Per Rick Dhaliwal, the Vancouver Canucks have continued interest in Alexis Lafreniere. The Lafreniere trade rumors are going to be numerous this offseason for the Rangers, as the discourse surrounding the former first overall pick has been pretty negative following another season that failed to meet fans expectations and a no-show in the playoffs.
To be fair to Lafreniere, most Rangers no-showed in the playoffs, and his season was only a “negative” to fans. He set career highs in assists and points while receiving mostly third line time and minimal powerplay time. The fact it was somewhat celebrated that Lafreniere got his first powerplay goal at the end of his third season says a lot about his usage.
The Lafreniere trade rumors won’t go away any time soon. Lafreniere’s on-ice issues, notably skating, are a key factor in this. But it’s going to be tough for the Rangers to match his production for the projected $2.5 million bridge deal Lafreniere is set to receive. It’s hard to find 15-20 goals and 35-40 points at even strength with just 15 minutes TOI on average.
The connection to Vancouver is unsurprising, as Lafreniere’s former agent, Emilie Castonguay, is the assistant GM.
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