Lafreniere goes No. 1 overall to N.Y.
Alexis Lafreniere wanted to take the stage at Montreal’s Bell Centre near his home and hear his name announced at the NHL draft.
The playmaking forward had to settle for being selected first overall by the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
“Obviously, it’s different, and we didn’t expect that a couple of months ago,” Lafreniere said. “Growing up, you’re dreaming of being drafted. And for me today, it’s amazing to go first. I’m really honored.”
Lafreniere was the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s top-ranked North American skater. The 6-foot-1 left wing becomes the first Canadian to go No. 1 since Connor Mcdavid was chosen by Edmonton in 2015. From suburban Montreal, he was the first to earn both Canadian Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League MVP honors in consecutive seasons since Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby in 2004 and ’05.
In a sign of the unusual nature of this year’s remote draft amid the coronavirus pandemic, Lafreniere spoke by video call from a bedroom in his home.
Avalanche selects defenseman Barron
The Avalanche discussed trading down from the 25th pick in the first round of the NHL draft Tuesday night to obtain another pick, according to general manager Joe Sakic. But losing the chance to select defenseman Justin Barron prevented that and Colorado kept its 25th selection and chose the 18year-old from Halifax, Nova Scotia.
From the same hometown as Avs’ superstar Nathan Mackinnon, Barron plays for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds he is considered an elite two-way defenseman who is bound to begin his fourth full season for Halifax next season, which is tentatively scheduled to begin Dec. 1.
Barron was limited to just 34 games last season because of a blood clot in his arm, but he still led all Mooseheads defensemen in scoring with 19 points (four goals). The Avs have now made a defenseman their first pick in three of the last four drafts. They chose Cale Makar No. 4 in 2017 and Bo Byram No. 4 in 2019.