So it’s the end of July and Alexis Lafrenière remains unsigned. It’s rumored he’ll sign a bridge deal in the neighborhood of $2.5 million but your guess is as good as mine. What we do know is this, though, from the man himself:
“I don’t worry about rumors,” Lafrenière told Le Journal de Montreal. “I’m happy with the Rangers.”
That being said, if negotiations somehow go south, the relationship with the organization sours and he’s miraculously in another sweater next year – I’m more than prepared to look like a big ol’ dummy.
Let’s begin with 2020. Lafrenière was undeniably thrown into a very unique situation as a first overall pick. I’m not a big excuse guy but let’s call a spade a spade here. His rookie year was spent in the bizarro-world that followed the pandemic. Cross-border travel to Canada was restricted and it couldn’t have been easy for the 18-year-old Quebec native and his family. Pro hockey is tough as it is and then everything was turned upside down in the most unprecedented ways that year. Not only that, he was sent to an already solid team with two star forwards occupying his left wing position in Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider. From the jump, there was no way he was going to get a ton of ice time or even sniff the power-play. Compare the above circumstances with what the most recent #1 overall pick Connor Bedard is walking into in Chicago, and it’s apples to oranges.
Now, let’s talk about Gerard Gallant for a second because I actually think he plays a pretty big role in this.
To me, Gallant was the chill substitute teacher. It’s a breath of fresh air at first, where everyone is able to relax without the usual disciplinarian breathing down necks. Once it quickly becomes clear this new guy is going to be hands off – there’s constant chatter, there’s a joyful buzz, feet are up on desks and homework is an afterthought. The class still does well on assignments and exams though, because a few of the brighter students are willing to share answers and carry the load. All is good.
But eventually, the shtick runs stale. The fun has been had, nobody is being challenged, nobody is being held accountable and there’s a stagnant air of boredom and uncertainty.
I actually really like Gerard Gallant the person but wonder if there’s some truth to what I’m getting at. As a former player, he admits he prefers to let the top guns govern the room instead of domineering as a coach. Prior to his time on Broadway, he already had two other, 2 year stints with the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights. Did the shtick run stale there too?
When it comes to Laf, it’s hard to believe that’s an environment where a young player is going to thrive. He’s a kid – he’s gonna take what you give him and if he’s not going to be pushed or granted opportunities, he’s not going to grow.
Factor in the limited ice time, negligible power-play minutes, 2020 bananaland, studs already at his position, and 91 points in 216 games sounds pretty decent to me. He was also very effective in the 2022 playoffs, playing on “The Kid Line” with Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil.
Would you have guessed he has more even-strength goals than Mika Zibanejad since 2020?
Fast forward to present day, and while he’s not quite John Tortorella, it’s time now for the drill sergeant to take over in Peter Laviolette. Call me crazy, but Alexis Lafrenière is going to be the beneficiary of some hard nosed coaching and a little tough love in order to tap into his potential.
And we’ve seen the potential in flashes and it’s electrifying.
Watch it again and listen to the crowd as the puck comes out from in-between his legs. Rock star stuff.
Prior to being drafted, he was touted as a big game player that plays with a competitive edge and has a knack for scoring big goals. We’ve seen flashes of that too, in the 2022 playoffs.
The Rangers’ ability to develop talent is a topic for another blog but it’s undeniable Lafrenière possesses elite level skill. I often think back to his junior days and how it compares to Sidney Crosby’s. Both guys skated for the Rimouski Océanic of the Québec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), prior to being drafted into the NHL. Crosby played with the Océanic for two seasons and registered 303 points in 121 games. Lafrenière was there for three seasons and collected 297 points in 173 games. They are the only two skaters to secure the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) “Player of the Year” twice and the only guys to win back-to-back QMJHL “Most Valuable Player” honors. Yes, the past is the past, but it still tells you something.
There are parts of Laf’s game that could use improvement, namely his skating, but can we stop acting like every single star in this league immediately lit the world on fire?
Henrik Sedin was the 3rd overall selection in 1999 and put up only 104 points in his first three full seasons. People were calling him and his twin brother Daniel “The Sedin Sisters” and the two Swedes were apparently too soft to play on the biggest stage. Henrik went on to play 17 years in the NHL, score over 1,000 points to rank first in Vancouver Canucks history, took home the Hart Trophy and the Art Ross as the league’s MVP in 2010 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame just last year. Lafrenière and Sedin are two totally different players in totally different circumstances, but the point remains that we’ve seen “late bloomers” have great success in this league before.
One of the most underrated aspects of Laf’s game is his competitive spirit and pride he takes in his game. Whenever the detractors and grumpy talking heads in the media got too loud, he always put on a clinic the following game. Those that follow the Rangers closely know that to be true.
How about that marathon shootout against the Los Angeles Kings? Quinton Byfield, who went #2 overall behind Lafrenière in the 2020 draft, scored a pretty goal on Igor Shesterkin to take the lead in the 5th round. Lafrenière immediately followed, made a confident move to score on Jonathan Quick, and then flashed up his index finger as he skated by LA’s bench, to remind them of who went first overall. You can’t tell me that celebration, in that moment, was a mere coincidence.
There’s no question in my mind he has that spunk and an “I’m better than you” swagger that stars in any sport often have. I think we’ll start to see it more and more as he comes into his own and it’s gonna be a lot of fun.
Speaking of fun, he also has an infectious, fun-loving energy that is invaluable to a locker room. By all accounts, he loves to smile, joke around, and keep things light. Many of his teammates have told reporters they really enjoy being around him.
Those types of personalities are crucial to the psyche of a successful club throughout the grind of an 82 game season and obviously endearing to a passionate fanbase.
In the vortex of a sports market like New York and the incessant microscope the media has on players, it’s easy to forget he’s still only 21 years old. The kid is fine. More than fine. Everyone take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. He already has a deep playoff run and the sting of a first round exit to a bitter rival under his belt. He now has an understanding of what the NHL is like and what New York is like. I’m hereby declaring 2024 as The Year Of The Laf and can’t wait for it to be here.
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