Alexis Lafrenière
Lafrenière with the New York Rangers in 2021
Born (2001-10-11) October 11, 2001
Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
NHL team New York Rangers
NHL Draft 1st overall, 2020
New York Rangers
Playing career 2021–present

Alexis Lafrenière (French pronunciation: [a.lɛk.si la.fʁə.njɛʁ], born October 11, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected first overall by the Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 2017, he was awarded the QMJHL Rookie of the Year award and was named to the First All-Star team in his rookie season. He was selected first overall by the Rangers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut with the team in 2021.

Lafrenière has represented Canada internationally at the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships, 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, and the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. As the captain of the Canadian national junior team, Lafrenière led them to a gold medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Playing career

QMJHL

Lafrenière with the Rimouski Océanic in 2020

Lafrenière was selected first overall in the 2017 QMJHL entry draft by Rimouski Océanic. In his rookie season, he scored 42 goals, the most goals scored by a rookie since Sidney Crosby in 2004.[1] He was awarded the RDS Cup as QMJHL rookie of the year and was named to the First All-Star team.[2]

NHL

Following the shortened 2019–20 QMJHL season, Lafrenière was considered the consensus first overall pick for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft having led the league in scoring with 112 points. He was eventually drafted first overall by the New York Rangers on October 6, 2020, becoming their first-ever first overall pick in the entry draft era.[3][4] On October 12, Lafrenière signed an entry-level contract with the Rangers.[5]

On January 14, 2021, Lafrenière made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers, logging one shot on goal in the 4–0 loss to the New York Islanders.[6] On January 28, 2021, Lafrenière scored his first NHL goal in a 3–2 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres.[7] He became the first Ranger to score his first career NHL goal in overtime since Mats Zuccarello did on January 5, 2011. Lafrenière also became the youngest player in NHL history to score their first career goal in overtime (19 years, 109 days old). The only other teenage player to do that was Cody Ceci (also 19) in 2013.[8]

On May 7, 2022, Lafrenière scored his first career playoff goal during the Game 4 of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins. At 20 years and 208 days, he became the youngest Ranger with a playoff point since Steven Rice (19 years, 322 days) in 1991.[9]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place2020 Czech Republic
Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Gold medal – first place2018 Edmonton/Red Deer

Lafrenière was the youngest player selected for Team Canada's U18 team at the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships at the age of 16.[10] He later captained Team Canada at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup tournament, despite being the second youngest on the roster.[11] Lafreniere led the tournament with 11 points in five games, helping Canada win gold.[12]

In December 2018, Lafrenière was named to Team Canada's 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship roster.[13] He was the youngest member on the roster and the ninth-youngest forward ever to represent Canada in the World Juniors.[14] He scored his first, and only, goal of the tournament during Canada's 5–1 win over the Czech Republic.[14] Canada was later eliminated by Team Finland in the quarterfinals.[15]

In December 2019, he was named to Team Canada's 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships roster. After a four-point performance in the team's 6–4 win against the United States in the tournament opener, Lafrenière suffered a lower-body injury the following game after colliding with Russian goaltender Amir Miftakhov on a scoring chance in the second period.[16] He would miss two games, and came back strong, helping lead Canada to a gold medal. He was named one of the three best players on Team Canada, tournament MVP, and was named to the media all star team. He registered four goals and six assists for 10 points in five games.[17]

Personal life

Lafrenière was raised in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, the son of Hugo and Nathalie Lafrenière, a first grade teacher. He has one sister, Lori-Jane, who is three years older than him and plays soccer at the Université de Montréal. Alexis was also a talented baseball shortstop in his youth before deciding to focus on hockey. Despite being a Montreal Canadiens fan growing up, Lafrenière's favorite player is longtime Chicago Blackhawks star forward Patrick Kane.[18]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2017–18 Rimouski Océanic QMJHL 6042388054 743712
2018–19 Rimouski Océanic QMJHL 61376810572 139142314
2019–20 Rimouski Océanic QMJHL 52357711250 —————
2020–21 New York Rangers NHL 56129218 —————
2021–22 New York Rangers NHL 7919123137 2027911
2022–23 New York Rangers NHL 8116233933 70000
NHL totals 21647449178 2727911

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2017 Canada Red U17 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 63360
2018 Canada U18 5th 54262
2018 Canada HG18 1st place, gold medalist(s) 556112
2019 Canada WJC 6th 51012
2020 Canada WJC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 546104
Junior totals 2617173410

Awards and honours

Lafreniere at the 2020 NHL Top Prospects Game in Hamilton, Ontario
Award Year Ref
QMJHL
QMJHL All-Rookie Team 2018 [19]
QMJHL First All-Star Team 2018, 2019, 2020
Rookie of the Year 2018
Michel Bergeron Trophy 2018 [20]
Paul Dumont Trophy 2019, 2020
Jean Béliveau Trophy 2020
Michel Brière Memorial Trophy 2020 [21]
International
World Junior Championships – Tournament MVP 2020 [22]
World Junior Championships – Tournament All-Star Team 2020

References

  1. ↑ "Comparisons to Sidney Crosby not easy for Alexis Lafreniere to ignore - Sportsnet.ca". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  2. ↑ "SALDA NAMED TO QMJHL ROOKIE ALL-STAR TEAM – Saint John Sea Dogs". sjseadogs.com. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  3. ↑ Peters, Chris (October 6, 2020). "New York Rangers select left wing Alexis Lafreniere, 18, consensus No. 1 prospect, to open NHL draft". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  4. ↑ Note: The New York Rangers selected André Veilleux first overall in the 1965 NHL Amateur Draft. The rules for draft eligibility changed in 1979.
  5. ↑ "Rangers Agree to Terms with Alexis Lafrenière". NHL.com. October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  6. ↑ Seravalli, Frank (January 14, 2021). "Lafreniere finds silver lining in 'tough' NHL debut". tsn.ca. The Sports Network. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Alexis Lafreniere's first goal an overtime winner as New York Rangers beat Buffalo Sabres - TSN.ca". TSN.ca. The Canadian Press. January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Alexis Lafreniere's first NHL goal gives the New York Rangers an OT victory". Empire Sports Media. January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  9. ↑ @PR_NHL (May 8, 2022). "It's been more than 30 years since a @NYRangers skater younger than Alexis Lafrenière (20 years, 208 days) recorded a point in the #StanleyCup Playoffs. The last to do so? Steven Rice (19 years, 322 days) in 1991 (Game 6 of 1991 DSF)" (Tweet). Retrieved May 10, 2022 – via Twitter.
  10. ↑ Brien, David (April 19, 2018). "Big names from the QMJHL are representing Team Canada at the U18 Worlds". theqmjhl.ca. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  11. ↑ Spector, Mark (August 9, 2018). "Lafreniere, 2020 draft class steal the spotlight at Hlinka Gretzky Cup". sportsnet.ca. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Rimouski's Alexis Lafreniere checking all the boxes to be future NHL star". sportsnet.ca. November 22, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  13. ↑ "World Junior Championship rosters". NHL.com. December 26, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  14. 1 2 Dhiren Mahiban (January 2, 2019). "World Juniors 2019: Alexis Lafreniere taking lessons in stride under Canada's microscope". sportingnews.com. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  15. ↑ Traikos, Michael (January 2, 2019). "CANADA FINN-ISHED: Finland steals WJC champion team's thunder with OT victory in quarterfinals". National Post. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Canada's Lafrenière leaves world juniors game against Russia with lower-body injury". cbc.ca. December 28, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Lafreniere named MVP". IIHF.com. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Lafreniere driven by strong hockey roots to top of 2020 NHL Draft". NHL.com. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  19. ↑ "The 2018 Golden Puck Awards: a night to remember!". theqmjhl.ca. April 5, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Océanic organization, players rewarded for their stellar seasons". theqmjhl.ca. March 24, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Sidney Crosby announces the 2019–2020 Most Valuable Player". theqmjhl.ca. May 21, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Media All Stars" (PDF). IIHF. January 5, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
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