Alexis Lafrenière Agrees to 7-Year $52 Million Extension

Rangers star left wing Alexis Lafreniere signed a seven-year contract extension this past Friday, keeping him with the Blueshirts until at least the 2032/33 season. New York's talented Quebecois has notched four goals and four assists for eight points in nine of the Rangers' 10 games so far this season, keeping up his red hot pace from last season that saw him total 28 goals and 29 assists for 57 points while playing in all 82 regular season games.

His playoff stats were also just as effective, notching eight goals and six assists for 14 points across what ended up being 16 postseason games. Lafreniere has now totaled as many playoff games as there are in a typical NHL regular season, with 19 career playoff goals, 25 assists, and 44 points in 82 postseason contests.

Lafreniere recently turned 23 three weeks ago and has been a leading scorer for the Rangers to kick off the 2024/25 campaign, tied for third alongside Filip Chytil in team goals behind Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider. He's also tied for second on the team in total points thus far, with his eight as of the most recent results the same as Will Cuylle, Adam Fox, and Vincent Trocheck.

Lafreniere is one of the Rangers' biggest key players in need of an extension, and with his deal taken care of, all that is needed now is to strike a deal with goaltender Igor Shesterkin in the long-lasting contract debate the 28-year-old Russian netminder faces. The new deal for Lafreniere will see him rake in $7.5 million annually, though that amount drops to $6 million a year as the extension finishes up in the following decade.

Lafreniere's new salary increase is a wonder compared to some similarly-cased players around the rest of the league. As the No. 1 overall selection in the 2020 Entry Draft from the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts, Lafreniere's numbers from junior hockey have perfectly transitioned to the NHL, unlike the Kings' Quinton Byfield, Ottawa's Tim Stutzle, Detroit's Lukas Raymond, New Jersey's Jack Hughes, and 2023 Calder Trophy winner, Seattle's Matty Beniers.

All those players are good in their own right, but none quite have deserved a significant pay increase given their skill level like Lafreniere has. He also has one of the team's largest Ironman streaks, having missed all but one of his 310 career games with the Rangers while playing in every single one of the team's postseason games since the 2021/22 postseason.

The man nicknamed "Laffy" by his peers had several extension offers to choose from, settling on a seven year deal due in part that he enjoys playing in Madison Square Garden and rightfully wanted to keep playing his home contests there long term. And he's not the only star youngster on the Rangers' roster who could be due for a sudden pay increase- on the defensive side, K'Andre Miller may be next in line to get a big cash in from the front office, even with his solo goal and assist in nine of 10 games to start things off.

One thing's for sure, however- the Rangers still have lots of contracts left to negotiate, for young and old players, while rebounding from their fast start to the season, currently sitting 4th in the Metropolitan Division after being at the top for a short while just a few games ago.