Why Alexis Lafreniere Will Be Key for NY Rangers Next Season

Is Alexis Lafreneire going to be the most important player for the New York Rangers next season?

Mar 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers left wing Alexis Lafrenière (13) controls the puck in the third period against the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers have been very busy this offseason, and the team will be hoping that they are able to take a big step forward. However, in order to do so, they will need some players to continue to improve. 

Coming into the summer, it was no secret that the Rangers planned to be a very aggressive team. New York certainly did not disappoint, with the franchise making a ton of trades and some signings in free agency. 

Due to them finishing in last place in the Eastern Conference, there was no shortage of areas for them to try and improve. New York looked at both their forward group and the blueline, adding a lot of new faces. 

While the team will be hoping that the new players they added will help turn things around, they will also be relying on the development of some of their young players. 

Even though the team struggled overall last year, they did see some encouraging signs from some of their younger skaters. One of the players that saw a nice increase in production down the stretch was the former number one overall pick Alexis Lafreniere. 

Lafreniere’s Development Will Be Key 

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. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even though he might not have lived up to the expectations of being a number one overall pick, Lafreniere has been a serviceable player in the league and perhaps might be getting into a groove now. 

After the team traded Artemi Panarin, Lafreniere was thrown into an increased role, and he really thrived. Over the last 27 games of the season, he totaled 28 points with 14 goals and 14 assists. 

Getting Lafreniere to the top line with Mika Zibanejad and also being on the first unit for the power play really seemed to do wonders for his game. 

With the success that he had for over a quarter of the season, the Rangers have to be excited about what could be coming for the young winger. Even though he has been in the league for quite some time now, he is still just 24 years old and is going to be an important part of the team going forward. 

If he can sustain the level of play that he did in the last quarter of the season, New York is going to be in excellent shape next year. While the team will be relying on a lot of the new faces to produce, they also will be hoping that Lafreniere finally becomes the player they hoped he could be.