Player Discussion Alexis Lafrenière

[bhamill]

I still have hope he can be as good as Hughes and the others in his draft.

He's already as good as, or better than, anyone in his draft class. Who is better? Raymond? Not lately. Beginning of the year, sure, Raymond was playing better, but these guys are 20 years old they aren't finished products. They are both going to be excellent NHLers.
Hughes? We shall see. I EXPECT Lafreniere to be a more valuable and better all around player than Hughes, whether he scores as much as him or not. But right NOW, obviously Hughes is the better player. And of course there are no guarantees.

 

[TheDirtyH]

I hope Hughes and Lafreniere are both great and the rangers stay better than the devils

 

[JohnC]

It depends on the lefty. One play that was run quite a bit when the Rangers didn't have this personnel was Brassard making that seam pass to Zuke in the slot for a re-direct. Worked a few times, but they didn't have a legit one timer on the opposite circle, so it got shut down pretty quick.

Something else having a lefty in that spot would do is give Zibanejad a shot option for him to make a pass into the slot. Think the Dallas goal that he scored on, but you do it on the opposite side.

Strome in that spot right now is not the best place for him. He doesn't shoot, so he's not a shoot option for Panarin to pass to on that side. It's not like TJ Oshie for the Caps when he would be firing away because they isolated Ovechkin cause of his shot. Think about that 6 on 5 goal he scored vs Edmonton. Strome is not setting up that way.

It would also give a different look if they do move around, where a lefty could be on that halfwall when rotating. Right now, and this is even as the PP is ranked as high as it is, there is really only 2 shot options, Mika and Fox. A third shot option would open things even more.

It’s kind of crazy to think about how Ryan Strome could not be on PP1 and it feels like it wouldn’t change a thing about it.

My memory stinks these days, but I genuinely can’t remember the last time he got a consequential touch out there.

 

[mas0764]

I hope Hughes and Lafreniere are both great and the rangers stay better than the devils

I only hope Hughes is great if he ends up on the Rangers someday.

But frankly I've got that spot earmarked for Zegras.

 

[TheDirtyH]

It’s kind of crazy to think about how Ryan Strome could not be on PP1 and it feels like it wouldn’t change a thing about it.

My memory stinks these days, but I genuinely can’t remember the last time he got a consequential touch out there.

At this point a lot of what he brings is familiarity, puck retrievals and siphoning the puck to the open wall because he knows where everybody's going. It's not nothing and it's too good a unit to tamper with at this point, but hopefully this is his final season here

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Going back to February 24, a stretch of 21 games, Lafrenière has not only been one of the Rangers’ most productive players, he has also been one of the most efficient goal and point producers in the league during 5-on-5 play.

Alexis Lafrenière could be major X-factor for Rangers

The New York Rangers made some significant additions at the NHL Trade Deadline but the key to their success for the rest of this season might sit with a player that is already on the roster.

nhl.nbcsports.com

 

[mas0764]

Going back to February 24, a stretch of 21 games, Lafrenière has not only been one of the Rangers’ most productive players, he has also been one of the most efficient goal and point producers in the league during 5-on-5 play.

The one problem (amazing fact?) there is that in that stretch of 21 games, he still had a 9 game stretch with 1 point.

So that means in the other 12 games, he's scored 11 points.

edit: Never mind, my numbers are off. I was looking at a wrong column.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Going back to February 24, a stretch of 21 games, Lafrenière has not only been one of the Rangers’ most productive players, he has also been one of the most efficient goal and point producers in the league during 5-on-5 play.

Alexis Lafrenière could be major X-factor for Rangers

The New York Rangers made some significant additions at the NHL Trade Deadline but the key to their success for the rest of this season might sit with a player that is already on the roster.

nhl.nbcsports.com

bIgGeSt bUsT iN rEcEnT mEmOrY.

 

[Levitate]

I find it totally wild that his scoring rates and usage potentially have THAT much of an impact on his perception around the league and actual numbers

Like, it's not totally that he looked amazing all along and just the limited minutes were holding him back, he definitely has had to adjust and deal and play better, but wow is it a strong indicator that a huge part of the best players scoring the amount of points they do is minutes and especially power play minutes

I mean that's not really even revolutionary thought but I think we just don't really think about it that much

 

[JohnC]

I find it totally wild that his scoring rates and usage potentially have THAT much of an impact on his perception around the league and actual numbers

Like, it's not totally that he looked amazing all along and just the limited minutes were holding him back, he definitely has had to adjust and deal and play better, but wow is it a strong indicator that a huge part of the best players scoring the amount of points they do is minutes and especially power play minutes

I mean that's not really even revolutionary thought but I think we just don't really think about it that much

It’s basically the logic people here used to apply to players like Adam Clendenning and Emerson Etem. Player X performs this way with Y amount of minutes so we should play them Z amount of minutes to see if they’re better than player W.

Except in this scenario we’d be applying it to an actual good player.

 

[OTGHockey]

Laf's underlying stats suggest he's a star already in the ice-time he's getting, which includes ZERO PP time to speak of when PP1 is out there for a minute and a half. Everything he has to do is at even-strength. He has been fantastic recently. I'd love to see him replace Strome on PP1.

I'm not sure he's a star right now, certainly doesn't have the slick stick handling and skating that a guy like Jack Hughes has, and hasn't really learned the defensive side yet, but he's playing with a lot more confidence, and he has shown to be fairly proficient at being in open ice, though mostly off the rush.

I was starting to get a bit concerned earlier in the year like many, but I'm very happy with what we've been seeing in the last 3 weeks or so. He could turn into a regular 30 goal a year scorer at this point, and that's pretty cool.

 

[Kords]

I only hope Hughes is great if he ends up on the Rangers someday.

But frankly I've got that spot earmarked for Zegras.

I think Zegras will be a Duck for most of his career sadly. That team is gonna be legit good in a few seasons.

The Devils otoh haven't made any strides in a long while. The only notable good add was Hamilton, the rest are draft picks from being bad. If they don't start building a decent team around Hughes and start making the playoffs, the rumors are gonna start just the same as they did with Eichel. In similar fashion, they basically gave him the keys to the building. Doesn't help that he's got a fratboy personalty. I'm predicting they bring in a new Coach and when he starts asking the younger guys to play more structured hockey, Hughes will either listen and his numbers will dip or they will clash and he'll get canned like Dan Bylsma in Buffalo when him and Eichel didn't see eye to eye.

Only wild card is that they got his brother so he might be a little more hesitant to "not publicly" publicly want out. Personally, I give them three seasons to make a push before the rumors start. I like Hughes, hope he does get shipped out west. I'm sure the nucks would pay almost any price.

 

[mas0764]

I think Zegras will be a Duck for most of his career sadly. That team is gonna be legit good in a few seasons.

The Devils otoh haven't made any strides in a long while. The only notable good add was Hamilton, the rest are draft picks from being bad. If they don't start building a decent team around Hughes and start making the playoffs, the rumors are gonna start just the same as they did with Eichel. In similar fashion, they basically gave him the keys to the building. Doesn't help that he's got a fratboy personalty. I'm predicting they bring in a new Coach and when he starts asking the younger guys to play more structured hockey, Hughes will either listen and his numbers will dip or they will clash and he'll get canned like Dan Bylsma in Buffalo when him and Eichel didn't see eye to eye.

Only wild card is that they got his brother so he might be a little more hesitant to "not publicly" publicly want out. Personally, I give them three seasons to make a push before the rumors start. I like Hughes, hope he does get shipped out west. I'm sure the nucks would pay almost any price.

Zegras is an open Rangers fan though. So I hold out hope.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Zegras is an open Rangers fan though. So I hold out hope.

So is James van Riemsdyk.

 

[ORRFForever]

Come on, kid, keep the point streak going.

 

[mas0764]

So is James van Riemsdyk.

Yeah but we don’t want/need him or I bet he’d be open to coming here.

 

[TheDirtyH]

If I were Zegras, set to make millions playing a winter sport in orange county, I don't leave until the Colorado river dries up

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Yeah but we don’t want/need him or I bet he’d be open to coming here.

There was always talk about him signing here once he became UFA but never did.

 

[NickyFotiu]

No goal? No assist? Bust!

 

[Rangers in 7]

I thought he played well, not his best game over the past 7 games but def played well

 

[Rangers in 7]

Btw the more I watch him, the more I see huberdeau

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Since the thread about him being forbidden to give an interview in french was closed, here's the real story.

Entretien avec Jean-François Chaumont

Jean-François Chaumont revient sur l'histoire raconté par Luc Gélinas plus tôt ce matin concernant Alexis Lafrenière.

919sports.ca

At no point the reporter mentions Drury being involved. It was more about inexperience from the Rangers PR director Ryan Nissan. But he apologized the following day. The reporter didn't want to make a big deal publicly about this but other reporters were there when it happended so the story came out. Larry Brooks mentioned it was the first time he had witnessed such a request and that it was wrong.

What happened is that Jean-Francois Chaumont contacted the Rangers PR to have a one on one interview with Lafreniere for an article about him (he had already spoken to Gallant and Zibanejad). It wasn't possible to do the one on one so Nissan said Chaumont could speak to Lafreniere after a game.

Chaumont explains that in every city, out of town reporters let locals ask their questions before so Brooks and co. did their thing and when they were finished Chaumont asked his question in french to Lafreniere. Nissan then said it had to be in english but he didn't say it was because of Drury. Laf and Chaumont were confused and it went fast but Laf answered in english. He asked another question in french and the answer was again in english.

The next day Chaumont showed up at the Rangers practice and Nissan apologized to him personaly.

End of the story.

 

[HonestGabe]

Since the thread about him being forbidden to give an interview in french was closed, here's the real story.

Entretien avec Jean-François Chaumont

Jean-François Chaumont revient sur l'histoire raconté par Luc Gélinas plus tôt ce matin concernant Alexis Lafrenière.

919sports.ca

At no point the reporter mentions Drury being involved. It was more about inexperience from the Rangers PR director Ryan Nissan. But he apologized the following day. The reporter didn't want to make a big deal publicly about this but other reporters were there when it happended so the story came out. Larry Brooks mentioned it was the first time he had witnessed such a request and that it was wrong.

What happened is that Jean-Francois Chaumont contacted the Rangers PR to have a one on one interview with Lafreniere for an article about him (he had already spoken to Gallant and Zibanejad). It wasn't possible to do the one on one so Nissan said Chaumont could speak to Lafreniere after a game.

Chaumont explains that in every city, out of town reporters let locals ask their questions before so Brooks and co. did their thing and when they were finished Chaumont asked his question in french to Lafreniere. Nissan then said it had to be in english but he didn't say it was because of Drury. Laf and Chaumont were confused and it went fast but Laf answered in english. He asked another question in french and the answer was again in english.

The next day Chaumont showed up at the Rangers practice and Nissan apologized to him personaly.

End of the story.

So in other words, the whole thing has been blown entirely out of proportion with misleading headlines

 

[SergeConstantin74]

So in other words, the whole thing has been blown entirely out of proportion with misleading headlines

Well, the source that was posted in the other thread is all about clickbait so no surprise.

 

[ORRFForever]

Come on, kid, a new points streak starts, tonight.