NY Rangers' Alexis Lafreniere Praises Impressive Rookie Forward

The New York Rangers might have a special young player developing.

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers left wing Alexis Lafreniere (13) skates against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Madison Square Garden. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

As the New York Rangers prepare for what will be a pivotal offseason for the team, they will also be hoping for the continued development of some of their young players. 

Following having the worst record in the Eastern Conference this year, the Rangers will be going back to the drawing board, hoping to turn things around quickly. Even though it is not easy going from last place to being a playoff contender, that is going to be the goal for New York. 

Fortunately, the team is in fairly good shape to be able to pull off a quick turnaround this offseason if they make the right moves. In the NHL Draft, they will have a Top 5 pick to go along with another later pick in the first round. Furthermore, they also have a lot of cap space to use to bring in some more talent. 

This combination could not only help them be better in the 2026-27 campaign, but also for the future as well. If the team is going to make that type of significant turnaround, they will need some of the young talent that was featured toward the end of the season to continue to play well. 

Recently, Alexis Lafreniere praised his young linemate, Gabe Perreault, as one of the players who could be a special one for the team going forward. 

Lafreniere Praises Perreault

"I think he can be a great player for years. It was really fun to play with him."

- Alexis Lafrenière on playing with Gabe Perreault pic.twitter.com/zgfzuB6xPE

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 17, 2026

Even though it might not feel like it was that long ago, Lafreniere is now a veteran of the Rangers, finishing up his sixth season with the team. This season, he was able to really finish strong, totaling 25 points in the last 25 games of the season with 12 goals and 13 assists. 

It was certainly good to see him get going after the Olympic break, but he wasn’t the only player on the first line who got going. One of the others was their rookie Perreault. Highlighted by a hat trick against the Detroit Red Wings, he played very well down the stretch and undoubtedly could be a key piece for the team in the future. 

Overall, he totaled 27 points with 12 goals and 15 assists as a rookie, which are certainly some solid numbers. As he started to get comfortable on the first line, his production really increased, and he scored five goals in the last seven games of the year. 

Going forward, Perreault figures to be a top-six forward for the team and could end up being one of their better goal scorers next year.