Player Discussion Alexis Lafrenière: Part II
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LOFIN
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- Sep 16, 2011
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I don't understand how some posters have this idea that we should slot guys who have played winger for basically their whole career, to center. Might as well throw them in goal next time. I've seen this proposed for Kakko, Kravtsov and now Laf.
Size has nothing to do with being a good center, positioning and technical ability (taking the faceoffs) is. Being defensively responsible.
These kids have enough on their plate to break through as good NHLers, so let's not pour on some more challenge by forcing them to a position that is not natural for them
Size has nothing to do with being a good center, positioning and technical ability (taking the faceoffs) is. Being defensively responsible.
These kids have enough on their plate to break through as good NHLers, so let's not pour on some more challenge by forcing them to a position that is not natural for them
TominNC
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It's funny. I read one post where it's said that the best way to break in centers is to start them on wing, then every third post about a wing who people want to force into center. Fans love to play guys out of position.
Amazing Kreiderman
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- Apr 11, 2011
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Positions are much more fluid in today's NHL. More and more players are comfortable in different positions as open play becomes more dynamic and the positioning mostly dictates where one lines up for the face off.
That said, there are still certain players who prefer to stick to 1 spot.
Kreider at LW, Cuylle at RW, Khodorenko and Richards at C for instance.
SA16
Sixstring
Their whole career? He’s talking about kids who are 18, 19 years old. If you’re that young and supposedly this elite prospect I’m pretty sure you can learn to play a different position.
EdJovanovski
#RempeForCalder
just curious if there are any good examples of a high quality winger that was converted to a successful, high quality centerman in the last 20 years or so?
SA16
Sixstring
You know you've been brainwashed by the NHL Hockey Men when you believe center is this mythical position that is absolutely impossible to learn unless you played it your entire life. Even if you're 18 years old. Too old to learn it. Meanwhile in the MLB you have guys playing multiple positions in the infield and outfield, you have one guy who pitches and hits, in the NFL you have guys shift between receiver and running back, corner and safety, safety and linebacker, and then even bring in basketball players to play TE and they switch QBs who've never played anything else to other positions coming out of college.
But of course. Hockey is different. In fact, it's so different that it's not even worth the time of day to even try it in practice, preseason, or a few regular season games to see how it works. You just know for sure it won't work and is a waste of time.
But of course. Hockey is different. In fact, it's so different that it's not even worth the time of day to even try it in practice, preseason, or a few regular season games to see how it works. You just know for sure it won't work and is a waste of time.
Amazing Kreiderman
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Based on draft recaps, these later successful centers were drafted as wingers.
Sebastian Aho
Kevin Hayes
Claude Giroux
Evgeni Kuznetsov
Phillip Danault
SA16
Sixstring
Ok how about Antonio Gates then?
just classic hockey when management is years behind the times. NBA teams make deadline trades with like five first round picks for superstars in an hour. Nhl teams take months to trade a 4th for a depth defenseman. Took forever for teams to even adopt a 4F 1D PP
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JT Miller too no?
If you have the skillset, I don't see the issue. We're asking a kid to use his skillset and learn something new-ish/slightly different. Not become an Offensive Lineman for football.
Of our players, I truly think Kravtsov can be a Center and excel at it. He has the skillset. Lafreniere could do it theoretically but his skating, as it currently is, would be a limitation.
SA16
Sixstring
It’s impossible to change positions. Meanwhile our top 4 LD is a converted forward who didn’t play a full season on d until his first year with the US National development team at age 16-17. And that’s a far more significant change than wing to center.
Irishguy42
Mr. Preachy
Amazing Kreiderman
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I don't get the concern with ruining Lafreniere by converting him to center. Seemingly every scouting report before his draft stated some form of "he plays like a center".
What is the concern with the position? That it's too much responsibility? Ok, but go through that to speculate more precisely whether its actually too much or just more.
What is a centerman responsible for? Supporting defensemen down low. Transitioning the puck in the defensive and neutral zones either by skating or passing. Faceoffs. Facilitating cycles in the offensive zone and coordinating attacks from above the puck.
What in that list is so in contradiction with Lafreniere's strengths? Faceoffs? Defensive awareness? The good news is those are learnable skills. For someone like Kakko, he's better as a winger because he can't accelerate out of turns like lafreniere in open ice. He can't cover east west as effectively. As a wing, he moves more or less north south until hes in the attacking zone where his agility and quickness are more effective coming off the walls, out of the corners, behind the net and in front of the net.
Lafreniere's a really different player. He's got the speed and vision east west. He's got the shot to score from distance. He's got the competetiveness--the attitude--to battle in faceoff dots and take the responsibility on without being overwhelmed. I mean this kid was compared to Crosby as often as he was anybody.
What is the concern with the position? That it's too much responsibility? Ok, but go through that to speculate more precisely whether its actually too much or just more.
What is a centerman responsible for? Supporting defensemen down low. Transitioning the puck in the defensive and neutral zones either by skating or passing. Faceoffs. Facilitating cycles in the offensive zone and coordinating attacks from above the puck.
What in that list is so in contradiction with Lafreniere's strengths? Faceoffs? Defensive awareness? The good news is those are learnable skills. For someone like Kakko, he's better as a winger because he can't accelerate out of turns like lafreniere in open ice. He can't cover east west as effectively. As a wing, he moves more or less north south until hes in the attacking zone where his agility and quickness are more effective coming off the walls, out of the corners, behind the net and in front of the net.
Lafreniere's a really different player. He's got the speed and vision east west. He's got the shot to score from distance. He's got the competetiveness--the attitude--to battle in faceoff dots and take the responsibility on without being overwhelmed. I mean this kid was compared to Crosby as often as he was anybody.
I also think that is most likely Gallants intention. I think he has it in his head
kreider-Zibanejad-LaF
Panarin-Strome- Blais/Kravtsov
Goodrow-Chytil-Kakko
Hunt- Rooney-Reaves/Blais/Kravtsov
rather not see Kravtsov on 4th line, but I’m not sure where else he would line up if Blais and Panarin click.
Gallant has said, multiple times now, he’s not against moving LaF to RW. I don’t know how well he’s going to play there, but I have no doubt it’s going to be tried at some point.
Wonder is he wants to try Kravtsov on LW????
I still see too many wings and not enough spots. Not to mention Gauthier if he’s not waived. Also not too mention Barron if he has a lights out camp and Gallant envisions his as his 3C for now and the future.
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LOFIN
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Aho had played center for a lot his pre-NA career. Yes, he played his first NHL season as a winger but that doesn't mean he was converted from winger to center. They merely eased him into NHL hockey by giving him an easier position to play.
In the end, while I don't think trying to convert one of our wingers to center is going to work, how about we let them become good wingers in the NHL level first and then begin these experiments (which I doubt the organization or Gallant is interested in anyway).
Amazing Kreiderman
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I know he played as a center in Finland, but in his draft he was often listed as a winger.
All I care about as to Laf is that he hopefully focused on skating since we last saw him.
If there is improvement there, I'm guessing an enormous improvement is a coming.
If there is improvement there, I'm guessing an enormous improvement is a coming.
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