Alexis Lafrenière ranked as #6 prospect in NHL under 23 years of age

Corey Pronman, one of hockey’s most respected prospect gurus has compiled his ranking of prospects under 23 years of age.

Out of 194 players ranked, nine members of the New York Rangers made the list.

In order to be considered, a player be 22 years-old or younger come 9/15/21. As to how he ranked them, Pronman rated them on skating, puck skills, hockeyIQ, and compete level. When all was said and done; Alexis Lafrenière topped list for the Blueshirts at #6, ahead of players like Brady Tkachuk (8), and Jack Hughes (10).

Alexis Lafrenière ranks 6th

The 19 year-old Lafrenière will turn 20 next month. He finished last year with 21 points in 56 games but managed 13 of those points in the final 25 games of the season. He also scored 8 of his 12 goals in the team’s final 23 games. It wasn’t an easy season for the rookie, but he showed a lot of the skills that made him the #1 overall pick in 2020.

According to Pronman, he rates Alexis as follows:

• Skating: Below: Average
• Puck Skills: Above-average
• Hockey Sense: Above-average
• Compete: Above-average
• Shot: Above: Average

I still see a player on track to become a big time NHL forward. He’s a very dangerous player with the puck because of his fantastic puck skills and vision, while his shot is also a threat from range. The dynamic aspects of his game were inconsistent last season, but I fully expect with more physical maturity you’ll see a more consistently dangerous Lafreniere in the coming years. He’s a hard worker off the puck who doesn’t shy from the physical play, but the main issue for him in the NHL is his lack of footspeed was exposed, especially as a teenager. That may keep him from ever hitting the top echelon of production, but I still see an eventual NHL star winger.

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How other Rangers youngster rank