Here’s a thought: the preseason doesn’t actually mean a lot, especially since we don’t know what players are trying to work on during these games tbat don’t count in the standings
Class_Act7
Preseason.
We talkin bout preseason.
Not the season.
Preseason.
RhynoSorceress
The issue has always been his confidence. Go back and rewatch his pregame interview before his very first game. He basically said he wants to get off the ice as fast as possible. The kid has been playing scared his entire tenure in the nhl. I doubt he magically finds his confidence this season either.
blumpkin_donuts
He’ll be an annual softie on this team. I don’t think he’s transitioned to NYC and the subsequent spotlight very well. And it unfortunately happens. It just sucks when it’s your no. 1 pick but the place isn’t for everyone. I think the team missed his prime trading window too, I’m mentally preparing for the worst with him.
canseco-fart-box
Can brooks just retire already?
NYM32
>My best information is that the Rangers were pleased with his results on his testing on and off the ice. There is no indication that he was lazy over the summer.
So can we put this “Laf is lazy and doesn’t care” narrative to bed now
It’s pretty simple. If NYR wants him to go off on the score sheet, then they have to play him more than they have been (13 min 5v5 a night) and with the team’s best talent. The D man he played the most with last year is Trouba, who [caves NYR in their own zone](https://twitter.com/JFreshHockey/status/1656680427438874626?t=QCRbLH1g5eut41rJT779zg&s=19) because he can’t move the puck. He played with Fox the 4th most. When Fox isn’t on the ice, [NYR offense completely deteriorates](https://twitter.com/DLefcort/status/1674607255814123520?t=H_0zpqZzpXTBUQfLM92gjw&s=19). Hard to put up points when you’re spending most of your time with 2 D men who can’t move the puck, instead of with arguably the best defenseman in the NHL. And when he did play with Fox, [it was great](https://hockeyviz.com/fixedImg/spider/2223/NYR/lafreal01/wrap). Best metrics of any D man he played with, as expected. And his metrics with Schneider and Trouba in the same graph were also expected
Reddit040
Oh god, this needs to stop already.
Waverly_pl
I seem to remember a year in the early 00’s where the islanders went undefeated in the preseason and their fans got hyped lol
No_Designer_5374
Scared AND one dimensional?
Sounds like a true Ranger to me.
(I am a Ranger fan so save your debbie and fish stix comments – they embarrass you and the rest of us. Being a TRUE fan does NOT mean being in denial of reality. I love my mom more than I love Xena, Warrior Princes but I wouldn’t bet on my mother in that fight)
MH566220
Surprised Brooks doesn’t want to trade him for Patrick Kane…
padds98
Lafreniere has better stats than Kaapo through their first three years. Yet somehow Kaapo is “poised for a big breakout” while Laf is looked at as a lost cause. Make it make sense
esp211
Everyone needs to calm down. Set your expectations low and hope for some improvement this year. He’s entering his 4th season and should get more ice time. Hopefully more in every facet including the PP. you can’t compare him to other 1OA because he is not going to light it up. Most of them don’t. Still a good chance he breaks out this year and he is very young.
jahauser
I’m super frustrated with his performance this preseason and just general lack of development. But this preseason is about learning a new system, so no I’m not surprised that everyone has looked lost.
whatiseeisme
“Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad’s preseason has been unfathomably bad — here’s that the rangers should do about it”
14 Comments
Here’s a thought: the preseason doesn’t actually mean a lot, especially since we don’t know what players are trying to work on during these games tbat don’t count in the standings
Preseason.
We talkin bout preseason.
Not the season.
Preseason.
The issue has always been his confidence. Go back and rewatch his pregame interview before his very first game. He basically said he wants to get off the ice as fast as possible. The kid has been playing scared his entire tenure in the nhl. I doubt he magically finds his confidence this season either.
He’ll be an annual softie on this team. I don’t think he’s transitioned to NYC and the subsequent spotlight very well. And it unfortunately happens. It just sucks when it’s your no. 1 pick but the place isn’t for everyone. I think the team missed his prime trading window too, I’m mentally preparing for the worst with him.
Can brooks just retire already?
>My best information is that the Rangers were pleased with his results on his testing on and off the ice. There is no indication that he was lazy over the summer.
So can we put this “Laf is lazy and doesn’t care” narrative to bed now
It’s pretty simple. If NYR wants him to go off on the score sheet, then they have to play him more than they have been (13 min 5v5 a night) and with the team’s best talent. The D man he played the most with last year is Trouba, who [caves NYR in their own zone](https://twitter.com/JFreshHockey/status/1656680427438874626?t=QCRbLH1g5eut41rJT779zg&s=19) because he can’t move the puck. He played with Fox the 4th most. When Fox isn’t on the ice, [NYR offense completely deteriorates](https://twitter.com/DLefcort/status/1674607255814123520?t=H_0zpqZzpXTBUQfLM92gjw&s=19). Hard to put up points when you’re spending most of your time with 2 D men who can’t move the puck, instead of with arguably the best defenseman in the NHL. And when he did play with Fox, [it was great](https://hockeyviz.com/fixedImg/spider/2223/NYR/lafreal01/wrap). Best metrics of any D man he played with, as expected. And his metrics with Schneider and Trouba in the same graph were also expected
Oh god, this needs to stop already.
I seem to remember a year in the early 00’s where the islanders went undefeated in the preseason and their fans got hyped lol
Scared AND one dimensional?
Sounds like a true Ranger to me.
(I am a Ranger fan so save your debbie and fish stix comments – they embarrass you and the rest of us. Being a TRUE fan does NOT mean being in denial of reality. I love my mom more than I love Xena, Warrior Princes but I wouldn’t bet on my mother in that fight)
Surprised Brooks doesn’t want to trade him for Patrick Kane…
Lafreniere has better stats than Kaapo through their first three years. Yet somehow Kaapo is “poised for a big breakout” while Laf is looked at as a lost cause. Make it make sense
Everyone needs to calm down. Set your expectations low and hope for some improvement this year. He’s entering his 4th season and should get more ice time. Hopefully more in every facet including the PP. you can’t compare him to other 1OA because he is not going to light it up. Most of them don’t. Still a good chance he breaks out this year and he is very young.
I’m super frustrated with his performance this preseason and just general lack of development. But this preseason is about learning a new system, so no I’m not surprised that everyone has looked lost.
“Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, and Mika Zibanejad’s preseason has been unfathomably bad — here’s that the rangers should do about it”
This would also work here