Rangers' Alexis Lafreniere has a fresh start skating on second line with Artemi Panarin, Filip Chytil
Rangers left wing Alexis Lafreniere (13) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. Credit: Noah K. Murray
GREENBURGH – Alexis Lafrenière turned 22 on Wednesday, but had no big plans as far as celebrating his birthday later in the day in Buffalo.
“Nah, not much,’’ he said after the Rangers’ final practice before Thursday’s regular-season opener against the Sabres. “Team dinner. Early in bed.’’
Lafrenière caught some of the action from Tuesday night, when the league season opened with three games, including the NHL debut of Connor Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, who played for Chicago against the Pittsburgh Penguins and his boyhood idol, Sidney Crosby. Lafrenière, the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, was impressed by Bedard.
“Pretty good,’’ he said.
People are predicting big things for Bedard, who most observers consider to be a generational star. Some of those same people said similar things about Lafrenière, but he hasn’t lived up to that yet. In his first three seasons with the Rangers, the Montreal area native has been a good player, but certainly no star. And the Rangers fan base has grown impatient waiting for him to blossom into one.
Entering training camp, all the talk was about Lafrenière switching from his natural left wing position to right wing in order to earn a regular spot on one of the top two lines. He started camp on the right side of the top line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.
But a quiet preseason (one assist, minus-4 defensive rating) had people questioning whether Lafrenière had done enough to earn a spot among the top six forwards. Rookies Will Cuylle and Brennan Othmann had more impressive preseasons, and Kaapo Kakko supplanted Lafrenière on the top line and will skate alongside Kreider and Zibanejad Thursday.
Lafrenière will skate on the second line Thursday with Artemi Panarin and his former Kid Line center, Filip Chytil.
For a couple practices after the last preseason game last week, coach Peter Laviolette seemingly had Lafrenière playing left wing on what looked like a third line, though he said it was because Lafrenière was coming off a minor upper-body injury and was skating in a no-contact jersey.
Laviolette has been measured in his comments when asked about how Lafrenière has looked in camp.
“I thought he's looked really good in the last few practices,’’ Laviolette said. “It's nice to have him back and healthy going into the game. I'm looking forward to watching him play tomorrow night … his last few practices, I think, have probably been his best practices in the camp.’’
Lafreniere, who has been asked countless times over his career about playing right wing, said he is getting more comfortable there with every practice.
“It's been good,’’ he said. “And for me just to play with really good players, that helps too. Fil and ‘Bread’ are awesome players, so it's just for me to get more comfortable and try to do my job and try to make plays and play good hockey.’’
Lafreniere played a handful of games on Panarin’s line last season, and said “it's always fun to play with him.’’
“Every time he has the puck, you try to get open. He's going to find you,’’ he said of Panarin. “So, it’s just for me to work to get open and when I get the puck just try to make plays.’’
Blue notes
The team traveled to Buffalo after practice. After Thursday’s game, it will travel to Columbus for Saturday’s game against the Blue Jackets before the home opener Monday against the Arizona Coyotes.
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.
