“Alexis [Lafrenière] “Getting Better Every Day, It’s Crazy To See His Progress”

SUNRISE | “I don't think he'll be a big star, but he'll be a very good winger in the NHL. A winger who can score 30 goals. He needed time, but he’s really coming out of his shell.”

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A few hours before a game between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena, Alexis Lafrenière is the topic of conversation with an Eastern Conference scout.

When the Rangers visited Sunrise, Lafrenière was one of the best players on the ice. The first class of the 2020 draft saw action for nearly 20 minutes and recorded an assist in a 4-3 loss to the Panthers on Dec. 29.

However, his influence was visible far beyond the scoresheet. He knocked on Sergeï Bobrovsky's door several times, relying on his acceleration to cut toward the net while feeding teammates Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin.

Without a doubt, Trocheck's trio was the most dangerous for Peter Laviolette's gang. And not just for one night. This is a consistency for the Rangers this season.

After the game, Lafrenière did not meet with the media as he was undergoing treatment after blocking 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 at 21 or 22 he's still a young player. He's improving every day, it's crazy to see his progress. He is a very good player now, but his development as a hockey player is not yet complete. He can dominate a game. Alexis is a special player.”

Increasing numbers

In his fourth season in New York, Lafrenière is ready to achieve personal heights in all categories. On the eve of the visit to the Bell Center, he had scored 10 goals and collected 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 performance (16 goals and 39 points) in 2022-2023.

A 50-point season isn't magic, but it's still a step in the right direction.

On the right wing

After David Quinn and Gerard Gallant, Lafrenière is in his fourth season with the Rangers working with a third different coach. Peter Laviolette took over for Gallant this season.

Under Laviolette's command, the former Rimouski Océanic gained stability, but also spent more time on the right wing than the left wing. Since the beginning of the year he has been playing mainly with Trocheck and Panarin.

Getty Images via AFP

In five-on-five play, 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 with Lafrenière the most. There is therefore a gap that separates Lafrenière's presence from that of Panarin and Trocheck and the other two players.

With Panarin and Kreider on the left wing, Laviolette decided to rely on Lafrenière on the right wing to ensure him a place in the top six.

In Kreider's eyes, the 22-year-old winger didn't need a long time to get used to it.

“If you have the talent and the right intuition for this sport, you can change positions,” said Kreider. He had to adapt a bit, but now he plays very well on the right wing. And that’s a plus for us.”