The time is now for the New York Rangers 21-year-old first-overall draft pick. After hearing from the head coach, Peter Laviolette, it sounds like the opportunity is Alexis Lafreniere's for the taking.
The narrative around Alexis Lafreniere not having the opportunity to succeed to this point is perhaps one of the most entertaining conversations not only around the New York Rangers, but the entire NHL. The first overall draft pick from 2020 is set for his fourth season in the National Hockey League and he has yet to have a breakout season.
The 2023-24 season could potentially make or break Lafreniere's career. Peter Laviolette spoke to the media today and he made it clear that Lafreniere will get his shot.
Dan Rosen, the Senior Editor for NHL.com asked Laviolette straight up if we will see Lafreniere on the left or right side at the start of training camp tomorrow. Laviolette responded by saying "I'm going to give him looks on the right side. That's not to say he might not move back to the left, but yes he will be on the right side to start camp."
This wasn't a decision that Laviolette took lightly. He went on to say "I did have conversations with him. It's not like I did it blindly. He expressed to me that he's comfortable with that and looks forward to that opportunity."
Laviolette's statement holds tremendous value because this implies that he will most likely play in the top six if he is slotted as a right-winger.
Is it possible that we see Lafreniere on the first line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad? Possibly, but I'd say it's more likely that he gets slotted on a line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck.
All everyone wants is for Lafreniere to have a true opportunity to thrive. There were times under Gerard Gallant when he saw top six minutes, but he was never able to play his best at a consistent rate. Under Laviolette, things could be totally different.
Despite what some people say, Lafreniere has not struggled to score goals at 5-on-5, which is a stat that always seems to fly under the radar. When you look at the statistics above, it's crazy to think what his offensive production could look like if he had been playing with the Rangers' most talented forwards for longer stretches.
In 2022-23, Lafreniere put up a career-high in points (39), which might not be a whole lot, but the vibe that I am getting from Laviolette makes it seem like that number could have a massive bump in 2023-24.
After finishing the playoffs with zero points in all seven games against the New Jersey Devils, Lafreniere should come into this campaign with a lot to prove and a massive chip on his shoulder.
Mike Rupp said on the NHL Network that he thinks Laviolette understands that the young players need a chance to take that next step.
I have a ton of faith in Lafreniere as a player. We've seen plenty of moments where his skill is on display along with his aggressiveness. If he can channel that consistently, he and the team could be very scary.
My prediction for Lafreniere, and this is probably my boldest prediction of them all, is 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists).