It’s time for another edition of NHL rumours. The NHL season is underway, but there’s still plenty of talk about contracts. Some big-name players have already inked contracts to take themselves off the free agent market. However, there are some names that could get to July 1. Plenty of team executives are trying to prevent his from happening and some talks may happen during the season. One club looking to lock down one of their young players in the New York Rangers. This edition of NHL rumours deals with a possible extension.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
New York Rangers Work on Extension for Young Forward
Rumour: The Daily FaceOff’s Frank Seravalli said the Rangers are working on an extension for young forward Alexis Lafreniere. Seravalli remarked the extension is rumoured to be eight years at $8 million per season.
The Rangers and Alexis Lafreniere are engaged in extension talks, with “discussions revolving around an 8-year deal at $8M+ per year” according to @frank_seravalli pic.twitter.com/k0yQh2On67
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 11, 2024
Analysis: Lafreniere’s growth over the last couple of seasons has been nothing short of spectacular. There was worry that the former top pick from the 2020 NHL Draft would be a bust. However, Lafreniere has turned it around and become a integral part of the Rangers’ lineup.
Coaches like David Quinn and Gerard Gallant never seemed to get the most out of the youngster from Quebec. However, Peter Laviolette has tapped into the raw talent of Lafreniere and his him on the verge of stardom.
It seems like general manager Chris Drury is getting ahead of the problem and trying to sign Lafreniere to an extension sooner rather than later. The 23-year-old winger is a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
On the To-Do List
Signing Lafreniere would alleiviate one of the bigger worries that Drury has to deal with before July 2025. Getting a deal of eight years at $8 million could be a steal for Drury if Lafreniere continues to grow at the pace he’s going.
He put up a career-high 28 goals last season and showed out again in the season-opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins. This deal would keep the Saint-Eustache, Quebec native in the Big Apple at a really good value.
However, Drury still has to worry about the big-money extension for all-world goalie Igor Shesterkin and a new contract for valuable defenceman K’Andre Miller. The Rangers brass got work to do in order to make things fit. However, inking Lafreniere would be a good first step for Drury.
Some Hard Choices
New deals for Lafreniere, Shesterkin and Miller mean some players may not be too much longer for Broadway. One wonders if defenders like team captain Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren will be back next season.
Trouba still has an $8 million cap hit, but he could be bought out or traded. Lindgren will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and his $4.5 million cap hit may come off the books. He’s a talented blueliner, but injuries have been problematic for him.
It’s impossible to keep all your good players, but Drury knows that keeping Lafreniere for years to come would be huge. This would be step one in keeping this Rangers’ group together.
Main photo by: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
