SUNRISE | “I don’t think he will become a big star, but he will be a very good winger in the NHL. A winger capable of scoring 30 goals. He needed time, but he’s really coming out of his shell.”
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Alexis Lafrenière is the topic of discussion with an Eastern Conference scout a few hours before a game between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena.
For the Rangers’ visit to Sunrise, Lafrenière was one of the best players on the ice. Used for almost 20 minutes, the first class of the 2020 draft obtained an assist in a 4-3 loss against the Panthers on December 29.
His impact, however, could be seen well beyond the scoresheet. He knocked on Sergeï Bobrovsky’s door several times by banking on his acceleration to cut towards the net in addition to feeding his line teammates, Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Trocheck’s trio was the most threatening to Peter Laviolette’s gang. And it wasn’t just for one night. This is a consistency for the Rangers this season.
After the game, Lafrenière did not meet the media as he was receiving treatment, having blocked a slap shot in the first period.
Chris Kreider, a teammate of Lafrenière since his first steps in the NHL, testified to his progress.
“Laffy made his NHL debut at 18, but he’s still a young player at 21 or 22. He’s improving every day, it’s crazy to see his progress. He is now a very good player, but he has not finished growing as a hockey player. He can dominate a match. Alexis is a special player.”
Rising numbers
In his fourth season in New York, Lafrenière is destined for personal heights in all categories. On the eve of the visit to the Bell Centre, he had scored 10 goals and amassed 13 assists for a total of 23 points. He also has an average playing time of 17:03, an increase of almost two minutes compared to last year (15:13).
If he continues at the same pace, Lafrenière will finish the year with 51 points, which would be a significant increase compared to his best production (16 goals and 39 points) in 2022-2023.
A 50-point season isn’t magical, but it’s still a step in the right direction.
On the right wing
After David Quinn and Gerard Gallant, Lafrenière is working with a third different coach in his fourth season with the Rangers. Peter Laviolette took over for Gallant this season.
Under Laviolette’s orders, the former Rimouski Océanic gained stability, but he also spent more time on the right wing than on the left wing. Since the start of the year, he has played mainly with Trocheck and Panarin.
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At five-on-five, he spent 480 minutes with Panarin and 365 minutes with Trocheck.
Filip Chytil (123 minutes) and Mika Zibanejad (30 minutes), two centers, are the other two attackers who have played the most with Lafrenière. There is therefore a gap which separates the presences of Lafrenière with Panarin and Trocheck and the two other players.
With Panarin and Kreider on the left wing, Laviolette chose to rely on Lafrenière on the right wing in order to keep him a place in the top six.
In Kreider’s eyes, the 22-year-old winger did not need a long adaptation.
“When you have that talent and the right intuitions for this sport, you can change positions,” Kreider said. He needed some adaptation, but he now plays really well on the right wing. And that’s a plus for us.”