Coming off a strong finish to his 2020-21 rookie campaign, in which he scored five of his 12 goals in the season’s final dozen games, 2020 number-one-overall draft pick Alexis Lafrenière appeared poised to hit the ground running for the New York Rangers this season. Indeed, he notched three goals and an assist in the club’s first eight games, as he was given an early opportunity to play on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, albeit on his off-side of right wing.
An Up-and-Down Season for Lafrenière
Soon, however, Lafrenière would be taken off the top line as head coach Gerard Gallant was tinkering with the combinations in what was still the early going.