Athletic has an article up suggesting Lafreniere may be reaching a critical point with the Rangers. If he continues to struggle, we will hear lots of rumors about him in the upcoming year.
https://theathletic.com/4042117/2022...shared_article
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About 13 months ago, Gallant had Lafreničre playing fourth-line minutes in an attempt to grab the 2020 No. 1 pick’s attention. It worked. Lafreničre had 11 goals over his last 35 games and then the sort of postseason that reminded everyone why he was the top pick two years earlier. Coming into the final season of his entry-level deal in 2022-23 and coming off an impactful playoff run, the Rangers — and probably the rest of the NHL — assumed the 21-year-old was about to break out.
Now 36 games into his third season, the team and the league are still waiting.
“He doesn’t seem to accomplish much out there with or without the puck,” said one NHL scout whose coverage area includes the Rangers. “When you watch him play it’s hard to find him out there, has little impact on the outcome. I don’t know if it’s lack of confidence but his processing seems a little bit of a step behind.”
The Rangers obviously still believe that Lafreničre can be the player who was a no-doubt No. 1 pick after three outstanding seasons with Rimouski in the Quebec League, two QMJHL MVP awards, and a World Junior MVP award after leading Canada to gold in his draft season.
But there seems to be some disconnect between the player the Rangers hoped Lafreničre would be and the player he is right now. Tim Stützle was selected two picks after Lafreničre in 2020 and went to a Senators team that had lots of room for improvement and for a top-six center to grow. Even as the Senators have bumbled their way through Stützle’s first two-plus NHL seasons, he’s established himself as a go-to player in Ottawa and a big part of the Sens’ future — the team signed him to an eight-year extension worth $8.35-million per that kicks in next season.
“When you watch (Ottawa) play, you notice (Stützle,)” said an Eastern Conference executive who was granted anonymity because he’s not authorized to comment publicly on other teams’ players. “Can’t say the same about (Lafreničre).” Stützle has 29 points in 30 games this season for the Senators while leading all Ottawa forwards in ice time at 20:09 per game. He plays in all situations. Lafreničre has 17 points in 36 games while playing 15:01 a game and getting scraps of power play time.
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