Alexis Lafreniere had a tough rookie season, but as it progressed, he became more and more comfortable with NHL hockey. He finished his first campaign with 21 points, including 12 goals, in 56 games. David Quinn didn't give him all the tools to do himself justice, unfortunately.
This year, for his second season in the "show", he will be able to count on Gerard Gallant, who made it clear when he was hired how much of a fan he was of the young Lafreniere. It quickly became apparent that this was not bluff, as "Laffy" is featured on the first unit with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
On the second combination, we have, currently, Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome and Kaapo Kakko, which is far from bad. Seeing Panarin on a second pairing pinches my heart as he is one of the top 15 players in the NHL in my eyes.
That being said, to get back to "Laffy", Gallant is giving him and will give him all the elements so that he can impose himself and show the extent of his immense talent. He should also give him some quality time on the power play, a recipe that could allow Lafreniere to reach the second level. Good job, Gerard!
