Rumor site sends Alexis Lafrenière to play with Connor Bedard

It’s not new. Alexis Lafrenière is still at the heart of certain transaction rumors.

The last one is quite special for my taste. The site “NHL Trade Rumors” sent him to play with Connor Bedard in Chicago… A scenario which, we agree, makes sense on paper.

After all, the Hawks are rebuilding and they will be looking to add talented young players to their roster in the next few years in order to be competitive before long.

But…

To acquire « Laffy », the Hawks will have to pay the price. And that price could be expensive in terms ofassets because Lafrenière, well, is a first overall pick (2020) and because he still has time before he explodes.

Would it be worth it, on the Chicago side, to part with a talented young player as well as a draft pick in order to get another young player with great potential?

It seems that the discourse changes all the time with Alexis Lafrenière.

One day, we hear that the Rangers are not ready to trade him because they still believe in him… And the next day, we are told that the team is exploring the trade market for him.

What’s the real plan in New York?

Yesterday afternoon, the team managed to agree on the terms of a new contract with K’Andre Miller. Thus, the Rangers currently have a « current cap space » of just over $2.3 million and the Quebecer finds himself, still as of today, without a contract for the next season.

The idea of ​​offering him a bridge contract is on the table. The idea of ​​trading it seems to be too.

Let’s also not forget that the Rangers fired Gerard Gallant at the end of the season to bring Peter Laviolette in place. The latter’s plan is to better manage Lafrenière by giving him better opportunities and better playing time, with the ultimate goal of seeing the Quebecer blossom once and for all…

So it would be a little crazy in my eyes to see the Rangers trade him somewhere else. We have to find a way in New York to allow him to have a certain freedom on the ice, without him thinking about the little details of the “game”.

He must find the confidence he had in the junior and it is not by playing on the third line of the team that it will be done. It is sure and certain that the multiple rumors about him do not help either…

There, the Rangers have a choice to make. Either they give him a (genuine) vote of confidence, or they keep fooling around with him.

Because morally, it must be difficult for a young man of 21 to have his name appear in all the rumors that exist. I’m not saying that’s why he’s still not living up to expectations in the NHL, but it certainly doesn’t help either.

A lot of

– He already plays a big role in the organization.

– In my eyes, they should face each other much earlier.

– The picture is sick.

Reclaiming his spot 🍴 pic.twitter.com/mXkqZ2hTdF

—Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) July 12, 2023

– He will face Carlos Alcaraz or Holger Rune in the semi-finals.