When the New York Rangers announced they were retooling in January, fans could at least take solace in the fact that they could see some of their younger players get a chance to play later on in the season. With the playoffs out of the picture, the Rangers gave the likes of Adam Sykora and Dylan Garand a chance, and they have thrived.
While this season will be considered one of their worst in recent memory, there are things to point to that can be a positive heading into next season. Look no further than the first line of the Rangers.
Late this season, Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan used Mika Zibanejad, 2020 first overall pick Alexis Lafreniere, and 2023 first-round pick Gabe Perreault on the first line. To say it has worked out has been an understatement. Zibanjead continues to prove he's the team's best player. Lafreniere turned things around since the Artemi Panarin trade. And most importantly, Perreault showed true growth as the season progressed.
If there's one thing Rangers fans can say, it's that they have a solid top line heading into next season.
Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere, Gabe Perreault line shows promise in lost season
In Tuesday's 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils, Zibanejad scored a goal while Lafreniere and Perreault recorded an assist each. After the game, Perreault said that the trio are building upon their chemistry.
"All three of us have been building some really good chemistry"
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) April 1, 2026
Gabe Perreault talks about the chemistry building with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière pic.twitter.com/J9ZruBTj2o
"The more games we play, the chemistry builds every time. I think we've been generating a lot of chances these last couple of games... All three of us have been building some really good chemistry," said Perreault.
This season, the top line of Zibanejad, Perreault, and Lafreniere have 49.7 expected goals percentage, 7.1 expected goals for ratio, and a 2.29 expected goals for per 60 minutes, according to MoneyPuck. That is one of the Rangers' more productive lines this season, that has played more than 75 minutes together. Those are promising numbers for this trio.
Zibanejad has shown he is too valuable to give away, as he scored 33 goals and dished out 37 assists for his second 70-point season in the past three seasons. Zibanejad recently won the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award for Rangers players who "goes above and beyond the call of duty," his third time taking home the award.
Lafreniere, meanwhile, rebounded ever since the Panarin trade. This season, Lafreniere has 22 goals and 30 assists through 75 games played. This is his most productive season since the 2023-24 campaign, where he put up a career-high 57 points. Since the Panarin trade, Lafreniere scored 10 goals and recorded 10 assists.
Perreault, in his first full season with the Rangers, has seven goals and 15 assists to his credit through 42 games. The Rangers and fans weren't looking for him to put up superstar numbers. Rather, they wanted to see growth. He's provided just that since he earned a spot i the every game lineup. As time moves on, Perreault will only get better.
Sure, the team failed to make the playoffs, general manager Chris Drury still needs to show what his retooling plan is, and Sullivan needs to show he can handle developing younger players. This offseason will undoubtedly bring more changes, with more players exiting. It will be interesting to see who the Rangers bring in, whether it's through free agency or trade. But if there's one thing the Rangers can take away from this season, it's that they have their top line for the 2026-27 season opener.