In this latest edition of New York Rangers News & Rumors, Alexis Lafrenière is entering a crucial year, and depending on how it goes, it could impact his long-term future as a Ranger. In other news, free-agent addition Erik Gustafsson was listed as the Ranger most likely to be traded this season. Lastly, how much of an impact should we expect veteran center Nick Bonino to make this season for the Rangers? Let’s discuss all of this and more in today’s Rangers News & Rumors column.
“Make-or-Break” Season for Lafrenière
In a recent article for The Athletic, Arthur Staple discussed one question for each Rangers forward for the 2023-24 season (from ‘One question for every New York Rangers forward heading into training camp,’ The Athletic, 9/19/2023). Lafrenière’s section was the most notable, as Staple argued that the 2020 first-overall pick’s future with the Rangers could be in jeopardy if he does not take a big step forward this season. Here is the exact text from Staple:
“There’s no hyperbole in saying this is make-or-break territory for Lafrenière as a Ranger. The team as it is built needs him to take a big step forward in consistency this season and, even though he’s got a two-year contract, this could end up being a one-year decision process for Chris Drury on whether Laf should be a Ranger long-term.”
Arthur Staple (from ‘One question for every New York Rangers forward heading into training camp,’ The Athletic, 9/19/2023)
At this juncture of his career, Lafrenière has yet to break out as the star many believe he can be. Yet, at the same time, he has slowly shown signs of improvement, with this past season being the most notable example. Appearing in 81 games, the 21-year-old winger had 16 goals and a career-high 39 points. However, with the Rangers in win-now mode, they expect that the former top prospect will take progress significantly this campaign.
It will be intriguing to see what Lafrenière can do in 2023-24 from here. He is expected to get some reps at right wing, which would open the door to a top-six spot. Let’s see if that is the jolt he needs to break out.
Gustafsson Named Most Likely Ranger to Be Traded
Another recent article from The Athletic had several writers pick one player from each team who is most likely to be traded during the 2023-24 season (from ‘Which NHL players could be traded in 2023-24? Our experts pick one from all 32 teams,’ The Athletic, 9/16/2023). For the Rangers, Staple wrote that Gustafsson could be a player moved before the deadline for a “more reliable No. 6 at some point.”
Related: 3 Rangers Bounce-Back Candidates for 2023-24
Gustafsson, 31, had a strong 2022-23 season, posting seven goals and 45 points in 70 games split between the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs. However, when noting that he will play bottom-pairing minutes, there is a chance that we see his offensive totals go down. With that, his defensive play has come into question often, so the Rangers certainly could look for a more defensively-sound bottom-pairing defenseman at the deadline.
Alas, we will need to wait and see how well Gustafsson performs for the Rangers from here. He’s a classic low-risk, high-reward player because of his cheap deal and offensively upside, but time will tell if this is a good match.
Bonino Brings Experience & Leadership to Rangers
The Rangers quietly added Bonino on a one-year deal in free agency this summer. The Connecticut native appeared in 62 games last season split between the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins, posting 10 goals and nine assists. His offensive contributions have gone down in recent years, but he is still an effective bottom-six forward who kills penalties and plays a steady defensive game.
Bonino also provides the Rangers with another veteran forward with plenty of experience. It also does not hurt that he has two Stanley Cups on his resume, especially when noting that the Rangers are going for it in 2023-24. Thus, we should not overlook this Bonino addition for the Rangers.
