Extreme control of Lafreniere: An interview is interrupted and he is forbidden to speak in french

PUBLICATION

Jeff Drouin
March 29, 2022 (11:17 PM)

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After a rather modest start with the New York Rangers, Quebec forward Alexis Lafreniere is currently experiencing his best moments since his arrival in the NHL.

The first overall pick in the 2020 draft has recorded at least one point in his last six games and set up the game-winning goal in overtime in his team's last game against the Buffalo Sabres.

But the young man is the talk of the town today, and unfortunately, it's not for his accomplishments on the ice.

As reported by my colleague Christian Matte, from Marqueur.com, journalist Luc Gélinas mentioned on 91, 9 Sports a rather peculiar story that Jean-François Chaumont, from the Journal de Montréal, has lived through. Last week, the journalist went to New York to do an interview with Alexis Lafreniere.

And he got not one, but two very special surprises.

First, Gélinas mentioned that the young man does not talk to reporters on the day of a game, or the day before, and that if he scored a goal, he was allowed to talk to the media.

"He is overprotected Alexis Lafreniere. He doesn't talk the morning of games and he doesn't talk the night before games. If you want to talk to him in preparation for Saturday's game, hope there's a practice on Thursday. Or if not, when he scores a goal, he talks after the game." - Luc Gélinas

It's called controlling information internally but believe it or not, it goes even further than that.

"Jean-Francois, like the guys from Quebec, we always wait for that, the English speakers do their job and when he feels that it is not bad finished, starts a question to Alexis, Alexis starts to answer him in French and the Rangers' publicist stopped the interview. He said: "If you want to continue, it's in English, there is no French here". The two of them looked at each other, Jean-François obviously thought of sacking his side, but he was paid there to do the interview. They did the interview, Jean-François and Alexis in front of everyone, in English, because Chris Drury refuses that." - Luc Gélinas

Incredible! A journalist and a French-speaking player doing an interview in English.

The day after this incident, if you can call it an incident, the Rangers' press relations officer went to meet Jean-François Chaumont to apologize. He told him that the team's general manager, Chris Drury, wants to keep control of everything that is said and wants to know everything.

Gélinas also mentioned that a complaint could be made to the NHL about this.

If we thought that the Habs (before the arrival of Chantal Machabée) were a leader in controlling the media, well, the Rangers organization could give lessons in this area.

To hear Luc Gélinas talk about this story on 91.9 Sports, click here.

Credit: 91.9 Sports