Player Discussion Alexis Lafreniere

[iamitter]

Do you think there is no causation from him playing with Laf? Again, Laf already had 1st line 5v5 goal production. Bread hadnt played with a guy like that since Kane.

32 year old hockey players are usually past the “career year” part of their careers. Panarin is absolutely benefitting from the line changes as well.

I'm a Laf fan. He's taken many steps forward this season, but let's not compare him to Patrick Kane just yet.

I'm sure playing with good players has elevated Panarin's game, but let's not kid ourselves who the line driver is here. Panarin has like twice the points Laffy does.

If you split them up, Laffy would likely still have a good season and Panarin would likely still have one of the best seasons a Ranger has ever had. It doesn't take away from his growth to call out that just perhaps he might have a few free points here and there. Trocheck is also having a career year and he's been wonderful, but he also has a bit of number inflation.

His s% wasnt so high as to think its impossivle for a 1OA. Matthews or Draisaitl shoot 17% and it is just a year. There is no reason to expect lafreniere to have league average shooting talent; his s% should be high. Have you seen what he does with that backhand? I will be surprised if he doesnt hit 15%+ more years than not moving forward.

Matthews is a generational goal scorer. If I were to say what I'd love Laf to improve in the future, it'd be his shot. It's pretty weak overall compared to the rest of his toolkit.

 

[noncents]

rangers fans who were insistent that lafreniere was a bust, sucked, should be moved, etc. are generally unwilling to acknowledge that for many of us, the seeds of the success he is reaping this year were easy to see from the start.

he has improved his skating dynamically this year, which in this league goes incredibly far. but he's not a new player. if you think he is, you just didn't look hard enough or didn't see what the real blockers were.

the pure inanity of his - the entire teams - deployment along JV/Varsity lines, where Quinn saw that Fast had worked with bread-strome and proceeded to play dryden hunt, sammy blais, blackwell, goodrow, rooney, etc etc etc on panarins line instead of one of our top 2 picks cost laf/kakko and probably panarin dozens of points in the aggregate.

factor in deployment with the vet/youth culture, where global supply chain issues were the only infringement upon the infinite lengthening vet leashes while young players (including chytil) were stapled to the bench for a single bad play, while Quinn 'coached' Kakko not to skate up ice with the puck on his backhand like he was bitching out some masshole sophomore fratstar failing rocks for jocks and nursing the flareups of his herpes simplex B, and i am assured that young player confidence is assuredly a factor.

the production was disappointing but the signs were there. The development and deployment were f***ing poor. Players are responsible but in a league with this much unwritten rules of honor and humility there is only so much they can do.

let's all enjoy Laf's ascendancy. maybe the focus on his and kakkos development as "complete players" will be some sort of silver lining in the postseason. I recall his first shift of the 2022 playoffs when he threw 2 big hits, and i loved him for it. i remember thinking last year that he would need to become a real Guy on this team for NYR to have a shot at a cup.

i still think the latter is true. Lafreniere is one of the keys to this teams success. I know he's humble and loves to fit within the team context, but i feel like he has room to embrace on-ice leadership in the form of dominant play/willing team to succeed.

 

[bhamill]

He scored a lot of goals at 5v5 in his two two years largely on account of very high shooting percentages. That was never going to continue and I certainly wouldn't have called him a good goal scorer in those years. Last year he didn't score that many 5v5 goals. He was 198th in the league among forwards with 500+ mins with 0.66 goals/60. This year he has scored a ton of 5v5 goals because he is actually the guy on the ice making plays and contributing. He's massively increased his shot rate.

And yet his 5v5 goal scoring DID continue. 12, 19, 13, 25 in his four seasons. So yeah he always did well scoring goals at 5v5 and to say he did nothing well was objectively incorrect. His "down year" as a 21 year old was 13 EV goals. He also played well as a physical forward, only Trocheck was hitting more than him among forwards.
I also remember people telling me his shot rate per game would likely not go up, so we should expect that he wouldn't score many goals going forward...
Also, his shooting percentage is 13 this year, his average for his career is 14.2...

 

[Machinehead]

To each their own

I maintain I don't want it.

Not because of a curse, but due to the fact that they shouldn't be going balls to the wall for that trophy & because the playing style of reg season doesn't necessarily translate to the post season.

This team will need to significantly tighten up defensively & nut up physically.

But I digress.

"Don't play balls to the wall."

"Tighten up defensively and nut up physically."

Pick one.

 

[SA16]

His s% wasnt so high as to think its impossivle for a 1OA. Matthews or Draisaitl shoot 17% and it is just a year. There is no reason to expect lafreniere to have league average shooting talent; his s% should be high. Have you seen what he does with that backhand? I will be surprised if he doesnt hit 15%+ more years than not moving forward.

He is most likely not one of the best goal scorers in league history like Auston Matthews. And his goals in those 20% shooting years did not come from great shots beating the goalie. He's been doing more of that this year.

 

[noncents]

"Don't play balls to the wall."

"Tighten up defensively and nut up physically."

Pick one.

hahaha

 

[IDvsEGO]

He is most likely not one of the best goal scorers in league history like Auston Matthews. And his goals in those 20% shooting years did not come from great shots beating the goalie. He's been doing more of that this year.

No, but he has one of the best passers in the game creating space for him now, and he has a high end shot. He’s not Matthews but that backhand is elite, and those are extremely hard to read. He’s been changing his release angle more too which is going to also help scoring rates.

 

[HolyHagelin]

He is most likely not one of the best goal scorers in league history like Auston Matthews. And his goals in those 20% shooting years did not come from great shots beating the goalie. He's been doing more of that this year.

He never shot 20% he shot 17% that is a massive difference.

That said, this list doesn’t read like a bunch of guys Laf can’t be better than.

NHL Shooting Percentage Leaders This Season | StatMuse

Sam Reinhart had the best shot percentage this season, at 24.5 percent.

www.statmuse.com

ETA - and, his s% wil go up when he ascends to PP1. Book it.

 

[SA16]

He never shot 20% he shot 17% that is a massive difference.

That said, this list doesn’t read like a bunch of guys Laf can’t be better than.

NHL Shooting Percentage Leaders This Season | StatMuse

Sam Reinhart had the best shot percentage this season, at 24.5 percent.

www.statmuse.com

ETA - and, his s% wil go up when he ascends to PP1. Book it.

He shot 20%. 18 goals on 90 shots in 2021-2022. Of course I am referring to 5v5 as stated in my original post.

 

[bhamill]

He is most likely not one of the best goal scorers in league history like Auston Matthews. And his goals in those 20% shooting years did not come from great shots beating the goalie. He's been doing more of that this year.

True, his goals during his two 17% (or 20% if you wish) seasons were scored mainly due to positioning, going to the net, finding open ice and the puck for slam dunks, not his shot, though he did show flashes, especially with the backhand. But that doesn't change the fact that scoring 5v5 goals was something he has done "well" right from his rookie season on out. He's just shown he can do it different ways... not exactly a negative.
Also, he scored 0 PP goals his first two years so 5v5 vs EV is really more of a distinction without a difference to me. The PP is where the massive difference in scoring happens, 5v5, 4v4, 3v3 there's no manpower advantage. But if you want to be a stickler about it: he always scored goals well at EVEN STRENGTH still says he did something well. And its even less specific than using 5v5. Either way the point is that people saying he did nothing well were objectively WRONG.

 

[McRanger92]

If he doesn't get pp1 time before he's ufa eligible will he walk when he is?

I think the focus currently is winning a Stanley cup. Nothing a young player does statistically will ever make them more money in their career than winning a Cup in NYC.

I expect a 6-7 by 6-7 mil contract once he’s eligible

 

[jay from jersey]

All it took was playing with one of our forwards who is having one of the best Ranger seasons of all time

Cheap shot here…..
Laf has absolutely benefitted from Panarin playing great/vision/passing he’ll even practicing together, but Panarin is also benefitting from having Laf on his line…. And TBH, they both benefit from having Trochek. That 3 combo just clicks…. Laf/tros intensity has given Panarin energy to feed off of all year….
Panarin is absolutely shooting more, back checking more, etc….
He put up a lot of points last season( looks like a different player on the ice this year though), put up a lot of points with strome, etc.
This is the best he’s been since before Wilson rag dolled him…..
Laf has always had magic mitts.
Whether it be his wrister which is lethal, or his backhand, or in tight around the net, his talent was always there.
He’s def benefitted from a confidence boost by playing with these 2…. He’s getting better on angles of pursuit/attack, learning when to peel off, pass the puck thru the middle….. part of it is def confidence. He’s feeling his mojo and turning into what everyone saw before he was drafted….
Another part is his foot work… skating wise, his legs are constantly moving. He’s not walking thru sludge to get to open areas of the ice.
Hes also way more explosive in his first 2-3 strides which gives him more separation and more time to make a play.

My biggest takeaway from last season to this is prior, he was a talented guy with no confidence whose shown flashes of being a beast, but deficiencies in his game and lack of confidence kept him from hitting the next gear, like a stutzle/hughes

Now this season, he’s worked on the things he needed to in the offseason, and his confidence is building more and more as the season goes on…. All his hard work is paying off…..
He’s arriving at what he’s supposed to be…. I’m still in the camp that wants him on 1PP sooner rather then later…
Getting 5 v4 opportunities and open ice is crucial for offensive guys…. But I digress.

 

[UnSandvich]

Remember also that Panarin-Trocheck did not look nearly as good together last year. I remember someone (might’ve been machinehead but I really don’t remember) being adamant that they don’t work together. Now all 3 are having career years

 

[Machinehead]

Remember also that Panarin-Trocheck did not look nearly as good together last year. I remember someone (might’ve been machinehead but I really don’t remember) being adamant that they don’t work together. Now all 3 are having career years

Last year, I don't remember what it was. I was just made Kane was there.

Earlier this year, I argued that people were overrating them as a line because their 5v5 goal differential was only even.

They've really picked it up. They're like +13 in the second half.

 

[UnSandvich]

Last year, I don't remember what it was. I was just made Kane was there.

Earlier this year, I argued that people were overrating them as a line because their 5v5 goal differential was only even.

They've really picked it up. They're like +13 in the second half.

Kane definitely ruined everything I agree. I just remember it being someone I Normally agreed with haha

 

[noncents]

f*** patrick kane and that guy jonny lazerus who said he wanted kane to get revenge against NYR in the playoffs.

more like i want NYR to get revenge on him for screwing up the team chemistry by whining his way here when he only had one leg

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Last year, I don't remember what it was. I was just made Kane was there.

Earlier this year, I argued that people were overrating them as a line because their 5v5 goal differential was only even.

They've really picked it up. They're like +13 in the second half.

Laf has 15 goals since the ASB.All of them at ES minus the ENG he had the other night and that technically counts too. Thats the same amount as Panarin at ES

If you want to see your reason why things have turned around for that line, thats why. The shots that weren't going in for him before have been going in. They haven't gotten any better defensively and I doubt they grade out much better with the chance share since then either.

They're just finishing better and by them I mean Laf.

 

[noncents]

laf is so sick, y'all.

 

[Luger]

If Panarin at 34 looks close to Panarin at 32 it’s a no brainer to sign him...

Milk that expires on April 10 tastes as good today as it did last week, but you probably shouldn't buy it because it's about to go bad.

 

[bhamill]

Milk that expires on April 10 tastes as good today as it did last week, but you probably shouldn't buy it because it's about to go bad.

Sure, if you plan to keep it for two weeks instead of three days. Hence saying it depends on the term and AAV.

 

[GAGLine]

f*** patrick kane and that guy jonny lazerus who said he wanted kane to get revenge against NYR in the playoffs.

more like i want NYR to get revenge on him for screwing up the team chemistry by whining his way here when he only had one leg

If Kane had been willing to take a min contract for 1 year, he might have been a Ranger this year. We can't give him money we don't have.

 

[duhmetreE]

He and Panarin are heating up just at the right time

 

[Riche16]

"Don't play balls to the wall."

"Tighten up defensively and nut up physically."

Pick one.

In the playoffs... not in the reg season.

We have a new coach but those things were lacking in the past post seasons.

You're the stat guy... high danger chances vs NJ & the prior season to Pitt & the Lightning couldn't have been great.

 

[Luger]

If Laf proves to be a long term 1RW, it would be big. Together with Perreault and Kakko, that's a solid group of very young RWs.

We have Othmann, Cuylle and Sykora on the LW, and all 3 should be NHLers, but I don't know if any of them becomes a 1LW.

Centers are where the problem lies, but maybe it gets fixed through the draft. Hopefully Chytil recovers and returns healthy.

 

[bleedblue94]

I saw a 22 year old scoring 40 points at 5v5 with no PP time, mostly getting 3rd line minutes, with very good D and excellent possession, so yes I saw a future top 6 player. I still see it. Unfortunately, the only top six wing open is with Zibs and Kreids where NO ONE flourishes. No one has clicked with them in YEARS.

Agree to disagree. The whole points argument used to justify what a player is is tiring. Sometimes players accumulate points from linemates, sometimes it's a hot streak, sometimes they are good players. If you watch kakko 5 years in and nothing demonstratively screams top 6 player. You hope, you see flashes, but 5 years in generally if you are still hoping. And this isn't about 20 and 93, kakko has never found consistency with anyone except occasional spurts with the kid line. Again, 5 years in and you're left just hoping it happens, but how many players in the NHL are regular top 6 players that can't effectively create anything on the rush?