Rangers, Lafreniere working to finalize seven-year extension
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The New York Rangers and forward Alexis Lafreniere are working to finalize a seven-year, $52.15 million extension, reports TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.
The deal would carry a cap hit of $7.45 million if completed.
According to LeBrun, Lafreniere and the Rangers began talks before the season but were initially unable to come to an agreement. LeBrun added the Rangers viewed Lafreniere as an important core piece and wanted to continue to try and get a deal done.
Selected No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Lafreniere had a bit of a slow start to his NHL career, but has produced at a high level the past few seasons. After combining for 91 points in 216 regular season games during his first three years in the league, Lafreniere had 28 goals and 29 assists in 82 games last season and has four goals and three assists in seven games so far in 2024-25.
He also had eight goals and six assists in 16 playoff games last spring during the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Final.
The 23-year-old is currently playing on a two-year, $4.65 million bridge deal he signed in August of last year that paid him $2.33 million annually. He is scheduled for restricted free agency next summer.
If Lafreniere’s deal becomes official, the Rangers' focus would shift to their star goaltender Igor Shesterkin and his status as a pending unrestricted free agent. He is widely believed to be seeking the largest contract for a goalie in NHL history.