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When do you start to worry about Kakko & Laffy?

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SnowblindNYR said:
Honestly, when drafting #2 overall I don't want one of his positives being "well he'll be cheap to sign". I want a good 1st line player if not better.
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I said an equivalent player. I am going to make up numbers for an example. If a 50 point player with Selke level defense is worth 3 WAR and a 80 point winger with bad defense is worth 3 WAR the first one is better to have because he will cost less.
 
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It's hard to even take what Laff is doing right now on the ice seriously because to me it looks like he's just not physically conditioned to play in the NHL right now. He needs to go 100% every shift, every game. There are these flashes I see where he turns, grabs puck, and rushes it forward weaving in and out looking for a good pass to make.. but he's gotta learn and be able to perform with that high level of aggression.

I'm starting to see it with Kakko, So i'm pleased for the most part. Need to continue to see him drive the play - but also take a second to think the game and make the appropriate play.
 
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Whatever they become they were both absolute no brainer picks. If they dont become stars that would just be 100% typical Rangers luck. How many deals with the devil were made in June of 94?

That being said these kids cant even buy a round yet, not time to worry.
 
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jay from jersey said:
Along with this covid year and not great usage by Quinn I think LaF started to believe his own headlines in the offseason. It didn’t look like he trained as hard, turned down the worlds, and didn’t play organized hockey for 10-11 months. You can already see he has the physical tools and is better adapted then kakko his first year. He’s also physically more mature in his body. But the long lay off hurt him. I think next year your going to see a kid with a chip on his shoulder to prove a lot of people wrong. The flashes of brilliance and the vision are there. The stuff you can’t really teach, however he needs to really work on his legs and keep them moving all game long. Game wise he’s playing against better competition and the least amount of minutes he’s probably ever played since he was a tyke. I think he thought he was going to have a lot easier time adjusting to NHL game speed and the players he faces. But he hit some speed bumps along the way. Hope he learns early and starts working his ass off in the offseason.
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100% this. Plus the fact that the idiot Quinn started playing the 19yo rookie with no preseason NHL games under his belt, on his off wing the very first game. I am convinced that with a full off season of conditioning and NO QUINN we will see a vastly different player next year. If that is not the case then and only then will I be concerned.
 
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We’re Rangers fans, expect the worst, hope for the best.

I will say that I was much more hyped for Kakko going off of HF predraft expectations, but I learned my lesson on that one. I don’t watch these kids before they get drafted, just hope it works out, if it doesn’t it doesn’t. Nothing I can do about it, so can’t really worry about it.
 
I'd argue that Chytil, and now Kakko are just becoming NHL ready and Laff is not.

I'd also say that none of them are franchise, elite level players, and their ceiling are more in like 55-75 point players over 82 games.

While not ideal, that does make me feel like the Rangers should be more comfortable trying to extend Fox long term if he'll go that route.

Oddly enough I am starting to come to the conclusion that Fox is the only elite player who will come out of their rebuild.
 
Off Sides said:
I'd argue that Chytil, and now Kakko are just becoming NHL ready and Laff is not.

I'd also say that none of them are franchise, elite level players, and their ceiling are more in like 55-75 point players over 82 games.

While not ideal, that does make me feel like the Rangers should be more comfortable trying to extend Fox long term if he'll go that route.

Oddly enough I am starting to come to the conclusion that Fox is the only elite player who will come out of their rebuild.
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The Rangers couldn't get a top pick their entire existence and won't even get one elite player out of it. Only the Rangers.
 
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SnowblindNYR said:
The Rangers couldn't get a top pick their entire existence and won't even get one elite player out of it. Only the Rangers.
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And the Devils and Flyers 2017. Jets just moved their #2 pick 2016 in Laine for the Jackets #3 pick same draft. Buffalo with Reinhart #2 in 2014. Top 4 picks in 2012.

The outliers are when there is a McDavid, Crosby, AO Matthews, available to draft. Rangers seem to be working with the former more so than the latter.
 
Off Sides said:
And the Devils and Flyers 2017. Jets just moved their #2 pick 2016 in Laine for the Jackets #3 pick same draft. Buffalo with Reinhart #2 in 2014. Top 4 picks in 2012.

The outliers are when there is a McDavid, Crosby, AO Matthews, available to draft. Rangers seem to be working with the former more so than the latter.
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Laf was supposed to be on the Matthews level though.
 
Off Sides said:
And the Devils and Flyers 2017. Jets just moved their #2 pick 2016 in Laine for the Jackets #3 pick same draft. Buffalo with Reinhart #2 in 2014. Top 4 picks in 2012.

The outliers are when there is a McDavid, Crosby, AO Matthews, available to draft. Rangers seem to be working with the former more so than the latter.
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Yeah, this is a sobering view for sure. We all knew the Kakko draft was “weak”, but this absolutely wasn’t supposed to be the case for Lafreniere.

The best part is, the next couple of drafts after this year look to have several of those elite guys. The Rangers will of course be out of the lottery by then.

Just gotta hope these kids are on a long development curve and that they come around eventually. And by come around I mean “be much better than Brandon Dubinsky and Derek Stepan”.
 
egelband said:
I would like to see Lafreniere get more involved. He has been ridiculously timid for a first overall pick. But I’m still far from worried. Kakko is also a bit timid but he’s stepping up. He reminds me of a Buchnevich in how he’s literally feeling his way through the league, exploring his power. But it’s happening way sooner for Kakko. And I think, much more explosively. What Kakko can do in one or two strides is impressive. He just needs to do it more.
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Most 1-OAs walk into a tire fire of a team, and are cut loose to play 20 mins a night. Thats not Lafs situation. He walked onto a team that wanted to battle to a playoff spot, even if it meant tight, conservative play.
 
ElLeetch said:
Most 1-OAs walk into a tire fire of a team, and are cut loose to play 20 mins a night. Thats not Lafs situation. He walked onto a team that wanted to battle to a playoff spot, even if it meant tight, conservative play.
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Yup, Laffy would normally play where Panarin plays. And Kakko on the other side of that 1st line the previous year. That would still be a tire fire of a team though if they played there.
 
LafreNYR said:
If they don't produce at an 0.5 point per game pace next season, is it time to hit the panic button?

Even if they improve in some aspects, their main role is offensive production.

When does their lack of offensive production become an issue, in your opinion?
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Already have, now I am at the point where I stopped caring and moved on to other more important things. Good coaching staff needs to be hired, but seems like GM is not willing to do that, so likely a good GM needs to be hired first.
 
Bluto said:
Laf needs to go get 1st line/1st pp/ 1st pk mins in hartford.

I think kakko is showing that he will be a perennial selke candidate. If he can be a 50 point selke winger, thats a win in my book.
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Yes, but Lafrenière cannot play in Hartford this season. He's not eligible.
 
I would say next year for sure. There won't be nearly as many excuses for them with covid hopefully behind us. Also, unlike this year I think they're going to be seen as playoff contenders from the get go and these guys will either be the reason we make it (and actually win a round or two) or we don't.
 
When to worry? Maybe in 3 years. They were drafted for what they'd be in their prime, not as rookies.
Kakko's improvement in impact, despite point totals, in 2d year has been dramatic. Yesterday's game showed that, his size, skill, tenacity is showing he is getting it together, and the numbers will come.
Laf has shown where he is heading too
Don't let their draft position create false urgency.
Don't let that some other very young players have impacted the scoresheet more often drive meaningless comparisons
This NYR team has a very deep, strong top 5/6, and this coaching staff is bringing the kids along gradually
Right in time for serious competitive contention beginning after next season.
Look at the big picture and be excited by the team's promise
IMHO, This season's results and stats are irrelevent.
 
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