This Rangers Forward Is Off To A Sizzling Start

The New York Rangers will head into tonight's Original Six matchup against the Maple Leafs. The Blueshirts are 3-0-1 in their very young season and hope to add to that impressive record. New York has been successful due in part to good performances from his top forwards. One who sticks out in the early weeks of the season is Alexis Lafreniere.

Alexis Lafreniere has had an interesting tenure on Broadway as fans and critics have waited to become what he was advertised as when he was selected with the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. In his first three seasons in New York, Lafreniere scored 47 goals and 91 points in 216 games. Lafreniere has then taken leaps and bounds in his production. Since 2023 the young forward has shown his development by accumulating 30 goals and 62 points. The one reason for the uptick in production could be that the Quebec native has become a more important part of the Rangers scoring plan.

If one were to look back on the start of Lafreniere's tenure and why he did not immediately make an impact like most first-overall picks. Looking at the roster from those first three years, one would surmise that the highly touted prospect would not have been needed to perform at such a high level for the team to be competitive. Teams rarely go on to be competitive immediately after making the first overall pick in the draft. The Philadelphia Flyers are the only team to have the first overall pick and win the Stanley Cup in the same year.

The lack of demand for Lafreniere to make a big impact right away has most definitely allowed him to develop into a 200-foot player. That is not to say that he is at a point where he can no longer improve. Ranger fans should expect to continue playing well, as well as turn into a player that will someday soon play a major part in the Blueshirts winning championship.