Canadiens: Rangers Willing To Trade Lafrenière More Than Ever

The Montreal Canadiens are looking at a million and one options as we’re headed towards the final stretch of the NHL trade deadline.

The Chicago Blackhawks have blown the doors open to a full rebuild as the have traded Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It is only a matter of time before Marc-Andre Fleury is traded to a contender. Even stars such as Patrick Kane and Alex Debrincat have reportedly been made available.

Earlier in February I wrote about how the Canadiens could be eyeing Alexis Lafrenière. Many in the industry claim that indeed the Canadiens and Rangers have talked about a trade involving the former first overall pick. Now it seems talks have continued as more reports have surfaced that Rangers GM Chris Drury is shopping Lafreniere around to gauge the interest and the kind of return he can expect.

According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Rangers have made Lafrenière available, but of course, it would take a significant haul to pry him out of New York. Pagnotta goes on to say the Rangers would prefer to get a young up and coming potential star with term and control.

Lafrenière is indeed struggling to get things going with the Rangers. In his rookie season he scored 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points in 56 games. This season thus far in 60 games, he has 13 goals and 7 assists for 20 points. He has shown flashes of brilliance more than once, however he just hasn’t been the player the Rangers had hoped for. They expected a superstar right out of the gate.

So what’s it going to take in terms of trade assets? You can immediately scratch out Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield from the equation because they will be the core of the Canadiens for years to come. So who’s left?

If the Canadiens are still in play, there won’t be many options as to what kind of deal they can pull the trigger on. It will either be a package that includes both Calgary’s and Florida’s first round pick along with a strong prospect like Kaiden Guhle. The problem with that however is the Rangers are stacked at the blue line and already have significant talent in their defenceman prospect pipeline.

If you’re looking at forwards, outside of Caufield, the Canadiens don’t have anyone that fit the Rangers bill. So you would have to get creative. You can dangle Ryan Poehling and Jan Mysak along with those 2 first round picks and likely a 2nd round pick as well. Maybe that will get Chris Drury interested.

Maybe.

So the only true chance the Canadiens have of getting Lafrenière in a trade would be to have Gary Bettman stand at the podium of the Bell Center at this year’s draft and announce a trade. The Canadiens trade their first (or second) overall pick along with (one of Poehling and/or Mysak) to the New York Rangers in return for Alexis Lafrenière.

Imagine the reaction of a packed Bell Center if such a trade were to happen.

The question now however is, will Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton be willing to sacrifice such a high draft pick in order to get a former number one draft pick?

Lafrenière-Suzuki-Caufield anyone?