Alexis Lafreniere of Team White skates during the 2020 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game against Team Red at FirstOntario Centre on Jan. 16 in Hamilton, Canada. Credit: Getty Images/Vaughn Ridley
When the time came for him to announce his selection with the No. 1 pick of the 2020 NHL draft, Rangers GM Jeff Gorton didn’t mess around. Gorton, who conceded before the draft he’d taken calls from people inquiring whether he’d be interested in trading the pick, did no such thing. Instead, he looked into the camera Tuesday night and declared that the Rangers would do the expected and take forward Alexis Lafreniere, universally regarded as the best player in the draft, and thought by most to be destined to be a can’t-miss star.