- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Team logos and player headshots via ESPN.
Alexis Lafrenière has jumped to a 94-point full-season pace through 12 games in 2025-26, a dramatic rise for the 25-year-old left wing who was selected first overall six years after Macklin Celebrini's 2024 top selection.
Lafrenière has recorded 8 goals and 14 points while skating alongside Gabe Perreault and Mika Zibanejad. The line has posted a 61.8 expected goals-for percentage, ranking 10th in the NHL among units with at least 60 minutes and seventh among top-six lines. That marks a significant improvement from the 48.8 xGF% the same trio managed in 2024-25.
The breakout follows the offseason trade of Artemi Panarin to Los Angeles, which created a larger offensive role for Lafrenière. He had 29 points in 53 games before that deal last season, then exploded for 14 goals and 28 points in the final 29 games after the Olympic break. His average ice time has climbed to 19:01, roughly three minutes above his career mark, and he is logging over three minutes nightly on the power play.
Coach Mike Sullivan said Lafrenière has expanded his offensive repertoire. "I think he's opened up, or developed, other aspects of his offensive game," Sullivan said.
Lafrenière's shooting percentage sits above 30%, well beyond his previous career best of 14.2%. He has 6 power-play points in 12 games after never recording more than 8 in any prior season and finishing with 24 last year. Celebrini, by comparison, compiled 192 points in 161 games for a 1.19 points-per-game rate, while Lafrenière has 264 points in 474 games over seven years for a 0.56 career mark. Lafrenière has missed only four regular-season games since 2021 and had topped out at 57 points twice before this surge.
Source: Daily Faceoff - Fri Oct 23, 9:00 AM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).