A big issue with Laf is his board work. He either hesitates and just defaults to defending. Or he goes in there, makes contact but doesn't seem to know where to position his stick, hips and shoulders to get position, to pin a guy down and recover a puck. In fact, you never see him pin in a guy along the boards and dig out a puck.
Look, I get it if you're a smaller guy you have to be first to the puck and get your stick on it and chip it to an area where there a teammate. Or absorb contact, dig it out and keep moving. You see that all the time with Panarin and Strome. But Laf is sturdy and big enough to go in there with force, make contact and use your stick to create a turnover. But he's doing neither right now. And it really effects the lines he's on. It's really ineffective board work and he just won't be in the lineup very long if he's not able to win board battles. He has to focus on this.
Beyond that, he's not showing the speed or elusiveness to make guys miss. They're able to body him. If he can't greatly increase his speed or greatly improve his physical play he just won't be effective at this level. I keep waiting for one of the two to take off.
At least with Kakko you can see the board play and you can see how he'll progress using his physicality.
You look at Chytil who has size but still isn't great along the walls. But with his speed, you can see him create space.
What's it gonna be Laf?
