Dennis Schneidler-Imagn ImagesThe recent resurgence of Alexis Lafrenière has come as a pleasant surprise in a season filled with disappointment for the New York Rangers.
Since signing a seven-year, $52.15 million contract extension in October of 2024, there’s been a lot of criticism thrown Lafrenière's way for his underwhelming play and failure to live up to his contract.
This wasn’t anything new to Lafrenière, as he’s faced pressure since the day he was drafted with the first overall pick by the Rangers in 2020, with the expectations that he was a generational prospect.
Outside of his 2023-24 campaign, when Lafrenière posted a career high 28 goals, 29 assists, and 57 points, the wide sentiment is that he’s failed to live up to his presumptive generational-type potential.
However, since coming back from the Olympic break, the 24-year-old forward is certainly playing his best hockey of the season, and maybe of his entire career.
What has gone into Lafrenière’s sudden elevated play?
In the seven games since the NHL resumed play from the Olympic break, Lafrenière has recorded six goals, four assists, and 10 points.
Mike Sullivan credits Lafrenière’s success to the way he’s been able to expand his game offensively.
“I think one of the things we’ve tried to encourage Laf to do a little bit more of was finding ways to create offense in different ways,” Sullivan said. “He’s adding a dimension to his game that we’ll call the grind game, where he can create offense underneath the hash marks from below the goal line, getting inside, whether it be a net front, tips, deflections, rebounds, things of that nature.
“I think he's just adding that dimension to his game a little bit more consistently. It's hard to score consistently in this league if you don't have that element to your game. I think he's doing a better job in that aspect of his offensive game.”
Lafrenière’s new linemates, Gabe Perreault and Mika Zibanejad, seem to get the most out of him. Perreault and Zibanejad’s pass-first approach allows Lafrenière to become more of a scoring threat and play more without the puck.
This newly assembled trio has proven to be the Rangers’ most offensively explosive line all season long, and Lafrenière’s stats continue to soar while playing with Perreault and Zibanejad.
“I think Mika’s line in the last handful of games has been really good,” Sullivan said. “They all have really good offensive instincts. They are a little bit different in how they play, but in a lot of ways, that makes them complementary.”
The more consistent role Lafrenière is currently serving on the Rangers’ first power-play unit has also given him more opportunities to score and make an impact on the game.
Outside of all of the specific hockey factors, Lafrenière just exudes confidence right now, and that newfound confidence is doing him wonders.
“Just playing with a little bit more confidence,” Lafrenière said. “Skating a little better, hanging onto pucks a little bit more in the neutral zone offensively. Just trying to put myself in better spots to get the puck.”