NY Rangers Forward Wisely Deemed Most Improved for Franchise This Year

Which player was the most improved for the New York Rangers this year?

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan speaks to reporters after an 8-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Even though the 2025-26 campaign might not have gone according to plan for the New York Rangers, there were some bright spots in the disappointing season. 

While the Rangers might have had a terrible year overall, they did do better down the stretch, which caused some optimism for the future. New York got off to a terribly slow start to the year, and injuries to Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox did not help the situation. 

However, with the team realizing that the season wasn’t going anywhere, they were able to get some of their young talent some more playing time, and they did see some encouraging things from them. Players like Gabe Perreault and Will Cuylle stepping up was great to see, and New York might have a couple of young building blocks. Furthermore, while some of the young talent was on display, some others improved as well. 

Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the most improved player for the Rangers being their former first overall pick, Alexis Lafreniere. Despite the poor campaign from the team, the play of Lafreniere in the second half was a bright spot. 

Lafreniere Finally Breaking Out?

New York Rangers left wing Alexis Lafreniere / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

As a former first overall pick, expectations for Lafreniere have always been very high. It felt like a massive gift when the Rangers were able to win the NHL Draft Lottery and select him. However, even though he hasn’t been a complete bust and is more than a serviceable player in the league, he hasn’t been a star. 

During the 2023-24 campaign, it looked like the young forward was starting to come into his own. That season, he totaled 57 points with 28 goals and 29 assists. It was a big step up in production, and things were looking up. However, there was some noticeable regression the following year, with the forward totaling just 45 points and seeing his goal total drop from 28 to 17. 

To start this season, it once again didn’t look great for Lafreniere. However, after the Olympic break, he really got going and found his groove. During the months of March and April, he totaled 24 points in 23 games. That was one of the best showings for him throughout his career, and the team, to little surprise, played well. 

Even though he is now considered to be a veteran, he is just 24 years old and still could be getting better. Based on his play down the stretch, it’s certainly fair to say that he was the most improved player on the team.