It is (really) difficult for Alexis Lafrenière since he signed his big contract.

The New York Rangers are having a terrible season. The club has a record of 20-20-3 before today’s game, and for a team that had Stanley Cup aspirations, this is obviously an unacceptable performance.

Moreover, having to deal with a new drama almost every week does not help, you can agree on that.

That said, at the start of the season (on October 25, to be precise), the club agreed to the terms of a long-term contract with Alexis Lafrenière. He had a strong start to the season (seven points in seven games), and the club wanted to settle the matter.

However, since he signed his $52.15 million contract over seven years, it has been really difficult for Lafrenière. In fact, since October 25, he has only seven goals and 17 points in 36 games.

And the Quebecer is the first to admit it: he admitted to Alexandre Gascon (Radio-Canada) that it is a tough campaign for him.

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In fact, since December 9, Lafrenière has only four points in 17 games, even though he is on the first wave of the power play. In the context where the Rangers are having a nightmarish season, part of the lack of production is justifiable… but the contract he signed means he needs to be part of the solution.

The deal hasn’t officially started yet (it will begin on July 1), but it has nonetheless changed the player’s status in the locker room.

And if we look at Lafrenière’s statistics since he signed his contract (seven goals and 17 points in 36 games), we see that during this same period, Kirby Dach has scored eight goals and 14 points in 36 games.

Essentially, Lafrenière has roughly the same production as Dach for nearly three months… and Dach, who doesn’t have a huge contract and is coming back from a serious injury, has received a ton of criticism regarding his play. Imagine what it would be like in the city if the Quebec forward had experienced this stretch in Montreal…

Obviously, Lafrenière still has time to emerge from his slump and prove to the Rangers that they made the right decision. That said, sooner or later, he will have to show some promising signs.

After all, Dach is at least showing a few…

In Brief

– Frank Seravalli fires harsh criticism at Kyle Dubas.

Mathias Brunet has essentially done the same thing, by the way.

– It’s (pretty much) better than the Islanders’ performance.

– Choosing Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry over an “aging” Marc-André Fleury was not a good decision in Pittsburgh.

– The Blue Jackets are no longer losing.