Player Discussion Alexis Lafreniere

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Laf has more even strength points tonight than Zibanejad has all year.

Idk if thats true but it feels true.

 

[noncents]

Amazing what a confidence, a teams willingness to allow them to play and work through mistakes and playing with similar caliper players can do for you. Too bad there wasn't years and years of players in the league that developed better when a team gives them support and a vote of confidence

imagine chytil after a year with this staff.

 

[LeetchisGod]

imagine chytil after a year with this staff.

Sadly I feel Chytil loss will be felt in the playoffs. He scored so many clutch goals during our run two years ago.

 

[smoneil]

Amazing what a confidence, a teams willingness to allow them to play and work through mistakes and playing with similar caliper players can do for you. Too bad there wasn't years and years of players in the league that developed better when a team gives them support and a vote of confidence

I said this a few months ago, but people really discount the value of confidence in young players, particularly elite draft picks. It is one of the main reasons I thought the team's decision to "slow cook" the kids was dumb.

Top players get force-fed minutes right away not because they are ready for them, but because they have spent their entire playing careers being "the guy" the team relies on to win the game. We took these kids and told them they couldn't play at all if they didn't play it safe as bottom six support players. We fed them to a rookie coach who tried to micro manage their every move. Then we handed them off to Gallant, who pinned the blame on them and refused to give them any real opportunities (I remember several stints where Laf spent four or five games on the top line, played well, and then got moved after two or three bad shifts). They were critiqued, scratched, sent to the 4th line, etc for not playing like good support players, which is a role they'd never played and one we never should have tried for force them into. If there was no space in the top six and PP1, then they should have been sent back to juniors. Better to be "the guy" against lesser talent than play scrap minutes and risk your confidence.

Lavi's best move was to staple Laf to that Bread line and tell him he's got the breathing room to figure it out. The kid's confidence has been growing and growing, and now he IS among the guys we look to to win the game when it's on the line. We lucked out. He was able to get that gamebreaker mentality back. Hopefully Kakko can do the same and the team will learn from this that they are NOT in fact smarter than the rest of the league when it comes to developing top prospects.

 

[smoneil]

imagine chytil after a year with this staff.

If Chytil can come back, I really think that that gives us the bodies to run two amazing PP units (I'd put Kakko and Laf with Tro, Bread, and Fox, and then put Kreider and Zib with Chytil, Jones, and maybe a shooter like Othmann).

 

[BroadwayStorm]

imagine chytil after a year with this staff.

I think Chytil is done as a player. He won't be able to take another tap to the shoulder without being concussed. That is how concussions work. Once you mess that much with the subaracnoid membrane it doesn't get better, it gets worse.

 

[smoneil]

I think Chytil is done as a player. He won't be able to take another tap to the shoulder without being concussed. That is how concussions work. Once you mess that much with the subaracnoid membrane it doesn't get better, it gets worse.

I have concerns, but I also have some hope. Everyone said exactly the same thing about Crosby way back when, and after a bunch of time off and some treatment, the issue seemed to completely disappear. Different bodies seem to react differently to concussions. I'm holding out hope that Chytil can be one of the lucky ones (particularly after he posted the playoffs pic on his Insta--the kid bleeds blue).

 

[FoxyClean]

From last season to this one is an all time vibe shift amongst any player I’ve ever seen in a rangers sweater lol

The only comparison I have is when Mika went god mode in the Covid season and was pacing for 60 goals before the season was cancelled. He only averaged like 50-60pts in his previous 3 seasons as a Ranger.

 

[QJL]

I have concerns, but I also have some hope. Everyone said exactly the same thing about Crosby way back when, and after a bunch of time off and some treatment, the issue seemed to completely disappear. Different bodies seem to react differently to concussions. I'm holding out hope that Chytil can be one of the lucky ones (particularly after he posted the playoffs pic on his Insta--the kid bleeds blue).

Chytil has surpassed the Crosby concussion count.

 

[Row I Goon]

Missed the game as been out bush camping and climbing.

 

[LaffyTaffy13]

If laff took mika’s spot on the pp (which he should) you have a ppg player. He is sooooo good

 

[bhamill]

You have to wonder how many points he would have if he actually took the offseason seriously.

Ahahahahaha

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Sadly I feel Chytil loss will be felt in the playoffs. He scored so many clutch goals during our run two years ago.

I'm mostly worried about him for next year and beyond. His last practice is scary for his future. His speed helped us a lot, we don't have much of that straight line speed.

 

[bhamill]

I still think it was my fat shaming that finally brought him around.

You deserve the Steven McDonald Award!

 

[PuckLuck3043]

Sadly I feel Chytil loss will be felt in the playoffs. He scored so many clutch goals during our run two years ago.

It probably will. A healthy and dynamic Chytil playing 3C would have made the 3rd line a nightmare matchup for other teams. Wennberg has been fine but losing Chytil is a huge loss. I just hope he can come back next year.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Last 28 games

14 G, 12A, 26 Points +16

7 multipoint games

Thats a 41G, 35A, 76 Point pace over 82.

PP points over that span: 2

Lafreniere is now 39th in the NHL in even strength points with 46. Thats one less than Matthew Tkachuk people.

He's also shot up to a top 100 player with 2.04 points per 60 5on5. Higher rate than Jack Hughes.

He's got a legit shot at 60 point season - 8 points in 8 remaining games. In his last 8 hes got 13.

 

[haohmaru]

Last 28 games

14 G, 12A, 26 Points +16

7 multipoint games

Thats a 41G, 35A, 76 Point pace over 82.

PP points over that span: 2

Lafreniere is now 39th in the NHL in even strength points with 46. Thats one less than Matthew Tkachuk people.

He's also shot up to a top 100 player with 2.04 points per 60 5on5. Higher rate than Jack Hughes.

He's got a legit shot at 60 point season - 8 points in 8 remaining games. In his last 8 hes got 13.

Bust

 

[majordomo]

Last 28 games

14 G, 12A, 26 Points +16

7 multipoint games

Thats a 41G, 35A, 76 Point pace over 82.

PP points over that span: 2

Lafreniere is now 39th in the NHL in even strength points with 46. Thats one less than Matthew Tkachuk people.

He's also shot up to a top 100 player with 2.04 points per 60 5on5. Higher rate than Jack Hughes.

He's got a legit shot at 60 point season - 8 points in 8 remaining games. In his last 8 hes got 13.

What a bum -- trade him for used pucks!!!!

 

[majordomo]

I said this a few months ago, but people really discount the value of confidence in young players, particularly elite draft picks. It is one of the main reasons I thought the team's decision to "slow cook" the kids was dumb.

Top players get force-fed minutes right away not because they are ready for them, but because they have spent their entire playing careers being "the guy" the team relies on to win the game. We took these kids and told them they couldn't play at all if they didn't play it safe as bottom six support players. We fed them to a rookie coach who tried to micro manage their every move. Then we handed them off to Gallant, who pinned the blame on them and refused to give them any real opportunities (I remember several stints where Laf spent four or five games on the top line, played well, and then got moved after two or three bad shifts). They were critiqued, scratched, sent to the 4th line, etc for not playing like good support players, which is a role they'd never played and one we never should have tried for force them into. If there was no space in the top six and PP1, then they should have been sent back to juniors. Better to be "the guy" against lesser talent than play scrap minutes and risk your confidence.

Lavi's best move was to staple Laf to that Bread line and tell him he's got the breathing room to figure it out. The kid's confidence has been growing and growing, and now he IS among the guys we look to to win the game when it's on the line. We lucked out. He was able to get that gamebreaker mentality back. Hopefully Kakko can do the same and the team will learn from this that they are NOT in fact smarter than the rest of the league when it comes to developing top prospects.

The bolded has been this organization's MO as far back as I can remember.....at least as far back as John Muckler.

 

[Brutananadilewski]

It's Easter. Act of Contrition is very improtant...but on this side of forums it's called "being served crow."

His skating, carrying the puck into the offensive line, decision making, not being scared to take a hit...

If you were to tell me this kid would improve in all those areas just mere months after being eliminated last season, I'd tell you to give me some of that meth as well.

 

[majordomo]

Of course not. Many of them still probably hate Laf. Rather be right and the team worse.

Some probably more now than they did before.

 

[IDvsEGO]

I have concerns, but I also have some hope. Everyone said exactly the same thing about Crosby way back when, and after a bunch of time off and some treatment, the issue seemed to completely disappear. Different bodies seem to react differently to concussions. I'm holding out hope that Chytil can be one of the lucky ones (particularly after he posted the playoffs pic on his Insta--the kid bleeds blue).

Crosby was a very different situation.
Crosby was a spine injury that had been misdiagnosed as a concussion, Once they correctly diagnosed the spine injury he hasn't missed any major time since.
I imagine that they are absolutely checking Chytil for spine injuries after that mishap.

 

[FultonReed]

Laf has more even strength points tonight than Zibanejad has all year.

Idk if thats true but it feels true.

he's got 33 on the season, so you're not exactly far off lol

 

[NickyFotiu]

Thing I really liked was despite having 2 goals he fed Jones on the 2 on 1.

 

[HolyHagelin]

Thing I really liked was despite having 2 goals he fed Jones on the 2 on 1.

Especially since he had scored from essentially the same spot earlier, the goalie has to play him straight up making the pass even more of a dunk