Rangers first overall pick emerges as trade candidate? Chris Drury faced with a difficult decision
Photo credit: NHL.com
The New York Rangers were excited after their former first overall pick, Alexis Lafreniere posted 57 points last season.
There was hope he'd replicate his production this year, but has failed to do so even, with some of the best Rangers forwards available.
The Rangers were so excited by his production last season that they rewarded him with a long-term contract which sees him paid handsomely through the 2031-2032 season.
Yet, this year he's taken a step back and only scored 30 points in 50 games with the Rangers.
«There has to be so much more to his game than he's showing,» NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen told Forever Blueshirts on the latest Rink Rap podcast. «When you're playing with those two guys in [Artemi] Panarin and [Vincent] Trocheck, you should be generating more, you should have better chances. He ha done right at the post against Carolina (in a 4-0 loss Tuesday), didn't go in, great safe by Freddy Andersen, but those are few and far between for him.
«And that's alarming.»
«And that's alarming.»
While his production this season seems like it's ok, keep in mind the last time he scored a goal was on January 7th against the Dallas Stars.
With only one goal in 23 games, he's gone invisible during parts of the season after initially starting on a hot streak.
It's troubling after the 1st overall pick in 2020, would make a huge showing during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers.
All the while his fellow teammates like Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin would fail to play as we expected.
After 8 goals in 16 playoff games, we expected a star to rise.
«I think Alexis' game is far more alarming than Mika [Zibanejad's] game,» Rosen stated, referring to the veteran center who's been under fire all season. «Mika's at least been doing things that help the team by preventing top guys (on other teams) from doing things.»
Lafreniere is a -13 and has only scored 4 points (2 G, 2 A) in a four-game points streak that dried up soon after. His three goals against given up against Carolina could be forgivable if there was production to go alongside it, but he's not the reliable player he was last season.
«I'm not ready to give up on [Lafreniere] by any stretch of the imagination. I think he earned the contract he got (seven years, $52.15 million), to be honest with you there needs to be a greater level of maturity to his game in the sense of you've got to grow beyond the challenge that you're facing now.
«That to me is where he's stuck now.»
«That to me is where he's stuck now.»
The former 1st overall pick has to find a way to keep producing at an NHL level to keep the target off his back, as playing in Madison Square Garden comes with a lot of eyes on you, always.
While his production has effectively cratered alongside his teammates, the team and his linemates shouldn't give up on him just yet.
Previously on NYRangersInsider
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