JCProdigy
Registered User
Also doesn't hurt that:
A) From multiple accounts, he's genuinely a good person.
B) He's an out and out metalhead.
Confirmed with Link: Alexis Lafreniere Signs Extension [7Y/7.45M AAV]
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A) From multiple accounts, he's genuinely a good person.
B) He's an out and out metalhead.
- Jul 16, 2005
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Agreed. At least some times, and I don’t just mean when we are up 5-1.
The necessity of keeping PP1 intact in all situations as the utmost of importance is foolish.
They need to work him in to maybe a quarter to a third of the PP1s and if that means PP1 needs to be refocused for those 1/3 chances then so be it.
We still need you to start complaining about Kakko.
The Crypto Guy
Registered User
- Jun 26, 2017
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mrmovies779
The Greatest Teacher,Failure is.
- Feb 5, 2013
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GENESISPuck94
Registered User
Agree 100%
That unit doesn't need to be set in stone 100% of the time and it doesn't need to be on the ice for full 2 minute or 1:45 shifts.
Laviolette can simply rotate Laf on the unit. Be it every other PP or every other game. It's not that complex. Trocheck is obviously always going to be taking the faceoffs so Zibanejad can rotate with Laf. Zibanejad is only on the unit because of his shot, but it's not like he's a world class generational goal scorer like Ovechkin was that would warrant an outrage by rotating him for the franchise's only ever 1 overall pick that happens to be turning into a play driving dominant player and getting him the reps on PP1 would contribute to boosting his development and confidence further.
- Jul 16, 2005
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Yes.
But to hear people say it, "Oh no! We're in first place in the metro and have a playoff spot in hand by a mile! Can't risk a slight downturn in power play percentage!"
Like no shit we have a great power play. No one is saying blow it up permanently.
But these are professional athletes. They can't handle occasionally running a different PP1 scheme to get Laf involved? Balderdash.
The people who say "We have to ice the best PP at all times because we are trying to win now," are ignoring the very real benefit to winning later - at practically no cost to "winning now" - that working Lafreniere into PP1 would generate.
There's no real cost. We're making the playoffs. That isn't in dispute. We could never play PP1 again the rest of the season and give PP2 all the minutes and that wouldn't change. No one is saying break up PP1 come playoff time. Is it, like, really of the utmost importance that we get the #1 seed or something?
Yet they accuse US of wanting to "stat pad." Uh, I think the people who want to stat pad are the ones who refuse to even consider possible other PP1 configurations because they panic that we won't remain the #1 ranked PP... as if that matters.
The goal is to win a Stanley Cup, not rank the highest on the PP. Yes, a more effective PP generally helps you win a Stanley Cup. But the other thing that would help would be having confident young players who have gotten the experience of being on the PP to the degree that they actually start to excel at it instead of being - inexplicably - historically bad.
I realize the counter argument is that Laf is historically ineffective on the PP. But there's no reason Laf's advanced stats on the PP should be as all-time ineffective as they are. What's more believable, that our first overall pick is a all-time-without-peer power play bust? Or that maybe his uniquely negative usage is having a uniquely negative affect??
The reason is that he doesn't get the opportunities he needs to practice it. The 25 seconds he gets at the end of each PP isn't sufficient to hone those skills.
The benefit to working Laf (and Kakko, eventually) into the PP scheme outweighs this made-up mandate that we have to be a top 3 ranked PP. The PP isn't going to evaporate because Lafreniere gets minutes on it.
If you are that f***ing scared of tinkering with the set up, then the alternative should be that PP2 gets the first minutes of every third or fourth PP then. Laf, Kakko, Chytil, Wheeler, Gustafsson. Find out how THAT group of guys should be configured. They then get one out of every three or four PP starting assignments.
GENESISPuck94
Registered User
I happen to believe that with Laf on the unit the % wouldn't drop. If anything I think it would stay or increase because Laf can fit in different spots on the unit whereas Zib is stationary. Laf can move to the front of the net, and rotate around. PP is best when there's movement.
But all your suggestions work too.
Having guys like Laf and Kakko sit there spectating doesn't help them or the team.
- Jan 18, 2012
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LaffyTaffy13
Registered User
- May 10, 2022
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its done all over. And im not saying permanently but should be mixed in
- Apr 16, 2012
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It will give him more confidence, and we've seen what more confidence has done for his game...
How did he find his confidence this year with no meaningful PP time then? You guys should just be honest and admit you want him there just to pad his stats.
- Aug 5, 2010
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Yup. Ironically this points reallocation would be detrimental to the team because increasing Lafreniere's points total will increase his next contract numbers while decreasing Zibanejad's points will do nothing - his salary is set for years ahead.
bbny
Unregistered User
- Apr 12, 2019
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All of this. Great post.
Might I also mention that being prepared to backfill top options with the next man up in the playoffs is something that is just the smart thing to do. If Zibanejad or Panarin gets banged up and misses a game, I'd like to have some confidence that the next man up on PP1 has gotten some legitimate run during the year to cover. I have confidence that with some time and work, Lafreniere can step in valiantly, but if he's thrown in cold turkey in a tough spot, I'm pretty doubtful.
McRanger92
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2017
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That’s what practice is for
Lafreniere has progressed leaps and bounds this year into a guy who you can count on at the top of the lineup. Yet we still aren’t satisfied because of power play time? There seems to be a strange main boards esque agenda at play. And I’m no fan of Mika’s pop gun one timer on the PP
- Apr 16, 2012
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No one said he currently has NO confidence. He obviously does. He's night and day since pre season. How did he find it? I'm going to say coaching, mental maturity, and responsibility given. Being put on Pan's line without being yanked around very time there was a hiccup. And yes giving him MORE responsibility, MORE opportunity to succeed should boost his confidence MORE which should elevate his play more. It's not rocket science. And situational PP1 is a perfect opportunity to do it while giving us more options going forward.
If anything, YOU seem obsessed with the PP being the best rather than what's best long term for the team. I'm advocating swapping him in late in games we have control of. There's no downside there, so what is your resistance? Seriously, what is your issue with integrating Laf or other players in situations where it should not cost a game?
What *I* am looking to do is have alternate PP looks so we avoid another NJ-like playoff series loss if PP1 shits the bed again like it did games 3-7 of that series loss. My main concern is NOT Laf's confidence at this point, but it IS an additional benefit.
There is no long-term. This team as constructed has another year or two to win a Cup. I'm cool with starting the 2nd PP unit from time to time, limiting PP 1's time to a minute per (although sometimes it's hard because they have the puck in the zone the entire time). But there is not a coach on this planet that's going to start messing with personal on the 2nd ranked PP in the league. Not to mention, replacing ZIb for him is stupid because it messes with the entire structure, you're not replacing Trochek because he's the main guy taking draws, you're not taking out Panarin, you're not taking out Kreider, and you're definitely not taking Fox out. All you're doing is making PP 1 worse, because... the future.
McRanger92
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- Jun 7, 2017
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Lafreniere will have plenty of minutes on PP1 in 2028 when he’s still here and the rest are gone or retired
- Jul 16, 2005
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That is
(1) Patently false, and
(2) an irresponsible way for anyone, including a GM, to look at team building.
Just because the majority of NHL GMs are Canadian Hillbilly Morons more concerned with old cliches and protecting their paychecks, that does not mean that they do wise things when it comes to the goal of winning Stanley Cups.
Addressing the long term is indispensable to building a Cup winner.
I would live with the alternative of constructing a PP2 around Laf, Kakko, Chytil (when healthy), Wheeler or other, and Gustafsson, and then giving them a quarter or third of the PP starts.
But it can't just be a thing when we are up 5-1 in the third period and so happens once every two weeks.
Like.... once a game. Not every PP opportunity needs to be treated as "must have."
Again... this is a playoff team even if PP1 never sees another draw the rest of the regular season. Give PP2 meaningful, serious reps then.
RagFinMet
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2019
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I believe the point of forcing Laf PP mins during this regular season is to boost his game and confidence futher so come this year's POs he's a better player than he is currently
Im not sure the minor boost Laf would get is worth the risk of losing some close games which could result in not being the #1 seed
Come POs, its really gonna come down to Panarin, Mika, our D and Igor
This has nothing to do with Canadian Hillbilly Morons and old cliches and everything to do with the fact that the team's big ticket guys are all 30 or approaching 30 and have no trades. They have a few more years with this core to try and win a Cup and that's exactly what Drury is trying to do. That's not to say you start throwing 1st round picks out the door or sign mercenaries but you do try and get the maximum out of this roster, which includes not f***ing around with the 2nd ranked PP in the league.
I get the fact you think you're smarter than every NHL GM in the league and know how to build a "winner" but you're not, no one here is.
McRanger92
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- Jun 7, 2017
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He looks plenty confident to me. That argument I think made more sense last year
- Jul 16, 2005
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Ok but if you agree that you don’t start throwing first round picks out the door then you admit that there is a future you have to keep an eye on and build towards.
So you can’t end a debate by saying “who cares, there’s no future.” Yes, there is, and it needs to be addressed. To what degree is the question.
I disagree. I think many of us here are smarter than many NHL GM’s. Me, maybe, but also you, Machinehead, etc.
I think what separates you and I from Glen Sather, etc, is the nepotism of experience and a Rolodex.
Many of these guys are former jocks or buddies with the ex players and executives. They hand these 32 jobs to the same 45 or so guys and recycle. It's a good old boys network and the reason you and I aren't in it is because we never played hockey for any of them.
You and I and many posters on this board are quite capable of learning the ins and outs of the sport, it's finances, and it's personnel management side, probably better than all these ex jocks are. We have people on here who are teachers, bankers, lawyers, doctors, etc.
GMing a sports team isn't harder than learning to do those things.
McRanger92
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2017
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Message Board GMs have the luxury of not losing their jobs if the team doesnt win.
I'm not saying there's no future, nor did I say "who cares?" I'm saying the goal THIS SEASON is to win it all. And objectively speaking they are one of the favorites (according to odds makers) to do so. And those teams act differently than team's that know they have no shot. Whether that's how they approach the deadline, how they construct the team, deploy players, or deal with prospects. So yes, the future for this current team, is right now.
C'mon, man.
- Jul 16, 2005
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That's the real problem.
These guys don't really care about winning a Cup.
They care about winning enough regular season games to keep themselves employed for an extra season or two.
I get it, I guess. At these salaries, an extra year or two of employment can set you for life.
In that sense, it's the owner who is to blame.
If I owned a team, I'd fire my GM for not making long term moves. Dolan isn't that wise, sadly.
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