Lafreniere signs 7-year, $52.15 million contract with Rangers

NEW YORK -- Alexis Lafreniere arrived at Madison Square Garden on Saturday a more relaxed, relieved, excited, and soon to be wealthier 23-year-old.

That's all courtesy of the seven-year, $52.15 million contract ($7.45 million average annual value) the forward signed with the New York Rangers on Friday.

The new contract will begin next season as Lafreniere is playing out the second year of a two-year, $4.65 million contract he signed on Aug. 23, 2023. Lafreniere could have become a restricted free agent following this season, but that is not what he wanted.

"Feeling good," Lafreniere said following the Rangers' optional morning skate Saturday prior to their 2-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks. "I'm happy to be done with it and fired up to stay for seven more years. It's nice to get it done. Now I can just focus on the season and try to help the team win."

Lafreniere has eight points (four goals, four assists) in eight games this season again playing right wing on a line with center Vincent Trocheck and left wing Artemi Panarin.

They built their chemistry last season, and it led to a breakout year for Lafreniere, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

He had a career-high 57 points (28 goals, 29 assists) in 82 regular-season games before scoring 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help New York reach the Eastern Conference Final, when they lost to the Florida Panthers in six games.

Panarin, Trocheck and Lafreniere are together again this season.

Lafreniere has 156 points (79 goals, 77 assists) in 306 regular-season games and 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 43 playoff games. His point total increased in each of his first four seasons from 21 to 31 to 39 to 57.

He has also missed only four out of a possible 310 regular-season games and has appeared in every Rangers playoff game since 2022.

"I mean, he's an elite right winger and I think he has the potential to be top 20, top 10 in the League," Trocheck said. "I think him and 'Bread' (Panarin) are very similar in a lot of ways. Where you've seen Bread at is probably 'Laf's' ceiling. I think points-wise, he can get up to 100 points. Obviously, he's shown the scoring touch. I think he can score 30 goals in this league, maybe more. I don't want to put a cap on it because I feel there is so much he's capable of."

Trocheck and Panarin were having some fun with Lafreniere on Saturday, joking about what he should get them for the roles they've played in his rise to stardom.

Trocheck came off the ice after the morning skate saying he'll take five percent of the contract and Panarin would take 10.

"Bread just said a helicopter will do," Trocheck said. "I'll just ride in Bread's helicopter."

Lafreniere was laughing about it.

"I'll have to wait until I actually get the money and see what I do with it," he said.

Trocheck said he was "just happy for my friend," adding that he too thinks Lafreniere is "doing good by the Rangers too with this deal."

Lafreniere said there were different options available to him through the contract negotiations, but he and his agent felt seven years was best for him, especially because he enjoys playing in New York and wanted to stay long term.

The Rangers still are attempting to re-sign goalie Igor Shesterkin, who can be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and defenseman K'Andre Miller, a pending restricted free agent.

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren is also a pending UFA and forwards Kaapo Kakko, Adam Edstrom and Will Cuylle are pending RFAs. Panarin is signed through next season.

"It's a good deal," Lafreniere said. "Now you can really just focus on playing your game and you don't think about anything. That's really huge for me. I'm happy it's done with."

The Rangers certainly are confident with the investment in Lafreniere too as they believe the best is still to come for him, a belief that is being bolstered by Lafreniere's start to this season after what he did last season.

"I don't think that's a fluke," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "I think he actually built a year that gave him the confidence. I thought he was a top player for us in the playoffs. He was executing at a high level and then coming into this year he seems to have picked up where that left off. He will probably continue to grow as a player. He's still a young player. There's still so much room for growth inside of his game."