Rangers not getting enough from Alexis Lafrenier – Hockey Writer – New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are off to a disappointing 3-5-2 start and have lost consecutive games to the previously winless San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames, who have lost eight straight games. While there’s been plenty of blame, one of the team’s most disappointing players this season has been Alexis Lafreniere, who has yet to live up to his contract expectations.

Lafreniere’s 2023-24 season

The Rangers selected Lafreniere with the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, but he was inconsistent in his first few seasons with the team. They elected to play him on the third line during his first two seasons, and he rarely got ice time on the power play. He only had one point in the first 15 games of the 2020-21 season, but he got better and better as the season went on, finishing with 12 goals and nine assists in 56 games.

Lafreniere’s 2021-22 season will be similar to his rookie campaign in that he went through some lengthy goal droughts and, like many young forwards, struggled defensively, but he also scored some highlight-reel goals. He displayed the skills that made him the No. 1 draft pick and finished with 19 goals and 12 assists in 79 games. He performed well in the playoffs alongside young forwards Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko, scoring two goals and adding seven assists in 20 playoff games.

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Lafreniere got a chance to crack the top six at the start of the 2022-23 season, but struggled and made some defensive mistakes. He was moved back to the third line and fared better later in the season, scoring 16 goals and 23 assists in 81 games. However, he struggled in the playoffs, going seven games without a point.

Lavernier broke out in 2023-24, forming chemistry on the Rangers’ top line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. He does a great job getting into the zone and consistently creates scoring chances at even strength. He still experienced a few slumps but continued to create chances and eventually got out of it. He contributed 28 goals and 29 assists in 82 regular season games.

In the playoffs, Lafreniere stepped up and became one of the Rangers’ best players. He had eight goals and six assists in 16 games, including a highlight-reel toe-drag in the Eastern Conference finals against the Florida Panthers. He seemed on the verge of stardom.

Lafrenière’s last two seasons

After a stellar 2023-24 campaign, Lafreniere got off to a strong start last season, playing with confidence and making the most of his scoring opportunities. In his first 26 games, he scored nine goals and provided 11 assists. In October, general manager Chris Drury signed him to a seven-year contract worth $52.15 million.

The 2024-25 season was a very disappointing one for the Rangers, who had poor defensive performance after winning the Presidents Trophy in 2023-24 and missed the playoffs. Lafrenière also struggled after a hot start to the season and went through a stretch without a goal, but unlike past seasons, he failed to create a goal-scoring chance. He has scored eight goals and provided 17 assists in his past 56 games. He also made a lot of turnovers and defensive errors and didn’t always get back on defense.

For Lafreniere, this season started the same way last season ended. He didn’t play, and while he was hurt by not getting a chance on the power play in 2023-24, he was one of the top power play units this season. He was involved and back in the Rangers’ 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 18, and the team needs that kind of effort from him in every game.

Lafreniere has one goal and two assists in 10 games, and his defensive lapses have been more apparent as he and the Rangers have struggled to score. Sometimes, he will leave the defensive zone early when the opposing team still has the ball or loses a defensive player in the defensive zone.

Rangers need more from Lavernier

It’s still early in the season and it’s still early on Lafreniere’s contract, but the team needs more from him. They need him to play with the intensity and drive he showed in the 2023-24 season and playoffs. He has the ability to play better, and the team needs him to step up to have a chance of making the playoffs this season.