Player Discussion Alexis Lafrenière

[DanielBrassard]

I’ve defended him all season

I’ll give him one more season

This playoffs was more about the lack of play from panarin, zibs, Kane, etc then him

But he needs to be better next year, the underlying stats show he can still be a great player

The underlying stats show he's exactly what he's been, a barely passable player finisher on plays around the net who doesn't bring much else

 

[jerseyjinx94]

They get Hughes and we get this guy

You can’t make it up. I’m going to be patient but it’s just ridiculous

 

[Chaels Arms]

Evaluating Lafreniere is such a dilemma.

I watch him and my eyes tell me he sucks.

Then I remember he was drafted by the Rangers and my brain and 30+ years of stored memory tell me the Rangers suck at developing forwards.

I'm in a constant battle to assign blame here.

 

[IronBloodedLion]

Lol Kakko did not make a transformation.

Kakko’s frustrating, but he’s shown a lot more than Laf at this point.

 

[17futurecap]

He’s a plug, it’s tough to here, but it’s true.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Kakko’s frustrating, but he’s shown a lot more than Laf at this point.

Hey I’m no fan of Laf either lol I just think it’s a massive cope to act like Kakko was some transformed player this season. He still got 40pts in his 4th NHL season. He was expected to get significantly more than that in his rookie year.

 

[IronBloodedLion]

Hey I’m no fan of Laf either lol I just think it’s a massive cope to act like Kakko was some transformed player this season. He still got 40pts in his 4th NHL season. He was expected to get significantly more than that in his rookie year.

37 of those were at even strength though. That’s pretty good, even through it is disappointing for his draft status.

Laf is just not good. Out of he, Kakko, and Chytil he’s shown the least IMO.

 

[ORRFForever]

If I was the Rangers, I'd tell him to get his butt to the World Champions - he needs the minutes.

 

[EdJovanovski]

If I was the Rangers, I'd tell him to get his butt to the World Champions - he needs the minutes.

Better yet, go see if he can dominate the NCAA. Maybe get a degree for a backup plan too since I’m not sure professional hockey is the career for him.

 

[ORRFForever]

This player makes me want to just take three months off from work just to watch every single game he played in juniors to figure out if we ruined him or if every scout on the planet got it completely wrong.

Well said.

 

[zlev]

If I was the Rangers, I'd tell him to get his butt to the World Champions - he needs the minutes.

would he even make that team?

 

[ORRFForever]

Better yet, go see if he can dominate the NCAA. Maybe get a degree for a backup plan too since I’m not sure professional hockey is the career for him.

The Rangers need to see him on another team (Team Canada) to get a better perspective on what they have. It makes NO sense that a 1OA would be that ineffective in today's day and age.

 

[RoastBeeph]

Kakko isn't any better than Laf. They are both huge busts.

40 points over a full season for top 2 picks is an absolute joke.

Players picked in the 2nd and 3rd rounds routinely get more than 40 points a season.

Dawson Mercer was picked 17 spots after Laf and has more points than him in half the games.

 

[ORRFForever]

If LAF goes to the World Championship and <bleeps> the bed, you know it's not the Rangers. If he goes and plays really well, you now have something to work with.

 

[Brutananadilewski]

would he even make that team?

Is Guam playing? Maybe for them.

 

[TriFF51]

You know what's crazy? I think I can count on 1 hand the amount of time Laf/Kakko combined have straight up scored on a wrist shot beating a goalie clean.

I still like Kakko but it's crazy.

 

[Chaels Arms]

The one definitive aspect of Lafreniere's development this team unforgivably messed up was drafting a LW first overall while having two LWs in Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin signed long term and just kind of hoping some sort of magical solution would fall from the sky to make it work out.

I've said this before but real teams don't operate like that. Day one of the first training camp those three players should have been sat in a room and someone forced to make a permanent shift to RW at even strength. Other franchises do this routinely without any big issue but the Rangers act like doing this is tantamount to asking for the players' first born. It's almost like they just figured Panarin or Kreider would fall off a cliff or get injured or Lafreniere would instantly be Wayne Gretzky and the need to actually make big boy decisions would be avoided.

 

[ORRFForever]

would he even make that team?

Good point.

Based on the lack of players who want to go this year (Team USA is having the same problem), LAF would make the team - QB should go as well.

There is no downside to sending LAF. You are basically trading him to another team for a month to see how he does - knowing you will get him back, whether you want him back or not.

If LAF says he doesn't want to go, tell him he can either go to Latvia/Finland now or the AHL in September.

 

[RangersFan1994]

 

[Phrasing]

Could not care less if he plays another game for us.

The same can be said for everyone except for Fox and Shesterkin. Lindgren just for personal fandom. And honestly? I don’t see a way out of all the crap contracts and poor drafting, so I’m not even sure I’d be overly upset if we decided to move those guys either.

This is probably the most disgusted by this team I’ve been in years.

Miller? Agree with the rest.

 

[Nyr88nyg]

This loss would be a lot less depressing if the kids showed promise and were on an upward trajectory. But they suck and our future is dim. Very dim.

 

[Zamboner]

I don't care how bad a coach or organization might be, if you put a genuinely skilled hockey player there, play him 14/15 minutes a game for 3 years, they will show significantly more than Lafreniere has shown, regardless. He's shown NOTHING. I think about players like Zherdev, who never put it together, but once a game would wow you with skill that would make you talk yourself into him. Maybe he'll put it together. You wanted to believe because you just saw something amazing. Lafreniere hasn't done this in 3 years. 3 years! He just doesn't have it in him. I totally reject blaming Quinn/Gallant/Rangers because my eyes have seen nothing from this guy. Whoever the greatest developmental coach in the world is, if he was in charge of the Rangers the last 3 years, Lafreniere still disappoints. There's nothing there.

 

[Zamboner]

Still think he can be productive, but have not seen a single skill from him that screams #1 pick, like, at all. Usually there are some flashes here and there, but nothing of that sort has emerged yet.

Does he have a great shot? No. Is he a great passer? No? Does he seem to have advanced vision, ability to see the game in ways most can't? No. Is he a great skater? No. Does he have a great motor? No. Is he great stick handler? No. Dekes? No. Physical? No. Great around the boards? No. Great around the net? No. Possession? No. Defensively? No.

I don't know what he's supposed to be or what he can one day be great at.

Player Discussion - Alexis Lafrenière: Part II

I’m not so convinced it’s a confidence issue with Laf. Kakko is an awkward quiet kid from another country, I think it’s largely a confidence issue with him. Laf is so much more outgoing and confident of a person, he’s one of the most vocal guys on the team even as a rookie and was a captain...

forums.hfboards.com

I wrote that October 26, 2021. It was true then, it's true now.

 

[Zynbanejad]

The one definitive aspect of Lafreniere's development this team unforgivably messed up was drafting a LW first overall while having two LWs in Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin signed long term and just kind of hoping some sort of magical solution would fall from the sky to make it work out.

I've said this before but real teams don't operate like that. Day one of the first training camp those three players should have been sat in a room and someone forced to make a permanent shift to RW at even strength. Other franchises do this routinely without any big issue but the Rangers act like doing this is tantamount to asking for the players' first born. It's almost like they just figured Panarin or Kreider would fall off a cliff or get injured or Lafreniere would instantly be Wayne Gretzky and the need to actually make big boy decisions would be avoided.

I agree with this. But to be fair, Byfield has been more of a bust and I doubt they would have traded down for Stutzle even though he was the clear #1 in hindsight.

 

[The Gloaming]

He doesn't have the mental game down at all. He doesn't look serious, there is no progression after an offseason. Can anyone look at that guy in the video i posted and tell me that this is a serious individual? Do you see Kreider twitching like that? No. Wanna know why? Because Kreider at least has some semblance of body control and focus. How the f*** are you gonna play hockey in the NHL if you can't control your body for 2 minutes during an interview?

His skillset being completely nonexistant is one thing. His mentality and his happy-go-lucky just happy to be here mentality is another. He has shown no desire to improve and therefore, has shown no improvement. Kakko has at least improved over the years.

Lesser skilled Sean Avery? Laf only wishes. Complete bust.

Find some team that will overpay for his draft pedigree and ship him out please.

He looks uncomfortable but I doubt he is used to media and maybe nervous since his focus on the mic part of the video and look elsewhere, but he focus on the journalist when he was asked a question so I doubt he has ADHD fortunately for him.

ADHD is brief:
Part of my family have issue with it so I got some experience and maybe some symptoms myself.

Symptoms

• Impulsiveness.
• Disorganization and problems prioritizing.
• Poor time management skills.
• Problems focusing on a task.
• Trouble multitasking.
• Excessive activity or restlessness.
• Poor planning.
• Low frustration tolerance.

- The most difficult if a person struggle with depression or anxiety it is usually close symptoms with ADHD unfortunately based on family experience.

I really like Alexis Lafrenière so hopefully he is succesful even though it is a lot of pressure to perform.

Not used to media? The Canadian media was hounding this guy for years. That's not an excuse. He has no focus or control. It's that simple.