Alexis Lafreniere has already shown the Rangers what he can be when everything clicks. The problem, six seasons into his New York career, is that the high-end stretches have too often been followed by long dry spells. That’s the piece the Rangers are still waiting to smooth out.
The former first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft arrived with huge expectations, but for much of his early run he was buried on the third line and on a rarely used second power-play unit. Even then, there were signs.
Once he got a chance to skate with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko, his game started to come alive. Through his first three seasons, he put up 91 points in 216 games.
The real breakout came in 2023-24, when the Rangers put him on a line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Lafreniere responded with 28 goals and 29 assists in 82 games, and he did it while rarely seeing the power play.
He was dangerous on zone entries, stronger with the puck in the offensive zone, and much more confident in how he attacked plays. Then he took it up another level in the postseason, finishing with eight goals and six assists in 15 games and scoring a highlight-reel goal against the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.
He carried that momentum into the start of the 2024-25 season, piling up nine goals and 11 assists in his first 26 games. That run helped earn him a seven-season, $52.15 million contract extension.
But the rest of the year was a different story. His production faded, and he finished with 17 goals and 28 assists in 82 games.
The turnovers and defensive mistakes were part of the issue, too.
Last season brought another uneven start, but it also showed a more mature version of Lafreniere. He was more committed to backchecking and staying in the right spots defensively.
Down the stretch, he found a groove on the Rangers’ top line with Mika Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault, setting up his linemates and cashing in on his own chances. He also contributed on the first power-play unit and wrapped up the year with 24 goals and 33 assists in 82 games, including nine goals and six assists on the man advantage.
That kind of finish is exactly why the Rangers want more of the same this season. Lafreniere earned his way onto the top line and top power-play unit, and those are the roles he should keep.
He’s still only 24, and the growth on the defensive side has made him a more complete player. What still needs to change is the rhythm of his season - the long slumps have to go.
New York has also reshaped the forward group this offseason by adding Pavel Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstrand while moving on from Trocheck, a dependable center. The expectation is that those additions, plus Perreault’s emergence, will give the roster more balance.
That matters because last season the Rangers got burned early when the scoring dried up, even though the defense was solid and the goaltending was strong. They can’t afford a repeat.
If Lafreniere brings the second-half version of himself into this season and stays healthy, 65 points is a realistic target. The Rangers don’t just need flashes from him anymore. They need him to be a steady force.
In Other News...
Panthers Added A New Piece That Could Change Everything Up Front
The offseason in the Eastern Conference has already pushed several contenders into a different gear, and the ripple effect reaches right into New York. Washington loaded up with Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner, New Jersey shuffled its crease and brought in Evan Rodriguez, and Florida made the biggest splash of the group by landing Brady Tkachuk. Against that backdrop, the Rangers spent their summer reworking the blue line with Marcus Petterson and Sean Durzi while also adjusting their center depth, a set of moves aimed at tightening the margins around a roster that expects to stay in the mix.
Floridas new look up front is the kind of addition that can change how everyone else in the division has to play, especially for a Rangers team that will be trying to keep pace in a crowded race. New Yorks own changes may not grab the same headlines, but they speak to a club trying to balance its lineup and absorb the pressure that comes with another season in a conference where a few key additions can tilt the whole board. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Prospects Could Benefit From Hartfords Tough Roster Balance
The AHL is about to tighten one of its most important development standards, and that matters for the Rangers because Hartford is often where the organization tries to sharpen its youngest prospects before they get a real look in New York. Beginning with the 2026-27 season, teams will have to dress at least 12 skaters who have played fewer than 261 professional regular-season games across the NHL, AHL, and certain top European leagues, while goaltenders are exempt from the requirement.
For the Wolf Pack, the rule creates a roster balance challenge that is easy to miss but hard to ignore. Hartford will still need enough seasoned players to keep games organized and the environment competitive, but it will also have to make room for a larger share of younger skaters, which is exactly the kind of setup that can accelerate development for Rangers prospects waiting their turn. [Read more 🡒]
Will Cuylle Enters A Huge Season For His Rangers Future
Will Cuylle heads into a pivotal season with the Rangers, one that could go a long way toward deciding how long he stays part of the organization. Still early in his NHL career, he is moving into the last year of his contract and will be watched closely as New York sorts through its roster during the 2026-27 season.
A spot on the third line appears to be the starting point, with younger pieces around him and a clear expectation that his physical edge and overall impact will matter. For a Rangers team that may make changes as the year unfolds, Cuylles value could come down to whether he keeps providing the kind of reliable, hard-to-play-against minutes that make him harder to replace. [Read more 🡒]