Huge opportunity for Alexis Lafreniere, other storylines to follow on Friday
Alexis Lafreniere’s time to shine
It has been a difficult start to life in the National Hockey League for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft in Alexis Lafreniere, who has one goal in 12 games with a plus / minus rating of -4. However, the generational talent has averaged 14:16 of TOI and has been used largely on the third-line.
But, with Artemi Panarin out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, Lafreniere will be bumped up to the second-line to play alongside Ryan Strome and Kaapo Kakko. Now, not only will that mean more ice time for Lafreniere, but he will also be playing with more talented line mates and that should result in more opportunities to showcase his considerable talents.
Prior to tonight, Lafreniere has had limited opportunities to establish himself in a top-six role, skating on either the first or second-line in just seven games, so there is no doubt that the second game of the week against the Boston Bruins is an absolutely huge chance for the stud winger to ball out and prove that he belongs in the top six.
With his lone goal and lone point the game-winner in Overtime against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 28, Lafreniere will be keen to put together a breakout game and there would be no better time to do that then tonight against the Bruins. After all, the Rangers put in a much better performance in the first game on Wednesday and, 4-5-3 on the year, they need to start moving in order to stay competitive in what is a wide-open East Division.
Plus, we know the talent is there with Alexis Lafreniere and we’ve seen flashes of it through his first 12 games, while we have also seen with New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes that it can take some time for rookies to adapt and adjust to life in the NHL. But, set to be handed a bigger role for tonight’s game and after turning it on in the third period against the Bruins on Wednesday night, there is a real opportunity for Lafreniere to continue to make strides in the right direction and potentially explode offensively because it is only a matter of time until he has a huge game for the New York Rangers.