Lafreniere Seeks Increased Role on Rangers’ Power Play Amidst Contract Year

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Forward Alexis Lafreniere is entering his fifth NHL season with aspirations of playing a more significant role on the New York Rangers‘ power play. The Rangers, preparing for their season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins, face a dilemma in implementing this change.

Last season, Lafreniere recorded 57 points, including 28 goals, with 51 points scored at even strength. Although he has demonstrated considerable skill, Coach Peter Laviolette acknowledges the challenge of altering a power-play unit that was amongst the NHL’s best last year.

“It’s a weighing and balancing thing,” commented Laviolette. “You’ve got a power play that [last season] ranked in the top five and No. 1 for long stretches in the League, so you’re balancing that.”

The young forward, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, played on a line with star players like Artemi Panarin, who led the Rangers with 120 points, and Vincent Trocheck, the team’s second-leading scorer with 77 points. Each member of this line achieved career-high points totals last season, making them crucial to the team’s strategy.

Despite his success at even strength, Lafreniere averaged only 1:17 of power-play time per game due to a dominant first unit consisting of Panarin, Trocheck, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Adam Fox. This unit contributed significantly to the Rangers finishing third in the league on the power play with a 26.4 percent success rate.

Coach Laviolette has been hesitant to break up either Lafreniere’s effective line or the proven power-play unit. “Eighty to 85 percent of the time we loved our power play,” he explained. “When that first unit, which was lethal at times, goes on the ice, well you’re not really going to worry about the next group as much.”

However, for Lafreniere to increase his goal tally to 35 or 40 goals this season, more power-play minutes could be crucial. There were only 22 players who scored over 35 goals last season, most of whom scored significantly during power plays.

“I just think he can be a game-changer every game,” said Panarin of Lafreniere. “He can skate. He can shoot. He can pass. He can battle. Just everything.”

Lafreniere finds himself in the final year of a two-year contract with a cap hit of $2.325 million and has the potential to become a restricted free agent on July 1, 2025. This contract situation adds another layer of urgency to his pursuit of more ice time.

Comparable players, such as Lucas Raymond of the Detroit Red Wings and Seth Jarvis of the Carolina Hurricanes, have recently secured lucrative long-term contracts. Both players receive ample power-play time, which has undoubtedly bolstered their performances and contract values.

Whether Lafreniere can secure similar opportunities within the Rangers’ current system remains uncertain. “You have to evaluate everything,” Laviolette stated, hinting at ongoing assessments during training camp and early games in the season.