Rangers GM Chris Drury was recently extended to a new contract in New York and it's expected he'll make several moves this offseason, some more shocking than others.
Alexis Lafrenière backed up a promising 57-point season on a Presidents' Trophy-winning club with a more subdued 45-point campaign this year.
In spite of the decreased output, he was rewarded with a hefty contract extension worth $52.15 million. His long-term future with the club is now in doubt, reports Larry Brooks of the 'New York Post'.
'Lafrenière's future is in some doubt, but Panarin and Trocheck will both be here. Their partnership would appear to present the incoming coach with a building block. Maybe there's another combination with Cuylle and J.T. Miller.'- Larry Brooks
Earlier in January, Lafrenière was supposedly part of a possible Vancouver trade that never materialized. Filip Chytil and Victor Mancini were the names being mentioned as part of the return for J.T. Miller.
Chris Drury will be re-tooling his roster this offseason
Now, with Rangers GM Chris Drury in the process of a roster re-tool, everything appears to be on the table, including dealing Lafrenière, the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
While Lafrenière finally started to exhibit signs of breaking out during the 2023-24 season, his sudden step backward could provide Drury with justification to seek a trade.
If the Rangers choose to move on from Lafrenière, they'll want to get back some of their initial investment in him. That might mean going for another first-rounder or a high-ceiling prospect in a trade.
Lafrenière recorded 17 goals and 28 assists for 45 points in all 82 games played this season.
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