Rangers team president Chris Drury has a lot on his plate this offseason, but signing breakout winger Alexis Lafrenière to an extension doesn’t appear to be on the to-do list.

All indications are that the two sides will hold off on negotiations until next summer, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Lafrenière is about to enter the final year of a contract that pays him a modest $2.325 million annually and will be eligible for an extension as of July 1. For the Rangers, it makes sense to lock him up before the price goes up any higher, which has fueled speculation they'll make a push to get it done in the coming weeks. But the 22-year-old seems content to let that deal expire, at which point he’ll become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

That stance could change if a compelling offer is made, but the No. 1 overall pick from the 2020 NHL Draft is preparing to make a strategic bet that his career-high 57-point season was only the beginning. And if he takes another step forward next season, he'll be in position to command an even bigger payday.

Count Peter Laviolette among the believers.

"His confidence, to me, grew the entire year," the Blueshirts' head coach said at breakup day on June 4. "I certainly would like to see that build next year as he takes on more responsibility and looks to grow from this year. It was a really, really good year for him, and we’re hoping he’ll be better next year.”

Lafrenière morphed into one of the five forwards Laviolette leaned on and trusted the most, along with veterans Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad. He ranked third among that group in total goals with 28 and second behind only Panarin with 26 at even strength.

That was, in part, due to his promotion into a steady top-six role on the NHL's highest scoring line with Panarin and Trocheck, which Lafrenière repeatedly credited for his success. But the foundation was laid during an offseason spent developing what his personal trainer and strength coach Stéphane Dubé referred to as "separation speed."

By improving his skating, the 6-foot-1, 194-pounder was able to create more space to let his world-class skill shine. And when the ice inevitably got tight, his added lower-body strength helped him work into key scoring areas. His 92 individual high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five ranked first on the team, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Lafrenière looks poised build on those numbers in his age-23 season, particularly if the Rangers make good on their plans to increase his power-play time and overall usage.

“I think he’s capable of more minutes," Laviolette said. "I think he’s capable of more inside of a game. … Definitely, there's room for growth with him with regard to his minutes and the areas he can be used and touch the puck, like the power play.”

Rangers' offseason needs: With an early look at NHL free-agent market

Lafrenière averaged a career-high 17:16 time on ice last season, but only 1:16 came on the power play. It was difficult to find a spot for him on a loaded top unit, but it will be hard to hold off much longer if he continues his ascent.

The playoffs bolstered his case, with his eight even-strength goals and 56.31% xGF across the 16 games both leading the team by significant margins.

While stars like Kreider, Panarin and Zibanejad went quiet in the Eastern Conference Final, Lafrenière registered team highs in goals (four), shots (17) and scoring chances (20) for the series while ranking second to Trocheck in hits (24) and committing only one giveaway. (Panarin and Zibanejad combined for 20.)

"I thought his playoffs were excellent," Laviolette said. "He was productive. He was physical. He was noticeable. He was an impact player for us."

Trocheck called Lafrenière "a superstar in the making," which would be great news for the Rangers. But it could also lead to a tricky negotiation at this time next year.

Many are forecasting a salary-cap crunch for the 2025-26 season, when a perfect storm of contract situations will come to a head. That's when Igor Shesterkin's extension should kick in, with negotiations already underway for a deal that's expected to make him the league's highest-paid goalie. It's also when Lafrenière and defenseman K'Andre Miller will be due for major raises, on top of being the final year of expensive pacts for Panarin and captain Jacob Trouba that are worth a combined cap hit of nearly $20 million.

It'll make for a tight squeeze, at least for the one year, but there's little question Lafrenière will be a top priority if he continues his upward trend. How high the final contract number goes will depend on what kind of season he has, which adds some risk to the decision. But by waiting until next summer, No. 13 is giving himself a chance to maximize his value.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Alexis Lafrenière, Rangers holding off on contract extension talks