Lafrenière continuing his breakthrough season as a solid contributor for Rangers in NHL playoffs

After a breakthrough regular season, Alexis Lafrenière has continued to be a solid contributor for the New York Rangers in their run to the Eastern Conference final.

Selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, the Quebec native entered the league with high expectations for a Rangers team looking to come out of a rebuilding process.

Lafrenière made the team as a 19-year-old rookie and finished with 12 goals and nine assists in 56 games in the league’s pandemic-shortened season. He steadily increased his production each year since, putting up career highs of 28 goals, 29 assists and 57 points this season.

“There’s always, always a lot of pressure on these young guys to come in and have an impact right away,” Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad said. “The way he’s been working, the way he’s believed in himself and ... just the way he’s been able to work, it’s been amazing.”