MONTREAL — Alexis Lafreniere did not practice with the team on Monday, but the Rangers wing skated on his own afterward.
Despite the Rangers saying Lafreniere is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the 23-year-old did not look hampered during his individual session.
Though head coach Peter Laviolette declined to comment on Lafreniere’s status for Tuesday night’s game against the Canadiens at Bell Center, practice gave a pretty good indication that the 2020 first-overall pick should be fine to play.
Alexis Lafreniere handles the puck against the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
“I don’t think we should speak on speculation,” Laviolette said. “I can’t comment on [Tuesday] yet.”
Matt Rempe skated as a placeholder in Lafreniere’s spot on the right wing of Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck.
As a result, Jonny Brodzinski was back in the right-wing spot on the fourth unit alongside Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom.
If Lafreniere were expected to be unavailable, the forward lines likely would’ve changed more drastically.
“I thought he was one of our top players in the playoffs,” Laviolette said of Lafreniere, who is riding a five-game point streak with three goals and three assists. “And I think that, that was a growth that you saw all year. The way he started and the way he progressed through the year, you could see his confidence building.
“And when he got to the playoffs, I thought that he was really dominant with his game — his line was really good. He was excellent. I think this has just been picking up where he left off last year and continuing to progress.”
With Rempe skating as a placeholder, it’s safe to infer if Lafreniere is able to go, the 6-foot-8 ½ forward will be a healthy scratch for the fourth time this season.
After scratching Zac Jones for the first time this season on Saturday night in Toronto, Laviolette had the 24-year-old defenseman skating with the player who replaced him, Chad Ruhwedel, on Monday in practice.
“We’re going to have decisions that are tough,” Laviolette said. “I’m perfectly fine playing anybody, but we got decisions that we have to make. … Conversations I’ve had with Zac are just keep working hard and when you get back in there just keep doing your thing.”
Rangers defenseman Zac Jones, who was a scratch against the Maple Leafs on Saturday, may end up skating with the player who replaced him against Toronto — Chad Ruhwedel — on Tuesday in Montreal.
While the top four of K’Andre Miller-Adam Fox and Braden Schneider-Jacob Trouba remained intact, Ryan Lindgren skated with Victor Mancini.
Based on practice, it’s possible Jones-Ruhwedel will get a look on Tuesday against Montreal.
That is, of course, unless the Rangers activate Lindgren off injured reserve sometime Tuesday before the game.
