Post-Game Talk: Devil IV

[rangersfansince08]

I like the kid and want him to succeed and am looking for any silver lining, but the reality is that if you didn't know Laf went 1OA and you watched him play this year and in this series, you'd think he was a 4th round, third line plugger. He's an NHL-caliber player -- just not a special one or even close.

Cold, hard truth is that he hasn't looked like a high draft pick, much less a 1OA, since his first game in the NHL. As others have said, there's nothing there to "worry about" showing itself in another organization. He's basically just a guy. No reason at all he couldn't be moved. If some team was willing to overpay for his "potential," I'd do it in a heartbeat and never look back.

Really, really sucks to draft 2OA and then 1OA back to back and come out of it with ... this. Extremely disappointing.

If we can get a first rounder for him or Kakko you do it

 

[redwhiteandblue]

The PP being ice cold on home ice is part of it concerning for me. AK has mentioned this before, but I'm perplexed why GG switched the balanced PP units after 2 games of it working at the beginning.

They loaded up PP1 has been good at times and can obviously score, but now it's completely stalled out and the 2nd unit doesn't have anything going, and its honestly not as good of a set up. Shesty doing everything he can even if the 2nd goal was a little weak. Can't win if you don't score and take advantage of your man up situations.

 

[Fitzy]

I'm much happier with the player Kakko has become than Lafreniere.

I think Machinehead's criticism that he's effectively Jimmy Vesey 1.0 is harsh, but my assessment of Laf continues to be that he's a guy whose game at the junior level just didn't translate at all to the speed of the NHL. In addition, he just didn't develop. He's pretty much the same player now that he was 3 years ago.

Guys have to change their game to play in the NHL, almost always. Look back at how Hagelin's game evolved from college to pro, or even how K'Andre Miller's game has developed since Wisconsin. You have to figure out what kind of playstyle is going to be most effective given your toolset at the NHL level.

For Kakko, he's figured out that he's a Frolov cycle player. His shot is poor, he's slow, but he's as strong as an ox and is good with his stick, so that's just who he is. It's a crime they haven't given him more PK time.

For Laf- I'm really not 100% sure what his ideal role is. I always thought he could become a player like Zuccarello or Erat, but he hasn't shown the kind of vision and creativity in passing that I expected. His skill set is disappointing. He has a laser wrist shot but never gets himself in the position to use it.

If NYR lost this series, I think Laf, Panarin, and to a lesser degree Trouba, Trocheck, and Kreider may be in danger. In a burn it down situation, I really only see Fox, Zibanejad, and Miller as the untouchable core to build around.

But that's TBD. Mas has been arguing all season that the vet core isn't good enough. But we also know our youth isn't enough to win us a cup either. Fox is an amazing piece to build around, so I don't think we should go full rebuild again while he is here.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

I'm much happier with the player Kakko has become than Lafreniere.

I think Machinehead's criticism that he's effectively Jimmy Vesey 1.0 is harsh, but my assessment of Laf continues to be that he's a guy whose game at the junior level just didn't translate at all to the speed of the NHL. In addition, he just didn't develop. He's pretty much the same player now that he was 3 years ago.

Guys have to change their game to play in the NHL, almost always. Look back at how Hagelin's game evolved from college to pro, or even how K'Andre Miller's game has developed since Wisconsin. You have to figure out what kind of playstyle is going to be most effective given your toolset at the NHL level.

For Kakko, he's figured out that he's a Frolov cycle player. His shot is poor, he's slow, but he's as strong as an ox and is good with his stick, so that's just who he is. It's a crime they haven't given him more PK time.

For Laf- I'm really not 100% sure what his ideal role is. I always thought he could become a player like Zuccarello or Erat, but he hasn't shown the kind of vision and creativity in passing that I expected. His skill set is disappointing. He has a laser wrist shot but never gets himself in the position to use it.

Lafreniere's ideal role is Montreal Canadien.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

The franchise never committed to that though. They tried to rebuild on the fly.

Biggest reason why I hadn’t been as excited about the team recently despite the recent success the past few years. They rushed through a re-build and they basically back to where they were in 2016-2017 imo, good team capable of making a run, but Championship is a big question. I would rather had just had Laf and Kakko play too 6 minutes from the jump and played and learned with 1-2 bad years and see if they could make a star leap. Now if the Rangers lose this series, there a lot of tough questions and decisions to make.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Lafreniere's ideal role is Montreal Canadien.

he's just such a loser

Biggest reason why I hadn’t been as excited about the team recently despite the recent success the past few years. They rushed through a re-build and they basically back to where they were in 2016-2017 imo, good team capable of making a run, but Championship is a big question. I would rather had just had Laf and Kakko play too 6 minutes from the jump and played and learned with 1-2 bad years and see if they could make a star leap. Now if the Rangers lose this series, there a lot of tough questions and decisions to make.

*when

 

[Megustaelhockey]

he's just such a loser

I don't blame our scouting/dev team as much for him as I do for other picks, though. Lafrenière fooled everyone.

 

[rangersfansince08]

is there any hope barring the PP going 3-4 next game?

 

[80s Kid]

Keep the PP1 Unit on the ice. The 2nd Unit hasn't done anything and I feel like the 1st could use the extra time since they operate at a fairly slow pace.

Devils D is playing much better IMO and it's frustrating the Rangers. Might need to be more aggressive on offense if this keeps up because Shesty is not the the problem (2nd goal was a little suspect but overall, I think he's fine). Scoring 1 goal is not going to cut it so unless we start scoring like we did in the first two games, we're going to have to start taking more chances and hope Shesty is up to the challenge.

Lots of guys disappeared this series. K. Miller is another head scratcher. Too tentative...As if players are scared of screwing up. Maybe it is the ice but I can't tell from the TV. I realize we can't give up tons of odd man rushes but at some point we need to realize that we have a great goalie and need to be more aggressive on offense.

Hopefully leaving MSG helps because this is not the same team I saw games 1 and 2. I originally picked Rangers in 7 and I'd be okay with that despite the long series.

 

[rangersfansince08]

I don't blame our scouting/dev team as much for him as I do for other picks, though. Lafrenière fooled everyone.

i don't get how all the scouts got it so wrong, he's slow both physically and mentally

 

[Graves97]

YUK....

 

[NikC]

The PP being ice cold on home ice is part of it concerning for me. AK has mentioned this before, but I'm perplexed why GG switched the balanced PP units after 2 games of it working at the beginning.

They loaded up PP1 has been good at times and can obviously score, but now it's completely stalled out and the 2nd unit doesn't have anything going, and its honestly not as good of a set up. Shesty doing everything he can even if the 2nd goal was a little weak. Can't win if you don't score and take advantage of your man up situations.

will get him fired, if he doesn't switch back

 

[Megustaelhockey]

i don't get how all the scouts got it so wrong, he's slow both physically and mentally

@Machinehead nailed this, actually. They looked at a comparatively small sample set where Lafreniere abused younger, inferior players in the Q.

 

[Machinehead]

speed in terms of what? straight line speed, reaction time? moving through the nz?

Rangers seem fast enough to me, I see overall disjointed play, overthinking... passing too fast/slow, flubbed shots, lack of aggressiveness, unwillingness to forecheck, crash the net

All of it. We skate too slow and we move the puck too slow.

The Rangers are the slowest team in the league and everything you mentioned can be attributed to our lack of speed.

This board's obsession with unwillingness needs to go back to the crypt it came from. The Dark Ages are over.

 

[Fitzy]

I'll add that I think NYR win this series- I just think we are learning a lot about who is a big game player and who isn't.

I get that Kane is injured. He has that excuse. But I think the now antiquated 'old school' philosophy that grinders are more useful in the playoffs really is starting to rear it's ugly head when it comes to non-contact players like Artemi Panarin.

 

[1Knee1T]

If Carolina can wrap things up tonight against the Fishsticks, then it'll probably be another week before they play the Rangers or Devils, and the rust can be a real factor in the playoffs. So playing a 6 or 7 game series can be a double-edged sword.

Maybe NY (or NJ) swipes game one because of this, but I think as the series goes on it helps Carolina more than it hurts - and that gets you back into a long series before Boston.

 

[tomobson]

Devils played like complete ass in game 3 and pulled out a bs win because the rangers couldn't hit the net. The rangers were flat in game 4 but this is the first game it's happened these playoffs and hopefully they get their head out of their asses after that pitiful performance. I hate to say this but it looks like the terrible ice quality Saturday night really benefited the devils and had to have been the cause of so many absolute whiffs on rangers shots. Rangers need to be prepared for the devils to muck up their ice at the rock this Thursday and play a bit simpler game. Schmid loves to leave rebounds so just get the puck on net and get to the crease.

 

[TheNatureBoy]

Imagine paying $1k to watch that heinous effort ?
Imagine not playing Tarasenko on PP1?
Only the kid line were effective vs the NJD because they cycle .

Jersey has exposed Drury they’ve exposed Gallant they’ve exposed Zibenajad as a soft group of overpaid smilers afraid to dig the disc out - afraid to get down an dirty .
The Rangers are afraid .

Adam Fox is the biggest culprit of no showing the MSG faithful . Fox’ disappearance the last two months and this playoffs should have people wondering about his trajectory v downward trend .
His given the NYR absolutely zero .

Panarin has gone full slophouse pond hockey - and despite his goal Trocheck was atrocious; he literally threw the puck away up the middle without looking in a playoff game.

East west hockey is certain death - always was .

Not winning FACEOFFs over and over and over has demoralized the franchise and fanbase . It’s gotten so bad Gallant has flung Kreider in there .

Drury failed to get a face of man, despite being completely destroyed in the dots last year versus Tampa - sinful .

 

[Greschner4]

Laf just doesn't skate fast enough or quick enough and isn't really that clever in space and if you don't do that, you aren't going to be worthy of a 1OA. I'm not even sure how he scored that much in the Q -- his highlight reel isn't really that impressive -- beyond reaching puberty quicker and being 10/11 months older than most of the kids he played against.

When you move on the ice, in open ice and in tight quarters, the way Laffy does, you aren't even a high-ceiling prospect. You're definitively meh.

Nico Hischier is kind of a mid-level meh 1OA and he's way faster, way quicker, and way smoother on his skates than Laffy. He can headman zone entries on his own. And he can obviously create offense and score way better than Laffy -- 52 points at age 19, PPG this year. He's simply way better. It's not even close.

 

[Machinehead]

@Machinehead nailed this, actually. They looked at a comparatively small sample set where Lafreniere abused younger, inferior players in the Q.

There's been more expansive posts on the Q by people who know a lot more than I do about how their players have been exposed at the pro level. It's a terrible league.

Not to mention ball/deck hockey is way more popular in Quebec so skating and habits that work in pro ice hockey aren't always emphasized.

It would be more of a talking point if Crosby didn't come from the Q, even though that was a million years ago now.

 

[mandiblesofdoom]

Before the deadline we were 7th youngest in the league.

How are we now? We have three young forwards, two young defensemen.

 

[Rangers in 7]

@Machinehead nailed this, actually. They looked at a comparatively small sample set where Lafreniere abused younger, inferior players in the Q.

this is so wrong, he was the youngest player on almost every team he played for? he beat up on older players and dominated at the world juniors where he was one of the youngest players in the tournament

 

[Clark Kellogg]

I turned the game off as soon as the puck went into the open net.

Are you saying they had no postgame show? Or just no postgame interviews from the players?

There was a lengthy post game show on MSG network but the commentary was never posted to their YouTube channel only the interviews were.
That is a first.

 

[NikC]

All of it. We skate too slow and we move the puck too slow.

The Rangers are the slowest team in the league and everything you mentioned can be attributed to our lack of speed.

This board's obsession with unwillingness needs to go back to the crypt it came from. The Dark Ages are over.

so with your logic, fast skating rectifies the problems of the last 2 games? Dark ages? There are attributes to winning hockey games that require will.

how have you determined the ranges are the slowest team in the NHL?

 

[Machinehead]

View attachment 696395
YUK....

That is certainly a hockey game