't unhappy with Laf's play.

These are not solutions to the problem. Same thing happened last game we played them at the Garden.

They want to bang? Hit their top line. We are losing are edge

 

[IDvsEGO]

So some assists are useless but all his garbage tap-in goals with no goalie in the net are markers of 1st overall talent?

I didn’t say that did I?
Some goals are “right place right time”, and others are the player does 100% of the work themselves, and the majority are somewhere in the middle.

 

[haveandare]

He was stripped of several points and his first NHL goal, his metrics were miles ahead of Laf in virtually every category. His linemates were Howden & Rooney, Laf’s most common linemates this season have been Kreider & Mika. Why does the AHL hold more weight than the KHL? He’s one of the skill players who plays up to his competition, the AHL is a grinders league. Even in his preseason 2019 where he was our best player when asked why he didn’t celly after scoring he said it’s just the preseason what’s there to celebrate about? That’s his mindset, he’s the kind of player who will play better the higher the competition is. Demonstrated by the fact he’s the most productive playoff player in KHL history at his age. Kravtsov’s excellent KHL production is irrelevant? Go back and read those GDT’s from those 20 games man. NOBODY thinks Laf looks better than Krav did, until some developed a bias against Krav because of what happened.

Because the AHL is the NHLs minor league and has a similar style of play while the KHL has a way wider talent range and a more open, less physical style. A guy who is what you build Krav up to be wouldn’t be that underwhelming at the AHL level

 

[bhamill]

Aye yi yi.
So now Kravtsov in his D+3 season getting 2 goals and 2 assists in 20 NHL games is an offensive Dynamo with a rocket launcher shot, While Lafreniere in his D+2 getting 13 goals and 5 assists in 55 games is miles behind him with noodle arms. The guy who will drop them with a vet to stand up for a teammate is scared of his shadow while the guy who runs home because his boss may have been mean to him a year ago is unflappable. Ahahahaha.
This is completely ridiculous, it's a WILD double standard. I LIKE Kravtsov and your hyperbole concerning him, but once you put it side by side with the Laf downgrading it's a bit beyond absurd.

 

[bhamill]

He was stripped of several points and his first NHL goal, his metrics were miles ahead of Laf in virtually every category. His linemates were Howden & Rooney, Laf’s most common linemates this season have been Kreider & Mika. Why does the AHL hold more weight than the KHL? He’s one of the skill players who plays up to his competition, the AHL is a grinders league. Even in his preseason 2019 where he was our best player when asked why he didn’t celly after scoring he said it’s just the preseason what’s there to celebrate about? That’s his mindset, he’s the kind of player who will play better the higher the competition is. Demonstrated by the fact he’s the most productive playoff player in KHL history at his age. Kravtsov’s excellent KHL production is irrelevant? Go back and read those GDT’s from those 20 games man. NOBODY thinks Laf looks better than Krav did, until some developed a bias against Krav because of what happened.

I don't know where you find the actual stats on linemates. Can you point me there? I'm curious if at this point this season Lafreniere has spent more games on a line with Mika and Kreider or a combination of third and fourth liners. I mean he could have spent 30% of his games with his "most common" linemates but still 70% of the games with combos of guys who can't score or set him up for shit...

 

[DanielBrassard]

Because of 1 game where everyone was crap?

Jesus some of you are insufferable.

He didn't do much the previous 2 games either.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I know people get annoyed by my love for Krav lol but when you watch him play it is very clear why he was drafted top 10. That is not the case with Laf or Kakko whatsoever. Does anyone doubt that Kravtsov gets traded and scores way more than Laf or Kakko while flashing all the speed & flashiness that the other young kids around the league are while our 1st & 2nd overall picks look like career bottom 6 guys. If you didn’t know better nobody would guess they were top picks. Even things like one timers, Krav has a 100mph rocket and isn’t afraid of shooting. Laf & Kakko are afraid of their shadow

If Kakko or Lafrenière were playing in a lower league they'd be dominating too. Kravtsov in the KHL isn't remotely close to being a proper comparison to Kakko and Lafrenière in the NHL, who are also younger.

 

[Anthony5967]

Aye yi yi.
So now Kravtsov in his D+3 season getting 2 goals and 2 assists in 20 NHL games is an offensive Dynamo with a rocket launcher shot, While Lafreniere in his D+2 getting 13 goals and 5 assists in 55 games is miles behind him with noodle arms. The guy who will drop them with a vet to stand up for a teammate is scared of his shadow while the guy who runs home because his boss may have been mean to him a year ago is unflappable. Ahahahaha.
This is completely ridiculous, it's a WILD double standard. I LIKE Kravtsov and your hyperbole concerning him, but once you put it side by side with the Laf downgrading it's a bit beyond absurd.

Yea, I mean, hard to disagree with this.