When the New York Rangers won the NHL lottery in 2020 and were awarded the No. 1 overall pick, it was seen as a gift to a franchise that wasn’t nearly as bad as a team receiving the No. 1 overall pick should have been. But there was a catch with that No. 1 overall pick: the consensus choice was left winger Alexis Lafrenière, and the Rangers were already stacked at the wing position at the time of his drafting. As we all know as Blueshirts fans, it clearly stunted Lafrenière’s growth and development.
No. 1 overall picks are usually expected to immediately become a franchise’s centerpiece, and that just wasn’t the case with our golden boy, Laffy. Fortunately, he was only 18 years old when he was drafted, and there was still time for him to eventually become a major piece of this Rangers team once all the veterans who were ahead of him were off the roster.
It seems like he’s been on this team and in the NHL for a long time, and he has. But he’s still only 24 years old. In many cases, most prospects don’t even crack the NHL until they’re 23 or 24 years old. So, if we’re using some selective logic here, Laffy would technically be entering the sophomore year of his NHL career stepping into this season.
Which leads me to a player who is stepping into his first full sophomore year of his NHL career: Gabe Perreault.
The 21-year-old, 2023 first-round, 23rd-overall steal of a draft pick is entering this season with plenty of momentum and expectations heading into the 2026–27 NHL season.
He stepped into the Rangers lineup at a much more convenient time in his career than Lafrenière did all those years ago. During his first full rookie season as a Ranger, the Chris Drury veteran-winger purge fully came to pass. With no tenured veteran wingers left on the roster whose resumes demanded full top-line ice time, Perreault was given free rein to be inserted not only onto the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Lafrenière, but also onto the first power-play unit.
His tenacity, youthful exuberance, and obvious skill set made his insertion into a larger role on this team almost seamless.
Which leads me to my actual point.
Gabe Perreault and Alexis Lafrenière have now become the keys to the New York Rangers’ upcoming season because the team’s transition into a new competitive era relies heavily on their offensive output and top-line chemistry. If these two can continue the elite level chemistry they developed late in the previous campaign when paired alongside veteran center, and the man who SHOULD be captain of this team, Mika Zibanejad, then the Rangers’ hopes of breaking their short playoff drought may become a reality.
Following the departure of veteran star Artemi Panarin, the Rangers need more internal answers to maintain their scoring punch. With Lafrenière finally stepping into a definitive top-line and leadership role, he’ll be able to utilize his underrated size at even strength and on the power play.
During the final stretch of games, that trio controlled the pace, drove high-danger scoring chances, and proved they could shoulder heavy primary-line minutes.
Perreault enters his sophomore year as a prime breakout candidate whose elite playmaking vision can unlock consistent offensive production. These two have the potential to make sweet music together, with Zibanejad serving as the maestro behind the 1’s and 2’s of the Rangers’ new-look offense.
After missing the postseason in back-to-back years, Chris Drury’s retooled roster will need new supporting faces. For the Rangers to climb back into contention in the Eastern Conference, these two young wingers must prove they are foundational core pieces rather than just complementary options.
It’s their time to shine now.
Lafrenière is out of internal competition, and he’s out of excuses. Meanwhile, Perreault will need to prove that he’s not just a complementary piece and that he has the pedigree to keep and thrive in top-line minutes.
So, do these two young potential franchise pillars have “that dog in them,” or do they still need to stay on a leash?
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