Proposal: Lafreniere for 1st pick Habs 2022

[Nico Cauzuki]

If the Habs are picking high (hoping they lose the lottery of course) it would be tough to deal that pick when hosting the draft but it is for a top Francophone talent.

I always think they need a C but their fans always tell me I'm wrong so maybe it make sense?

would like to hear which fans told you that because we need a center....

 

[BlueBaron]

would like to hear which fans told you that because we need a center....

It was in a summer thread. Habs fans are the most optimistic summer fans in the league and don't tend to see the warts until November, in my experience.

 

[JustAHabFan]

It was in a summer thread. Habs fans are the most optimistic summer fans in the league and don't tend to see the warts until November, in my experience.

Habs absolutely need a Center. No doubt about it.

 

[strattonius]

Its hard to describe, but Laf is just better than Hoglander, without taking anything away from the former.

Hockey is a bit hard to understand if you never played, but if you follow it for a little longer you will start to learn more what it is about.

Cocky post about a player that has been nothing short of underwhelming and over-rated crap.

 

[Tables of Stats]

Luck is absolutely part of the game. Some people try to complicate this stuff way too much into intangibles when a player is getting lucky or unlucky. These types of things all even out over long samples. Lafreniere will receive some better luck eventually. If that goes with more TOI, his counting stats go up without even playing any better.

Unless you're talking about quantum scale effects impacting Lafreniere's point totals there's no luck involved.

It's a fact that he'd score more goals if he was taking more than 1.22 shots per game, so either he's passing when he should shoot, or he's not able to get the puck in good shooting areas. He clearly needs to improve more if he wants to carry even a 3rd line offensively.

 

[Tables of Stats]

Its a very tough league right now to get into for young kids, its saturated in a sense with good prime players that suits the style of play well. Compare it to after the 05' lock-out when the old guard were big and slow and worn out, which resulted that all kids that came in had tremendous success.

Nobody is saying that Laf is a great player today. When a team evaluates Laf it will take into consideration how good and valuable he will be for the team going forward. If you want to close the books on him today, its your right. I can only speak for my self and I do think he will become a really valuable NHL player. But I also think its problematic that he has received so little PP time the last years, for his development. I am not 100% how that will affect his future. But my best guess is still that he will become really good.

So tough that tiny players like Pettersson and Q. Hughes had terrible rookie seasons. If Laf was living up to his hype he'd push Kreider to the 3rd line and steal his PP time. Instead, he's putting up worse numbers than second-round picks did in their rookie seasons and the two people defending him can't say anything about it except that Laf's been unlucky.

It's okay, I know why you can't say more. It's because if you did you'd have to actually analyze his game instead of blindly hoping that he'll break out and become a star.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

So tough that tiny players like Pettersson and Q. Hughes had terrible rookie seasons. If Laf was living up to his hype he'd push Kreider to the 3rd line and steal his PP time. Instead, he's putting up worse numbers than second-round picks did in their rookie seasons and the two people defending him can't say anything about it except that Laf's been unlucky.

It's okay, I know why you can't say more. It's because if you did you'd have to actually analyze his game instead of blindly hoping that he'll break out and become a star.

You shouldn’t denigrate other posters analysis for being too shallow when you show a complete lack of understanding of team dynamics.

 

[1909]

Habs absolutely need a Center. No doubt about it.

Habs need LOT of stuff. First: get rid of heartless and-or overpaid players like Hoffman, Petry, Armia, Drouin, Toffoli, Dvorak and Gallagher... possibly Price.

 

[Tables of Stats]

You shouldn’t denigrate other posters analysis for being too shallow when you show a complete lack of understanding of team dynamics.

I'm sure team dynamics are why Laf is tied for the 42nd most shots among players who play less than 14 minutes per night and who've played 25 or more games. He's got the same shot totals as noted scorer Jason Dickinson, but, of course, it's impossible for him to shoot as much as Daniel Sprong given his terrible deployment...

 

[Ola]

So tough that tiny players like Pettersson and Q. Hughes had terrible rookie seasons. If Laf was living up to his hype he'd push Kreider to the 3rd line and steal his PP time. Instead, he's putting up worse numbers than second-round picks did in their rookie seasons and the two people defending him can't say anything about it except that Laf's been unlucky.

It's okay, I know why you can't say more. It's because if you did you'd have to actually analyze his game instead of blindly hoping that he'll break out and become a star.

Lol you think Q Hughes had a great start to his NHL career? It’s not his fault that he is thrown into a way to big role, but he is in way over his head and it shows in the standings. He must be one of the top 5 worst defending Ds in the NHL.

But honestly, you are entitled to your opinion. Obviously you have one on Lafreniere. Let’s revisit in a few years.

 

[Ola]

Cocky post about a player that has been nothing short of underwhelming and over-rated crap.

Cocky post? I don’t think that at all to be honest. I am usually a pretty critical poster on prospects.

Laf is a special talent IMO. He is not yet a special player in the NHL, I think he will become one. HFboards — always — overrate production both ways. Laf is a first overall pick. In different circumstances he would have been handed a spot on a No 1 PP. He would without any single doubt put up half decent stats in that environment. In that case people who doesn’t really understand the game would be overeating his progress instead.

 

[Tables of Stats]

Lol you think Q Hughes had a great start to his NHL career? It’s not his fault that he is thrown into a way to big role, but he is in way over his head and it shows in the standings. He must be one of the top 5 worst defending Ds in the NHL.

But honestly, you are entitled to your opinion. Obviously you have one on Lafreniere. Let’s revisit in a few years.

Team dynamics matter for Laf, but for Hughes we're just going to ignore that the team was playing under a terrible coach and has looked better under new management. Very even-handed of you.

 

[Tables of Stats]

Cocky post? I don’t think that at all to be honest. I am usually a pretty critical poster on prospects.

Laf is a special talent IMO. He is not yet a special player in the NHL, I think he will become one. HFboards — always — overrate production both ways. Laf is a first overall pick. In different circumstances he would have been handed a spot on a No 1 PP. He would without any single doubt put up half decent stats in that environment. In that case people who doesn’t really understand the game would be overeating his progress instead.

Yes, his zero PP points really point to a lack of PP time being his issue... Tell me, why does he only generate 1.22 shots per game? Is he just too special to rip the puck?

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Honestly, I think Lafreniere heads to Montreal after year 3.

But I think a starting point would be Brendan Gallagher for sending AL to Montreal.

 

[Groo]

Honestly, I think Lafreniere heads to Montreal after year 3.

But I think a starting point would be Brendan Gallagher for sending AL to Montreal.

Oof!

 

[drw02]

Cocky post? I don’t think that at all to be honest. I am usually a pretty critical poster on prospects.

Laf is a special talent IMO. He is not yet a special player in the NHL, I think he will become one. HFboards — always — overrate production both ways. Laf is a first overall pick. In different circumstances he would have been handed a spot on a No 1 PP. He would without any single doubt put up half decent stats in that environment. In that case people who doesn’t really understand the game would be overeating his progress instead.

Rangers handed Laf a top line role to start the season. After several games they were obviously not impressed with what he was providing and moved him down to the bottom 6. He may very well have been handed a similar top line role elsewhere based on his pedigree but he'd still need to impress to keep that job

 

[Weltschmerz]

Honestly, I think Lafreniere heads to Montreal after year 3.

But I think a starting point would be Brendan Gallagher for sending AL to Montreal.

Ever heared about the so called 'cap space'?

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

No thanks. Montreal first needs a No.1 center and a right-handed defender.

In 2018, Montreal had the misfortune of not having access to a real top 5 center (Kotkaniemi was a reach).

There is Wright, Savoie, Cooley. At worst Nemec and Jiricek as right-handed defender.

Rather one of these 5 players than Lafrenière.

 

[cwede]

Honestly, I think Lafreniere heads to Montreal after year 3. But I think a starting point would be Brendan Gallagher for sending AL to Montreal.

Why would you "think a starting point would be Brendan Gallagher for sending AL to Montreal"
NYR already stockpiled sandpaper vets
and NYR cant add Cap

Guhle + 1st might get NYR thinking, but NYR has no genuine interest in moving Laf

NYR didn't draft him for what he'd do at 20,
and all the HFB posters trying to steal him to their team aren't basing their desire on his age 20 counting stats either

is his career arc playing out different than other 1OA's? yep,
he joined a team that doesn't need to rush him,
he happens to play LW, so behind Bread and Kreider
and his toolbox isn't strictly scoring skills

posters are getting caught up in wishful thinking,
when they project that NYR's great record so far this season, against mostly not-great teams,
means they will make short-term overpays surrendering Laf (or Schneider

 

[Tempo]

Lol you think Q Hughes had a great start to his NHL career? It’s not his fault that he is thrown into a way to big role, but he is in way over his head and it shows in the standings. He must be one of the top 5 worst defending Ds in the NHL.

But honestly, you are entitled to your opinion. Obviously you have one on Lafreniere. Let’s revisit in a few years.

Top 5 worst defending D with a plus 9 on a team that is -9 for the season?

What a moronic post.

 

[bernmeister]

Honestly, I think Lafreniere heads to Montreal after year 3.

But I think a starting point would be Brendan Gallagher for sending AL to Montreal.

zero interest in Gally and can't afford him

Rangers handed Laf a top line role to start the season. After several games they were obviously not impressed with what he was providing and moved him down to the bottom 6. He may very well have been handed a similar top line role elsewhere based on his pedigree but he'd still need to impress to keep that job

whether or not and to what extent LaF has disappointed thus far compared to an idealized hope he would be MacKinnon lite right off the bat,
is second
to what they see in his day to day improvement.

They like everything, and other than his skating which means getting his legs more whipped into even better shape, there is not much concern.
Skating follows and we ready to roll.

 

[ole ole]

Why would you "think a starting point would be Brendan Gallagher for sending AL to Montreal"
NYR already stockpiled sandpaper vets
and NYR cant add Cap

Guhle + 1st might get NYR thinking, but NYR has no genuine interest in moving Laf

NYR didn't draft him for what he'd do at 20,
and all the HFB posters trying to steal him to their team aren't basing their desire on his age 20 counting stats either

is his career arc playing out different than other 1OA's? yep,
he joined a team that doesn't need to rush him,
he happens to play LW, so behind Bread and Kreider
and his toolbox isn't strictly scoring skills

posters are getting caught up in wishful thinking,
when they project that NYR's great record so far this season, against mostly not-great teams,
means they will make short-term overpays surrendering Laf (or Schneider

Guhle + 1st We have no interest in offering our 1st let alone adding Guhle

 

[cwede]

Guhle + 1st We have no interest in offering our 1st let alone adding Guhle

of course, not surprised,
but NYR have no interest in offering Laf either,
so only an overly generous offer would get NYR to even consider for a moment

my feeling about this thread is that a poster with no rooting interest just wanted to stir some clicks

 

[ole ole]

of course, not surprised,
but NYR have no interest in offering Laf either,
so only an overly generous offer would get NYR to even consider for a moment

my feeling about this thread is that a poster with no rooting interest just wanted to stir some clicks

I agree.

 

[Lockin17]

No thanks. Montreal first needs a No.1 center and a right-handed defender.

In 2018, Montreal had the misfortune of not having access to a real top 5 center (Kotkaniemi was a reach).

There is Wright, Savoie, Cooley. At worst Nemec and Jiricek as right-handed defender.

Rather one of these 5 players than Lafrenière.

Hope you are joking here