Let’s talk about Lafreniere. What kind of player is he turning into?

[Rsswmu]

The only other option is to run it back and just hope it works out while Shesterkin is cheap, because they have limited options due to all the NTC/NMCs

No it isn’t. A couple of the NTC are modified and there are some contracts that have expired. Nevertheless looking at it from a 1 or 2 year perspective is something a bad GM would do. You don’t trade away a 22 year old player that with powerplay time would have been a near ppg player.

 

[WarriorofTime]

No it isn’t. A couple of the NTC are modified and there are some contracts that have expired. Nevertheless looking at it from a 1 or 2 year perspective is something a bad GM would do. You don’t trade away a 22 year old player that with powerplay time would have been a near ppg player.

lol not trade him away just to trade him away, trade him away to address your weaknesses

 

[Rsswmu]

lol not trade him away just to trade him away, trade him away to address your weaknesses

The Rangers need to trade Trouba away to address their weaknesses. Jones is better already and then they need to a decent job replacing Lindgren and Gustafson in the FA market. Fox will be back to healthy so that will help the D corps.

Trading away Laf should never be the choice.

 

[WarriorofTime]

The Rangers need to trade Trouba away to address their weaknesses.

That's not happening. He can block trades to half the League and nobody is going to want him. If he didn't have no trade restrictions, they may be bale to dump him, but as is he won't want to go play for a bad team and the good teams aren't going to want his cap.

 

[TheWrongWay]

It's inarguable he took a step forward this season. Just the same, he had a hot playoffs and a season buoyed by a 120 point player and a near-PPG center on his line, where he was the clear third best player. He'll need to build on it next season.

Buoyed and clear third best player might be over-simplifications.

In the regular season, where many games are against non-playoff teams and the opposition cannot game plan for you as in-depth, because teams face a different opponent every night, sure. But in the playoffs, where teams can put a more precise plan against you and the competition typically gets tougher each round, Panarin was less and less visible and Lafreniere stayed strong throughout.

Lafreniere certainly looked like the best even-strength offensive threat for the NYR in the playoffs:

While some of the stars wilted or got increasingly more reliant on man-advantage points, Lafreniere stayed solid, even as playoff opposition got more difficult.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Buoyed and clear third best player might be over-simplifications.

In the regular season, where many games are against non-playoff teams and the opposition cannot game plan for you as in-depth, because teams face a different opponent every night, sure. But in the playoffs, where teams can put a more precise plan against you and the competition typically gets tougher each round, Panarin was less and less visible and Lafreniere stayed strong throughout.

Lafreniere certainly looked like the best even-strength offensive threat for the NYR in the playoffs:

View attachment 879348

While some of the stars wilted or got increasingly more reliant on man-advantage points, Lafreniere stayed solid, even as playoff opposition got more difficult.

Even if he's the worst player on his line, he's playing with probably the two best forwards on this team (at least in the regular season). Someone's the worst player on the Perfection Line. This insanity on HF to discredit anyone that plays with good players is ridiculous. The Perfection line might have three hall of famers on it are they not that good because of it? Stamkos-Point-Kucherov are what also three hall of famers or borderline hall of famers?

 

[Oak]

A true 2 way forward who has a high skill set for the role. I can see him becoming like Sam Bennett, and if he does, I would absolutely love it. People forget how long it took Bennett to become what he is today.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

A true 2 way forward who has a high skill set for the role. I can see him becoming like Sam Bennett, and if he does, I would absolutely love it. People forget how long it took Bennett to become what he is today.

He already has more points at 22 than Bennett ever had.

 

[Oak]

He already has more points at 22 than Bennett ever had.

Ok but that is partially due to how he was being used. You need to look at Bennetts history and see how badly he was mismanaged and jerked around.

Regardless I love Laf but he isn't as complete as Bennett is right now regardless of points. I would love to see Laf play more of Bennetts aggressive and chippy style while keeping his skill and production, and I think he is capable of it.

 

[ORRFForever]

That's not happening. He can block trades to half the League and nobody is going to want him. If he didn't have no trade restrictions, they may be bale to dump him, but as is he won't want to go play for a bad team and the good teams aren't going to want his cap.

Or crap.

 

[SympathyForTheDevils]

lol not trade him away just to trade him away, trade him away to address your weaknesses

RW might be the Rangers' weakest position. You trade away Lafreniere, suddenly Kakko is the Rangers' top RW. How would they address that weakness? They don't have the cap space to do it through FA.

There is nothing more valuable to a contender than a high-performing, low cap-hit asset. He's probably the player the Rangers have the least incentive to trade outside of Shesterkin. Not sure why you're so committed to the idea of trading Lafreniere, but it makes zero sense.

 

[WarriorofTime]

RW might be the Rangers' weakest position. You trade away Lafreniere, suddenly Kakko is the Rangers' top RW. How would they address that weakness? They don't have the cap space to do it through FA.

There is nothing more valuable to a contender than a high-performing, low cap-hit asset. He's probably the player the Rangers have the least incentive to trade outside of Shesterkin. Not sure why you're so committed to the idea of trading Lafreniere, but it makes zero sense.

Your point would make sense if he was signed for more than one year. It is what it is. I’ve explained the case.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Buoyed and clear third best player might be over-simplifications.

In the regular season, where many games are against non-playoff teams and the opposition cannot game plan for you as in-depth, because teams face a different opponent every night, sure. But in the playoffs, where teams can put a more precise plan against you and the competition typically gets tougher each round, Panarin was less and less visible and Lafreniere stayed strong throughout.

Lafreniere certainly looked like the best even-strength offensive threat for the NYR in the playoffs:

View attachment 879348

While some of the stars wilted or got increasingly more reliant on man-advantage points, Lafreniere stayed solid, even as playoff opposition got more difficult.

Right, that’s why I said he had a hot playoffs. But it’s still just 16 games at the end of the day.

 

[ElLeetch]

Ok but that is partially due to how he was being used. You need to look at Bennetts history and see how badly he was mismanaged and jerked around.

Laf's seasons before this year were the textbook definition of a player being "mismanaged and jerked around."

 

[TheWrongWay]

Right, that’s why I said he had a hot playoffs. But it’s still just 16 games at the end of the day.

That works if you want to call it just getting hot in the playoffs. But not entirely accurate...

6-4-10 in the last 10 games of the regular season
10-8-18 in the last 20
14-12-26 in the last 30

The 8-6-14 in 16 playoff games was just a continuation of the latter half of the season.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

That works if you want to call it just getting hot in the playoffs. But not entirely accurate...

6-4-10 in the last 10 games of the regular season
10-8-18 in the last 20
14-12-26 in the last 30

The 8-6-14 in 16 playoff games was just a continuation of the latter half of the season.

Artemi Panarin:
6-12-18 in the last 10 games of the regular season
14-21-35 in the last 20
18-34-52 in the last 30

You end up running against the current of what I mentioned at the top. I don't know when that line was fully put together, but it wasn't to start the season, right? Initially it was Chytil and I think Lafreniere was on the third line for a period (correct me if I'm wrong). Anyway, my point is not that Lafreniere didn't improve as the season went on, either.

Ultimately, this isn't a question that is going to be answered in the offseason. Like I said, he's got to build on it. If he does it against next season, there's no argument.

 

[TheWrongWay]

Artemi Panarin:
6-12-18 in the last 10 games of the regular season
14-21-35 in the last 20
18-34-52 in the last 30

You end up running against the current of what I mentioned at the top. I don't know when that line was fully put together, but it wasn't to start the season, right? Initially it was Chytil and I think Lafreniere was on the third line for a period (correct me if I'm wrong). Anyway, my point is not that Lafreniere didn't improve as the season went on, either.

Ultimately, this isn't a question that is going to be answered in the offseason. Like I said, he's got to build on it. If he does it against next season, there's no argument.

Damn, all you did was make me sad how much end-of-season Panarin did not in any capacity carry into playoffs Panarin

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

My comparable for him at the draft was Corey Perry. I still think he’s headed in that direction.

Landeskog maybe?

 

[Oak]

Laf's seasons before this year were the textbook definition of a player being "mismanaged and jerked around."

Yes I am completely aware of Lafs season. Bennett's problem lasted a lot longer. Nevertheless, Laf is not the player that Bennett is, yet.