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| - Canadian forward Alexis Lafreniere was selected first overall in the 2020 National Hockey League draft on Tuesday by the New York Rangers, who were picking in the top spot for the first time in team history. Lafreniere, who possesses a rare combination of elite skill and physical dominance for such a young player, has been the consensus number one overall pick after three brilliant seasons with the Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Lafreniere, who turns 19 on Sunday, was the QMJHL rookie of the year in his first season in 2017-18 and, if he makes the Rangers' roster, will finish his junior career with 297 points in 173 games. The Los Angeles Kings used the number two pick to select Canadian forward Quinton Byfield from the Ontario Hockey League. The Ottawa Senators chose third and grabbed German forward Tim Stutzle. Byfield is the highest drafted Black player in NHL history, surpassing San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane (2009) and Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Seth Jones (2103) who both went No. 4 overall. The 18-year-old Stutzle is from Viersen and plays with Adler Mannheim, a club in the country's highest level hockey league. The Rangers got the top pick in the entry draft after being bounced out of the NHL's playoff qualification round by the Carolina Hurricanes. Lafreniere led the QMJHL in scoring with 112 points in just 52 games, earning league MVP honours for the second straight season. His 2.15 points per game average was the highest across Canada's top three major junior leagues since Connor McDavid had 2.50 in his final season in the OHL in 2014-15. Lafreniere was also named the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year for the second straight season, joining Sidney Crosby as the only other player to win that award twice. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound winger led Canada to the gold medal at the World Junior Championship, scoring 10 points in just five games. gph/rcw
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