Confirmed with Link: Alexis Lafreniere Signs Extension [7Y/7.45M AAV]

[Beniers10 Hughes86]

I just enjoying all the none believers now declaring their blah, blah, blah

 

[LORDE]

and yet every year without fail people panic over preseason

I for one don't care what the team looks like in pre-season... honestly I don't even care that they're tearing up the league right now.

I want them to do that in the spring.

I will also say I wanted to see a different Laf than I had in the seasons (pre/reg/post) than he had been. He was awful in the pre-season.

I was hoping he wouldn't be & was extremely disappointed he wasn't.

I AM VERY glad he looks great now.

 

[duhmetreE]

Those of you saying Laf busted his ass and improved on a bunch of stuff over the summer and Kakko didn’t clearly have no idea how confidence works. You were probably the same ones saying Laf sat around playing softball and eating hot dogs this summer after he didn’t light it up in the pre season.

Newsflash, the rest of the NHL also busts their ass in the summer! Laf didn’t just gain two steps over everyone else in the span of three months. He’s motivated, has linemates that he understands and is actively seeking the puck because he is confident in his abilities. He was never a burner, but his skating has always been fine. That is, again, why he was the only player other than Crosby to win back to back CHL MVPs awards before he was drafted. We’re so used to watching our young forwards fail miserably that we inherently set a low bar.

Kakko would be doing the exact same thing if he was feeling it - when you don’t trust your own abilities why would you seek out the puck? Derek Stepan was a slow skater. Kakko isn’t slow, Kakko didn’t get weaker over the summer. Kakko doesn’t have his mojo.

It’s partially up to the coaching staff to get these players back to the level they’re used to.

Something is wrong with Kakko. He looks reaaaaally weak compared to last few years. I have no clue what's going on. He's been bodied a lot.... easily shoved off of pucks.. that typically never happened.

Not cutting to the middle or shooting is an issue and that would help with confidence. Being weak is a harder sell

 

[aufheben]

Hes got a high shooting % because he typically scores from in close

Sure but finishing is finishing.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Whats he got to do to get on PP1?

 

[IDvsEGO]

Whats he got to do to get on PP1?

Probably not gonna happen without a Mika or Panarin injury.
His best spots are taken by either of them.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Probably not gonna happen without a Mika or Panarin injury.
His best spots are taken by either of them.

He'd probably be more effective than Mika tbh. But that will never happen.

 

[bhamill]

He'd probably be more effective than Mika tbh. But that will never happen.

Mika better not miss any games, because I have a feeling if Laf gets that PP1 spot for a few games he’s gonna make it hard for Lavi to take him off.

 

[LORDE]

He'd probably be more effective than Mika tbh. But that will never happen.

Mika's shot can be so deadly that teams HAVE to respect it.

Even when he isn't "on" he's still a threat w/his shot.

Laf, for as good as he's been, doesn't have that. (yet???)

 

[Beniers10 Hughes86]

Lineup change, Laffy is with Kreider and Ziba... will be curious to see.

 

[Rangers in 7]

Lineup change, Laffy is with Kreider and Ziba... will be curious to see.

After watching a period of the line of laf-zib-panarin I’m starting to think the problem wasn’t Kakko 5 on 5……

 

[Beniers10 Hughes86]

After watching a period of the line of laf-zib-panarin I’m starting to think the problem wasn’t Kakko 5 on 5……

Wait til the game is over

But I did a little misstake, spoke too soon, Rangers just changed Trotcheck with Ziba thats all.

 

[Anthony5967]

Philz Facts on Twitter telling people Simon Holmstrom is a future 60 point player and better than Laf lmao. Says he’s 70% of what Strome was with Panarin. Every argument why Laf isn’t good. Love that poor, pathetic fanbase in Uniondale.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Might have hoped for more than 1 point in Bread and Vinnies big games but what Im happy to see is the shots. Shots often lead to rebounds. I think Laf had 6 shots. Keep that up!

 

[PetahFromBensonhoist]

Philz Facts on Twitter telling people Simon Holmstrom is a future 60 point player and better than Laf lmao. Says he’s 70% of what Strome was with Panarin. Every argument why Laf isn’t good. Love that poor, pathetic fanbase in Uniondale

Phil is regarded as a buffoon even by Islanders fans.

 

[Synergy27]

Since it seemed to work for Laf, I’m toying with the idea of starting a relentless “Kakko is a Fat Bastard” campaign here. Thoughts?

 

[zlev]

Philz Facts on Twitter telling people Simon Holmstrom is a future 60 point player and better than Laf lmao. Says he’s 70% of what Strome was with Panarin. Every argument why Laf isn’t good. Love that poor, pathetic fanbase in Uniondale.

lol

Strome's last year with Panarin


Laf so far this year

 

[noupf]

Guess he's cooled off huh? 5 points in his last 13 games. At this rate, he's barely gonna break 45 points as as a top 6 player unless he somehow heats up. I was really hoping he'd be 55-60 point guy with these sort of minutes and playing with Panarin

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Guess he's cooled off huh? 5 points in his last 13 games. At this rate, he's barely gonna break 45 points as as a top 6 player unless he somehow heats up. I was really hoping he'd be 55-60 point guy with these sort of minutes and playing with Panarin

Sure , but Panarin himself has cooled off big time lately too, only a couple of PP assists

 

[noupf]

He hasnt cooled off too much. Panarin had 15 points in the same 13 games.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Guess he's cooled off huh? 5 points in his last 13 games. At this rate, he's barely gonna break 45 points as as a top 6 player unless he somehow heats up. I was really hoping he'd be 55-60 point guy with these sort of minutes and playing with Panarin

45 even strength points isn’t a bad season by any stretch. That’s a 60-70 point season for most players.

 

[bhamill]

Guess he's cooled off huh? 5 points in his last 13 games. At this rate, he's barely gonna break 45 points as as a top 6 player unless he somehow heats up. I was really hoping he'd be 55-60 point guy with these sort of minutes and playing with Panarin

Yeah, on the scoreboard anyway. Still dishing some excellent setups, getting in good position, backchecking, throwing the body and getting involved. He keeps playing the same way, he will heat up again. Very few players stay hot for 82 games.

 

[TGWL]

He's cooled off, but he team hasn't exactly been playing well. Comparing his player from earlier in the season, he's been less engaged in the forecheck and creating turnovers. His passes haven't been connecting as well, either. He's still playing better than the previous season, though. He still gets his chances during the game.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

Guess he's cooled off huh? 5 points in his last 13 games. At this rate, he's barely gonna break 45 points as as a top 6 player unless he somehow heats up. I was really hoping he'd be 55-60 point guy with these sort of minutes and playing with Panarin

No PP1 time. He's forced to score and produce everything at even strength.

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

No PP1 time. He's forced to score and produce everything at even strength.

Was gonna say, but he's still come a long way. Now a bad game is sending Bonino in on a breakaway and setting up Panarin for a Grade A while not getting a shot but still being involved offensively.

Teams are definitely starting to key in on that line given it's the only line that produces at even strength so hopefully this will push him to develop even further.

Now if they could just get one other line going at even strength and give the second unit some identity...