There’s a lesson in perspective somewhere in the fact that Alexis Lafreniere and Will Quill are the same age, drafted in the same draft, and 59 spots apart.
That started to become a concern shortly before Game 5, when Quill was asked about Lafreniere’s progress.
“We were drafted the same year, so I’ve been following him for years. I started watching the Rangers a lot after he got drafted by them,” Quill said. “I think he’s improving more and more every year. He continues to impress us even as this season continues.”
Lafreniere grew up in New York expecting to be a top pick and has endured all of its trappings.
Quill had the luxury of growing up in Windsor and Hartford, Ontario. His breakthrough as a rookie and in his first playoff run wasn’t as dramatic as Lafreniere’s. No one would call Quill, Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko a kid line, nor did the trio bring the scoring load they did two seasons ago.
However, Quill’s game, mostly quiet and hard-working, mostly played in straight sets, has proven that he can adapt to the playoff stage.
“He’s physical, he can skate, he shoots well, like he scored in the last game. Big boy, good for the playoffs,” Kakko told the Post on Monday morning. “I think physicality is the most important thing. It’s a big thing for him to get the hit. I think it’s good for him to continue doing the same thing and being a little more physical in the same game. ”
According to expected goal percentage, Quill ranks second behind Kakko in terms of 5-on-5 impact on the Rangers this postseason. The rookie’s breakaway goal in Game 4 marked the only points of the playoffs thus far, but the third line continued to play ice consistently and create chances.
“I felt like we played pretty well throughout the playoffs. We just didn’t get the puck in as much as we wanted, but we were getting attention,” Quill said. “Great time of possession and a lot of chances. I think it was just a matter of time before that happened. Look to continue that.”
These playoffs provided plenty of evidence in Quill’s favor, just as they did for Lafreniere and Kakko in the 2022 playoffs.
You could call this a breakout for Kyle, at least if he wants to do it his way, his own way, and on his own time.
“I feel like every player develops differently,” Quill said. “I think we all play different styles of the game. For me, I just want to get a little bit better as the year goes on and get better and better every day. That’s how I do it. I try to look at it.”
