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

[NickyFotiu]

I mean yes but there’s also only so much the players can do to make the coaches actually play them. Not your fault if the coach can’t recognize you are a better option to help win a conference finals game 6 than Kevin Rooney or somebody with a non intact pelvis

That has almost nothing to do with if Laf plays well or not. When Laf plays well he deserves the overwhelming majority of credit. When Laf does not play well it is also on him. There is no magic line, magic amount of minutes, etc that will make Laf look like an elite player. That improvement will have to come from Laf and if he becomes an all star player it will be because of Laf not because of the coaches. I say that as somebody that has a lot of respect for our coaches.

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

That has almost nothing to do with if Laf plays well or not. When Laf plays well he deserves the overwhelming majority of credit. When Laf does not play well it is also on him. There is no magic line, magic amount of minutes, etc that will make Laf look like an elite player. That improvement will have to come from Laf and if he becomes an all star player it will be because of Laf not because of the coaches. I say that as somebody that has a lot of respect for our coaches.

Agreed to an extent, but the number one requirement to players reaching elite status is actually playing…and playing a lot. All any player can do is produce well in the role they’re given and hope the coach recognizes it and elevates them.

 

[bhamill]

That has almost nothing to do with if Laf plays well or not. When Laf plays well he deserves the overwhelming majority of credit. When Laf does not play well it is also on him. There is no magic line, magic amount of minutes, etc that will make Laf look like an elite player. That improvement will have to come from Laf and if he becomes an all star player it will be because of Laf not because of the coaches. I say that as somebody that has a lot of respect for our coaches.

Well, I agree with this when we are talking about developed NHL players. But kids who are trying to find their way in this league are a different story. IMO. Almost all young players are DEPENDENT upon their coaches giving them the opportunities and responsibilities they need to develop both their skills at the NHL level and their confidence. Sure, it's possible that EVENTUALLY a player is going to be what he is going to be no matter what his usage was, but when we want to compare play/results to other young players when their opportunities have been vastly different, we are comparing apples and oranges.

 

[LokiDog]

If I make La Frontier shirts, whose buying?

 

[Vito Andolini]

Agreed to an extent, but the number one requirement to players reaching elite status is actually playing…and playing a lot. All any player can do is produce well in the role they’re given and hope the coach recognizes it and elevates them.

Which Laf often hasn't done. Didn't he start last season playing with Panarin also? It looks like he averaged about 17 mins a game for the first 14 games of the season. He had 2 goals and 3 assists in that time.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Which Laf often hasn't done. Didn't he start last season playing with Panarin also? It looks like he averaged about 17 mins a game for the first 14 games of the season. He had 2 goals and 3 assists in that time.

The answer to that unasked question is gallant.

 

[Levitate]

Which Laf often hasn't done. Didn't he start last season playing with Panarin also? It looks like he averaged about 17 mins a game for the first 14 games of the season. He had 2 goals and 3 assists in that time.

like a lot that went on last year...they played well overall at the start of last season but had trouble finishing despite generating chances. So Gallant mixed things up and possession numbers across the board tanked but shooting luck changed so apparently that was the way to run for the rest of the season

Laf played pretty well with Panarin at the start of the last season but yeh

 

[Vito Andolini]

The answer to that unasked question is gallant.

Ummm..not sure you got the point. Gallant did play him to start the year...the production was lacking.

 

[Profet]

So I asked this in the GDT when it happened.

I labeled it as a dangerous/nice pass.

Dangerous because I wasn't sure if Lafreniere saw and noted the handedness of the high defender (#17 Sharangovich) or if he just got lucky.

I'm still not sure:



He def looked for Panarin before making the play... but if Sharangovich was right handed, that's an easy odd man rush the other way.

Again... Not judging. I want him to take some more chances and play with the puck more.

 

[bhamill]

Ummm..not sure you got the point. Gallant did play him to start the year...the production was lacking.

5 points in 14 games is not exactly setting the world on fire. However 14 games with the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head is not much of a chance for a guy who just turned 21...

 

[duhmetreE]

Ummm..not sure you got the point. Gallant did play him to start the year...the production was lacking.

Everyone’s 5v5 production was lacking. I always felt Laffy was a scapegoat for Gallant. He was an easy target

 

[bhamill]

So I asked this in the GDT when it happened.

I labeled it as a dangerous/nice pass.

Dangerous because I wasn't sure if Lafreniere saw and noted the handedness of the high defender (#17 Sharangovich) or if he just got lucky.

I'm still not sure:



He def looked for Panarin before making the play... but if Sharangovich was right handed, that's an easy odd man rush the other way.

Again... Not judging. I want him to take some more chances and play with the puck more.

I'm thinking if you and I noticed Sharangovich's stick position, positioned where it was due to his left handed orientation, there's a pretty good chance Laf did. In any case Shar's stick blade was ten feet from the passing lane, pointed at the goal when he made the pass. No one is THAT fast... IMO not a dangerous move really. And I'm not suggesting you are judging, bud, I'm just giving my take.

 

[Vito Andolini]

5 points in 14 games is not exactly setting the world on fire. However 14 games with the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head is not much of a chance for a guy who just turned 21...

Sword of Domocles....meanwhile the one wielding the sword was fired...and Laf is here.

I wonder if possibly there is pressure on coaches also.

 

[bhamill]

Sword of Domocles....meanwhile the one wielding the sword was fired...and Laf is here.

I wonder if possibly there is pressure on coaches also.

None of this contradicts what I said.
But OF COURSE there is pressure on coaches.

 

[Profet]

I'm thinking if you and I noticed Sharangovich's stick position, positioned where it was due to his left handed orientation, there's a pretty good chance Laf did. In any case Shar's stick blade was ten feet from the passing lane, pointed at the goal when he made the pass. No one is THAT fast... IMO not a dangerous move really. And I'm not suggesting you are judging, bud, I'm just giving my take.

My point is more that if he was right handed, his stick position would have been directly in the passing lane.

In real time I saw the body position of #17 before I saw his stick and I cringed. Before I realized his stick was on the opposite side of his body.

 

[Levitate]

So I asked this in the GDT when it happened.

I labeled it as a dangerous/nice pass.

Dangerous because I wasn't sure if Lafreniere saw and noted the handedness of the high defender (#17 Sharangovich) or if he just got lucky.

I'm still not sure:



He def looked for Panarin before making the play... but if Sharangovich was right handed, that's an easy odd man rush the other way.

Again... Not judging. I want him to take some more chances and play with the puck more.

i mean you could assume that he noticed which direction the stick was facing. that said, sharangovhich was still moving towards the goal and would have been a little tough to turn that quickly the other way

e: that clip doesn't show how Laf surveyed the scene before making the pass as well

that said...who knows if he saw that and processed it or if he was just slinging a pass, it's tough to tell

 

[bhamill]

My point is more that if he was right handed, his stick position would have been directly in the passing lane.

In real time I saw the body position of #17 before I saw his stick and I cringed. Before I realized his stick was on the opposite side of his body.

I understand your point, not trying to tell you what to think.

i mean you could assume that he noticed which direction the stick was facing. that said, sharangovhich was still moving towards the goal and would have been a little tough to turn that quickly the other way

e: that clip doesn't show how Laf surveyed the scene before making the pass as well

that said...who knows if he saw that and processed it or if he was just slinging a pass, it's tough to tell

Yeah stick facing toward the goal and his momentum was also that way.

 

[Vito Andolini]

None of this contradicts what I said.
But OF COURSE there is pressure on coaches.

I'm not contradicting you, bud, I'm just giving my take

 

[NickyFotiu]

Agreed to an extent, but the number one requirement to players reaching elite status is actually playing…and playing a lot. All any player can do is produce well in the role they’re given and hope the coach recognizes it and elevates them.

If a player plays well it will show in the first 15 minutes he plays. He does not have to play 19 minutes to show he is playing well. If a player plays well in his first 15 minutes he will likely get extra minutes because coaches will notice just like fans will notice. Playing well is not because a player plays extra minutes. A player gets extra minutes because he plays well.

 

[PANARIN BREAD FAN]

So I asked this in the GDT when it happened.

I labeled it as a dangerous/nice pass.

Dangerous because I wasn't sure if Lafreniere saw and noted the handedness of the high defender (#17 Sharangovich) or if he just got lucky.

I'm still not sure:



He def looked for Panarin before making the play... but if Sharangovich was right handed, that's an easy odd man rush the other way.

Again... Not judging. I want him to take some more chances and play with the puck more.

it's stuff like this i believe we've been all waiting for from 13. that could have been a goal but hey shot wide. even if the defender was right handed, only a handful of players would have anticipated 13 was going to attempt that no look pass and make a break for it. that pass was clean and crisp.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Well, I agree with this when we are talking about developed NHL players. But kids who are trying to find their way in this league are a different story. IMO. Almost all young players are DEPENDENT upon their coaches giving them the opportunities and responsibilities they need to develop both their skills at the NHL level and their confidence. Sure, it's possible that EVENTUALLY a player is going to be what he is going to be no matter what his usage was, but when we want to compare play/results to other young players when their opportunities have been vastly different, we are comparing apples and oranges.

I have little trouble seeing if a player is play well in their first 10 minutes of games. That goes for rookie players to grizzled vets. It really is not that hard to see if a guy is playing well. It does not take 18 minutes of ice time to see if a player is playing well imo.

 

[mas0764]

The Rangers were just in a different situation than most teams. They also have a different developmental philosophy. You can disagree with that philosophy, but that’s the reason. I think that at first, management cared more about KK and AL developing defensive games. Honestly, you can see a difference. Both players have numerous takeaways at the offensive blue line this year. But yeah, developing them as high end offensive players has not been a focus of the org

That might be the reason, but they are just wrong.

You get more impact turning a player into Jack Hughes or Tim Stutzle.

I think Laf deserves the overwhelming majority of credit for when he plays well and produces. I really like our current coaches but our coaches can not skate fast for the players, they can not shoot well for the players, and they can not make creative passes for the players. I'm a big believer in good coaching but coaching can only do so much. That is why the same coaches that can have a 100 point team one season can also have a 70-80 point season soon after. The coaches do not forget how to coach. They coach the same. The difference is on the players usually.

Coaching a player into having confidence, being in a structured system, and knowing where you are supposed to be and what to do, usually makes a player skate faster, shoot better, and be more creative.

 

[NickyFotiu]

That might be the reason, but they are just wrong.

You get more impact turning a player into Jack Hughes or Tim Stutzle.



Coaching a player into having confidence, being in a structured system, and knowing where you are supposed to be and what to do, usually makes a player skate faster, shoot better, and be more creative.

I have had coaches do most those things. Did not turn me in to an elite player. I thought some fans on this boards were against real coaching and just wanted coaches to let young guys play how they wanted even if they did not play defense or play their position correctly?

Anyway if you guys want to say Laf is playing better because he is getting better coaching more power to you. I like our coaches a lot so we can give them all the credit if you want. I disagree and feel Laf should get the credit if he plays better but I'm flexible if you want to give the coaches credit instead of Laf.

 

[mas0764]

I have had coaches do most those things. Did not turn me in to an elite player. I thought some fans on this boards were against real coaching and just wanted coaches to let young guys play how they wanted even if they did not play defense or play their position correctly?

Anyway if you guys want to say Laf is playing better because he is getting better coaching more power to you. I like our coaches a lot so we can give them all the credit if you want. I disagree and feel Laf should get the credit if he plays better but I'm flexible if you want to give the coaches credit instead of Laf.

I'm sure good coaching got more out of you than bad coaching though.

 

[NickyFotiu]

I'm sure good coaching got more out of you than bad coaching though.

Absolutely and I like to think my own coaching helped the teams I coached win championships. With that said my own coaching did not turn solid players in to great players. It turned individuals in to good teams that could win.