gdt: [RS] (#11) Rangers vs. New York Islanders // The Rise of Tony B

Hard to believe, but Laf really sucks so far. 1 point this season and in came in fake 3 on 3 hockey. Has there ever been this bad of a performance to start a #1 pick's career? What's the problem? Must be Quinn right?

I don't think it's true he sucks. He's doing a lot of good things out there. Am I blown away? No, by no means. But there are a lot of factors at play here.

Quinn is a big part of it. How many times has a #1 pick had 10 different linemates to start his first 11 games? I mean, a bit of stability and allowing the kid to gain some chemistry with line mates seems like a pretty good idea. As always under Quinn, there is no real identity or structure to the teams offensive play. Bar Panarin, would you really say any of the top 9 forwards are playing particularly well offensively? At the end of the day, we're looking at a consensus #1 pick and a consensus #2 pick who - whilst it's early days for Laf - are severely underperforming. Now, either the entire hockey world completely ballsed their evaluation of both players, or we're doing it wrong. I know which way I'm leaning.

That being said, he's also been a bit unlucky. That's not an excuse, it's just the way it is. He's come really close to scoring a couple of times. Guys have missed on great setups from him. Just last night he had a beautiful setup to Bitetto which didn't turn into a goal. A couple of bounces here and there and he'd be on 5 points, at which point you probably wouldn't be too worried from a production standpoint.

I'm honestly not that worried about him, to be honest. It'll come, I feel sure of that. The Rangers have far bigger problems to deal with than Lafreniere's production in his first 11 games.

Hard to believe, but Laf really sucks so far. 1 point this season and in came in fake 3 on 3 hockey. Has there ever been this bad of a performance to start a #1 pick's career? What's the problem? Must be Quinn right?

Steven Stamkos.

No points through his first seven games and a collective minus-three. Just two goals and two assist through his first sixteen games, total, after which, the Lightning fired Barry Melrose.

Rangers have played eleven games. Lafreniere has one goal.

Steven Stamkos.

 

No points through his first seven games and a collective minus-three. Just two goals and two assist through his first sixteen games, total, after which, the Lightning fired Barry Melrose.

 

Rangers have played eleven games. Lafreniere has one goal.

Let's hope a similar trend follows.

Hard to believe, but Laf really sucks so far. 1 point this season and in came in fake 3 on 3 hockey. Has there ever been this bad of a performance to start a #1 pick's career? What's the problem? Must be Quinn right?

It's tough for any rookie to come in here and make an impact and it really hurts he had no preseason.

Steven Stamkos.

 

No points through his first seven games and a collective minus-three. Just two goals and two assist through his first sixteen games, total, after which, the Lightning fired Barry Melrose.

 

Rangers have played eleven games. Lafreniere has one goal.

Then he fought Zherdev and his career turned out great.

Next 5 straight practices rangers should put cones out along the whole perimeter of the rink on the ice. Force every player to remember what it feels like to go to the center.

I think you've got a point, Keirik. I'd like to see more guys going to the net, especially our bigger, more physical players. That should open up some lanes for shots and rebounds. Once you get a defense in scramble mode chasing a rebound, they can get caught out of position easier.

Next 5 straight practices rangers should put cones out along the whole perimeter of the rink on the ice. Force every player to remember what it feels like to go to the center.

When there is a rebound, nobody is there. A shot gets taken and NYR are all on the outside or behind the net. Even when they manage to get to the puck, the first instinct is to pass to the outside rather than shoot. Martin's goal was a perfect example of a garbage goal rather than 5 tape to tape passes. The perfect shot is simply hard to get; every pass is another chance for things to go bad, whether good defense or an errant pass. Shots also create chaos and rebounds. On the PP, Kreider does stand IFO the goalie, but almost nobody else does. From the time immemorial, it's how a lot of goals get scored. As Gretzky said, you fail to score on 100% of shots you don't take.

At least they were better on face offs?

61%

Baby steps! LOL

It's tough for any rookie to come in here and make an impact and it really hurts he had no preseason.

that and, most 1st overall picks tend to come into teams that are complete dog shit, not on teams with elite players like Panarin and Zibanejad (not playing elite right now) ahead of them on the depth chart

At least they were better on face offs?

They use their own faceoff stats!

Most of those 'wins' were the Islanders throwing the puck forward, and out of their defensive zone.

but, yes, an improvement.

They use their own faceoff stats!

 

Most of those 'wins' were the Islanders throwing the puck forward, and out of their defensive zone.

 

but, yes, an improvement.

Possession is the key! Isles did "win it forward" a few times...I caught that one too! ;)

According to the presser, they were working on it!! Cool!!