November 6, 2024

Brighton Journal

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Rangers agree to terms with Alexis Lafreniere

Rangers agree to terms with Alexis Lafreniere

New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has agreed to a seven-year contract extension for forward Alexis Lafreniere.

Lafreniere, 23, started the 2024-25 season with seven points (4G-3A) in seven games, including points in each of his first five games. He is tied by Thomas Sandstrom (5 GP in 1986–87) and Mike McEwen (5 GP in 1978–79) for the second-longest season-opening streak by a Rangers player aged 23 or younger. Among Rangers skaters this season, Lafrenière ranks first in power-play goals (4), second in power-play points (7), third in goals and is tied for third in points.

The 6-2, 196-pound forward set career highs in goals (28), assists (29) and points (57) in 2023-24, while finishing second on the team in even-strength goals (26) and third in even-strength points. . (51). With 28 goals and 29 assists, he was the first Rangers skater age 22 or younger since Tony Amonte (1992-93) to score more than 25 goals and more than 25 assists in a single season. When Lafreniere scored last season, the Blueshirts had a 21-1-1 record. Additionally, Lafreniere’s 30 goals since the start of last season equals 12.y Most in the NHL over a period.

In parts of five NHL seasons, all with the Rangers, the Saint-Eustache, Quebec, native has scored 79 goals and 76 assists for 155 points in 305 career games. Since his rookie season in 2020-21, he has the fourth-most goals and fifth-most points on the Blue Jerseys and in the same time frame, ranks third on the Rangers in even-strength goals (74) and is tied for third in even-strength points. (143). New York has a 62-8-2 record in 72 regular season games in which he has scored a career goal.

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Lafreniere appeared in 43 playoff games for the Rangers, recording 23 points (10G-13A). During the 2024 season, he scored eight goals and six assists for 14 points in 16 games. His eight power-play goals ranked second in the NHL and were the second-most in franchise history in a playoff year behind Mark Messier (9 – 1993-94).

During the 2022-23 season, Lafreniere scored 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 81 games, including a career-high 10 plus plays and three power play goals. In the 2021-22 season, he scored 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points. All 19 of his goals were even-strength, the second-most on the team that season. In his rookie campaign in 2020–21, he played in all 56 games for the Rangers, recording 21 points (12G-9A). He became the first teenager to skate in every Blueshirts game in a single season in franchise history and his 12 goals were the third-most scored by a teenager with the Rangers in a single season in franchise history.

Lafrenière was originally selected by the Blueshirts in the first round, first overall, of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.