#LafreNYR pic.twitter.com/j5QbPBdRSO— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 6, 2020
Furthermore, Lafreniere was called the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year for the 2nd straight season, signing up with Sidney Crosby as the only other player to win that award two times. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound winger overcame a mid-tournament injury to lead Canada to the gold medal at the World Junior Championship, scoring 10 points in just five video games en route to earning MVP honors.
The New York Rangers chose left wing Alexis Lafreniere of the QMJHLs Rimouski Oceanic with the very first pick in the 2020 NHL draft on Tuesday. The Rangers had never ever previously picked with the very first general choice in the entry draft age, which started in 1979.
Lafreniere, who will turn 19 on Sunday, was the consensus top prospect in this draft class after assembling a remarkable and embellished season between his efforts with Rimouski in a shortened season and for Team Canada at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. He led the QMJHL in scoring with 112 points in simply 52 video games, making league MVP honors for the 2nd straight season. His 2.15 points per game average was the greatest throughout Canadas leading 3 junior leagues given that Connor McDavid had 2.50 in his last season in the OHL in 2014-15.
2 RelatedA forward with an uncommon mix of elite skill and physicality, Lafreniere has been amongst the most prized prospects of the 2001 birth year for some time. He was the QMJHLs rookie of the year in his very first season in 2017-18, and he will complete his career in Quebecs top junior circuit with 297 points in 173 video games.
Lafreniere represents one of the final pieces to the restore puzzle for the Rangers, who have put together among the strongest prospect pools in the NHL over the past 3 seasons. He will sign up with a roster that consists of a Hart Trophy finalist in Artemi Panarin, one of the most appealing goalies in the video game in Igor Shesterkin and last years No. 2 total tease the opposite wing, Kaapo Kakko.
The Rangers made the leading pick in the draft after the Carolina Hurricanes swept them out of the qualification round of the NHLs special postseason setup. New York was among eight eliminated teams with a 12.5% chance to earn the No. 1 overall choice.
At No. 2, the Los Angeles Kings chose center Quinton Byfield of the Ontario Hockey League. And at No. 3, the Ottawa Senators picked forward Tim Stutzle of Germany.
Lafreniere, who will turn 19 on Sunday, was the consensus top prospect in this draft class after putting together an amazing and decorated season between his efforts with Rimouski in a reduced season and for Team Canada at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. He led the QMJHL in scoring with 112 points in simply 52 games, making league MVP honors for the second straight season. His 2.15 points per video game average was the highest across Canadas top 3 junior leagues considering that Connor McDavid had 2.50 in his last season in the OHL in 2014-15.
