Should Alexis Lafreniere Go to WJC?

[NYR425]

Both AL and KK should go.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Both AL and KK should go.

Both confirmed to not go

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

He doesn't need the WJC. I truly believe it's not going to do anything to hone, sharpen or improve his skills to any sort of substantial degree

Work on training the NYR give you. Hit up your NYR teammates and start busting your ass with the pros

 

[Rob Sense]

Poor Rangers...not like they are going to win the cup anytime soon so let the kid win something. Totally selfish!

 

[Thirty One]

Schneider isn't under contract. It's not up to them.

Yes, because otherwise that would be a totally valid concern.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I support the decision here, even though it would have been fun for me personally

 

[eco's bones]

Almost 2700 people died yesterday in one day from Covid in the United States. These next 2/3 months could be horrific. They need to get this vaccine out and widely distributed and FWIW it calls for two shots three weeks apart and the recipient might go for a short run of flu like effects both times. I think when we can get this out broadly into the population then it's going to start to get safer to do things. For the sake of a game I would not rush things for what amounts to a couple months.

 

[Malaka]

No way this affects his relations with the team in the long term you boys think? I know he hasn't even stepped foot on the ice but when he turns 27, what are the odds he goes UFA to MTL?

 

[EdJovanovski]

No way this affects his relations with the team in the long term you boys think? I know he hasn't even stepped foot on the ice but when he turns 27, what are the odds he goes UFA to MTL?

There were leaks before the draft lottery that he apparently he really didn’t want to play in Montreal

 

[LokiDog]

No way this affects his relations with the team in the long term you boys think? I know he hasn't even stepped foot on the ice but when he turns 27, what are the odds he goes UFA to MTL?

100% or better. Don’t be surprised if he sits out right off the bat. We’ll probably have to take back Paul Byron and be lucky to get a 3rd.

 

[Malaka]

There were leaks before the draft lottery that he apparently he really didn’t want to play in Montreal

Interesting

 

[MysticLeviathan]

I think it’s the smart move. There’s always a risk for injury, I mean Igor and Buch got injured not even playing for f***’s sake, but the risk of injury is significantly higher playing a meaningless game than staying and training for the big show.

I think it’s better for Kakko in he needs to get better on NA ice and I don’t want him to revert to the habits of playing on international ice, at least not until he masters the NA game.

I think it’s the right move overall. Hopefully the season will start sooner than later.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

No way this affects his relations with the team in the long term you boys think? I know he hasn't even stepped foot on the ice but when he turns 27, what are the odds he goes UFA to MTL?

He would hit UFA eligibility at age 25 actually. But we hear about this all the time and aside from Tavares, has there been a top 3 pick who actively chased a deal with their hometown team as a first time UFA?

 

[Irishguy42]

Quick, someone find out what his childhood bedsheets were...

 

[pld459666]

There were leaks before the draft lottery that he apparently he really didn’t want to play in Montreal

Not surprising.

The amount of pressure he has being the most recent francophone forward drafted 1st overall since Lecavalier is massive.

It would be unfair for that kid to have been drafted by either Montreal or Ottawa.

 

[Leetch3]

hopefully the rangers finally saying that they won't send laf and kakko means they have gotten word about a target date for the season...i highlight doubt the team takes the fans approach of being afraid of injury. they could get hurt in practice too and need to be playing games. they have both already missed 1/2 a season of development in a vital year. so not sending them to me only makes sense if you believe they will be playing nhl games sometime soon

 

[Leetch3]

Out of curiosity, I decided to do some research. Here's a list of 1st overall picks to play in the WJC in their D+1 season:


*Yakupov & Ovechkin played due to a lockout, everyone else had not signed their ELC yet.

the guys that had signed were playing in the NHL, except the ones effected by the lockouts as you mentioned...but this year even though its not a lockout, if the season doesn't start till Feb 1 and camps start after the WJC ends it would be the same scenario more or less where the player isn't missing any nhl time. definitely a weird situation we are in.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

the guys that had signed were playing in the NHL, except the ones effected by the lockouts as you mentioned...but this year even though its not a lockout, if the season doesn't start till Feb 1 and camps start after the WJC ends it would be the same scenario more or less where the player isn't missing any nhl time. definitely a weird situation we are in.

It is but what isn't weird is a 1st overall pick not playing in the WJC after signing his ELC.

Canadians crying about this is ridiculous. They really are the All Blacks of hockey

 

[Edge]

Poor Rangers...not like they are going to win the cup anytime soon so let the kid win something. Totally selfish!

At the end of the day, Lafreniere is a very important piece for the Rangers --- next season and well beyond.

They weighed the risks vs. the rewards and decided they didn't want to chance injury, or illness.

I would've loved to see Kakko and Lafreniere in the WJC, but I can't fault the Rangers either.

 

[Leetch3]

It is but what isn't weird is a 1st overall pick not playing in the WJC after signing his ELC.

Canadians crying about this is ridiculous. They really are the All Blacks of hockey

but aside from the lockout years or guys not signed yet, those #1 picks are all playing in the nhl and obviously teams aren't going to send them back in that case. but this year the nhl might not be playing...so the #1 pick not playing in the NHL in dec/jan of his draft year is the weird thing

 

[Larrybiv]

Knowing the Rangers luck with these things if 13 and 24 go, they will collide into each other and blowout four knees in the process.

This. I thought "oh gosh no!".

I am so excited to see this kid and obviously our team, but for him to be playing "prior to" his dubious distinction of making the team, well lets just say......I dont see how that makes any sense.
Whatever rust that supposedly will wear off there, preferably would be wearing off with "our other rusty guys" and his future teammates. We dont want him overshadowing Mika and Artemi now, do we? Lol.
God forbid he got injured, we would have to wait that much longer. Injuries DO happen, but maybe , just maybe someone has a hard on for him and tries to destroy this #1 baby of ours.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

but aside from the lockout years or guys not signed yet, those #1 picks are all playing in the nhl and obviously teams aren't going to send them back in that case. but this year the nhl might not be playing...so the #1 pick not playing in the NHL in dec/jan of his draft year is the weird thing

Yes. But what matters here is him being under contract. That's the deciding factor here. I know it's a weird season but the only reason this is blown out of proportion is because Canadians are crying about it

 

[WojtekWolski86]

There were leaks before the draft lottery that he apparently he really didn’t want to play in Montreal

Would he leave for Montreal after we have 4 cups in 9 years?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Would he leave for Montreal after we have 4 cups in 9 years?

Hilarious how we are already being told Lafrenière will leave the Rangers

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

No way this affects his relations with the team in the long term you boys think? I know he hasn't even stepped foot on the ice but when he turns 27, what are the odds he goes UFA to MTL?

0% unless... did someone find out that he is a sadomasochist who hates winning?