The New York Rangers have a long road ahead if they want to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026-27, but one of the most encouraging developments from their disappointing 2025-26 campaign could provide a foundation for a much-needed turnaround.
After missing the postseason in consecutive seasons and finishing near the bottom of the NHL standings, New York needs significant improvement across the roster. The Rangers finished 30th overall and last in the Eastern Conference, making a dramatic rebound necessary if they are going to become playoff contenders again.
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One player who could play a major role in that turnaround is Alexis Lafrenière.
The former No. 1 overall pick showed signs late last season that he may finally be developing into the type of impact forward the Rangers envisioned when they selected him first overall in 2020.
Lafrenière found another gear late in the season
Lafrenière’s production surged after head coach Mike Sullivan made an important adjustment to his role.
Sullivan placed Lafrenière on a newly formed top line alongside Mika Zibanejad and promising young forward Gabe Perreault. The trio quickly developed chemistry, giving New York an unexpected offensive spark during a season in which the team had already moved on from longtime scoring leader Artemi Panarin.
Panarin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in February, creating an enormous offensive void. While the Rangers could not realistically replace a player of Panarin’s caliber with one individual, Lafrenière began taking on a larger share of the offensive responsibility.
The results were striking.
Over the final 27 games of the season, Lafrenière recorded 28 points, scoring 14 goals and adding 14 assists. He finished the campaign with 57 points, tying his career high from the 2023-24 season and ranking second on the Rangers in total scoring.
More importantly, his production was accompanied by a noticeable change in the way he played.
Lafrenière has learned to use his size
One of the most important developments in Lafrenière’s game has been his willingness to play a more physical, direct style.
At 6-foot-2 and roughly 191 pounds, Lafrenière has always possessed the size necessary to create problems around the net. However, earlier in his career, he often relied more heavily on his hands and creativity rather than consistently using his frame to establish position in dangerous areas.
That appears to be changing.
Instead of always attempting to create offense from the perimeter or off the rush, Lafrenière has become increasingly comfortable attacking the middle of the ice, driving toward the crease and battling for loose pucks.
The change has resulted in more scoring opportunities from deflections, rebounds and close-range finishes.
Those goals may not always be as spectacular as a rush highlight or a perfectly placed wrist shot, but they are extremely valuable in the NHL.
Lafrenière is essentially finding ways to make his natural physical tools work for him.
From junior-star style to NHL survival
The evolution is particularly interesting because Lafrenière was a dominant offensive player in junior hockey.
His ability to create chances off the rush and overwhelm defenders with skill helped make him the first overall pick in 2020. There was an expectation that those same attributes would translate seamlessly to the NHL.
That did not happen.
The NHL game is faster, more physical and significantly less forgiving, and Lafrenière struggled to consistently generate the same type of separation he created at the junior level.
Instead of abandoning him, however, the Rangers appear to have benefited from his willingness to adapt.
NHL Network prospects analyst Russ Cohen described Lafrenière’s evolution as essentially a reformulation of his game. The forward had to become tougher, grittier and more willing to operate near the net rather than relying entirely on the speed and rush offense that had made him so dangerous as a junior.
That adjustment may ultimately be the reason the Rangers continue to believe in him.
The Rangers have been down this road before
There is an important reason for caution, however.
Lafrenière has already experienced a breakout that raised expectations before his production leveled off again.
During the 2023-24 season, he scored a career-best 28 goals and tied for the Rangers’ team lead with eight goals during their postseason run to the Eastern Conference Final.
That performance convinced the Rangers that they had finally seen the beginning of the player they expected when they drafted him.
New York rewarded him with a seven-year, $52.15 million contract extension.
Unfortunately, his momentum did not continue at the same rate.
Lafrenière’s production dipped over the following season and a half, leading to renewed questions about whether he could become a consistent top-line scorer.
That history makes his latest resurgence encouraging, but it also means the Rangers need to see sustained production rather than another short-term burst.
Sullivan may have found the right formula
One of the biggest reasons for optimism is the role Sullivan has given Lafrenière.
Rather than forcing the forward to become something he is not, Sullivan appears to have emphasized the areas where Lafrenière is naturally strongest.
That means using his size, hands, strength and ability to finish around the net.
The top-line assignment with Zibanejad and Perreault could also be critical.
Zibanejad provides an established veteran presence and offensive intelligence, while Perreault represents the type of young skill that could eventually become a major part of New York’s next competitive core.
If the chemistry between the three players continues into the new season, Lafrenière could have an opportunity to establish himself as a consistent top-line contributor.
How many points can Lafrenière produce?
There is plenty of optimism surrounding Lafrenière heading into 2026-27.
Some believe he could eventually reach the 70- or even 80-point range as he enters his prime. Lafrenière turns 25 in October, meaning the Rangers are entering an important period of his career.
However, not everyone expects such a dramatic statistical explosion.
Cohen believes a 60-point season is a more realistic target.
That may sound modest for a player selected first overall, but 60 points from Lafrenière could still represent a major improvement for New York especially if that production comes consistently from the top line.
The Rangers do not necessarily need Lafrenière to suddenly become an 80-point superstar.
They need him to become dependable.
If he can produce around 60 points while providing strong five-on-five play, power-play contributions and physical presence around the net, his impact could extend well beyond his box-score statistics.
Lafrenière’s improvement could have a ripple effect
Perhaps the most important factor is how Lafrenière’s growth affects the rest of the Rangers’ lineup.
If he becomes a legitimate top-line offensive threat, opponents cannot focus all of their attention on Zibanejad or other scoring options.
That could create more opportunities for Perreault, who will enter his second NHL season looking to build on his rookie campaign.
A productive Perreault alongside a resurgent Lafrenière and a reliable Zibanejad would give New York a much more balanced top unit.
That would be especially important after the departure of Panarin.
The Rangers cannot simply replace Panarin’s production, but they can attempt to compensate by spreading the offensive responsibility across multiple players.
Lafrenière could be at the center of that effort.
A 60-point Lafrenière could be enough—but only with help
The bigger question is whether Lafrenière’s improvement alone can push the Rangers back into playoff contention.
The answer is probably no.
New York has too many other areas that need to improve for one player’s breakout to completely transform the team.
But if Lafrenière reaches the 60-point level, Perreault makes a significant second-year leap and Zibanejad continues producing at a high level, the Rangers would suddenly have a much more credible offensive foundation.
That combination could give the team a chance to compete for a playoff spot in what figures to be another demanding Eastern Conference race.
The Rangers are not looking for another brief stretch in which Lafrenière looks like a star.
They need the version of him that emerged late last season to become the new normal.
His ability to adapt his game, embrace physicality and consistently attack the net may finally be allowing him to turn his immense potential into reliable NHL production.
For a team desperately searching for a way back into the postseason, that development could be enormous.
If Lafrenière’s retooled style proves sustainable, the Rangers may finally have the dependable top-line weapon they have been waiting for and his breakthrough could become one of the most important pieces of New York’s 2026-27 playoff push.
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