Rumor: Are The Canadiens Eyeing Alexis Lafrenière?

The 2022-23 version of the Montreal Canadiens will likely look very different than this year’s and for a myriad of reasons. We have mentioned five players likely to get traded but now some interesting rumors have started growing in intensity in the last couple of weeks and shouldn’t be ignored.

According to many sources, the New York Rangers would be open to trading former first overall pick Alexis Lafrenière. Of course, it won’t be an easy task to acquire him given that he has picked things up since moving on the Rangers’ top line as of late.

Steve Paulus over at Blue Line Station recently wrote about the possibility of a Habs-Rangers trade involving Lafrenière. He mentions how having Artemi Panarin signed through 2026, as well as Chris Kreider and Barclay Goodrow signed through 2027 creates a log jam on the left side. Despite Goodrow being able to play all three forward positions, the prospects of left winger Brennan Othmann is not to be ignored. The 16th overall pick in 2021 is having a great season in his final year with the OHL Flint Firebirds so far posting 30 goals and 27 assists for 57 points in 38 games.

Of course, there’s never a guarantee that both Panarin and Kreider will able to play at an elite level in 6 years. By then, Lafrenière will be in his prime and although he’s had a slow start to his career, tallying 34 points in 101 NHL games thus far, there’s no reason to believe he can blossom into a regular 1st winger.

What plays against Lafrenière is his inability to play elsewhere. The Rangers have tried using him on the right side and he looked completely lost and uncomfortable. He’s even had a few reps down the middle and that result was even more disastrous.

The Rangers and certainly Jeff Gorton at the time knew what they were getting in Lafrenière and the situation they were potentially getting themselves in. However, you don’t pass up on a prospect that is the undisputed number one pick of a draft, hence why he was picked.

Now the million dollar question – who would the Habs have to give up in order to land the former Rimouski Océanic star? 

The idea of trading the lottery pick in return for Alexis Lafrenière has been tossed around but what would be the end cost? If the pick ends up being the first overall pick, the Rangers would get exactly what they needed – Shane Wright. Despite having what some claim to be a disappointing season with the OHL Kingston Frontenacs, a ridiculous notion given he’s currently notched 46 points in 34 games, Wright would give the Rangers the elite sniping centerman they have been craving to compliment Mika Zibanejad.

In that same breath however, you can argue Wright would also be a perfect compliment for Nick Suzuki and would eventually take pressure off Christian Dvorak (unless he gets traded and is replaced full time by Ryan Poehling) and Jake Evans.

What if however the Canadiens don’t get the first overall pick? What if they land #2 or even #3? Do you pass on Logan Cooley or Matthew Savoie? Or even Conor Geekie? All centermen who would perfectly fit in both New York’s or Montreal’s mold down the middle.

That being said, if you do trade your lottery pick, you better have stacked up on first rounders at the trade deadline. Bear in mind that while you’ve traded your top pick, whatever position the Carolina Hurricanes land, that first round pick automatically goes to the Arizona Coyotes via the Christian Dvorak trade. So you better hope that Ben Chiarot and Jeff Petry bring in a decent haul.

But then, what if you don’t give up a high draft pick and you send players instead. Who goes to the Blue Shirts?

So let’s say your lottery pick in return for Lafrenière is not an option, but Chris Drury over in New York is willing to take one of the 1st rounders you got at the deadline as well as some prospects as well.

Nick Suzuki is a non-starter. He’s the future of the Canadiens and his $7.875 million cap hit through 2030 would cripple the Rangers regardless. Do you sacrifice Cole Caufield? Is he really the player who scored 72 goals for the US National U-18 Team in 2019? Or is he a bust like so many have already labeled him despite the impossible situation he’s been put in this year?

The Rangers are absolutely stacked at the blue line and Igor Shesterkin is poised to be the Rangers’ starting goaltender for the next decade. Alexandar Georgiev can help alleviate the cost since it would relieve New York of $2.425 million in cap space. At 25 and an arbitration case in the off-season, he could provide an option for Montreal if their goaltending situation does not improve. Cayden Primeau is not NHL ready and the chances of seeing Carey Price play again exist but are slim. Meanwhile although Jake Allen is on the IR until late March, don’t be shocked to see him flipped in the off-season. So getting a proven backup in Georgiev to likely support Samuel Montembeault would not be the worst of ideas.

So flipping a Kaiden Guhle or Mattias Norlinder wouldn’t make any sense. Unless of course giving up the rights to Jordan Harris becomes tempting for Chris Drury.

Jan Mysak would probably be one player discussed but again, is he for real? Despite having a great year with the OHL Hamilton Bulldogs, are the Habs willing to part with one of their top prospects? Mysak has gotten some comparisons to current Ranger and countryman Filip Chytil so it’s a toss up on whether the Rangers would want another Chytil or if the Habs are even willing to give up Mysak. Maybe even have to throw in Ryan Poehling in order to be able to send an NHL player?