Media Bytes: Lafrenière, Perreault, Early Success, Connor Zary
Is Lafrenière’s ceiling set? What will Perreault cost? And is this a good team? The hockey media weighs in on the Rangers’ hot start—plus some Zary trade chatter.
Welcome back to Media Bytes, a weekly column from Blueshirt Banter. Every Sunday, we’ll help you start the week right with a quick catch-up on the latest stories and developments around the New York Rangers and the broader NHL media landscape.
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Laf-ty Expectations
1. Alexis Lafrenière was once again the topic of conversation on Morning Cuppa Hockey this week, with Jonny Lazarus and Colby Cohen debating whether the former first-overall pick still has another level to reach.
Cohen offered a decidedly firm assessment of Lafrenière’s ceiling, telling listeners, “We can all comfortably say he’s not the 100-point scorer [the Rangers] hoped for.”
“I don’t think that’s ever happening,” Cohen said. “We know he’s never going to be a consistent scorer. He might catch fire for 25 games, but he’s just never going to be [consistent].”
Lazarus, who admitted he isn’t ready to let the Lafrenière debate go, pushed back.
“I don’t think it’s fair to say he’s never going to be a consistent scorer,” he argued. “We’re talking about a 24-year-old guy here. I know he’s in Year Seven, but he’s still only 24.”
Cohen wasn’t swayed, arguing that after seven NHL seasons, the Rangers have a pretty good idea of who Lafrenière is by now.
“He’s played in four games with one assist this year,” Cohen said. “He’s not been very good up until last night, so yes, I am very comfortable saying that a guy who is in his seventh year in the NHL, who has had every opportunity to be playing at the top of the lineup and moving around on the power play—I’m very confident saying this is who he is.”
In Cohen’s view, Lafrenière is ultimately a 60-point player who, “in a really good year,” might approach 70 points.
“But to think he’s going to be more than that after what we’ve seen for seven years,” he continued. “I’m sorry, no.”
