NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
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That is true but if you take away McKinnons world class skating, his physical training discipline, and his motor how good of a player would he be?
Player Discussion Alexis Lafreniere
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Peltz
Registered User
- Oct 4, 2019
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Kakko continues to make strides every offseason and Laf doesn't. I think it's totally fair to compare them since they're both wingers in the same organization and both have an opportunity to play in the top 6 on the right side.
You gotta wonder if having the worst contract of a first overall in the modern era has affected his confidence at this point.
You gotta wonder if having the worst contract of a first overall in the modern era has affected his confidence at this point.
GENESISPuck94
Registered User
"Laf continues to not take strides"
He scored 19 EV goals as a 20 year old while playing on the 3rd line averaging 15 minutes per game.
He scored more points last year than the year prior.
This season hasn't even started yet.
GENESISPuck94
Registered User
Imagine being drafted 1st overall, excited, wanting to succeed, getting buried and used as a depth role player, then getting treated like complete trash by the fan base.
Should all be proud of the behavior.
Should all be proud of the behavior.
- Apr 16, 2012
- 4,994
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Not alone? Fair. But in the majority? Absolutely not. Even in this exchange he's mostly referenced in McKinnon's tier, that's where most reasonable scouting reports had him, and there's even a mention of Daigle being a better prospect. That should have tempered expectations.. I can't speak for anyone who bought into the above narrative, but but they obviously set themselves up for disappointment..Whoever they are they weren’t remotely alone.
Alexis Lafreniere - is he the 2nd best prospect since Crosby?
The best hockey prospect since Sidney Crosby (or, including him for those who think so) - is McDavid. Whose #2? Personally, I think some of the highest touted prospects include Dahlin, Tavares, and maybe Matthews/Kane, possibly even Eichel, though that may be hype alongside McDavid. Maybe i'm...forums.hfboards.com
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I wasn't comparing their skill sets. I was talking about what tier of PROSPECT most scouts had Lafreniere in on draft day.
The kid was handed the keys to the MSG empire the day he got drafted.
SA16
Sixstring
Imagine being drafted 1st overall, excited, and thinking you're entitled and thus not putting in the work.
- Apr 16, 2012
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No offense taken.
All I said was that it was a POSSIBILITY. I didn't say it was likely or give a probability, I thought me saying I wouldn't bet on it would demonstrate my misgivings... I'm not here to even guarantee he ever breaks 60 points... no crystal balls. I'm just saying it's his D+4 and he's still got a lot of runway.
The Crypto Guy
Registered User
- Jun 26, 2017
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Guess nobody told the coaching staff that.
Just because they made a bunch of t-shirts for him on day one, doesn't mean he was handed the keys to MSG.
Want to know a player who was handed the keys to their franchise's empire? Hughes.
Brutananadilewski
Registered User
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
- 16,878
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Its funny how a poster is ready to blame a 3rd coach before our season even opens. Laf has a few haters but how can a poster be so ready to just hate whoever is coaching regardless of who? Regardless of team record? So weird lol
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
Most people were very patient with him. This is about to be year four. He didn't have a point in a dozen or so games pre-season, post-season, and dating back to last season. It's getting old now.
Obviously, I don't condone the abuse on social media but you can't go off of the worst of the worst. On here and other mediums for discussing the team, the disappointment has been level-headed and justified for the most part.
Megustaelhockey
"I like hockey" in Spanish
- Apr 29, 2011
- 23,426
- 17,552
Nothing matters but results, and Lafrenière has failed to live up to what was expected of him by any measure.
If I did my job in the real world the way he does his, I'd be fired with a smile.
- Apr 16, 2012
- 4,994
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But anyway, looking at Mac's first 4 years he averaged 51 points, an average of 17 were pp points.
Laf averaged about 30 points about 2 average pp points in his first 3 years. It's not a wild impossibility that he gets close to what Mac does, regardless of how incredibly far off he may LOOK.
In his D+4 Mac scored 53 points in 82 games with 14 of those coming on the power play. Laf is starting his D+4, guess we shall see how it goes, but I certainly don't see 53 points as being totally out of the question.
Again, this is just me throwing out numbers, I'm NOT making any long term or short term predictions. These are just possibilities.
Sure. Just not the TOI, top line mates and power play time most 1OA picks are given.
He was gifted a spot on an NHL team immediately. The only time he didn't play in the top 6 for the most part was when he was put with Kakko and Chytil, the line people were drooling over at the end of the Tampa series. Jack Hughes is just a better player in every facet of the game. The only thing Laffreneire had over him was the beard at 16. Stop with the excuses. You guys are embarrassing yourselves.
Do you honestly think that if you could go back in time and plant his ass on the power play from day 1 things would be any different? This is such an odd hill to die on. They played him everywhere in the lineup to try and get him going and he couldn't stick anywhere.
- Apr 16, 2012
- 4,994
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Does it matter what I think? Or what anyone thinks? No crystal balls. All I can say with any certainty is Laf did not get the same opportunity/responsibility/linemates/PP time that most high picks get. It's a "we will never know" situation.
Another way to look at that is they yanked him around all over the lineup and didn't give him the long leash and time to figure out that most top picks get...
Look, I'm not trying to convince anyone he will be a star, hell, I"M not convinced, but I have an open mind to the possibilities, because the facts are he DIDN'T get the same treatment as other top picks, and I see 53 points in his D+4 (just like Mac) as quite possible, especially if he gets power play time. I mean, I don't see any of this as outlandish, just counter to some narratives.
The Crypto Guy
Registered User
- Jun 26, 2017
- 29,113
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The only ones embarrassing themselves are the posters who continuously try to call this kid a bust at 21 years old.
Oh and you should get your facts together, he was not "gifted" a top 6 role, he averaged about 13 minutes a game his first couple seasons with no PP real time.
And yes, he did make the NHL at 18 because he was ready for the NHL and was able to put up points at 18, sometimes most 18 year old drafted players can't do.
Remember that "embarrassing yourselves" comment? Fans putting down a player on their team because he didn't turn into a 82 point player immediately.
Just use your eyes, man. What does this kid do that stands out as "superstar" or even "potential superstar?" There ain't no amount of power play time in the world that's going to fix this. I've never in my life seen a 1OA pick who needed so much coddling, so many things to go his way before he showed a flash. It's his linemates, it's usage, it's PP time, it's being jerked up and down the lineup. Talent is undeniable, maybe if he showed anything 3(!!!!) NHL coaches would have used him differently.
People are talking about guys like Othman and Cuylie being noticeable, making Lav's job tough sending them down. Who have they played with in camp? How many different lines have they been on? Outside of the playoff run I've yet to see this kid force the coaches hand to play him more. You were the consensus #1 pick your draft year, it's year 4, how about making your line mates better?
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KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
Because coaches suck and make hockey worseIts funny how a poster is ready to blame a 3rd coach before our season even opens. Laf has a few haters but how can a poster be so ready to just hate whoever is coaching regardless of who? Regardless of team record? So weird lol
But you do understand that it isn’t just points, right? If he gets 53 this year and matches Mack’s D+4 he is still nowhere near the player Mack was even back then. You do understand that right? That Laf is zero semblance of a play driver? That it’s not just about point totals? And that the reason he has been yanked all over the lineup could have to do with him? That it’s just as possible that the reason Laf’s been “mistreated” is because he doesn’t listen to coaching and doesn’t show much work ethic? Speculating that the lack of a long leash is the cause of his struggles works in the opposite direction as well. His poor play very likely does have to do with it, and his poor play is also why it won’t matter if he manages to meet Mack’s D+4 - he isn’t half the player Mack was in his D+1 through 4, regardless of pure totals. People are so fixated on numbers instead of assessing HOW he plays. How he plays… sucks. If he puts up 45 points this year looking just like he did last year, he will still suck. Unless he materially changes the way he plays and the impact he makes, I really don’t think it will matter one way or the other if he ends up with 2-3 more or less goals, and 2-3 more or less assists. He is currently an ineffective and poor player.
Laf also was the oldest in his draft class so he started his career at 19. Nathan MacKinnon turned 18 two weeks before training camp. Laf was a full year older in his D+1 and will be a full year older for his D+4 this year.
Would you call the start of his career a rousing success? It's called being a realist. He's starting his fourth season skating as an extra in training camp. Oh wait, it's the new coaches fault, he's just being a meanie.
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