Confirmed Signing with Link: [NYR] F Alexis Lafreniere signs extension with the Rangers (7 years, $7.45M AAV)

[WarriorofTime]

Or is a 'This team is having some major issues that need addressed' especially when basically every single player is struggling to defend and score. This is not a Lafreniere problem.

The question is, when does he step up and become a leader on the team? At some point, you're not 20 years old anymore. With a ~ top 100 cap hit in the League moving forward and a player that will be entering his prime while Panarin and the other Rangers forwards get older, he's going to have to be the guy that is able to play through the 'team having some major issues' and be the guy that steps up and puts the team on his back for a bit. Right now, he isn't doing that, and he goes as the rest of the team goes, rather than being the player who himself keeps the ship steering in the right direction.

 

[5cotland]

The question is, when does he step up and become a leader on the team? At some point, you're not 20 years old anymore. With a ~ top 100 cap hit in the League moving forward and a player that will be entering his prime while Panarin and the other Rangers forwards get older, he's going to have to be the guy that is able to play through the 'team having some major issues' and be the guy that steps up and puts the team on his back for a bit. Right now, he isn't doing that, and he goes as the rest of the team goes, rather than being the player who himself keeps the ship steering in the right direction.

That is a very valid question. At some point he will need to make that step up to become the leader on the team but the team at the moment is going through some major problems that is affecting everyone throughout the organisation.

I think it is fair to suggest he has to make that step up and he was looking like it would happen this season but since everyone has collapsed at the same time, it is unfair to say that he should be the one that should to dragging this team out of the rut. Too many things are falling apart for just 1 or 2 people to get the team back on track.

 

[FissionFire]

I don’t recall Laf ever being touted as a franchise talent going into that draft. It was considered a weak draft for #1OA. I don’t think he will be a guy who will carry a line but probably just a solid 1st line winger. That’s not bad and is worth his contract. He just needs to take that next step.

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

I don’t recall Laf ever being touted as a franchise talent going into that draft. It was considered a weak draft for #1OA. I don’t think he will be a guy who will carry a line but probably just a solid 1st line winger. That’s not bad and is worth his contract. He just needs to take that next step.

Yeah...We're not going to let delusional Rangers fans erase the history that we all lived through.

Rimouski's Alexis Lafrenière outscoring Sidney Crosby in his final QMJHL season

The projected first-overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft has gotten off to a very hot start in his last year of junior hockey.

ca.sports.yahoo.com

Rangers' Lafrenière's Similarities to Sidney Crosby Could Gauge Development - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

New York Ranger Alexis Lafrenière and Pittsburgh Penguin Sidney Crosby have several similarities that could pave the way for Lafrenière.

thehockeywriters.com

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

"Nobody ever said Lafreniere would be a star!!!!"

Meet the NHL's Next Superstar - The Hockey Writers NHL Prospects Latest News, Analysis & More

Drafted by the Rimouski Oceanic first overall in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft, Alexis Lafrenière is a dominating centre whose game has drawn comparisons to Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. A lock to be selected first overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Lafrenière is the NHL's next superstar in waiting.

thehockeywriters.com

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

He is over 300 games into his NHL career. He kind of "is what he is" at this point, which is a good 2nd line player.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

"Nobody ever said Lafreniere would be a star!!!!"

Meet the NHL's Next Superstar - The Hockey Writers NHL Prospects Latest News, Analysis & More

Drafted by the Rimouski Oceanic first overall in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft, Alexis Lafrenière is a dominating centre whose game has drawn comparisons to Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. A lock to be selected first overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Lafrenière is the NHL's next superstar in waiting.

thehockeywriters.com

Dude, ever witnessed that a 1st overall is labeled as a future 2nd line winger. Things need to be sold or is there for clickbait.

I have no dog in this fight.

 

[Savant]

Yeah...We're not going to let delusional Rangers fans erase the history that we all lived through.

"Nobody ever said Lafreniere would be a star!!!!"

These weren't "delusional Rangers fans" producing this content. Take it up with all these Canadian writers bigging up their Canadian player.

The Crosby stuff was always dumb, and only happened because they played for the same junior team. No Ranger fans were even suggesting that with a straight face.

If you want to say the Rangers fans were being over optimistic and supporting their player, okay? But what exactly were they supposed to do?

 

[Ulysses31]

he was dynamite at world juniors, thought he'd b more of 90-100 pt player

 

[MB3]

Dude, ever witnessed that a 1st overall is labeled as a future 2nd line winger. Things need to be sold or is there for clickbait.

I have no dog in this fight.

Jack Hughes and (even more so) Nico Hischier were both “1st overall, probably all-star, probably not franchise cornerstone” players.

Based on pre-draft hype alone, Lafreniere was a solid tier above Hughes, Hischier, Power, Celebrini. He was never in the Matthews/Bedard/McDavid tier but he was a tier above the Hughes/Nico/Power/Celebrini/Slafkovsky drafts. Probably similar category as pre-draft Dahlin.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Yea, Laf was touted as big a number 1 overall star as any in the last decade.

 

[BB88]

He’s a good player but massively overrated

Career high 57 points next to a superstar, on pace for 51 points this season.

You’d never know that the way he is and has been talked about..

Can’t be the best or 2nd best forward on the team

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Jack Hughes and (even more so) Nico Hischier were both “1st overall, probably all-star, probably not franchise cornerstone” players.

Based on pre-draft hype alone, Lafreniere was a solid tier above Hughes, Hischier, Power, Celebrini. He was never in the Matthews/Bedard/McDavid tier but he was a tier above the Hughes/Nico/Power/Celebrini/Slafkovsky drafts. Probably similar category as pre-draft Dahlin.

Congrats.

What does this have to do with Rangers fans supposedly bragging about Lafreniere and people bumping this topic while the team sucks drastically at the moment ?

 

[EXTRAS]

Laf was definitely a star prospect who looked like a future star. Pre-draft entered wjc mid tournament and just looked so good. Was on another level to everyone else. Kinda reminded me of Tavares. NYR finally put him onto pp1 a couple games ago, so hopefully the last half of this season he clicks and goes point/game.

 

[Fatass]

Contract about right for what Lafreniere brings?

 

[DelZottoHitTheNetJK]

Contract about right for what Lafreniere brings?

Yes, considering almost all of his production comes at 5 on 5.

Many Ranger fans won't admit the real reason why he's not on the top PP unit, which is the fact that he isn't a good 5 on 4 player (yet). He fumbles the puck hard under pressure and doesn't have a defined PP role. Is he a shooter from the half wall? net front guy? point player? He doesn't play either spot well, at all.

Many will argue it's because he never got much of a chance; fine. But every time he has been there he has looked wildly out of place.

 

[n8]

He is over 300 games into his NHL career. He kind of "is what he is" at this point, which is a good 2nd line player.

Any #1OA on another team is getting 1PP and top minutes to fuel their growth. The Rongos refuse to give Laf any 1PP time. He could have had 80 points last season if they gave him Zibanejad's spot and TOI on the PP (left point) which is where he played on the PP throughout juniors. TOI in 1st 3 season were 14, 14, and 15. The Rangers are just terrible at developing their own talent. Give him 19-20 a night and you'll see his game grow. I'm not saying he's growing anywhere near the following players. I'm just refuting that he "is what he is" and has no room for growth.
Crosby's 1st 3 were 20, 20, 20 minutes
Eichel at 19, 20, 20
Mackinnon 17, 17, 19
Jack Hughes at 16,19, 19.5

 

[Synergy27]

You see. When you’re a Rangers fan you can’t have nice things.

Everyone hates you and your team sucks.

It’s a lot of fun.

 

[gabevh3]

Any #1OA on another team is getting 1PP and top minutes to fuel their growth. The Rongos refuse to give Laf any 1PP time. He could have had 80 points last season if they gave him Zibanejad's spot and TOI on the PP (left point) which is where he played on the PP throughout juniors. TOI in 1st 3 season were 14, 14, and 15. The Rangers are just terrible at developing their own talent. Give him 19-20 a night and you'll see his game grow. I'm not saying he's growing anywhere near the following players. I'm just refuting that he "is what he is" and has no room for growth.
Crosby's 1st 3 were 20, 20, 20 minutes
Eichel at 19, 20, 20
Mackinnon 17, 17, 19
Jack Hughes at 16,19, 19.5

True, but hes also not as fast as any of those players which is most important these days . But ya ... all he's had are coaches that favor veterans .

 

[Il Stugotz]

Guys putting up Kris Versteeg numbers

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Any #1OA on another team is getting 1PP and top minutes to fuel their growth. The Rongos refuse to give Laf any 1PP time. He could have had 80 points last season if they gave him Zibanejad's spot and TOI on the PP (left point) which is where he played on the PP throughout juniors. TOI in 1st 3 season were 14, 14, and 15. The Rangers are just terrible at developing their own talent. Give him 19-20 a night and you'll see his game grow. I'm not saying he's growing anywhere near the following players. I'm just refuting that he "is what he is" and has no room for growth.
Crosby's 1st 3 were 20, 20, 20 minutes
Eichel at 19, 20, 20
Mackinnon 17, 17, 19
Jack Hughes at 16,19, 19.5

I just don't buy the "doesn't get PP time" argument. If he was good enough to play on the PP, he'd play there.

 

[MB3]

Congrats.

What does this have to do with Rangers fans supposedly bragging about Lafreniere and people bumping this topic while the team sucks drastically at the moment ?

your inability to follow the discussion is not my fault homie

 

[n8]

I just don't buy the "doesn't get PP time" argument. If he was good enough to play on the PP, he'd play there.

During Quinn's tenure, well Quinn was not a good coach and gave the kids zero rope. 1st time NHL coach worried more about looking good than teaching kids (which was something he was brought in to do)
During Gallant's tenure, the PP was probably at its peak. Had the first coach given Laf PP1 minutes, we could have seen an established player. Entirely different career trajectory.
Under Lavi and especially this season, Zibanejad has been really awful. A negative factor on the PP. He plays in Laf's natural PP spot. Any amateur coach would not ignore this fact and give Laf that PP time. The PP2 unit gets like 20-30 sec of ice time on the PP. It's long enough to like make one play unless they are starting in the O-zone and win their faceoff.
It's not about if he's good enough. Anytime there is a roster issue (injury, etc) Laf does get the PP1 slot. It's an issue that the coach refuses to remove the established and unproductive vet from PP1.

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Slaf for Laf, 1 for 1.

Habs are not doing that trade, you should be ashamed, as a Habs fan.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

your inability to follow the discussion is not my fault homie

“The discussion” “homie” ?

Mostly I see a bunch of opposing fans ridicule things, you included with ‘lol’ and now suddenly its a discussion.

Again, I am an LA fan, looks like you are missing some things.