Alexis Lafreniere sat in the visitor’s locker room at Scotiabank Arena, feeling good after the New York Rangers’ win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He thought about his first-period goal where he skillfully maneuvered past Morgan Rielly to snag a loose puck. Instead of shooting right away, he waited and danced around David Kampf before launching a wrist shot that zipped past Anthony Stolarz.
Lafreniere displayed not only quick hands but also the patience of an experienced NHL star. Would he have taken his time with that shot two years ago? “Maybe,” Lafreniere mused to Daily Faceoff. He was initially looking for Artemi Panarin for a pass, expecting him to get open for a shot. But when Panarin moved toward the net, Lafreniere held onto the puck longer than usual, aiming carefully amidst chaos in front of him. His modesty belied his growth; only players with real talent can slow down moments like these and make smart plays.
Back when he was picked first overall in 2020 by the Rangers, it wasn’t clear he’d reach this level. Though not quite on par with Connor McDavid or Connor Bedard as generational talents, expectations were high for him to become a franchise-changing player like Patrick Kane or Jack Hughes. With raw talent and gritty determination, he seemed destined for greatness .
Fans’ Thoughts:
Some fans might think it’s been exciting watching him prove doubters wrong over time.
The pandemic threw unexpected challenges at Lafreniere’s draft class—major junior leagues halted early, leaving players like him without games from March 8 until January 14 of the following year. This long break led to struggles early on; scoring just once in his first 15 NHL games sparked talk of being a bust.
In his initial seasons—scoring 12 goals one year, then 19 and 16—he didn’t meet lofty expectations while mainly playing on the third line with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Yet beneath those numbers lay improvement as a playmaker which became more evident during 2023-24 when paired with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck.
What do you think about Alexis’s journey so far?
