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

[Mrb1p]

Because apparently at least one poster hates Panarin the same way you hate Laf (and Phila)

Also, cheesesteaks are honestly pretty delicious. Your loss

Honestly Philly is a dump

 

[TGWL]

Are there 31 teams that didn't offer a 2nd or a 3rd for Laf? Laf was there for the taking. I think.

The NYR have to be willing to make that trade. Considering they had no cap space to work with and were able to fit Laf, even if they gave up on him, that trade makes no sense since even before this season he was better than a call up and cheaper than anything we could get.

 

[TGWL]

This dude is having the most fraudulent breakout season in NHL history. 49 point pace while shooting an unsustainable 20% yet he's "finally arrived"

It's not points. It's never been points. The only time points come into the conversation is when fans try to justify his play by talking about even strength points, or fans try to write bust all over him because of production.

The "finally arrived" is about playing like a top 6 player. It's about contributing on the ice - making plays. Being engaged. Being involved. Being an actual threat on the ice whether that produces a goal or not. The finally arrived doesn't mean "The franchise player is here."

 

[Toronto makebeleifs]

I dont see laf as a bust at all. Folks on HF really need to cool their jets on thinking every player picked in the top 5 is going to be a surefire HOF candidate. The kid is still young, and like ALOT of the kids from the Q, still refining his game to have it work in the big leagues. Fact of the matter is, he's an NHL player and is contributing. He's a good player, but tempered expectations needed to happen with him and should still happen, as his play comps less 'vinnie lecavalier' and more 'olli jokinen'. (That's not a knock. Jokinen was a very solid player)

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

He had ~2 good weeks after playing like garbage for 3 years and Rags fans were ready for the HOF induction.

Unsustainable shooting % falling back down to earth.

He is who we thought he was.

 

[AirGut]

He had ~2 good weeks after playing like garbage for 3 years and Rags fans were ready for the HOF induction.

Unsustainable shooting % falling back down to earth.

He is who we thought he was.

you're not watching him shift by shift, he looks like a completely different player and person

 

[klingsor]

He had ~2 good weeks after playing like garbage for 3 years and Rags fans were ready for the HOF induction.

Unsustainable shooting % falling back down to earth.

He is who we thought he was.

The Royal We, eh?

 

[Machinehead]

Of course the shooting percentage is going to come down a bit. Show me all the Rangers fans unironically predicting he'd score 40+ goals and I'll send you money.

It's very disingenuous to say he hasn't improved.

Also, here are his shooting percentages by year - 17.9, 17.3, 11.9, 18.6. He shoots high. It's been 236 games. Some guys shoot higher than others.

People said Kreider scoring 50 was a complete fluke and now he certainly looks like he's going to blow past 40 again. Over his last 230 NHL games, Kreider shoots 19%. He's capable of it.

Scoring has gone way up since Lafreniere's career started and we have to recalibrate in our brains what a sustainable shooting percentage is.

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

He "shoots high" because his only scoring chances are tap in attempts on passes from Panarin.

 

[Sabre the Win]

He "shoots high" because his only scoring chances are tap in attempts on passes from Panarin.

or a rebound from another player shooting it. He barely does the work.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Just a points leech off Panarin at this stage in his career, probably going to command a 5 x 4 or 4 x 4 or something like that and not be particularly affordable for his value because he STILL doesn't kill penalties despite being a 4th year player that doesn't score enough to be a true top liner, last couple seasons in NYR.

 

[Goptor]

I've been a big Laf hater but if the Rangers fans say he looks a lot better, then its likely true.

The guy always failed the eye test. A typical Laf shift would have him decide to be the trailer on the rush in hopes of getting a free shot on goal, then turning around and going to the neutral zone if the puck ever got contested. Dude was so invisible he wasn't even picked up by the cameraman.

The stats never really mattered, you had to see his play.

 

[Wierzbowski426]

I think he looks amazing, has figured it all out and should ask for something like 8x9 mil per, better get him on one of those other good contracts for young stars.

 

[kroufum]

This thread is comical. You'd have to be completely blind not to see how much better Lafreniere looked so far this season.

 

[NJ DevLolz]

Lmao you just proved the guy’s point. Rent free, choo choo.

lol yeah. Points out you have a negative asset in Trouba and how Laf is one of the biggest draft disappointments ever but “rent free!!1!”

 

[gearharb]

I've watched about 10 NYR games this year, have yet to see one where Laf stood out. Last night against Buffalo he looked slow and disinterested.

 

[aufheben]

I've watched about 10 NYR games this year, have yet to see one where Laf stood out. Last night against Buffalo he looked slow and disinterested.

You think a game where the Rangers lost 5-1 to the Sabres is the best one to cite? Bonino wears #12 are you sure you didn’t get them confused?

 

[Machinehead]

He "shoots high" because his only scoring chances are tap in attempts on passes from Panarin.

Yes.

He has proven he can do that and keep doing that, and if it was that easy, everyone would just score 50 goals and games would end 12-11.

Maybe it's not what you wanted out of a 1OA, that's completely fair, but being a good finisher around the net is a real skill that not everyone has.

If that's what he does while driving play, I take that.

 

[Windy River]

I've watched about 10 NYR games this year, have yet to see one where Laf stood out. Last night against Buffalo he looked slow and disinterested.

I watch about a dozen Rangers games per year, sad to say I've rarely seen a shift where Laf stood out, let alone an entire game, over the last 4 years.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Yes.

He has proven he can do that and keep doing that, and if it was that easy, everyone would just score 50 goals and games would end 12-11.

Maybe it's not what you wanted out of a 1OA, that's completely fair, but being a good finisher around the net is a real skill that not everyone has.

If that's what he does while driving play, I take that.

I didn't know Ranger fans have such a low bar for what constitutes 'driving play' especially with all the real talent you have had over the years.

 

[I Hate Philadelphia]

I watch about a dozen Rangers games per year, sad to say I've rarely seen a shift where Laf stood out, let alone an entire game, over the last 4 years.

Nah man, he shot 40% for 2 weeks on tap in passes from his $12mil/yr linemate, he's a legit #1ovr superstar!!!!

 

[DearDiary]

This thread is comical. You'd have to be completely blind not to see how much better Lafreniere looked so far this season.

His stats look better over the recent unsustainable stretch, but the product on the ice looks the same. I have to question if you've actually watched him play this season

 

[bandwagonesque]

Can we just agree it's great the members of the jury finally get to be reunited with their families after 4 years?

 

[Machinehead]

I didn't know Ranger fans have such a low bar for what constitutes 'driving play' especially with all the real talent you have had over the years.

The team is much better at 5v5 this year with him on the ice than not on the ice. It's an objective statement.

 

[Machinehead]

This thread is comical. You'd have to be completely blind not to see how much better Lafreniere looked so far this season.

This thread right now speaks to the sensationalist and poop-flinging nature of the internet.

Absolutely nobody is saying he's some superstar. People are saying he's improved and been a pretty effective player so far this season.

You can't even have that. He has to suck and be the worst draft pick of all-time so people can continue cracking themselves up online.