The saga of Alexis Lafrenière has more twists than an episode of “Stranger Things”. Like Eleven, he is supposed to be the Rangers’ hero — the one to drag them out of the Upside Down of their current championship drought.
This season, though, has been middling at best. His stat line (7‑10‑17 in 31 games) is modest, and when Mike Sullivan handed him a golden chance on the top power‑play unit while Vincent Trocheck was sidelined, he squandered it. In today’s NHL, if you’re not on PP1, you’re not racking up big numbers.
Still, flashes of brilliance appear. Last night, he ripped a wrist shot past Carter Hart of the Golden Knights, electrifying The Garden. That’s what a No. 1 overall pick is supposed to look like under pressure. But too often, instead of seizing momentum like Eleven, he disappears — vanishing into the Upside Down like a Demogorgon retreating through its portal.
Sullivan called this one of Lafrenière’s “better games that he’s had all season for us. He also added: “The goal he got was a goal-scorer's goal, but it was more than just that. I thought he was around the net. He was winning puck battles. He was in the battle areas. He was challenging”.
And this is the kind of bite and snarl that Lafrenière’ needs to his game in order to be successful. When he plays with an angry edge, it has led to more production and impactful play on the ice. This is what he needs to tap into on a more consistent basis in order to be the elite NHL player that we know he can become. Mike Sullivan knows this, his teammates know this, and the fans are clamoring for more of it.
It’s on Laffy to bring this edge every game, every night, if he wants to be successful and reach his potential
It feels like another lifetime when Jeff Gorton landed the No. 1 pick in 2020. Lafrenière’s junior résumé was dazzling: 2.15 points per game in Rimouski, the best since Connor McDavid’s 2.50 in 2014–15. Twice named CHL Player of the Year, he joined Sidney Crosby in rarefied company. That screamed “cornerstone.
Instead, he walked into a crowded roster of established wingers. Most top picks get thrown onto bad teams, soaking up ice time and power‑play minutes. Not here. The Rangers were too good, too deep, too impatient. The result? Stunted growth.
Now in year one of a seven‑year, $52.15 million deal, Lafrenière could be earning more had he been developed as a true franchise piece. Fans don’t care about the zeros in his 401(k); they care about the zeros in his stat line. Six seasons, 400‑plus games, and he’s averaging half a point per game.
That’s fine... But fine isn’t what you expect from a No. 1 overall pick
There have been glimpses — the “Kid Line” with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko, his breakout against Florida in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, and his previous chemistry with Trocheck and Artemi Panarin. But whenever he is pulled away from that specific line composition, he seems to flounder. Yet at even strength, he drifts between contributor and passenger. Elite talent is there, but he defers too often instead of owning the ice.
The swagger of a top pick just isn’t there yet. Scouts warned the 2020 draft was weaker, and Lafrenière’s No. 1 status reflected the class more than his dominance. Still, the burden of being No. 1 doesn’t vanish. And so far, he hasn’t risen above it.
The Rangers and Lafrenière need to figure this out — and sooner rather later. In two seasons, his modified eight‑team no‑trade clause kicks in. That clause exists for a reason, and it will give him leverage. Management must also decide Artemi Panarin’s future. If they don’t believe Lafrenière is ready to live up expectations, Chris Drury may be forced to re‑sign an aging Panarin. That might not be terrible for the Rangers, but it would certainly frustrate Lafrenière and his camp.