Rangers scribe ‘buying’ Alexis Lafreniere resurgence, but there’s a catch
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images There was a lot to like about how Alexis Lafreniere played, and produced, for the New York Rangers down the stretch of the 2025-26 season. However, there remain doubts about whether the 24-year-old finally turned the corner in his development, or if more inconsistency awaits him next season, already his seventh in the NHL. Lafreniere equaled his NHL career high with 57 points, finishing tied for second on the Rangers (with Artemi Panarin, who was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in early February), behind only Mika Zibanejad (78 points).
He got there with a point-per-game finish, racking up 14 goals and 28 points in the final 27 games. Of course, there’s the other side to his season. Lafreniere had 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in the first 55 games, when the Rangers plummeted to last place in the Eastern Conference , a retool was mandated by general manager Chris Drury, and Panarin was traded .
There are those who believe the strong finish is an indicator of the player Lafreniere can, and will will, be for the Rangers. But not everyone is buying that, considering he followed up up his breakout season in 2023-24 (28 goals, 29 assists), with a hugely disappointing output of 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) a year ago. Kind of, been here, seen that.
“I’m buying it,” Newsday beat reporter Colin Stephenson told Forever Blueshirts on the Rink Rap podcast. But before you get too excited, Stephenson added this part. “I’m buying he can be 25-30 goals, and 55-60 points, which is a fringe top-six player.
And surrounded by the right talent, he can be effective for you. I think that’s his ceiling. ” Well, that’s disappointing to hear.
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