LOS ANGELES-- Sophomore slumps are an all too familiar trend in sports. After a rookie year propelled by the adrenaline of playing in your first season and a lack of proper scouting from the opposition, the second season can often come crashing back down to earth.
That has not been the case for Los Angeles Kings second-year forward Alex Laferriere. With eight goals through the Kings' first 12 games, putting him on pace for 54 goals this season, he's thrived in the early goings of his sophomore season. Does he get to 54? No, probably not, but this hot start is proof he's built on what was a decent rookie season marred by just okay underlying numbers and a respectable 12 goals and 23 points.
Last season there was a lot of relying on the eye test with Laferriere. He looked like he belonged and "looked like a hockey player" even when the numbers didn't reflect what the eye saw. This season, Laferriere's been a darling to the eye and the numbers have followed.
The same positives from last season still exist. He's a hard worker who plays with speed and physicality, but he's added the scoring touch that's underpinned his career up to this point.
Last season Laferriere did get his chances but struggled to finish with four goals below expected and shot at 8.2%. This season he's shooting at over 23% with roughly four goals scored above expected.
These are unsustainable numbers, particularly the 23% shooting, but we're seeing a far more confident player and someone who's figured out how to score at the NHL level.
An impressive part of Laferriere's goal scoring is the variety of goals. We know he can score in and around the net, he proved that last season, but he's beating goalies with his shot now too. I've often said you can separate true goal scorers from players on a hot streak based on the goals they're scoring, and Laferriere is scoring goal scorer's goals.
He's beating goalies from range and beating set goalies cleanly. It's a difficult skill and separates players who can score consistently and players who can't.
"I think a mix of all that (confidence and adjusting to the NHL) definitely confidence," said Laferriere when asked what the biggest change in his game has been. "I think last year I rushed my shot a little bit because I didn't think I had a lot of time but now I think I'm a little bit more patient and I wait for the play to develop which opens up shooting lanes. I love to shoot the puck, can't score without shooting the puck so I'll keep doing that and hopefully it will keep going in."
Shot volume has certainly been a factor for Laferriere who's averaging just over two shots a game compared to about 1.5 last season. Roughly one shot a game doesn't sound like a lot but it's significant in a league where shots are so hard to come by.
Laferriere has also found a home on the Kings' third line. He started the season with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe, and while there was still some individual production from Laferriere, that line wasn't working early. Currently playing opposite Warren Foegele with one of Alex Turcotte or Quinton Byfield centering him, Laferriere has found a role to thrive in.
He always felt miscast on that top line, a line that needed a playmaker and play-driver like Byfield or Turcotte. Laferriere's been excellent but that isn't his game. He's best when he's in a more complementary role, using his speed to hunt pucks and put defenders on their heels before finding pockets of space to attack and get shots off.
In his current role, that's all that's expected of him and he's thriving because of it.
Like the Brandt Clarke conversation a few days ago, it's important to remember that Laferriere is still very young. This season will have ups and downs for him and he'll likely have a stretch of games where the puck isn't going in for him and that's okay.
Laferriere plays a game that can be impactful without huge goal totals, he doesn't need 30-40 goals to have a positive impact, something head coach Jim Hiller touched on after Saturday's game.
"He's been our most consistent player," said head coach Jim Hiller of Laferriere's play. "Pucks going in for him tonight, he only had two shots tonight but found the net on both of them. So, those things tend to even out over time but right now he's hot, shooting well, finding good spots. But his game is an all-around game, it's nice that he's scoring, we'll always take goals, I just like how he's playing the game, he's taken a step forward."
A 15-25 goal season would be excellent for Laferriere and with the way things are going he looks closer to 25 than 15.