NY Rangers Need Winger to Perform Like After Olympic Break Going Forward

Which forward do the New York Rangers need to continue to play well going forward?

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (93) talks to left wing Alexis Lafreniere (13) and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (44) during the second period against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers are heading into an important offseason for the franchise with numerous holes to fill and a need to improve. 

For the second straight year, the Rangers missed the playoffs in the 2025-26 campaign. Furthermore, with them finishing in last place in the Eastern Conference, it is easy to be very concerned about the future of the franchise. 

Generally, a team that comes in last place is one that is going to be rebuilding, but New York is trying to find a balance between being a contender and building toward the future. This isn’t an impossible task, but it is one that is challenging to pull off. 

However, they do have some nice building blocks that they can still build around in Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin. As two of the best players at their respective positions, that is a good place for New York to start. 

Even though the talented duo is great, the team does have a lot of areas to address. With a desire to get younger, they did see some of their talent improve, including one of their former top picks. 

While he might not have lived up to the expectations of being the first overall pick, Alexis Lafreniere was really good down the stretch, and he might have found a little something to build upon after the Olympic Break. 

Lafreniere Might Not Be a Complete Bust

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

Due to the forward being the first overall pick, expectations were always going to be high for Lafreniere. Unfortunately, he has not lived up to the high expectations so far in his career, but he also hasn’t been a complete bust either. 

This season, he was able to tie a career-high in points with 57 in a full 82-game campaign. He was able to score 24 goals and 33 assists, with the assists being a career-high. In March and April, he really found a groove, totaling 11 goals and 13 assists in 23 games played. 

It was one of the best stretches of his career, and the now veteran forward of New York might have finally figured it out. While he might never be a star for the team, there is reason to believe that he can be a first-line forward for the team if the end of the season is any indication. 

As the Rangers try to figure out their plan going forward, Lafreniere being a productive player is going to be an important part of that.