Watching a young player steadily fulfill their potential year after year is incredibly exciting. For the New York Rangers, Alexis Lafreniere’s future looks bright—not just in the numbers, but also in his evolving skills in passing, precise shooting, and playmaking.
The 2020 first overall pick recently signed a seven-year, $52.15 million contract, a move that so far seems well-deserved given his offensive contributions this season. As his contract takes him through to age 30, he appears to be approaching his peak years.
This season offers him a prime opportunity to unlock his full offensive capabilities, joining the ranks of other top draft picks and offensive stars like Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews, and Connor McDavid.
Rangers Alexis Lafreniere’s Potential for the Rest of This Season
Through his first four NHL seasons (2020-21 to 2023-24), Alexis “Laffy” Lafreniere, now 23, has steadily improved his offensive numbers each year. Last season, the Quebec native set career highs with 28 goals and 29 assists over 82 games. This season, he’s off to a promising start, scoring six goals and adding six assists for 12 points in his first 14 games. If he maintains this pace, he’s on track for a 70-point season (35 goals, 35 assists) over 82 games, which would mark his best NHL season yet.
The Rangers, who finished sixth in league scoring last season with 282 goals, currently rank fifth, averaging 3.71 goals per game. Lafreniere’s rising offensive output, alongside star linemate Artemi Panarin—who has been stellar with 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 14 games—could help the team climb further in offensive rankings.
If Laffy continues at this level, he could make the Rangers even more competitive offensively, giving them a strong chance to beat teams with tough goaltending, like the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, and Florida Panthers.
Laffy’s Last Goal During Game Against Red Hot Winnipeg Jets
During Tuesday night’s 6-3 loss to the scorching Winnipeg Jets, the New York Rangers’ young stars were the ones lighting up the scoreboard, with William Cuylle, Alexis Lafreniere, and Kaapo Kakko each netting a goal. The Jets made history, setting a record as the fastest team to reach 15 wins in NHL history, underscoring the Blueshirts’ tough challenge against the league’s hottest team. But let’s hone in on Lafreniere’s play.
The sequence began with Panarin, who held the puck in the offensive zone, forming a triangle setup: Panarin near the corner, defenseman Adam “Foxy” Fox closer to the blueline, and Lafreniere positioned in the upper faceoff circle. With Panarin’s pass to Fox at the blueline, Foxy was presented with options. Star centerman Vincent Trocheck was near the slot, though tightly guarded by Jets defenders, making a pass to him risky.
Instead, Fox chose the cross-ice pass to Lafreniere, who had shifted to his end of the blueline to make reception easier. Shortly after, Lafreniere capitalized on the power play opportunity, sending a precise shot through traffic to find the net. This goal highlighted Lafreniere’s accuracy; last season (2023-24), he posted a 12.9% shooting percentage, ranking him in the league’s 75th percentile.
Recap and What This All Means for the Future
The wildest part of all this is that Lafrenière is only 23, with a long journey ahead of him. Despite changes in lineups, he stays on the top forward line with star players Panarin and center Mika Zibanejad. His most recent goal was set up by Panarin, showing that their lineup chemistry is strong, complementing Lafrenière’s own standout performance.
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