Rangers Forward Finally Becoming Star

The New York Rangers have waited for several years for one of their forwards to develop into a star player, and it's finally paying off.

May 22, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers left wing Alexis Lafreniere (13) skates against the Florida Panthers during the third period of game one of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers selected Alexis Lafreniere with the first overall pick of the 2020 NHL Draft. It was a slam-dunk of a selection, as Lafreniere had just dominated major junior hockey the season prior and had the look of a superstar winger in the making.

It hasn't been an easy start to the career of the young Rangers' forward. He posted just 12 goals as a rookie and followed that up with 31 and 39-point seasons. Entering his fourth season in the NHL last year, the hope in Lafreniere began to fade. Then, he scored 28 goals. Through his first five games this year, he has three goals and six points. Over the last calendar year, the 23-year-old has gone from a question mark in the lineup to the edge of superstardom.

To make matters even scarier for his competition, Lafreniere has picked up this season exactly where he left off last year. He opened the season with a highlight reel goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and it was emblematic of all of the strides he's taken in his career.

It started with teammate Artemi Panarin making a stout defensive play to spring Laf forward on an odd-man rush. With the puck on his stick, Lafreniere displays patience and excellent vision of the ice as he surveys the zone looking for a possible pass. As the Penguins' defenseman tries to make a diving effort to poke the puck free, he makes an incredibly smooth stick handle to avoid it and then nets a laser of a shot past the goaltender.

Breadman makes the steal + Laf does his thing. pic.twitter.com/EmuUglhHkK

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 10, 2024

And that's the type of play Lafreniere is bringing regularly to the Rangers now. It's been a long wait for him to find the confidence he is now bringing every night.

It's also evident how much the game has slowed down for him. His first few years in the league, the skills were always evident, but his ability to execute was just a bit delayed. It was a big reason why he struggled to stay in the top-six until last year. But now, the game moves at almost a glacial pace for him and the results are speaking for themselves.

The biggest test now is whether he can sustain for the long-term. He's entering the final season of his current contract and he's already in line for a raise. If he can keep producing and improve on his totals from last season, the Rangers will be one of the most difficult teams to eliminate. His ascent to superstardom will be complete and he'll find himself on the receiving end of a very generous new contract.

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