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Player Discussion Alexis Lafreniere

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CLW said:
Laf is nothing whatsoever like Rantanen, I can see Hub comparisons tho. But to get even to Huberdeau's best level Laffy needs to up his intensity by a million. He is looking, or searching, for the right play when he gets the puck on his stick (which makes him slow) instead of just going with the right play instinctively and immediately like a confident player does.
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Laf is a lot more physical than Hub. That’s probably why the Rantanen comparison. But yeah, his confidence needs rebuilding. I agree.
 
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The notion that ANY coach would sit Panarin, Zbad or Kreider on the PP for a kid who has skating issues, is not very adept at passing, has a creampuff shot & isn't overly physical needs to die.

Force feeding Laf PP time isn't going to develop those traits. That's what the offseason is for. If he hasn't done the work, then why would the coaches, management, fans et all expect anything different?

Another year is just another year if he's coasting... maybe more experience but that's not going to be enough to overcome all of his other issues.
 
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Maybe he is like Kai Havertz signing for us in Arsenal - most fans dislike the player, because he is not even an average Premier player in his last 3 season and it cost us like £65m 8 games into the season 0 Goal/Assist.

However I like Laf somewhat and I dont know why and cant explain it, because I dont know what is a good hockey talent or not so I can only base my opinion related to hockey stats.

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Alexis Lafrenière Stats And News

Get all the latest stats, news, videos, and more on Alexis Lafrenière.
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What is positive even if it is minor he increase his points total for each season. Maybe he needs an extra skate coaching assistance and in depth coaching in general to increase his attributes and talent.
 
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Eventually, whether here or somewhere else I think he’ll get points but be the most quiet point accumulator ever. I think he’ll be a very boring player but serviceable. “ oh shit, laff got 60pts this season? I barely remember him getting 20”
 
French Canadian guy playing in New York. I was hoping it wouldn't be a disaster when they drafted him. I thought Laf would be so skilled that it wouldn't even matter. but now I think hes done here. He has made some nice plays and shown some flashes of skill, but nothing indicates that hes going to be the star player we were hoping for.

It has to be mental with him, he probably hates New York. Ship this guy to Montreal and hes a completely different and better player. Maybe he pulls his head out of his ass and finds himself again, but I don't know if its going to be with the Rangers. It sucks and this franchise is f***ing cursed.
 
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bhamill said:
Laf is a lot more physical than Hub. That’s probably why the Rantanen comparison. But yeah, his confidence needs rebuilding. I agree.


Interesting. Because a lot of us are tired of hearing people are certain that a 21 year old who is already a solid NHLer “peaked in juniors.” Hahaha.
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I posted this a while back, but there is a psychological element to force-feeding top prospects minutes in all situations, and it isn't about compiling points. Top guys are used to being the straw that stirs the drink--being relied upon by their teams to be the difference between winning and losing every night. You can't teach that, and the LAST thing you want your top 3 pick to do is lose that. That's exactly what the team did by developing Laf (and Kakko for that matter) as if they were 3rd line grinders. Frankly, if there was no room on the top line for Laf his rookie season, they should have sent him back to juniors.

Now, here we are three seasons later. Laf is on his third coach in four years. He's switching positions. And he's been brought up as a 3rd line support player who hasn't even been allowed on the ice when the game is on the line most nights. Of course he's going to play slower and look like he's second guessing himself.

The team needs to find a way to restore the confidence, the sheer ballsy-ness that Laf had in juniors and the WJC. They can't go halfway on it anymore. I don't know if it's possible, but the potential upside is too high.

Side note, for those who want to pencil Othmann into a 3rd line role--he has that same game-breaking mentality that Laf used to have. If we don't have the space in the lineup to LET him have a real impact on games, he'll be better off on the top line in the AHL.
 
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Rongomania said:
He's 21.
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Damn. I thought you had something more concrete than the weak "age" defense of a soon to be 22 year old 1OA who looks as mid as he did when he started his NHL career more than 200 games ago. The more his age keeps being used as a defense, the more laughable it becomes when you realize that his marquee present company are his age and younger.

Nah. Us concerned since 2020 folk are right where we need to be.
 
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ReddestRum said:
Damn. I thought you had something more concrete than the weak "age" defense of a soon to be 22 year old 1OA who looks as mid as he did when he started his NHL career more than 200 games ago. The more his age keeps being used as a defense, the more laughable it becomes when you realize that his marquee present company are his age and younger.

Nah. Us concerned since 2020 folk are right where we need to be.
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Well, lucky for me, it's not a defense. It's a straight up fact. He's very young and giving up on him now is just not the move. Us, the 'let's give a 21/22 year old another year or two before we shun him entirely' crowd are not losing sleep during pre-season.
 
Rongomania said:
Well, lucky for me, it's not a defense. It's a straight up fact. He's very young and giving up on him now is just not the move. Us, the 'let's give a 21/22 year old another year or two before we shun him entirely' crowd are not losing sleep during pre-season.
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Once the Meme Brigade gets going, there's no point, Man. All that can be done is to let them relentlessly shit on the kid, and hope that if he ends up in some middling ground as a strong top six player, they don't drive him off the team.

The posters that are best able to articulate why they're extra-critical of Laf aren't doing so for the time being. They've said all they needed to say for now, and we're all waiting to see what this season holds. And most of them seem to genuinely want to be wrong about the kid.

What's left are people who occasionally vent frustration at the situation, and people who want their Scouts badge for 'Being Right About Lafreniere'.
 
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Riche16 said:
The notion that ANY coach would sit Panarin, Zbad or Kreider on the PP for a kid who has skating issues, is not very adept at passing, has a creampuff shot & isn't overly physical needs to die.

Force feeding Laf PP time isn't going to develop those traits. That's what the offseason is for. If he hasn't done the work, then why would the coaches, management, fans et all expect anything different?

Another year is just another year if he's coasting... maybe more experience but that's not going to be enough to overcome all of his other issues.
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100%.

I can’t believe people don’t notice this.
 
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Harbour Dog said:
Once the Meme Brigade gets going, there's no point, Man. All that can be done is to let them relentlessly shit on the kid, and hope that if he ends up in some middling ground as a strong top six player, they don't drive him off the team.

The posters that are best able to articulate why they're extra-critical of Laf aren't doing so for the time being. They've said all they needed to say for now, and we're all waiting to see what this season holds. And most of them seem to genuinely want to be wrong about the kid.

What's left are people who occasionally vent frustration at the situation, and people who want their Scouts badge for 'Being Right About Lafreniere'.
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*(Mic drop)
 
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Riche16 said:
The notion that ANY coach would sit Panarin, Zbad or Kreider on the PP for a kid who has skating issues, is not very adept at passing, has a creampuff shot & isn't overly physical needs to die.

Force feeding Laf PP time isn't going to develop those traits. That's what the offseason is for. If he hasn't done the work, then why would the coaches, management, fans et all expect anything different?

Another year is just another year if he's coasting... maybe more experience but that's not going to be enough to overcome all of his other issues.
Click to expand...
1696077524132.png


Interesting you bring up Zib. When you look at his stats, he was a pretty mediocre player, not too far off from what Laf is doing, until his ice time picks up with the Rangers.
 
AirGut said:
I think it's time for a number change Laf.
13 was cursed for him the second he chose it
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I think you are right that he made a dumb decision choosing 13, it cursed him, he should have taken 22. But a number change is also usually a sign of doom. So he is stuck with 13 until he changes teams.
 
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Bacon Artemi Bravo said:
View attachment 747588

Interesting you bring up Zib. When you look at his stats, he was a pretty mediocre player, not too far off from what Laf is doing, until his ice time picks up with the Rangers.
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Side note, but Zib is another guy whose dedication to the game has been questioned. I think that that is pretty silly as I expect and hope that these guys have a life outside of hockey, but there is certainly at least some degree of truth to the idea that the best of the best are obsessed with their craft.

I don’t know what Laf hating bucket people here throw me into. I am certainly still praying that the kid figures it out. But I’ve been asking the same questions for three years now and have simply been told that I need to wait. No one is pointing to anything concrete in the kid’s profile/performance that is a good indication that the breakout is coming. It’s just “He’s 21, wait. Mic drop” as if that’s some unassailable data backed position.
 
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mas0764 said:
They have misdeveloped their kids, it's not really a debate.

But yeah it would be our luck to get the guy who did need assistance, and not Connor Bedard who can score 70 points as a rookie in the NHL without a coach.
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We don't know what Bedard can and can't do in the NHL yet.

The first part is 100% The Rangers had zero interest in investing time and resources into their only #1 overall pick in their history. It's pathetic. It's why teams like the Devils, with a fraction of the resources, will always surpass the Rangers. Devils always, ALWAYS, build their teams correctly. They'll win a Cup within 5 years while our vet core ages out and we have nothing to replace them from within because they can't get it through their heads that they need to bank on high end draft picks and not hired mercenaries.

Same Rangers mentality for decades and it hasn't worked. The other way has proven time and time again to work. You'd think the Rangers would open their eyes, but nah, get a name because thats what fills the seats with celebrities.
 
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In the preseason so far you can see the PTSD as soon as he gets the puck. Quinn and Gallant nipped his nuts and he's unsure if he should try to be "the guy" when he gets the chance or defer to Tofu Boy and Kreider, or Panarin, or Fox or whoever else is out there. He's out there second guessing and over thinking everything because THATS how the Rangers developed him.

Look at him in Juniors and the WJC. He had a killer mentality with the puck. Rangers get their hands on him and brow beat him into a fringe 3rd line player. It's absolutely bonkers. And we blame and gang up on the kid? You're told and it's it beaten into your skull for three years to be one way and now suddenly he's supposed to flip a mental switch and be another way? Not how the human brain works.

He needs time in big spots to develop the way he should have from the start. This is basically starting from 0 and we need to develop him again to 10 but the right way. Unfortunately 3 years late. If the Rangers and the fans don't have the patience because they all want instant gratification, f***in tiktok generation, then they should cut bait now and deal him for something they prefer which is apparently any 35+ year old scrub they can get their hands on.

If they don't want to invest in Laf anymore they should throw whatever they can throw at Anaheim for Zegras.

This Laf situation is an embarrassment. But I'll never blame the kid, I blame the grown ass professional adults that earn more money than most of us will ever see to figure out how to recognize and develop talent. Laf doesn't come to the rink telling the Rangers "I'm on first line with so-and-so". Like thinspo Panarin apparently has the clout to do for some f*** all reason. Laf comes to the rink wanting to play hockey and I'm sure wanting to score goals and be one of the leaders, but then you have cliques and coaches and management saying "f*** you kid do what we say" for 3 years. And we wonder why he's not Stutzle who scores all his points on the f***in PP where Laf NEVER got a consistent real shot to play.

Encourage players to be the best they can be and they will be.

We better see accountability this season. When Zibanejad shows up and is clearly baked from the pound of weed he smoked and lazy because all he ingested was tofu, and looks like it on the ice, that guy better be benched, taken off PP1 and PK1 and let someone with an ounce of intensity do that job. Watching Zib and Kreider lollygag and smother each other is old. Watching Panarin lean against the boards all game on the perimeter because he's got no muscles on those bones to get to the net, is getting old. Shaving yiur head doesnt make you gangster. How much money is tied up into those three? They haven't gotten the job done and they answer to nobody. But we are going to gang up on a 22 year old that's been held back and punished for 3 years
 
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