Chronicle of Billy Bertrand: Alexis Lafrenière finally arrived

Alexis Lafrenière just turned 23 on October 11, but it seems like he’s been in the NHL forever as he’s already entering his fifth NHL season. The native of Saint-Eustache has had a very unique journey for a prospect selected first overall.

It took him a few years to get there, but he’s finally living up to the expectations that come with being the first overall pick. After setting career highs in goals (28), assists (29), and points (57) last year, he received a seven-year contract extension at US$7.45 million per year last year. last week. It’s a contract similar to many young stars across the league like Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, Matt Boldy, and many others. The Rangers are one of the most dominant teams at the start of the season and Lafrenière plays a key role, finding themselves second in points behind

Artemi Panarin. But the journey to get there was far from being without pitfalls for the Quebecer.

Expectations (too) high

Lafrenière was obviously an excellent prospect and the unanimous first choice in 2020. His combination of talent, production in the QMJHL, and size impressed scouts during his last two junior seasons, where he amassed 105 and 112 points. He was also only the second player in QMJHL history to win back-to-back Player of the Year titles and the first since Sidney Crosby. The fact that he played for the Rimouski Océanic only accentuated the comparisons with the Penguins center, which was rather unfair for Lafrenière. He was mentioned as possibly the best prospect to come out of Quebec major junior since Crosby.

Although justified as a comparison, “the best since Crosby” does not mean that Lafrenière was of the same caliber as the Penguins legend, who scored 168 points during his final year in Rimouski. After all, you can almost count on the fingers of one hand the players who have had a better career than Crosby, who is the 10th best scorer in NHL history. Despite everything, this is how many people perceived it. With Crosby’s legendary rookie season (102 points at 18), it put inordinate expectations on Lafrenière’s shoulders.

An unprecedented situation

Lafrenière was also placed in one of the most unique situations for a prospect in NHL history. The Rangers were a great team in 2019-20. They had just added

Kaapo Kakko to their training. When the season was suspended by Covid, they were 37-28-5, which would be good for about 93 points in a normal season. They lost in the qualifying tournament, which gave them the chance to enter the lottery despite their success. They obviously won the first pick, making them the first team since 1983 to draft first overall in the same year they made the playoffs. He also joined the NHL during the 2020-2021 season, a season played without fans and with several off-ice restrictions due to the pandemic.

Lafrenière therefore joined a club which had already come out of its reconstruction, rather than a low-ranking formation like the majority of first choices in history. That put even more pressure on him for immediate results. He didn’t have the luxury of developing at his own pace and learning from his mistakes, because the Rangers couldn’t afford those mistakes in their playoff run. And he had to do all this in the destabilizing environment that was the Covid season. Far from an ideal situation to make the jump to the NHL at 18 years old.

The importance of stability

Another problem for Lafrenière was the lack of consistency among his linemates. During his rookie season, he played at least 50 minutes with nine different players, led by Filip Chytil, at 251:41. Same thing during his second season, with 10 players who were around him for at least 50 minutes. It started to stabilize in 2022-23, where he formed a good third line for the Rangers alongside

Kaapo Kakko and Chytil and had his best season with 39 points. But it was last season where things really came together for Lafrenière.

Of the 1,309 minutes he played at even strength in 2023-24, 1,092 came with Panarin alongside him, more than 83% of his total playing time at even strength. Panarin is an outstanding playmaker, as evidenced by his 321 assists since joining the Rangers, a mark trailed only by Connor McDavid (410) and Nathan MacKinnon (330) and tied with Leon Draisaitl. Lafrenière took advantage of his opportunity and had by far his best year in the NHL. He has proven to be a great addition to the Rangers star.

Painting Alexis Lafrenière

Panarin is particularly dangerous when he uses his speed entering the zone and Lafrenière kept pace with the Russian winger. He was strong in transition and effective entering the zone. He also didn’t hesitate to attack the bottom of the slot and present himself as a target for Panarin, who assisted on 14 of Lafrenière’s 28 goals, including seven primary assists. And he did all that with very little production on the power play, which was responsible for just six of his 57 points. The duo continues this season, with Lafrenière who has five goals and ten points in ten games, including this goal which is a perfect example of his complicity with Panarin.

It took a little longer than expected, but Lafrenière finally arrived and he is here to stay.