The Rangers are heading into camp with one of their most interesting lineup calls sitting right at the top of the chart. Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Dorofeyev look like the anchors, but the real question is who gets the third spot on that first line: Alexis Lafreniere or Gabe Perreault.
That decision matters because New York overhauled its forward group this offseason. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck are out, while Dorofeyev, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Eeli Tolvanen are in.
Dorofeyev is the headliner of the bunch, arriving with a seven-year, $77 million contract after the Rangers gave up two first-round picks to land him as their top scorer. With that kind of investment, the Rangers are clearly built to get him into the right spot fast.
Last season’s top line already gave the team a useful template. Zibanejad, Lafreniere, and Perreault worked well together and outscored opponents 14-10 at even strength. But the addition of Dorofeyev changes the math, and Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic believes Lafreniere has the inside track if the Rangers stick with the idea of keeping him on the right side.
“Lafreniere could influence the decision about where to play Dorofeyev. Lafreniere, too, came up as a natural LW but has largely played RW the last three seasons out of necessity.
There have been plenty of ups and downs, but the Rangers have remained committed to keeping the 2020 No. 1 pick on his off-hand side,” writes Mercogliano. “It seemed to pay off late last season, when Lafreniere rattled off 24 points in his final 23 games and looked as confident as he has in his six-year career.
The idea of playing him on the same line as Dorofeyev is intriguing. We’ll likely see that combination during camp, but there will also be temptation to keep him on the top line with Perreault and Zibanejad after their strong finish last season.”
Lafreniere’s time in New York has had its frustrations, but he also put together his best season in 2023-24, scoring 28 goals and adding 29 assists in 82 games to earn a contract extension. Last season, his production slipped, especially in the first half, before he caught fire down the stretch. That late surge included those 24 points in his final 23 games, much of it coming while he was skating with Zibanejad and Perreault.
There’s also a practical side to the Rangers’ thinking. Lafreniere spent last season on the right wing, while Dorofeyev began his career as a left winger. Starting with that pairing would keep the pieces aligned in a way that makes sense on paper.
Still, this isn’t a simple choice. Zibanejad, Lafreniere, and Perreault had real chemistry, and the Rangers have to weigh that against the need to get the most out of Dorofeyev, who is expected to replace a big chunk of the offense left behind by Panarin. Sullivan has already made it clear this offseason that the team wants more from Dorofeyev, with Zibanejad and Miller also expected to help shoulder that load.
Perreault certainly isn’t being pushed aside in any dramatic sense. He impressed in his first season with the Rangers, and the expectation is that more ice time will only bring more production.
If Lafreniere stays on the top line, Perreault could slide into a second-line role with Miller and either Bjorkstrand or Tolvanen. And if he delivers on the promise he showed last season, that would say plenty about the depth the Rangers have built up front.
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