Brooks Rangers Need More From Lafrenière, Kakko

[Sod16]

Jack Hughes hasn't lit up the world, but you see signs of brilliance.  I wish I could say the same for Kakko and LaF.

[Keirik]

2 hours ago, Valriera said:

Well kakko is on panarin’s line and it’s still early to place this critique on laf, however if he spends whole year on third line with blais and chytil who are both fine offensive players then absolutely this is valid.

let’s also not forget that today we are a playoff team

I guess but being specifically on a line isn’t exactly a fail safe. Very few teams in this league have full blown lines that are shut down. Usually it’s one or two players so they cheat to those that matter. Kakko on Breads other wing is the guy that would be less focused on in this situation. 
   I don’t think it’s too early to place a critique on Alf either. Same point holds true. We are currently a playoff team based on two players really. Shesty first and Fox second. That can’t hold true all year. 

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

9 hours ago, Dunny said:

At least Kakko got in to shape. He still blows, but he took it seriously, got in shape and paid attention to details in the other end. I can root for that. 

Lafreniere went in to year 2 with the same soft body he showed up with as a rookie, and the same middling offensive skills. What a disappointment. 

Almost like some conditioning in the A would be good for him.

[LindG1000]

12 hours ago, Valriera said:

I think this situation is why the knee jerk reaction last year was so bad. If you want to change the makeup of the team, fine go ahead. But that does not mean that we are ready to contend, which will never be true until our 2 and 1oa picks begin to play real hockey. Panarin, Zibanejad, and Adam Fox cannot carry us offensively to a cup, no matter how good they are (and they are fantastic).

Realistically we are waiting on kakko and lafreniere here, and I would not advise impatience. These kids take time except in extremely rare circumstances. Nobody can disagree they haven’t lived up to the hype yet, but these are also still children. They’re not men, and expecting them to lead a men’s hockey team to the pinnacle of sports godhood is honestly crazy. I think expecting steady year by year progress is what the doctor orders here, and while it may not play out on panarin’a timeline, it will for Mika, Igor, and Fox, and that’s still pretty great. 
 

Remember Adam Fox being as good as he is almost never happens in the nhl, and while laf and kakko are not that good, Fox really is a generational talent. Everyone else will need to follow a normal timeline which unfortunately takes time.

The thing that's begun to scare me a little about Kakko is that the Panarin-Strome-Kakko trio leads us in ice time and is dead last in the stuff Kakko was good at last year. 

I get it - injuries fuck a lot up and neither Kakko nor Strome is probably fully right just yet, but it's a bit alarming to see that drop off. 

Laf is another story. He's outproducing last year, but he looks just as maladjusted. Time, maybe a center.

[Vodka Drunkenski]

Honestly, is anyone surprised that the Rangers land 1OA and 2OA that turn out to be busts?  Was it a mistake putting them in the big show instead of in the minors or juniors for a year or maybe 2.  Maybe now I see Kravtsov’s beef

Edited November 4, 2021 by Vodka Drunkenski

[Sharpshooter]

I still think they'll wind up being good players, just not exactly what you hope for when it comes to first and second overall picks.

[josh]

Guys, the Rangers development process is just fine. 

 

[SaveByRichter35]

8 minutes ago, Vodka Drunkenski said:

Honestly, is anyone surprised that the Rangers land 1OA and 2OA that turn out to be busts?  Was it a mistake putting them in the big show instead of in the minors or juniors for a year or maybe 2.  Maybe now I see Kravtsov’s beef

Its very Rangers

[Morphinity 2.0]

5 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

Almost like some conditioning in the A would be good for him.

Yeah, like two years worth.

He needs a total fitness overhaul. The Rangers S&C staff should be ashamed. 

[josh]

Everyone said Lafreniere came to camp in better shape. I think he looks a but faster, quicker. Speed was never his game. And it won't be his game. His speed isn't an issue. He needs to be quicker with the puck. Still need him to a lefty that gets open for one timers, non stop. That will open up his entire game when that happens. 

[RichieNextel305]

I have concerns but I also think some reactions are knee jerk. You have to give them time.

[Ozzy]

22 minutes ago, josh said:

Everyone said Lafreniere came to camp in better shape. I think he looks a but faster, quicker. Speed was never his game. And it won't be his game. His speed isn't an issue. He needs to be quicker with the puck. Still need him to a lefty that gets open for one timers, non stop. That will open up his entire game when that happens. 

The "other" side of the ice on the PP...I agree Josh.  Every team knows Panarin/Zibby from the right side now.  Yukon with the blast from the left could be the "other" option.  Foxy can find him, that's for sure!  Those two have some good chemistry already. 

I can see that happening....soon! 

I have no issues with Laf at even strength.  He's been playing decently away from the puck as far as I can see.

[RJWantsTheCup]

Just give Lafraniere a donut for every goal scored, he'll get 50 easy.

Problem solved.

[Pete]

30 minutes ago, josh said:

Still need him to a lefty that gets open for one timers

So, Chytil?

[Sharpshooter]

2 minutes ago, RJWantsTheCup said:

Just give Lafraniere a donut for every goal scored, he'll get 50 easy.

Problem solved.

Lafreniere by the end of the season:

[josh]

33 minutes ago, Pete said:

So, Chytil?

That space cadet is in his own little world

[Sharpshooter]

He's a Barbie girl in a Barbie world.

[Scott]

It's all #Quinnsfault

Edited November 4, 2021 by jsrangers

[Kevin]

8 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

Almost like some conditioning in the A would be good for him.

I think sending him to the A might be even more damning.  I don't think he goes down there and dominates.  I think he's just another guy at this point.  Sending him down might kill what's left of his value.

[Jdog99]

21 hours ago, Karan said:

Late bloomers. Will need to wait 4-5 seasons before they're both regularly showing up on the scoresheet. 

Well if it means they'll come cheap on their next 1-2 contracts, and potentially breakout when the Vets are on there way out...could work out wonderfully

[-ERIK-]

2 hours ago, Kevin said:

I think sending him to the A might be even more damning.  I don't think he goes down there and dominates.  I think he's just another guy at this point.  Sending him down might kill what's left of his value.

Why would we send Laf down?Small sample size but he's got 3 goals and I already think he could have at least 5-6 goals. He's fine, he looks more comfortable than last year to me.

If anyone should go down its Chytil or Kakko ,they've produced absolutely nothing.

[The Dude]

19 hours ago, jsrangers said:

he's got 10 pts in 45 games here, 2 goals in 50 NHL games. He has no finish, you can drive all you want if you don't finish what does it matter?  

So why are we holding onto Kakko again?

 

[Scott]

1 hour ago, Jdog99 said:

Well if it means they'll come cheap on their next 1-2 contracts, and potentially breakout when the Vets are on there way out...could work out wonderfully

I guess if our goal is to never serious challenge for a cup sure. This plan would be treading water rather than taking any kind of meaningful step forward. I wouldn't consider them finally breaking out when the others are almost toast being a good thing at all.

[Scott]

4 minutes ago, The Dude said:

So why are we holding onto Kakko again?

 

Asking the wrong guy I would move him. But he's also I think ~3 years younger so he does have that going for him.  I'm not sure you would find too many people that feel Gauthier and Kakko should be in the same sentence value wise so I don't quite get the comparison.

[The Dude]

6 hours ago, G1000 said:

The thing that's begun to scare me a little about Kakko is that the Panarin-Strome-Kakko trio leads us in ice time and is dead last in the stuff Kakko was good at last year. 

I get it - injuries fuck a lot up and neither Kakko nor Strome is probably fully right just yet, but it's a bit alarming to see that drop off. 

Laf is another story. He's outproducing last year, but he looks just as maladjusted. Time, maybe a center.

Laf has never played center.  But Kakko HAS. In his last year in Jrs, didn't he play center a lot? Why in the fuck hasn't this been tried? I brought it up some time this year, but the more I think about it,  the more I think he plays more like a center.  Time to flip flop  Kakko and Chytil.