If you’re on social media, you know the narrative that has been spun about Alexis Lafreniere: how he is lazy over the summer and does not put in the work that is required. As with most narratives on social media, this has taken hold.
Lafreniere peruses social media from time to time. And he told The Post following Thursday’s morning skate at the practice rink that he is aware of the narrative.
“I’ve seen some of it, I know it’s there, but I don’t pay attention to that or let it bother me,” No. 13 said in advance of the Blueshirts’ 3-2 Garden exhibition defeat to the Devils. “I know how I go about my work in the offseason. I work out at least five days a week.
“I don’t put my focus on what other people say about that.”
Lafreniere said that he worked on his skating, edge-work and on improving his lower-body strength in his offseason program that was coordinated between the Rangers and his personal conditioning coach at home outside Montreal. The winger said that Dawn Braid, the Blueshirts’ skating consultant, came up to work with him a couple of times through the summer.
“I tried to focus on my skating, trying to get a little better with that,” Lafreniere said. “Off the ice, trying to gain strength and gain speed. I focused on trying to get stronger and a little faster.”
Lafreniere has gotten strong enough so that he was able to more than hold his own in a down-low, one-on-one battle drill with Chris Kreider at camp over the weekend.
Coming up on his 22nd birthday the day before the Oct. 12 opener in Buffalo, Lafreniere is getting the opportunity of his nascent career in being shifted to right wing to skate on the Rangers’ top line with Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.
That’s the combination assembled on Day 1 of camp by incoming head coach Peter Laviolette, and that is the combination the Blueshirts went with in Thursday night’s preseason Garden match against the Devils. One week into camp, it appears as if that is Lafreniere’s spot unless he loses it.
“He’s been really responsive, really easy to talk to, really easy to coach,” said the head coach of Lafreniere. “I think he’s been really good. He hasn’t come over telling us that he just can’t figure out how to get out on the right wing. I don’t think it affects him really that much.
“He seems like he’s really excited to get the opportunity. That line is in place for a reason and for a purpose, to take a look at it. I think the more he does it, the more he just stays with it, that’s an opportunity to possibly look at him in the top-six or power-play situations.”
Two seasons ago, the Rangers were shy at least one top-six right wing when Kaapo Kakko suffered a midseason wrist injury that sidelined him for 10 weeks. Gerard Gallant, then the head coach, moved Lafreniere to the right with Kreider and Zibanejad to form a line that was intact for 20 consecutive games from Jan. 28 through March 22, 2022.
The combination produced positive results across the board. But when the Blueshirts acquired veteran wingers Frank Vatrano and Andre Copp prior to the deadline, Lafreniere returned to the left side of the third line, reunited with Kid mates Kakko and Filip Chytil.
That combination was intact much of last season. The Kids formed a glorified third line but a third line, nevertheless. Top-six minutes did not accrue for the top pick of the 2020 draft. Power-play minutes were tough to come by through a year in which Lafreniere recorded 16 goals (three fewer than in his sophomore season) with personal bests of 23 assists and 39 points.
The numbers were decent given his ice time, but Lafreniere did not make a consistent impact. He was a healthy scratch in Tampa Bay on Dec. 29. There always seemed to be more — or less — than met the eye relating to the relationship between Gallant and Lafreniere. The coach talked about Lafreniere differently than he did about other players.
Thursday, Laviolette talked about Lafreniere differently, too. Differently, that is, from the way Gallant ever did.
“There’s a skill level that goes with him, his hands, his ability to make plays in tight areas, and the hockey IQ part of it,” Laviolette said when asked if Lafreniere pops as a No. 1 overall when watching him skate. “I think he’s in a good spot in regard to previous development.
“Not everyone comes in at 18 and just smacks the league around. It’s more difficult than that. I think there’s been a process with him where, last year, he had his productive year. With that comes maturity, a different physical presence from an 18-year-old kid to players we’re talking about who are 22, 23, 24. There’s a big difference in that.”
This is more than just Year 4 for Lafreniere. This is more than just the first year of a second contract. This is the opportunity for which he has been waiting.
“I’ve just got to play good and help [Kreider and Zibanejad] play well,” Lafreniere said. “And to try to stay there hopefully for a long time.”
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