New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has agreed to terms with forward Alexis Lafrenière on a seven-year contract extension.
Lafrenière, 23, has begun his 2024-25 season with seven points (4G-3A) in seven games, including points in each of his first five games. He tied Tomas Sandstrom (5 GP in 1986-87) and Mike McEwen (5 GP in 1978-79) for the second-longest season-opening point streak by a Rangers player aged 23 or younger. Among Rangers skaters this season, Lafrenière ranks first in even strength goals (4), second in even strength points (7), third in goals and tied for third in points.
The 6-2, 196 pound forward posted career highs in goals (28), assists (29) and points (57) in 2023-24, while ranking 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 aged 22 or younger since Tony Amonte (1992-93) to have 25-plus goals and 25-plus assists in a single season. When Lafrenière scored a goal last season, the Blueshirts held a 21-1-1 record. In addition, Lafrenière’s 30 even strength goals since the start of last season rank tied for the 12th most in the NHL over the span.
In parts of five NHL seasons, all with the Rangers, the St-Eustache, Quebec native has tallied 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 Blueshirts and in that same time frame, he ranks third on the Rangers in even strength goals (74) and 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 goal in his career.
Lafrenière has appeared in 43 playoff games for the Rangers, recording 23 points (10G-13A). During the 2024 postseason, he posted eight goals and six assists for 14 points in 16 games. His eight even strength 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 campaign, Lafrenière posted 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 81 games, including a career high plus-10 rating and career high three power play goals. In 2021-22, he notched 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points. All 19 of his goals were even-strength, the second most on the Blueshirts that season. In his rookie campaign in 2020-21, he played in all 56 games for the Rangers, registering 21 points (12G-9A). He became the first teenager to skate in each of the Blueshirts’ games in one season in franchise history and his 12 goals were the third-most by a teenager with the Rangers in one season in franchise history.
Lafrenière was originally selected by the Blueshirts in the first round, first overall, of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
