Opinion: What to make of Lafreniere’s rollercoaster week?

Last Wednesday, Alexis Lafreniere was scratched and relegated to street clothes for a contest against the Philadelphia Flyers. Head Coach Gerard Gallant claimed he just wanted the 20-yeard old to get some rest. While sitting and resting players before the playoffs isn’t a rarity, the “Spidey senses” of Rangers fans are always tingling when a talented 1st round pick is benched, scratched, or sent to Hartford. Perhaps it’s the fact that Lafreniere is the former number one overall pick, and he hasn’t enshrined himself in the Garden rafters like many New Yorkers unfairly wanted him to do before stepping a foot on Garden ice. Maybe it’s a little P.T.S.D from two recent first-round picks who refused demotions to Hartford and demanded a trade shortly after. It seems pretty apparent, and I shouldn’t have to say it, but Alexis Lafreniere is not Vitali Kravtsov, nor is he Lias Anderson. He is an entirely different, more talented player and light years more mature than the other two. He took his minor demotion to the 4th line Saturday afternoon against the Detroit Red Wings like a professional and made the most of his next opportunity.

Like many of you, I probably overreacted to the 4th line demotion due to the many reasons stated above. A player of Lafreniere’s ilk doesn’t belong on the 4th line, but his head coach has the responsibility to do whatever it takes to get the best out of him. Shortly after the game ended, someone reminded me that it wasn’t long ago that Pavel Buchnevich was being scratched or sent down to the 4th line. How many times did Chris Kreider wind up in Tortorella’s doghouse? Those players excelled under a different coach’s tutelage, so the comparison might not fit like a glove, but the tactic is as old as the game itself. Whether or not you agree with it is entirely moot because it worked! With that highlight reel backhanded goal, Lafreniere finally gave the Garden faithful something they’ve been begging for. Hopefully, this is the spark that gets the young man going, and it couldn’t have come at a better time, right before the playoffs.

Lost in all this is hoopla is how the 3rd line has been producing the past few games. Lafreniere saw Kaapo Kakko break out of his proverbial shackles and score twice while leading the Rangers to a 4-0 victory in Philadelphia during his one-game hiatus. With the team’s recent uptick in 5 on 5 play and the consistency the 3rd line has been providing, the Rangers are beginning to gel at the perfect time. If they can get a healthy Kakko and Lafreniere producing in the playoffs, the sky’s the limit for this team.

The frustration surrounding Lafreniere is palpable. The NHL pumps out teenage phenoms left and right. When that lottery ball came up red, white, and blue, everyone thought he was the next one. He may or may not be that next superstar that everyone hoped for, but the Rangers don’t need him to be that right now. The time for him to carry the torch will come, and I believe he’ll be more than ready.

In this week's episode we discuss the Gavrikov signing, K’Miller trade, NYR’s outlook and more.How to support us and our sponsors:Columbia Sports ApparelESPN+ SubscriptionFanaticsDraft Kings – CODE ITRThanks for listening! Please rate and review our show on your favorite listening platform. Check out our partner's website at www.insidetherink.com for all your latest hockey news.
  1. A Key Day on Broadway
  2. Don't Cry-der Because It's Over
  3. Can the Rangers Cop Robo?
  4. Guest Will Wright : 1st Pick this Year or Next?
  5. Fortune Telling w/ Joe Fortunato


Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Luca Perito

Born and raised in New York. I've lived in Arizona, Maryland, Delaware, and California. Love all sports. Twitter @elbigcalzonelp -- Instagram @thebigcalzone

Leave a Reply

Tanner Jeannot of the Los Angeles Kings

Player Profile: Tanner Jeannot

Tanner Jeannot was born on May 29, 1997, in Estevan, Saskatchewan. The left-shooting forward played for three seasons with the Estevan Bruins from 2010-13. In his first two seasons with the U15 club, Jeannot scored 29 goals and collected 18 assists in 42 games and five goals and three assists in ten postseason games. Jeannot […]

Read More
Gage Goncalves of the Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay Lightning Make Significant Player Signings To Start July

As free agency has started in the National Hockey League, many teams, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, are making significant roster moves with free agents and player extensions. Just yesterday, July 1, for day one of free agency, the Lightning extended young 24-year-old Portuguese forward Gage Goncalves to a two-year contract worth $1.2 million a […]

Read More
William Moore 2025 Draft Profile

Breaking Down Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney’s Draft

Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney has been in his position for ten years now and has seen success with one Stanley Cup Finals appearance and one historic regular season. This past season was the first time since 2016 that the Bruins failed to make the playoffs. Sweeney has added pieces to the prior core […]

Read More