New York Rangers awarded first overall pick in Broadway miracle
After the disappointment of being eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes, fans of the New York Rangers were given a whole new reason to be excited for the upcoming season.
The New York Rangers would call it a Miracle on Broadway.
After an extremely disappointing Stanley Cup Qualifier series against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Blueshirts entered Phase 2 of Monday night’s NHL Draft Lottery with 12.5 percent chance of notching the coveted first overall selection in the upcoming NHL Draft.
They got exactly that.
It is ours.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) August 10, 2020
Confirmed. pic.twitter.com/U8EK3UVfTz
In a suspenseful random draw shown live on television, unlike in past years, the Rangers’ ping pong ball came out first among the other seven inside the glass container, meaning they were awarded the pick that is expected to be QMJHL standout Alexis Lafreniere. The Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets are the seven teams the Rangers beat out for the top selection.
And having previously acquiring one other first round selection for the upcoming draft, winning this lottery means so much more to the Rangers.
What do they get in Lafreniere?
Lafreniere has been described as a commanding forward who makes a huge presence. More specifically, International Scouting Services labeled him as a “high-impact forward” who can “control and dominate games” and can “makes smart decisions quickly.”
In the 2019-20 QMJHL seaso, Lafreniere posted 35 goals and 77 assists on a Rimouski Océanic squad that failed to make the playoffs. His four goals and six assists in five World Junior games is mightily impressive considering his campaign in the tournament was shortened due to a leg injury he sustained against the Russians.
He was named the CHL Player of the Year for the second straight season, joining Sidney Crosby as the only players to accomplish that feat. On the live telecast, former Ranger Mike Rupp speculated that Lafreniere could be a 70 point player in his rookie season.
How do they utilize him?
The immediate thoughts on Lafreniere’s potential use by the Rangers can be simply described as crucial.
David Quinn was eyed by the Blueshirts mainly because the front office had wanted a coach who works well with youthful players — like Quinn did during his time with Boston University.
When you add a dominant force like Lafreniere into a Rangers lineup that included young players such as Filip Chytil, Brett Howden, Kaapo Kakko and prospects like Vitali Kravtsov, Nils Lundkvist, K’Andre Miller and Lias Andersson, it will add a sense of stability and control to a forward corp that is led by Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin.
For a Rangers team that did not live up to the pre-season hype, Lafreniere can be a potential boost to this young squad as they look to make another long-awaited push to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.