Alexis Lafreniere and The New York Rangers

 

I've always been a fan of the Canadian teams in hockey. However, I think moving forward my USA team is going to be the New York Rangers led by Alexis Lafreniere. 

The first overall pick in the 2020 draft has caught my attention, being dubbed as something in between Connor McDavid and Taylor Hall. I think I like that comp quite well. 

Although the Rangers aren't part of this playoff field, I think a year from right now they certainly will be. I got caught up on their history and until today I wasn't aware of the rebuild letter from 2018.

I think that the NHL is going to take center stage in USA once again, as ESPN and TNT paid a lot of money to get the rights to their coverages this upcoming fall. 

Obviously it was a huge break for the Rangers to win the lottery in 2020 with just a 12.5% chance. Now, pairing Lafreniere with Kappo Kakko should prove to be a championship line for years to come. 

There have been a lot of comps made to John LeClair, and some say that Lafreniere will end up being a version of Jamie Benn. Others have speculated that he's Sidney Crosby as a winger. 

Nonetheless, I finally have a USA team that I will have some rooting interest in, one with a rich history and tradition that plays at Madison Square Garden. 

Auston Matthews makes a Christmas Return

[Maple Leafs 3, Rangers 2]
[Pension Plan Puppets]

The great news broke this morning when everyone awoke, two days before Christmas: Auston Matthews would return from a concussion-like injury. You knew he was going to do something.

The Maple Leafs are damn good, too. They improved to 22-14-1, still breathing down the neck of the Tampa Bay Lightning and their star returned with his 14th assist to get them on the board with a goal by William Nylander. He would score the third goal of the game for the Leafs, which ended up being all the difference in the 3-2 win.

It was the 14th goal of the season for Matthews; who now has 28 points in 27 games.



The Leafs held serve at Madison Square Garden and now with Christmas break on until Wednesday, everyone has a chance to rest and get healthy.