The jury is officially in: Alexis Lafreniere is a complete bust

[AirGut]

I think a lot of the confidence right now comes from the fact that Lavi has told Laf he isn't going to take him off that 2RW slot and that it's secured as his. He hasn't had a bad enough game to be taken off however even if he did I think Laviolette is keeping him there regardless.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

You guys say the same shit every year. He’ll score a few goals and then you all start trying to gloat prematurely. And then he goes on a 30-40 game cold streak to end the year and it’s crickets from the same people. The dude sucks, and we’ve all watched the games.

You should watch him play.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Is he roaring back?

He’s burning down villages

 

[DuklaNation]

I'm assuming many of you have played fantasy hockey of some kind at one point or another. The mathematical reality of NHL is if you do not get PP ice time, it is very hard to rack up points.

This is his 4th season and he has SEVEN career PP points. I don't know the total PP time on ice but I'm assuming its rather low.

Lafreniere is a set offensive zone style player, which is the PP.

 

[DuckDuckGetz]

Possible mistrial?

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I'm assuming many of you have played fantasy hockey of some kind at one point or another. The mathematical reality of NHL is if you do not get PP ice time, it is very hard to rack up points.

This is his 4th season and he has SEVEN career PP points. I don't know the total PP time on ice but I'm assuming its rather low.

Lafreniere is a set offensive zone style player, which is the PP.

even his PP time is a bit inflated because he would get the last 20 seconds so many times but in reality no zone controlled PP time because he would change as the puck was iced to the Rangers end and by the time they retrieve it and make a zone entry its over

 

[93LEAFS]

Complete bust? No. A disappointment, especially relative to some of the massive overhype attached to him around his draft? Yes. He just never really had the skill set that made him likely to be a true play driver at the NHL level which you could see in guys like McDavid, Matthews, Hughes, MacKinnon, Eichel, etc around their draft date. He is a smart player but isn't really dynamic in any major way. Now, you don't need to have elite physical traits to be a high-end NHL player, but it makes it more likely to happen if you have the smarts that go alongside it. But, to overcome that you need to be near the very top of the league in Hockey IQ (for example Tavares during his peak years, or Matthew Tkachuk right now), especially as a winger whose game is unlikely to be complimented by a strong 200 foot game like some high-IQ centers who also win battles down low and a strong positionally.

 

[DuklaNation]

even his PP time is a bit inflated because he would get the last 20 seconds so many times but in reality no zone controlled PP time because he would change as the puck was iced to the Rangers end and by the time they retrieve it and make a zone entry its over

Very true. So, you know there are maybe 4 forwards on a team who can get 60+ points on most teams (aside from top end). Everyone else, getting 50 is an accomplishment without PP points. Lafreniere hasn't been great but his opportunity has been limited on NY.

 

[Sniper99]

You guys say the same shit every year. He’ll score a few goals and then you all start trying to gloat prematurely. And then he goes on a 30-40 game cold streak to end the year and it’s crickets from the same people. The dude sucks, and we’ve all watched the games.

HF at its finest.

 

[Konnan511]

His point totals are going up YOY. May just take a fistful of more years to reach 80ish points a season?

 

[NickyFotiu]

Yes, we needed those 4 games to make it official....now that we have the 4 games....it's official!

He's still only 22 and will likely be a pretty good NHL player....perhaps a lot of people's expectations were too high....mine certainly weren't that high. He's probably dragging his feet a bit from what I though he'd be, but still early in his career, some take longer to develop at the NHL level.

Why is no one talking about Byfield drafted at #2 the same year?

He is really only 21 years and 383 days old.

 

[NickyFotiu]

You guys say the same shit every year. He’ll score a few goals and then you all start trying to gloat prematurely. And then he goes on a 30-40 game cold streak to end the year and it’s crickets from the same people. The dude sucks, and we’ve all watched the games.

You probably do not read the Rangers board. I have said for a while just show me something on the ice. I do not care about stats. Just show me things to say okay this guy can play. For me its not the goals. It is that he is showing more positive things. Last season his points went up but I felt like his game actually took a step back. His 2023 playoffs was so bad. So far I think Laf is showing so much more on the ice. Part of that may be Bread creating more open ice. Will Laf continue on this path? I hope so but it is just a first step in my opinion. A positive first step for sure. Its not about points. Its about skating, shooting, carrying the puck and passing. Will he continue in his upward projection? I have no idea but I have a lot more hope for Laf than I did 4 weeks ago.

 

[Garbageyuk]

You probably do not read the Rangers board. I have said for a while just show me something on the ice. I do not care about stats. Just show me things to say okay this guy can play. For me its not the goals. It is that he is showing more positive things. Last season his points went up but I felt like his game actually took a step back. His 2023 playoffs was so bad. So far I think Laf is showing so much more on the ice. Part of that may be Bread creating more open ice. Will Laf continue on this path? I hope so but it is just a first step in my opinion. A positive first step for sure. Its not about points. Its about skating, shooting, carrying the puck and passing. Will he continue in his upward projection? I have no idea but I have a lot more hope for Laf than I did 4 weeks ago.

In all seriousness, he’s still a useful player. He probably carves out a decent career as a solid middle-sixer. He may have a season or two of top-six production in him at his peak. Imo, he’s a lot like Kotkaniemi in terms of potential. He just isn’t dynamic in any way and doesn’t have any elite attributes. That’s obviously disappointing for 1st overall, but I wouldn’t call him a bust either. He was expected to be a much more dynamic, elite talent though; there’s no denying that. I do believe that elite potential for him is out of the question at this point, and has been for a while. Like I said though, there’s still some value there, and his draft pedigree is now irrelevant.

 

[NickyFotiu]

In all seriousness, he’s still a useful player. He probably carves out a decent career as a solid middle-sixer. He may have a season or two of top-six production in him at his peak. Imo, he’s a lot like Kotkaniemi in terms of potential. He just isn’t dynamic in any way and doesn’t have any elite attributes. That’s obviously disappointing for 1st overall, but I wouldn’t call him a bust either. He was expected to be a much more dynamic, elite talent though; there’s no denying that. I do believe that elite potential for him is out of the question at this point, and has been for a while. Like I said though, there’s still some value there, and his draft pedigree is now irrelevant.

If you said he has not shown dynamic elite attributes in his first 3 seasons I would agree 100%. Those first 3 seasons are now in the past. So far this year he has already shown me a few things that he did not show me in his first 3 seasons. That is why I have more hope today than I did even just 4 weeks ago. If you can find it go find his undressing of a Dman last night before passing to Chytil (hit the post I think). Go watch his goal where he pulled up and waited for the shot instead of just crashing the net. Those are 2 things I did not see from Laf in his first 3 years and he showed both in just 1 game last night.

 

[AcerComputer]

When as the last time the first 2 picks were busts. Byfield isn’t useful either.

2012 all top 4 picks.

1	1	Edmonton	Nail Yakupov	R	Sarnia Sting [OHL]	350	62	74	136	142	2017-18
1	2	Columbus	Ryan Murray	D	Everett Silvertips [WHL]	445	15	116	131	118	2022-23
1	3	Montreal	Alex Galchenyuk	C	Sarnia Sting [OHL]	654	146	208	354	257	2022-23
1	4	NY Islanders	Griffin Reinhart	D	Edmonton Oil Kings [WHL]	37	0	2	2	26	2016-17

 

[NickyFotiu]

In all seriousness, he’s still a useful player. He probably carves out a decent career as a solid middle-sixer. He may have a season or two of top-six production in him at his peak. Imo, he’s a lot like Kotkaniemi in terms of potential. He just isn’t dynamic in any way and doesn’t have any elite attributes.

We really did not see this kind of play previously.

 

[Garbageyuk]

We really did not see this kind of play previously.

He does look pretty good there, but to be fair, Broberg blew a tire there and Laf still couldn’t bury the chance lmao. He’s shown flashes before and has had the odd highlight reel goal as well.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

He does look pretty good there, but to be fair, Broberg blew a tire there and Laf still couldn’t bury the chance lmao. He’s shown flashes before and has had the odd highlight reel goal as well.

Broberg was toast even if he stayed on his feet. Crossed over the wrong way and Laf beat him with the stickhandle under his stick back inside.

That said, Laf doing something like that is far and few between. It's not like he's doing things like with any regularity and just getting unlucky.

He's been solid since I made this thread, I'll give him that. he's contributing doing the little things, he's still far from 'great'.

I don't understand why some people are thumping their chest though...

 

[NickyFotiu]

He does look pretty good there, but to be fair, Broberg blew a tire there and Laf still couldn’t bury the chance lmao. He’s shown flashes before and has had the odd highlight reel goal as well.

He used a nice move on 2 nice goals in previous years but those were plays already in the offensive end. It was never where he skated from his own end with speed and determination imo. One of Lafs best skills is his ability to lift his backhand so it is ironic he did not score there but the skating and moves are what I was looking for and happy to see.

Broberg was toast even if he stayed on his feet. Crossed over the wrong way and Laf beat him with the stickhandle under his stick back inside.

That said, Laf doing something like that is far and few between. It's not like he's doing things like with any regularity and just getting unlucky.

He's been solid since I made this thread, I'll give him that. he's contributing doing the little things, he's still far from 'great'.

I don't understand why some people are thumping their chest though...

I'm not thumping my chest. Its just fun to have some hope after being so concerned about Laf 4 weeks ago. He is showing us some new stuff. Its a very nice first step in the right direction. Will he keep improving? Who knows but its nice to see the good things now.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

He used a nice move on 2 nice goals in previous years but those were plays already in the offensive end. It was never where he skated from his own end with speed and determination imo. One of Lafs best skills is his ability to lift his backhand so it is ironic he did not score there but the skating and moves are what I was looking for and happy to see.


I'm not thumping my chest. Its just fun to have some hope after being so concerned about Laf 4 weeks ago. He is showing us some new stuff. Its a very nice first step in the right direction. Will he keep improving? Who knows but its nice to see the good things now.

I wasn't referring to you btw. but agree.

Im cautiosly optimistic with him at best for now.

 

[Negan4Coach]

Trade him to wherever Torterella is coaching so he can scream at him and ride him around until he either has a mental breakdown and quits or the lightbulb comes on.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Trade him to wherever Torterella is coaching so he can scream at him and ride him around until he either has a mental breakdown and quits or the lightbulb comes on.

LOL Lafs bubble gum chewing might force Torts to retire all by itself.

 

[3074326]

Ah this thread again. Let us know when his best highlight is actually a goal.

I'm rooting for the kid, but every time I come into a Laf topic it's just a bunch of the same posts that happened three years ago. Hopefully it'll change one day.

 

[lionsDen]

We really did not see this kind of play previously.

That Edmonton defense. Yikes

 

[NickyFotiu]

Ah this thread again. Let us know when his best highlight is actually a goal.

I'm rooting for the kid, but every time I come into a Laf topic it's just a bunch of the same posts that happened three years ago. Hopefully it'll change one day.

Huh? He has scored in 3 straight games.