Alexis Lafreniere focusing more on Rangers wins than his own stats
Rangers left wing Alexis Lafreniere reacts after a missed scoring opportunity on Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov during the second period of an NHL game on Friday at Madison Squarer Garden. Credit: AP
NEWARK, N.J. – Alexis Lafreniere was willing to acknowledge Tuesday that, yes, there is a certain amount of pressure that comes with being the No. 1 overall in the NHL draft.
“Yeah, for sure,’’ the second-year Rangers forward said after his team’s morning skate at Prudential Center, where they were preparing to face the Devils. “There's always expectations for high draft picks, but I'm really staying in the moment and trying to help the team win. It's a big, big stretch for us. And I really want to be a part of a playoff team. So that's where we're going.’’
It's been a different first two seasons for Lafreniere, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. First of all, he didn’t get to walk up on stage in his hometown of Montreal for the 2020 NHL Draft because the pandemic forced the NHL to conduct that draft virtually. And second, in his first season in the league, teams played a 56-game schedule within the division, , meaning Lafreniere didn’t get a chance to go back to Montreal during his rookie year.
His second season has been a lot closer to normal, including his having the chance to play in Montreal – he scored the game-winning goal in that game, which was the Rangers’ first win of the season – but his production hasn’t been exactly off the charts. Entering Tuesday he had 15 goals and 10 assists in 68 games, which is not bad for a 20-year-old, third-line player. It’s just a little underwhelming for a guy who, two years ago, people thought would be a generational talent.
But Lafreniere isn’t worried about that.
“I don't really think about it,’’ he said. “Even like a year ago, or two years ago, or even three years ago… it's not really something I think about. I just try to play hockey and have fun and that's always what I've been doing. So I won't change, and it doesn't matter the role you have, it's just about the team and winning. So that's really my mentality.’’
Right now, Lafreniere, a left wing, is stuck behind Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin on the Rangers’ depth chart, and so he is playing on the third line with Filip Chytil as his center and Barclay Goodrow at right wing. And he’s playing fine as the Rangers try to power through the final 13 games of the regular season on their way to their first playoff berth in five years.
Lafreniere entered Tuesday’s game not having scored a point in his last four games, after a career-high six-game point-scoring streak. But he seems to be clicking with Chytil of late, after having had mixed results playing with him earlier this season and for large chunks of last season.
“I think it's getting always better,’’ he said of his chemistry with Chytil. “I really like his game right now. He's really skating well, he's making plays. So for me, it's just trying to get open and try to find him when he's open.’’
Right now, the task at hand for the Rangers is to take care of business and clinch a playoff spot, but they have had a couple of blips in games against teams that aren’t in the playoff picture. Two weeks ago, they lost to the Devils; last Friday, they were embarrassed by the Islanders at the Garden; and on Sunday they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers. Lafreniere admitted it is a little difficult right now to focus on the remaining regular-season games while putting out of mind the fact that there are most likely going to be playoff games upcoming a month from now.
“We're all excited, for sure, for the playoffs,’’ he said. “But we have a couple of games left and some big games. So we have to stay in the moment, and I'm trying to win every game we play.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
