Rangers, former No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere agree to two-year, $4.65 million contract

Lafreniere was a restricted free agent after three seasons in New York

By Austin Nivison Aug 24, 2023 at 11:35 am ET• 1 min read

Former No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere has signed a two-year contract worth $4.65 million with the New York Rangers, the team announced on Wednesday. Lafreniere was a restricted free agent, and both sides had been working throughout the summer to get a deal done.

The top pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Lafreniere has taken some time to find his groove at the NHL level. However, seems to have settled into a middle-six role with the Rangers. Over the last two seasons, Lafreniere has totaled 35 goals, 33 assists and 70 points in 160 games.

The question now is whether Lafreniere will be able to elevate his game above that level. Lafreniere is still only 21, and this two-year deal will give him the chance to prove himself and get a much larger contract in 2025.

This past season, Lafreniere often played on the Rangers' third line with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Those three are all under the age of 24 and combined for 124 points in 2022-23. In order for the Rangers to take another step closer to the Stanley Cup, it will be key for that young trio to continue their development.