Player Discussion Rookie Max Lajoie

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Lol, Lajoie is still without a doubt our most consistently best defensive dman(Chabot shares the honor too but he's had games a bit worse).

Lajoie was excellent in his last 2 games, I dunno what some of y'all saying about him struggling. He's not PLAYING like a top 2 defender, but he's still def the best of what's already available. Hard to ask for more than that. He consistently was breaking up 1on1 plays and winning board battles and settling down the play and getting the puck out constantly even if his teammates f'd up.

 

[stempniaksen]

Lol, Lajoie is still without a doubt our most consistently best defensive dman(Chabot shares the honor too but he's had games a bit worse).

Lajoie was excellent in his last 2 games, I dunno what some of y'all saying about him struggling. He's not PLAYING like a top 2 defender, but he's still def the best of what's already available. Hard to ask for more than that. He consistently was breaking up 1on1 plays and winning board battles and settling down the play and getting the puck out constantly even if his teammates f'd up.

The shiniest turd int he bowl is still a turd.

It's not the kid's fault he's here, but he really should have started the season in Belleville. It would be nice if we had enough depth to have started all the rookie D's in the AHL and then based on how they played down there called them up (similar to how it ended up working with Batherson). He's made the best of a poor situation, but I also can't help but feel like the organization threw this kid to the wolves (all the D honestly, but Lajoie in particular).

 

[TheBradyBunch]

The issues he's having can't really be blamed on his partner imo. I think it's more likely that he's just hit that rookie wall.

Clearly you've never taken a class on logic or statistics. Correlation = causation, guy.

I would like to see him in the AHL but we'd need to acquire a DMan to replace him. Honestly, it shouldn't be too hard - we could easily get one of the Chicago or SJ guys and give up next to nothing - but we'd need to spend more money.

 

[stempniaksen]

Clearly you've never taken a class on logic or statistics. Correlation = causation, guy.

I would like to see him in the AHL but we'd need to acquire a DMan to replace him. Honestly, it shouldn't be too hard - we could easily get one of the Chicago or SJ guys and give up next to nothing - but we'd need to spend more money.

Not necessarily . If the season goes off the rails after Xmas and it's clear we're no longer playing for anything (and the D gets healthy obviously) we could just keep a guy like Faulk up and roll Chabot/Harpur/Boro on the left side. It's not ideal, but neither is tanking the confidence of a 20 year old.

 

[The Lewler]

Looks like he can be the #4 guy we have been looking for.

But only if they dont f*** up his development.

 

[TheBradyBunch]

Not necessarily . If the season goes off the rails after Xmas and it's clear we're no longer playing for anything (and the D gets healthy obviously) we could just keep a guy like Faulk up and roll Chabot/Harpur/Boro on the left side. It's not ideal, but neither is tanking the confidence of a 20 year old.

You're right but I'd prefer the added depth - otherwise, you run the risk of suffering some injuries and being forced to do exactly what we are hoping to avoid: baptism by fire for our young DMen.

I guess we have ~11 guys who are NHL options at this point, if you count Lajoie, Jaros, Burgdoerfer, Elliott and Borowiecki... but I have my doubt about most of those guys, especially when it comes to being viable in the longterm.

Lajoie could use seasoning.
I'm happy to keep Jaros up.
Burgdoerfer shouldn't be a regular.
Elliott has looked solid but he's never been a consistent NHL D.
Borowiecki is a fine option but I have serious doubts about him even returning this year.

Given what it would take to acquire some of these other options, I'd be happy to bite the bullet. I'm not the poor, unfortunate ultra-millionaire signing the cheques, though.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

The shiniest turd int he bowl is still a turd.

It's not the kid's fault he's here, but he really should have started the season in Belleville. It would be nice if we had enough depth to have started all the rookie D's in the AHL and then based on how they played down there called them up (similar to how it ended up working with Batherson). He's made the best of a poor situation, but I also can't help but feel like the organization threw this kid to the wolves (all the D honestly, but Lajoie in particular).

We aren't as bad as we are supposed to be because of impacts by guys like Lajoie. He's done wonderfully. He has a lot to learn but doesn't any rookie defender who is a top 3 pick face same issues? lol. He should be in Bellville or he should have a superior better defender, aside from that, he's playing like an accomplished first round pick defender in his rookie year on a ****ty team.

 

[Ice-Tray]

How exactly are we tanking the guy’s confidence?

I think that is a fear when a team is playing to make the playoffs and has expectations on winning night in and night out. You don’t want a rookie costing the team wins when expectations are high.

Honestly I think that some of us have been slow to make the mind shift from trying to make the playoffs, to watching a rebuild.

ML is playing on a team that is focused of developing our rookies first, winning games second. That doesn’t mean that the players and coaches aren’t trying to win, it means that the expectations placed on the kids is to learn from the positives and negatives, and to work at getting better, all the positives are building blocks, all of the negatives are learning opportunities.

The NHL isn’t a development league, unless your team is rebuilding, at which time it becomes exactly that.

ML under these conditions, and as a rookie, can relish the opportunities without bearing the responsibility of winning and losing games. If he’s strong enough and fast enough then he can learn here.

Expectations and team goals are key here in my opinion.

 

[topshelf15]

Havent really had much time to watch the kid,but if he is struggling we do have another good LHD in Belleville ..That he could swap places with in Wolanin...

 

[aragorn]

Havent really had much time to watch the kid,but if he is struggling we do have another good LHD in Belleville ..That he could swap places with in Wolanin...

Lajoie & Wolanin are very similar defencemen IMO. Lajoie might be sligthly better defensively which may explain how he beat out Wolanin in training camp, while Wolanin IMO is slightly better offensively. I doubt we would see much difference between them if Wolanin were to replace Lajoie. IMO Lajoie still isn't quite strong enough to handle a number of the big NHL forwards in the league & gets pushed around a lot in the defensive zone as I think Wolanin would.

This is why I think Falk has done well here because he is a big guy who plays a physical defensive game & can control NHL forwards much easier, however, he has next to no offence to his game, Harpur IMO could be the guy who can do both. He is big enough to handle NHL forwards although he too could use to put on more muscle & likely will & he has some offence to his game & much more than the other defensive defencemen this team now has. He needs to stay healthy though. The problem is getting that right mix with the right players on defence, guys who can add some offence with guys who are big enough & strong enough to handle NHL defencemen. Jaros is another big defenceman who can also handle the big NHL forwards who needs to get stronger but also has an offensive element to his game too.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Harpur has no bite, I doubt he has much of a future in the NHL.

Lajoie isn't strong enough defensively to be more than a specialist in my mind. A very good specialist mind you but I have a hard time seeing him as a top 4 guy. Lots of time to prove me wrong of course.

 

[topshelf15]

Harpur has no bite, I doubt he has much of a future in the NHL.

Lajoie isn't strong enough defensively to be more than a specialist in my mind. A very good specialist mind you but I have a hard time seeing him as a top 4 guy. Lots of time to prove me wrong of course.

The biggest thing holding him back....He plays like Kuba ,when we need another Chara

 

[solidprospect]

Still really young, alot can improve still as well as changing d partners.

 

[Alf Silfversson]

Harpur has no bite, I doubt he has much of a future in the NHL.

Lajoie isn't strong enough defensively to be more than a specialist in my mind. A very good specialist mind you but I have a hard time seeing him as a top 4 guy. Lots of time to prove me wrong of course.

LOL.

Lajoie has gone from the ECHL to 20 minutes a night in the NHL in just over 1 year. He's 20 years old and is 4th in rookie scoring for defensemen, behind two guys who are viewed as franchise defensemen and a recent first round pick who is FAR exceeding expectations. Unreal.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Havent really had much time to watch the kid,but if he is struggling we do have another good LHD in Belleville ..That he could swap places with in Wolanin...

there should be almost a rotation with these two...give them each 2 weeks up and then the other goes down and so on.. not a hard 2 week duration but you know what I mean... build some competition

 

[Sensmileletsgo]

there should be almost a rotation with these two...give them each 2 weeks up and then the other goes down and so on.. not a hard 2 week duration but you know what I mean... build some competition

That sounds like an awful idea, being sent up and down every two weeks to build competition. It would be tough to build a stable routine and get comfortable which is so important to athletes.

I’m curious to see how Lajoies advanced stats are because personally for the games I’ve seen he’s looked good from the eye test.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Just when

That sounds like an awful idea, being sent up and down every two weeks to build competition. It would be tough to build a stable routine and get comfortable which is so important to athletes.

I’m curious to see how Lajoies advanced stats are because personally for the games I’ve seen he’s looked good from the eye test.

one falters thebother comes up. Like now lajoie can go down. Wolanin comes up

 

[Larionov]

I thought Lajoie had his best game in the last tnree weeks tonight. His puck movement was much better, and he didn't get caught out of position or get beat along the wall.

 

[Micklebot]

I thought Lajoie had his best game in the last tnree weeks tonight. His puck movement was much better, and he didn't get caught out of position or get beat along the wall.

Yep, some will focus on that one rough shift to finish the PP, but overall he had a solid game.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Just when

one falters thebother comes up. Like now lajoie can go down. Wolanin comes up

Nah, then you'll have two guys clutching their sticks too tight, afraid to make mistakes.

Lajoie needs time, and a weightroom. More experience and muscle, and the kid will be golden.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Nah, then you'll have two guys clutching their sticks too tight, afraid to make mistakes.

Lajoie needs time, and a weightroom. More experience and muscle, and the kid will be golden.

Well then you see which doesn’t clutch their stick. The NHL is not for the faint of heart. You can’t baby everyone. It’s also a rebuilding year. Sell it as giving everyone a look. Or just get rid of boro and have both up.

 

[Micklebot]

Or just get rid of boro and have both up.

Yes please....

Chabot-Jaros
Lajoie-DeMelo
Wolanin-Ceci

This is what I've been wanting to see since Jaros started getting regular games.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Well then you see which doesn’t clutch their stick. The NHL is not for the faint of heart. You can’t baby everyone. It’s also a rebuilding year. Sell it as giving everyone a look. Or just get rid of boro and have both up.

You’re right, I t’s a rebuilding year, so you let the kids play through good and bad stretches, you don’t move them up and down based on short stretches. I would also be ok with Boro being 7th D. Harpur and Falk are better options.

In my opinion of course.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Well then you see which doesn’t clutch their stick. The NHL is not for the faint of heart. You can’t baby everyone. It’s also a rebuilding year. Sell it as giving everyone a look. Or just get rid of boro and have both up.

I get what you're saying, but just about everyone will clutch their stick when things aren't going well. Especially kids with little experience.

You really do need to make sure you're giving the kids the best possible chance to succeed, and for most of them, that does mean a certain amount of babying at first.

And yes, moving Boro would be ideal.