Rangers' Lafreniere Taking Big Step Forward This Season & Playoff Analysis
Also, a look at how successful the 4th round has been for the Rangers in recent seasons.
Welcome to the THW New York Rangers Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Rangers writers.
In today’s edition, we look at how Alexis Lafreniere has taken a big step forward this season, some playoff analysis, and more!
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Now on to the good stuff….
Rangers Prospect Spotlight: Dylan Roobroeck
Mar 20, 2024 by Jesse Courville-Lynch (Premium Substack Content)
The New York Rangers have a strong prospect pool, and many fans know the names of some of the top prospects coming up. Brennan Othmann, Gabriel Perreault, and Ryder Korczak are just a few players who could be big parts of the Rangers’ future, but another prospect has made big waves this season and deserves extra recognition. His name is Dylan Roobroeck.
Rangers’ Lafreniere Taking Big Step Forward This Season
April 1, 2024 by Brian Abate
Though Lafreniere is naturally a left winger, the Rangers have two star left-wingers in Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider, so he spent the majority of his first three NHL seasons on the third line. This season, he moved over to the right side to play on the second line with Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. The three quickly formed chemistry together, and their strong play helped the team continue to win games while the first line slumped offensively.
Lafreniere made the transition to the right side fairly smoothly and looked comfortable on the line. Though he made some defensive mistakes, he did an excellent job on entries to the offensive zone, showing off the skills and strength that helped him become the first overall pick in 2020. His line consistently generated lots of scoring chances and he had eight goals and four assists in the first 17 games this season.
Rangers’ Panarin & Trocheck Pursuing Playoff Redemption in 2024
March 31, 2024 by Sam Henes
The New York Rangers’ journey last season ended in disappointment, culminating in a grueling seven-game defeat to the New Jersey Devils. This was a particularly bitter pill to swallow for a team once heralded as a Stanley Cup contender, especially after the high-profile acquisitions of Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. Despite Kane and Tarasenko’s commendable efforts, contributing six and four points respectively, the spotlight turned to Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Their underwhelming playoff performances, with Panarin notching just two points and Trocheck a single point, drew scrutiny. For a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, the Rangers need their marquee players to deliver when it matters most.
Rangers Need to Balance Push for No. 1 Seed With Player Rest
March 29, 2024 by Tom Castro
The New York Rangers were the first team to jump into the NHL playoffs with a 6-5 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on March 26, the “X” next to their name in the standings a welcome and inevitable reward for a season in which their elite talent level, depth of roster and drive allowed them to weather a rough winter stretch and overcome injuries to punch their ticket to the postseason.
Other Good Rangers’ Reads
Rangers Have Reaped Major Successes From 4th Round of Draft - March 28, 2024 by Tom Castro