News Article: Lafreniere, expected No. 1 pick in 2020 NHL Draft, to skip QMJHL season

[MysticLeviathan]

You guys are way too concerned about the center position—w/r/t Lafreniere and just in general.

No one ever even elaborates as to why centers are so much more valuable than wingers.

For me it's not about the value of a center vs. the value of a winger in general, it's that we already have Panarin and Kreider as our LWs, and we're looking for a 2C. If we had traded Kreider, I'd say take Laf no question. We're already loaded with wingers. We finally have a bona fide 1C after so long thank god, but beyond that, there really isn't too much depth. How good can Fil be? Is Barron a serious prospect? Is Strome a long term solution or just a stopgap? Who else is in the pipeline that can be a really good top 6 C? Hopefully Mika extends with us long term and will be a ranger for the next decade or so as our 1C, but who's #2?

The Rangers have two major positions of concern: 2C and LD. LD is less of a concern due to our prospect pool and the possibility of maybe moving one of our RHDs to the left side. Miller may also be the top paring LD of the future, but that's still a humongous question mark at this point. Our bottom 6, more specifically our 3rd line is also an issue, but is far less of a concern due to how much easier it is to fill that position, even though that one difference maker piece may be hard to find, if that makes any sense.

In the salary cap world, how can we build a championship team that stays under the cap? Will we be able to fill the holes in our lineup or trade our pending FAs at the right time? Laf isn't fixing any of our issues. You're almost sure he'll be a damn good player, but he doesn't actually fix our issues. We already have our top 6 LWs set up. So do you keep Laf on the 3rd line? Or have Kreider be a $6.5mm 3rd liner? Or do you move Kreider to RW? Or maybe Laf switches positions?

It's a good problem to have, at the same time we still have a not good problem at hand in our C depth.

 

[Polar Bear]

For me it's not about the value of a center vs. the value of a winger in general, it's that we already have Panarin and Kreider as our LWs, and we're looking for a 2C. If we had traded Kreider, I'd say take Laf no question. We're already loaded with wingers. We finally have a bona fide 1C after so long thank god, but beyond that, there really isn't too much depth. How good can Fil be? Is Barron a serious prospect? Is Strome a long term solution or just a stopgap? Who else is in the pipeline that can be a really good top 6 C? Hopefully Mika extends with us long term and will be a ranger for the next decade or so as our 1C, but who's #2?

The Rangers have two major positions of concern: 2C and LD. LD is less of a concern due to our prospect pool and the possibility of maybe moving one of our RHDs to the left side. Miller may also be the top paring LD of the future, but that's still a humongous question mark at this point. Our bottom 6, more specifically our 3rd line is also an issue, but is far less of a concern due to how much easier it is to fill that position, even though that one difference maker piece may be hard to find, if that makes any sense.

In the salary cap world, how can we build a championship team that stays under the cap? Will we be able to fill the holes in our lineup or trade our pending FAs at the right time? Laf isn't fixing any of our issues. You're almost sure he'll be a damn good player, but he doesn't actually fix our issues. We already have our top 6 LWs set up. So do you keep Laf on the 3rd line? Or have Kreider be a $6.5mm 3rd liner? Or do you move Kreider to RW? Or maybe Laf switches positions?

It's a good problem to have, at the same time we still have a not good problem at hand in our C depth.

We have more than enough assets to trade for a 2C. The need for that really has no correlation with us drafting Laf.

 

[Rangers in 7]

You draft Byfield/Stutzle...

Byfield is going 2 and stutzle is a winger....laf is better then both those players. Keep the pick and draft the best prospect to come into the league in years

 

[SnowFort]

Someone has said this before but it needs to be said again: You don’t pass on Lafreniere because you have Chris Kreider.

 

[Polar Bear]

Byfield is going 2 and stutzle is a winger....laf is better then both those players. Keep the pick and draft the best prospect to come into the league in years

I think this comment was in relation if we only traded down to 3 for a monster haul. Obviously, minus that rare scenario and we stay at 1, Laf is the pick.

 

[MysticLeviathan]

Someone has said this before but it needs to be said again: You don’t pass on Lafreniere because you have Chris Kreider.

I disagree. When you have other needs, you have to look at filling the other needs. So you’re just gonna have a $6.5mm 3rd liner? That’s incredibly silly. Unless Kreider plays RW we’re not in a very good spot with him right now.

 

[Polar Bear]

I disagree. When you have other needs, you have to look at filling the other needs. So you’re just gonna have a $6.5mm 3rd liner? That’s incredibly silly. Unless Kreider plays RW we’re not in a very good spot with him right now.

We have other assets to fill needs and make room if we need to, drafting this way is just silly and ends up getting you fired. When was the last time a team drafted for need at the top instead of BPA on their board? It rarely happens because it’s not how you operate a team and it’s the type of move that gets you fired. And yes, we can just move Chris to RW if need be, its really not the end of the world.

 

[eco's bones]

The idea of having 3 scoring left wings on 3 lines isn't a bad idea at all. Using one occasionally on the right wing isn't the end of the world either. I have more concerns playing RD on LD and vice versa but sometimes there's no getting away from having to. Lafreniere is a better player than Byfield--Byfield might not even be ready to make the jump--Lafreniere absolutely is. Anyway we can also see if Lafreniere can adjust to center--I think Mark Messier started his career more as a left wing than as a center. Adam Graves also went back and forth from left wing to center at times and Brian Boyle. Ron Greschner even had a period of time playing center somewhere around half way through his career.

 

[Tawnos]

For me it's not about the value of a center vs. the value of a winger in general, it's that we already have Panarin and Kreider as our LWs, and we're looking for a 2C. If we had traded Kreider, I'd say take Laf no question. We're already loaded with wingers. We finally have a bona fide 1C after so long thank god, but beyond that, there really isn't too much depth. How good can Fil be? Is Barron a serious prospect? Is Strome a long term solution or just a stopgap? Who else is in the pipeline that can be a really good top 6 C? Hopefully Mika extends with us long term and will be a ranger for the next decade or so as our 1C, but who's #2?

The Rangers have two major positions of concern: 2C and LD. LD is less of a concern due to our prospect pool and the possibility of maybe moving one of our RHDs to the left side. Miller may also be the top paring LD of the future, but that's still a humongous question mark at this point. Our bottom 6, more specifically our 3rd line is also an issue, but is far less of a concern due to how much easier it is to fill that position, even though that one difference maker piece may be hard to find, if that makes any sense.

In the salary cap world, how can we build a championship team that stays under the cap? Will we be able to fill the holes in our lineup or trade our pending FAs at the right time? Laf isn't fixing any of our issues. You're almost sure he'll be a damn good player, but he doesn't actually fix our issues. We already have our top 6 LWs set up. So do you keep Laf on the 3rd line? Or have Kreider be a $6.5mm 3rd liner? Or do you move Kreider to RW? Or maybe Laf switches positions?

It's a good problem to have, at the same time we still have a not good problem at hand in our C depth.

The implication of this post is that teams that win Cups don’t have holes. Because of the cap, a lot of them do. Chicago won three Cups without a decent 2nd line center. LA won two Cups without only one decent top-6 LW. Pittsburgh won two Cups with just one 1st pairing D and one 2nd pairing D. Washington won a Cup without a strong 2nd line LW.

The Bruins and the Blues represent more complete groups.

The point is that a hole, even at 2nd line center, is not debilitating for a team with a lot of talent elsewhere. To me, if this team is looking to be as competitive as possible right away, they need to fix the LD situation far more than the center ice situation. And because of our prospect depth there, they don’t even need to acquire a long term LD, but someone who can bridge the gap. That’s not as expensive in terms of assets. Strome isn’t a great 2C, but he’s fine for right now.

You don’t pass up on Lafreniére because of holes in the current roster.

 

[MysticLeviathan]

The implication of this post is that teams that win Cups don’t have holes. Because of the cap, a lot of them do. Chicago won three Cups without a decent 2nd line center. LA won two Cups without only one decent top-6 LW. Pittsburgh won two Cups with just one 1st pairing D and one 2nd pairing D. Washington won a Cup without a strong 2nd line LW.

The Bruins and the Blues represent more complete groups.

The point is that a hole, even at 2nd line center, is not debilitating for a team with a lot of talent elsewhere. To me, if this team is looking to be as competitive as possible right away, they need to fix the LD situation far more than the center ice situation. And because of our prospect depth there, they don’t even need to acquire a long term LD, but someone who can bridge the gap. That’s not as expensive in terms of assets. Strome isn’t a great 2C, but he’s fine for right now.

You don’t pass up on Lafreniére because of holes in the current roster.

I’m not saying pass on Laf. I’m saying take the big trade if it’s offered. If you don’t get the good trade, then keep Laf, but if there’s a big offer from someone like Ottawa involving picks 3 and 5, strongly consider it.

 

[Tawnos]

I’m not saying pass on Laf. I’m saying take the big trade if it’s offered. If you don’t get the good trade, then keep Laf, but if there’s a big offer from someone like Ottawa involving picks 3 and 5, strongly consider it.

That’s what I mean by passing on him. Passing on the opportunity to draft him.

But that also doesn’t address anything else I said.

 

[Profet]

When was the last time a team drafted for need at the top instead of BPA on their board?

2018 Montreal takes Kotkaniemi instead of the BPA. At the time I think that was Zadina or Tkachuck.

They needed a center so they took a center.

That said, we should take Laf.

 

[Rangers394]

Drafting for need is how you end up picking McIlrath over Tarasenko, Schwartz. No thanks

 

[Polar Bear]

2018 Montreal takes Kotkaniemi instead of the BPA. At the time I think that was Zadina or Tkachuck.

They needed a center so they took a center.

That said, we should take Laf.

No, I mean, when you have a consensus top pick or two when there are clear tiers of players. It’s never really happened.

 

[Tawnos]

No, I mean, when you have a consensus top pick or two when there are clear tiers of players. It’s never really happened.

Edmonton should have in 2012.

 

[Polar Bear]

Edmonton should have in 2012.

Should doesn’t mean they did, and Yakupov was arguably one of the worst first overall prospects entering the draft of that decade, while Laf is more so one of the best.

 

[Tawnos]

Should doesn’t mean they did, and Yakupov was arguably one of the worst first overall prospects entering the draft of that decade, while Laf is more so one of the best.

I know, I was just saying that drafting for need in that spot isn’t always the worst idea. But it takes a couple of specific criteria. One is having the basis for a core already. The other is not having a clear cut #1 in the draft. We have the former, but the latter isn’t the case this year.

 

[Polar Bear]

I know, I was just saying that drafting for need in that spot isn’t always the worst idea. But it takes a couple of specific criteria. One is having the basis for a core already. The other is not having a clear cut #1 in the draft. We have the former, but the latter isn’t the case this year.

I think we have the makings of a core but we’re not quite there just yet, but yes, obviously the latter does exist and that is the trump card.

 

[pld459666]

Lefreniere is confident. That's part of who he is as a player.

That's also what gives him a chance to be a special player.

I don't need any more of the get-a-long gang. We've been there.

It's charming. It warms the heart. It makes people smile.

But I am perfectly fine having some guys out there who dare the other team to beat them on the ice. Swagger is a good thing.

I call that a prickish factor.

We do not have enough of that on this team

 

[pld459666]

I disagree. When you have other needs, you have to look at filling the other needs. So you’re just gonna have a $6.5mm 3rd liner? That’s incredibly silly. Unless Kreider plays RW we’re not in a very good spot with him right now.

At 1OA, you take BPA all day ever day.

 

[LORDE]

I call that a prickish factor.

We do not have enough of that on this team

Haven’t in years. Avery was just one guy

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Someone has said this before but it needs to be said again: You don’t pass on Lafreniere because you have Chris Kreider.

Its not just Kreider, its that our best forwards + fwd prospects (outside of Zib) is all wingers. Panarin, Kreider, Kakko, Kravtsov, Buchnevich. Nobody wants to move forward with Strome, and Chytil is still a huge question mark. Also what happens if Zibanejad never approaches the level he reached this past season? Scary to think about.

 

[Polar Bear]

Its not just Kreider, its that our best forwards + fwd prospects (outside of Zib) is all wingers. Panarin, Kreider, Kakko, Kravtsov, Buchnevich. Nobody wants to move forward with Strome, and Chytil is still a huge question mark. Also what happens if Zibanejad never approaches the level he reached this past season? Scary to think about.

Needs can change in an instant in the league. Unless we get a stupidly good offer we couldn’t turn down, we’re staying at 1 and just taking Laf.

 

[NYSPORTS]

I disagree. When you have other needs, you have to look at filling the other needs. So you’re just gonna have a $6.5mm 3rd liner? That’s incredibly silly. Unless Kreider plays RW we’re not in a very good spot with him right now.

This isn’t ideal yet who doesn’t need an elite talent?

i’m envisioning the PP with Laf (Kucherov)at RW and Panarin (Stamkos) at LW.

 

[Polar Bear]

You have so many options. Try someone on RW, maybe down the line move a contract with an asset if we’re competing. @Edge said it best when the internal discussions aren’t going to value position nearly as much as we have spoken about it.