The New York Rangers have struggled to find their footing this season, and while some fans hoped they could turn it around, the team has made it clear they are ready to retool and shift their focus to the 2026-27 season. After sending a letter to their fans announcing they would be retooling, the Rangers have some choices to make about some of their players that could bring back some solid trade returns if they chose to move them. One name that could come up is Alexis Lafreniere.
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Lafreniere, who is 24 years old, has scored 10 goals and added 16 assists for 26 points through 48 games this season. Throughout his career, he has scored 102 goals and added 117 assists for 219 points through 428 games, which comes out to a 0.51 points-per-game average.
If the Rangers are going to retool and Lafreniere becomes available, the Montreal Canadiens seem like a potential fit. They are in a position to contend, have the assets to make an offer for him that the Rangers would like, and considering Lafreniere is from Quebec, he would likely be excited and open to the fresh start.
In this article, we will take a look at a hypothetical mock trade between the Canadiens and Rangers involving Lafreniere. Keep in mind, this is just a mock trade, and there haven’t been any reports that the Rangers are looking to move him, or that the Canadiens have checked in on his availability.
Canadiens Land Lafreniere, Move on From Veteran
The most important thing to keep in mind in this deal is that the Canadiens would need to find a way to take on Lafreniere’s entire $7,450,000 cap hit. He is signed through 2032, so there is no chance the Rangers would be interested in retaining any of his contract to maximize a trade return. He doesn’t have any trade protection until the 2027-28 season, so the Rangers don’t have to worry about that side of things.
For a deal to work, I would assume the Canadiens look to trade Brendan Gallagher. He has 15 points through 48 games this season, and has a 6-team no-trade list with a $6,500,000 cap hit. It’s fair to assume a rebuilding team would be interested in taking him on to help them reach the cap floor next season. He is still a good player, but moving on from his cap hit would help the Canadiens be able to spend elsewhere.
Realistically, the Canadiens could acquire Lafreniere in exchange for Kirby Dach, Owen Beck, and their own 2027 second-round pick. The Rangers receive a young NHL-ready player in Dach, a future asset in Beck, and a strong asset, which seems like a fair return considering they would be moving on from one of their strongest forwards, and someone they chose to draft first overall in 2020.
The Rangers may look very different when the trade deadline comes and goes this season. There have already been some rumors surrounding Artemi Panarin, who is expected to be traded this season, which has led to fans wondering who else they will look to trade. While I don’t think they should move on from Lafreniere, it may be time for both the team and the player to consider a fresh start.
Time will tell if the Rangers look to trade Lafreniere, or if the Canadiens make an offer, but if he becomes available, I would expect the Canadiens to be all over him.
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