Is Alexis Lafreniere playing tonight against New Jersey Devils? | 4th October | 2023 NHL Preseason

New York Rangers fans eagerly waiting for another preseason performance of Alexis Lafreniere received an update from Rangers Head Coach Peter Laviolette which was shared by Vince Z. Mercogliano on Twitter. According to the update, he won't be playing in the game against the New Jersey Devils on October 4th.

In his tweet, Mercogliano mentioned that Lafreniere won't be taking the ice in the upcoming preseason game due to having already participated in three preseason games.

Instead, it appears that Lafreniere will make his next appearance in the Rangers' lineup on Thursday. Additionally, Coach Laviolette mentioned that he intends to continue assessing Lafreniere's performance in the right-wing position.

"Laviolette confirmed that Laf won’t play tomorrow. Said it’s because he’s already played 3 preseason games and he doesn’t think it’s necessary to play 5 of the 6. Sounds like he will suit up Thursday. He also said he’ll continue to get looks at RW," he tweeted.

The decision not to play Lafreniere in the upcoming preseason game seems to be a strategic approach by Coach Laviolette. The young forward, who is seen as one of the rising stars for the Rangers, has already had the opportunity to showcase his skills in three preseason games.

This decision likely stems from a desire to manage Lafreniere's workload effectively while also giving others the opportunity and assess the position.

A look at Alexis Lafreniere's NHL Debut

Alexis Lafreniere's rise to NHL stardom began with his selection as the first overall pick by the New York Rangers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to this, he had dazzled in the QMJHL, leading the league in scoring with an impressive 112 points during the shortened 2019-20 season.

Lafreniere's NHL debut came on January 14, 2021, against the New York Islanders, though they lost 4-0. Nevertheless, his first shot on goal marked a significant milestone in his career.

Just weeks later, on January 28, 2021, he scored his inaugural NHL goal in an exhilarating overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres. This achievement made him the youngest player in NHL history to score their first career goal in overtime at just 19 years and 109 days old.

As the 2021-2022 season unfolded, Alexis Lafreniere continued to make strides. On May 7, 2022, he notched his first career playoff goal during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Alexis Lafreniere would like to get better comparatively in the upcoming season for the Rangers.