The correlation between Alexis Lafrenière’s expanded role and the strongest start of his NHL career is evident.
asserted
correlation → expand → career
It wasn’t until his seventh season that the 2020 No. 1 overall pick was deployed on the top line, skated on the first power play unit and logged nearly 20 minutes of ice time a night, almost every night, from Day 1 of a new campaign.
asserted
pick → deploy → campaign
’s no use in rehashing all the reasons why it unfolded this way.
asserted
it → ’ → reasons
The logjam of top-six forwards ahead of him when he was drafted is well documented and the inconsistencies in his game that made it difficult to entrust him with such assignments are known.
asserted
it → draft → assignments
Through his first three and a half weeks with such responsibilities, however, Lafrenière has thrived.
asserted
Lafrenière → thrive → responsibilities
“I think he’s opened up — or developed — other aspects of his offensive game,” head coach Mike Sullivan said Thursday before the Rangers took on the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.
asserted
Rangers → think → Arena
He’s a talent.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
He’s a talented player.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
Rush offense tends to be talent-driven.
asserted
offense → tend → ?
But one of the things that I try to challenge him with, when I first became the coach here, was the better teams in the league a lot of times they get numbers back, they take the rush away.
asserted
they → try → rush
How do you produce offense, right?
asserted
you → produce → offense
I try to challenge him on his down-low game.
asserted
I → try → game
“He’s a lean guy, but he’s hockey strong.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
He’s so capable of creating offense from below the goal line, hanging on to pucks, rolling off of checks, and making next plays, getting inside at the net and creating off of a loose puck at the net front.
asserted
He → ’ → front
He’s got a great stick.
asserted
He → get → stick
He sees it extremely well and he’s strong.
asserted
he → see → it
We’ve tried to challenge him as a coaching staff in developing that aspect of his game.
asserted
We → try → game
I think when you look at the second half of the season last year and continuing through this year, that’s the biggest area of his game that I think we’ve seen the biggest growth.
asserted
we → think → growth
Not only was Lafrenière tied for seventh in the NHL with seven goals entering Thursday’s game, but the 25-year-old led the Rangers in goals and points (13).
asserted
old → tie → goals
He had posted at least one point in seven of his prior eight games, including a six-game point streak that tied the longest of his career.
asserted
that → post → career
His four multipoint games this season — including an empty-net abetted hat trick against the Islanders earlier this month — were the most of the Blueshirts and tied for the 11th most in the league.
asserted
games → include → league
Sullivan said he thinks Lafrenière has “made a concerted effort” in the game down low since the start of the season.
asserted
Lafrenière → say → season
Now, Lafrenière is averaging just under a minute and a half more ice time than last season.
asserted
Lafrenière → average → season
His increased involvement in the Rangers’ game has led to an increased output of production and on-ice impact.
asserted
involvement → increase → ice
“I don’t think there’s any question, I think [his expanded role] helps,” Sullivan said.
asserted
Sullivan → think → ?
“One of the things that I said to him when I became the coach was … we had a long conversation before we even stepped on the ice.
asserted
we → say → ice
We all wanted to try to help him build his game and get his game to another level, and he agreed.
asserted
he → want → level
Part of my job, I think as the coach, is I got to provide a pathway for that player to do so.
asserted
player → think → pathway
And so that’s what I’ve tried to do.
asserted
I → ’ → what
“He’s getting significant power play time, he’s playing in the top six.
asserted
he → get → six
And to his credit, he’s taken advantage of it.
asserted
he → take → it
He’s done a terrific job.”
asserted
He → do → job
The Aporia
