Is There Still Hope for the Rangers First Overall Pick?

In just a single season, this New York Rangers team is far removed from the one it was over the previous three seasons. As the Blueshirts recover from a season they’d very much like to forget, certain players will need to retaliate next season if they want to stay in New York. Several players from last season, such as Chris Kreider, K’Andre Miller, and Ryan Lindgren, certainly heard it from fans all around as ones to blame, leading to the unfortunate departure of all three. Then there are key players like Artemi Panarin, J.T. Miller, and Mika Zibanejad, who have surely seen better seasons as well, but still did their jobs quite decently to end the season. Despite the several changes to the roster throughout the year, the Blueshirts have yet to give up on their player with the most potential, a player who went into last year's offseason with such insane expectations. As an extension was just recently made at the start of last season, is this upcoming season his final chance to prove himself in New York?

Ever since being drafted as the first overall pick in 2020, fans expected so much from Alexis Lafrenière, a player who found himself in the playoffs quite faster than most first overall picks. Finishing his rookie season with 12 goals and nine assists, Lafrenière found himself in the postseason in his second NHL season, giving him not much time to develop through rebuilding. Though he was awarded two goals and seven assists in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, his real recognition came from being on the kid line with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko, combining for 22 points during those playoffs. As fans found this a good sign, they would soon lose most hope, one year later, after going all seven games without a single point against the Devils. As most fans lost hope completely, Lafrenière responded, quite strongly too, as he was inserted with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, putting up 28 goals and 29 assists, all while not missing a single game in the 2023-24 season. His breakout didn’t just include the regular season, though; he stood out during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with eight goals and six assists and showed fans he had the makings of a superstar in the future. Expectations were through the roof once again, but would once again vanish one year later after that last season.

As the 2024-2025 season got underway, Lafrenière started right where he left off with seven points in the first seven games, giving fans the impression that he’s at long last found his groove. Sadly, these impressions would soon be silenced as he went on to collect only 37 points over the remaining 75 games. His performance greatly declined throughout the season, a great shock to most fans, as that line with Panarin and Trocheck was one of the strongest during the 2023-2024 season. Finishing off the season with 17 goals and 28 assists, it would seem some fans have completely given up on this team's ability to develop these youngsters. To make this even more heartbreaking, a season like this came right after the 23-year-old signed a seven-year extension with the Blueshirts. So with his long-term extension now a done deal, it leaves New York with some more time to develop their first overall pick, but how much time does he have left to prove himself?

A key factor in his development can surely be his being thrown right into the postseason quite fast compared to most first-round picks. Take Jack Hughes, for example, the future superstar played four rebuilding seasons with the Devils before playing in his first playoff game, more than enough time to develop. Now there's Lafrenière, getting just two regular seasons before finding himself in the postseason, and still having a postseason like 2024, that alone should show fans he can bounce back. As the Blueshirts look to rebuild next season with some new faces and new coaches as well, it could be exactly what the 23-year-old needs. Give the youngster that ice time, throw him on that first power play unit, and he’ll have his chance then to show he still has some fire left. Based on his familiarity with Panarin and Trocheck, that line would most likely not be touched, as long as that magic from the 2023-2024 season can return. Time may be running out for Alexis Lafrenière, but as the Rangers look to potentially rebuild, this may be their last shot at developing him into the player few fans still believe he can be.