Remembering the New York Rangers’ “Kid Line”: A Short-Term Success That Did Not Last- The Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

When the New York Rangers were coming out of their rebuild and getting back to being playoff contenders, there was one line that took the league by surprise. Rightfully dubbed “The Kid Line”, the trio of Alexis Lafrenière, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil became the team’s best and most effective line during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their performance in these playoffs got people talking, and many thought this great run would lead to these players finally becoming what the team was hoping they would be. However, the short-term success did not last, and less than four years later, only one player from that line remains on the Rangers today.

A Breakout Performance in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs

When the playoffs began, the trio was put together to be the team’s third line, playing behind star players like Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. The hope was that they would go up against the opposition’s weaker players, and that is exactly what happened, which helped them thrive. When the Rangers were down 3-1 in the series to the Pittsburgh Penguins and down 2-0 at home in Game 5, this line got them back in the game when Chytil scored the game-winning goal. Throughout the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Final, this line got the job done for them, even if they were not putting up big offensive numbers like Zibanejad was.

It was a true breakout playoff run for Chytil, especially, who became one of the top goal scorers on the team. In 20 games, he scored seven goals and recorded nine points; he carried that goal-scoring into the next season, where he potted a career-high 22 goals. While Lafreniere and Kakko did not put up as good offensive numbers as Chytil during this run, they were just as important, and they showed they could be effective players if given the right roles. While the success they had from this playoff run did not last, it was a great sight to see at the time, and it gave fans hope for the future.

Kakko & Chytil Traded Three Years Later

“The Kid Line” would be put back together at different times over the next few seasons, but they never found the same success they did back in 2022. After winning the Presidents’ Trophy and making it back to the Eastern Conference Final in 2024 but falling short in six games, the Rangers decided to keep the team the same heading into the 2024-25 season. While the team got off to a 12-4-1 start, the wheels fell off in late November and early December, and that’s when the moves began. Kakko was traded to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Will Borgen, a 2025 third-round pick, and a 2025 sixth-round pick. The deal happened days after Kakko was healthy scratched by then-head coach Peter Laviolette and voiced his frustration to the media.

Chytil, who had an amazing 2022-23 season, missed most of the next season due to a concussion, which was not the first of his career. He did play in some playoff games during their run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2024, but he was not the same player he once was. In January, 2025, he was moved as part of the package that brought J.T. Miller back to New York from the Vancouver Canucks. His time in Vancouver has been plagued by injuries, especially concussions, as he only got to play in 12 games with the Canucks last season. It’s been tough to see a player who had so much potential get hit with the injury bug, but maybe it shows that the Rangers were right to move on from him.

Lafreniere is The Last Man Standing

The only player left from “The Kid Line” is Lafreniere, who is still trying to find and play his game at a consistent level. His best season was 2023-24, when he scored 28 goals and recorded 57 points. He was given a seven-year extension the following season, but with the team around him struggling, his production dropped off. He fell to 17 goals and 45 points in 2024-25 and got off to a slow start last season, but once Panarin got traded and he got consistent top-line and top power-play unit time, he came the best player on the team down the stretch. He finished last season with 24 goals and 57 points, tying his career high.

He was able to find great chemistry playing with Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault, and if they can recreate what they did during the second half of last season, the Rangers may have found themselves their new top line. It has taken Lafreniere a lot of time to establish himself in the NHL, and while he may never live up to the expectations of being a first-overall pick, he is still a very good player for the Rangers moving forward. While it is a shame that he, Chytil, and Kakko could not be the future as many thought they could be, Lafreniere could still be a key piece moving forward as the Rangers look to get back to being playoff contenders.

“The Kid Line” gave Rangers fans hope and a lot of fun memories to look back on. They were young, fun, exciting, and the team’s heartbeat during the 2022 playoffs. If you were to tell fans at that time that in four years, two would not even be on the team anymore, they would call you crazy. However, that is the reality we live in: Kakko and Chytil have both moved on, and maybe the Rangers are better for it. It was fun while it lasted, but “The Kid Line” was never meant to last, and that is alright.