Alexis Lafrenière one-on-one: Talking NHL pressure, his fantasy football obsession and more

Nov. 1 marked a turning point in the budding friendship between Alexis Lafrenière and Ryan Lindgren.

The New York Rangers teammates moved into apartments in the same Manhattan building ahead of the new season and fell into a routine. They watch football together on Sundays, go out for dinner all the time and share every ride to the practice rink in Tarrytown, New York.

But this month ushered in a distinct change to the order of things. Lindgren agreed to do the driving for October, but starting Tuesday, he turned the keys over to the younger Lafrenière.

"He's been kind of bragging that he's a better driver than me, so we'll see how that goes," Lindgren said with a big smirk. "I’m a little concerned."

It's all part of Lafrenière's evolution as a New Yorker.

It's hard to believe that the 21-year-old forward is already in his third NHL season − "It feels like just a couple weeks ago, it was my first year," he told lohud.com, part of the Paste BN Network − but his comfort in his surroundings is increasingly evident.

"It feels like home," he said.

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After spending his first two seasons in the Westchester suburbs, Lafrenière decided it was time to explore the city.

He grew up in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, roughly a 40-minute drive from Montreal, and was always drawn to one of Canada's liveliest metropolises. Plus, living in Manhattan makes the commute to Madison Square Garden that much easier.

"Home games are fun," he said. "You wake up and you don’t need to come in for a skate, so we usually go for a walk, go for lunch, then go over for the game. ... It’s a good lifestyle."

These may seem like subtle changes, but every ounce of serenity helps when you're trying to prove yourself in the best league in the world.

'Stay humble'

Before every game, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2020 draft receives the same text from his mother, Nathalie Lafrenière.

The gist of the message is this: Enjoy the experience and be grateful for where you are.

"That’s always been a big thing back home – stay humble, and whatever happens, just be yourself," he said.

This was imparted on him from a young age.

Nathalie is a school teacher and his father, Hugo, works in material management for a construction equipment company. Those blue-collar roots helped shape Lafrenière, particularly as he watched his parents sacrifice so he could chase his dreams.

"They’ve always worked really hard my whole life to pay for hockey seasons," he said. "We didn’t get to go on many trips or stuff like that because hockey was expensive. They worked really hard for their money and to help me play, so I’ll always appreciate that."

Family is also where he got his competitive streak.

One person close to the Lafrenières described a family passionate about sports − and intense board game nights − with Hugo the first to introduce Alexis to hockey.

"My dad made me skate," he recalled. "I was probably four years old, and I just liked it. We were always watching hockey on television in my basement with my dad. … That’s how I really got into it and started loving the game."

Before he burst on the scene as a top prospect with Rimouski Oceanic, his parents pushed him to strive for more − a constant theme that has continued into his professional career.

"They challenge him to dig deep inside every single day," the family source said. "They're always encouraging him to look inward for solutions, not outward."

'We're lucky to do this'

Since training camp started in mid-September, Lindgren has noticed a trend with Lafrenière.

"I’ve never seen someone so invested in fantasy football," he said with a laugh. "Every time you look, he’s on his phone, on the app. He's always looking at his fantasy squad, so that's kind of been a running joke lately."

Lafrenière isn't quite at the top of the Rangers' 16-team league − apparently Vincent Trocheck and Jonny Brodzinski are vying for first place at the midseason point − but he's determined to make the necessary moves to inch back into the race.

The same goes for everything he does with his teammates. Video games, cards on the plane, skill drills at practice − he wants to win them all. And no matter the contest, he always looks like he's having a blast.

"I’ve always loved it – just being out there with the boys," he said. "Practices, games, hanging out in the gym. It’s just fun. We’re lucky to do this, so that’s how I feel every day."

Aside from the notoriously upbeat Artemi Panarin, there may not be another player on the Rangers who smiles more often than Lafrenière.

He's goofy in the locker room and doesn't mind being the butt of an occasional joke, but his teammates warn not to be fooled. His drive to succeed is constant.

"That's just how he is – his personality," Lindgren said. "He's a very easygoing, fun guy. Guys love being around him and hanging out with him. ... He's very loose – but when game time comes, he dials it in and plays very hard."

Driven to succeed

Lafrenière's dad always told him the best way to get yourself into the game is to throw a big hit on your first shift.

So, when his first playoff experience came around last spring, that's exactly what he did.

"That's the thing about him," Lindgren explained. "Obviously, he's extremely skilled and very creative with the puck, but he works his butt off each and every night. He's a tough guy to play against and he's physical. You saw that in the playoffs. He seemed like he really ramped it up. The style he played was exactly what we needed and he was a huge part of that run."

That aggression opened eyes, not only within the Rangers' locker room, but around the league. On top of his physicality and in-your-face forechecking, Lafrenière collected nine points (two goals and seven assists) in 20 postseason games. This came after scoring 19 goals in the regular season, stoking anticipation that a breakout would come in 2022-23.

Such is life as a former No. 1 overall pick. Until you become a superstar − far from a guarantee − everyone will always expect more.

But if Lafrenière has specific numbers in mind, he won't admit it. Asked about his hopes for this season, the 6-foot-1, 195-pounder skillfully shifted the focus to the team.

"We came up short (in the Eastern Conference final), but I want to go on playoff runs like that every year and win a Stanley Cup," he said. "That’s the main goal."

Does that mean he doesn't have individual achievements in mind or feel the pressure that comes with his draft status? Hardly. Even his head coach, Gerard Gallant, admitted that Lafrenière was "pressing" before he scored his second goal of the season in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes.

But he does seem to be wired a bit differently than many top picks. He does not possess the historic scoring prowess of Auston Matthews or blazing speed of Connor McDavid, and he likely won't match the lofty point totals that those stars post on an annual basis. But there's more than enough skill to believe the statistics will improve − he's posted five through the first 11 games of the new season, but has played well enough to collect more − and he's shown that becoming a well-rounded player is important to him.

Combine that with a team-oriented attitude, a knack for stepping up in big moments and a humble personality that draws people to him, and the Rangers should have a core member for years to come.

"I want to keep playing better," he said. "Of course, I want to score and produce offensively. But I want to play a complete game, too, and hopefully earn the trust of everyone. That’s a big part of what I’m trying to do."

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the Paste BN Network. Follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.