Alexis Lafrenière and Quinton Byfield face pressure as NHL stars

Alexis Lafrenière and Quinton Byfield, the top picks of the 2020 NHL Draft, are underperforming as they enter the 2026-2027 season. Lafrenière, selected first overall by the New York Rangers, has failed to meet expectations, with career highs of only 57 points. Byfield, the second overall pick for the Los Angeles Kings, is yet to score more than 60 points in a season. Both players have new line combinations that could improve their production; Lafrenière will play with Pavel Dorofeyev and Mika Zibanejad, while Byfield joins Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe. Both need substantial performances to justify their significant contracts, with Lafrenière earning $52.15 million over seven years and Byfield signed for $31.25 million over five years.

• 1:41 PMYahoo Sports — Top 2 NHL draft picks in 2020 proving that being a high pick doesn’t make you a star