Just ask Bergevin what it’s like trying to put a square into a round hole. Lafreniere isn’t a centre man.
Looking back at Galchenyuk and Drouin as examples of what it does to a player when you don’t put them in a position where they can succeed

Pretty sure management said they have 0 plans to play LAF at center.

Well it didn’t do anything to Drouin, other than the fact that he struggled for 1 year. And Galchenyuk just had too big of expectations put on him, and he would’ve cracked under the Montreal pressure whether he played C or not.

I don’t think it would hurt to try Lafrenière at C for a day or 2 in training camp, but yes, like you said, you shouldn’t try to force a player to playing a position they aren’t comfortable with or good at.

Drouin has yet to hit his potential and who knows whether he ever will after being bounced around like that. He still has lots of potential and time but that certainly didn’t help his growth.
Galchenyuk Is a different story he was bounced around so much it ruined him. I think he was a good centre at one point but could never gain the trust of his coaches.
You think plugging Lafreniere into the 1C role as a rookie in New York would be much less pressure than Mtl?

Playing C didn’t hurt Drouin. The team was bad in 17-18, and he took steps in 18-19. He was looking really good last year, until he got injured.

I’m saying that Galchenyuk never would’ve worked out in Montreal, no matter what position he played.

And I’m not saying the Rangers should play Lafrenière on the 1st line, or at C, but it wouldn’t hurt anyone to just try him down the middle and see if he is good/comfortable there.

I think it would be worth trying considering the current depth of the line up but as a 2c primarily offensive zone draws try to keep as much separation between the draw and own net and try to be sneaky about match ups don’t want him up against 1cs on a consistent basis until he proves capable.

That’s what this post suggests. Lafreniere at 1C.
And during the last 3 years for Drouin where he should’ve been progressing better than he has it hasn’t ruined his career but you’d have think it has hindered his confidence a little for sure. Injuries have played a role as well but he’s supposed to be a rockstar and flashes of that aren’t enough. I do think he’s in the right spot now and will be very good barring injury again. But I wouldn’t be wasting important time like that with a player like Lafreniere seeing what it can do to players of that caliber

That’s fair, although I don’t know if playing C shook Drouin’s confidence. Sure it was tougher for him than playing wing, but at least he was able to play with the team’s best forward at the time in Pacioretty. Otherwise he’d be playing with Plekanec or a young & inexperienced Phillip Danault. If anything I think playing C might’ve increased his confidence when playing the wing, because he doesn’t have as many responsibilities as he used to.

Wait a minute here. Ya guys go ahead and play Lafreniere at 1C hopefully he sucks and you lose all confidence in him than we’ll trade Danault for him next year after extending him. And he’ll be a superstar for us in the correct position at LW

How exactly does that get you De Haan and Kampf?

A) At least start by transitioning him into the NHL at C
B) Have a solid 2C backup option like Strome or something
C) He'd be the 2C, not the 1C. Zibanejad would have to take the top line matchups