The New York Rangers won the NHL draft lottery on Monday – and the right to consensus no. 1 to choose Alexis Lafreniere.
The Rangers are committed to a rebuild in 2018, but that has been accelerated after an exciting 14 months. New York selected as no. 2 in the 2019 draft, and choose the Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko. In July, the Rangers landed award-winning free agent Artemi Panarin – a move that made a direct impact, as Panarin is an MVP finalist this season.
“Really good news,” Lafreniere said in an interview on NHL Network. “Rangers are an unreal team with really good players and a very nice city. So for sure it’s really good news, and I’m very happy.”
Lafreniere is represented by Emilie Castonguay, who would be the first woman to become an NHL no. 1 represents as an NHLPA Certified Agent.
The NHL held its first draft lottery in June, which included the seven teams that did not qualify for this extended 24-team tournament, as well as a placeholder for one of the eight teams that lost in the qualifying game. The pick for placeholders won the June lottery, forcing a second draw on Monday.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild each had a 12.5% chance of no. 1 to select. The seven losers of Monday’s lottery will now be slotted 9 to 15 according to their percentage of regular season points.
Because the Maple Leafs did not win the top pick, their first-round pick – no. 13 in general – now to Carolina. The Hurricanes had the protected pick in the trade that involved Patrick Marleau.
New York was defeated by Carolina in the qualifying round.
Prior to the draw, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman reiterated that the league feels this format was the best way to maintain competitive balance.
“Under these unusual circumstances, this made the most sense, and was honest,” Bettman said. “Regardless of who you have rooted for and what results it ultimately gets.”
The Los Angeles Kings received the no. 2 in the first draft lottery, and the Ottawa Senators will select third. The Detroit Red Wings, who had 23 fewer points than any other team, slipped to no. 4.
The NHL intends to host the draft on October 9-10. The dates are still flexible, though according to the league’s critical data calendar, the concept should follow the end of the Stanley Cup Final, but take place before free agency opens.
Lafreniere, 18, is a native of Quebec. The 6-foot-1 winger led the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with 112 points in 52 games before the season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, earning him the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year award for the second straight season. Lafreniere joins Sidney Crosby as the only player to have won the award twice.
Lafreniere’s 2.15 points-per-game average for Rimouski Oceanic was the highest in the CHL since Connor McDavid averaged 2.50 in 2014-15. He was also the MVP of the Junior World Championship in 2019, having collected four goals and six assists in five games for Team Canada.
Other top-ranked players in the 2020 NHL draft class include Canadian center Quinton Byfield, German center Tim Stutzle and Canadian defender Jamie Drysdale.
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