Lafreniere is off to the worst start for a No. 1 overall pick since 1999

All eye have been on first overall pick Alexis Lafreniere ever since he made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers, but unfortunately for him, wheels are falling off the wagon pretty quickly.

Fans had hope when he finally recorded his first NHL goal, however, it was short-lived. 

The expectations have been so high for Lafreniere, especially since fans started calling him out when he played his first ever NHL game. The young rookie has been projected to be a highly skilled player and a key piece in the Rangers’ future, but for now, it might be hard to believe it. Ever since Lafreniere has been underperforming - based on all our expectations - fans haven’t minced their words about his performance on social media. Some folks aren’t cutting him any slack, calling him a bust and saying he is fourth-line material only. 

On Friday, TSN’s Frank Seravalli shared some pretty awful stat on Lafreniere, he who is off to the worst start for a No. 1 overall pick since 1999… Here is how Seravalli explained it: 

“To say it’s been a tough go for Alexis Lafreniere in Rangerstown would be an understatement. With one goal and no assists in 15 games, Lafreniere is off to the worst start for a No. 1 overall pick since Patrik Stefan in the 1999-2000 season – and one of the worst of all time. Even then, Stefan had three goals and seven points in his first 15 games. Nail Yakupov, the No. 1 pick in 2012, also made his debut in a shortened season and finished with 17 goals and 31 points in 48 games. Yakupov had five goals and nine points by this point. Remember, Lafreniere, the 2020 Canadian World Junior hero, was expected to potentially have a 60-point impact as a rookie. The Rangers have struggled, and some have wondered about Lafreniere’s speed and stamina contributing to his skid, but confidence has to be a factor at this point.”

Let’s remember that the kid is on NHL ice for the first time and was left without playing hockey for over 10 months when the pandemic took over. We hope the Rangers, and their fanbase, will give Lafreniere a little more patience. 

However, the record does not lie.. and now it’s getting worrisome.