Speculation: MTL exploring acquiring Lafreniere from NYR

[habsterr]

Slaf is younger, bigger, and better. No way he gets traded for Laf.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Why would we spend 7m on a winger when we badly need a 2c and rd defence

Because he’s french Canadian duh.

 

[General Fanager]

Slaf for Laf

Id pass on that one. If the idea is for Laf to be on the top line that leaves Slaf to play with Demidov and they still need a 2c.

Unless The Rangers would want picks and/or defence prospects I don't see it....

We have also heard that there is serious beef between Gorton and The Rangers. Not sure a deal is even possible unless a 3rd team is involved

 

[Savant]

No, absolutely not. He is our best defensive dman, is 23, and signed 6 more years at 5.5.

I agree that you shouldn’t. But nothing else makes sense for the Rangers. The Rangers need D and they aren’t going to do another rebuild so they aren’t moving him for futures.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

I understand the cap going up significantly makes $7.5M seem more like $6.5M (today), but if Laf ends out being a 45-55P player for 7 years, thats another Gallagher like anchor on your cap which prevents them from going after, say, a big UFA when the the time is right, ie. when they are real Cup contenders in 4-5 years. It already hasnt worked with Dach or Newhook, has Laf proven to be that much more worthy of a gamble?

I dunno, even with the 2C need, I think they need to be patient and not be too impulsive. I say get a stop gap 2C for 2-3 years, and see whos available in 2027 or 2028. Right now is not the right time to go "all in" at all. Hage may be the answer at 2C in 3 years anyway.

I don't see the Gallagher comp. Gallagher hasn't produced near a 45-55 point pace since 20-21.

Laf regressed to 45 points with a God-awful Rangers team that apparently had a morale disaster in the locker room. By 26-27, his cap will have already deflated below $6.5M. By 27-28, it will have deflated to $5.8M.

I don't think it's much of a stretch for him to be a 60-70 point guy out of the Rangers' shitty environment. Even if you don't think that's worth $7.45M now (And I would probably agree) the cap inflation is gonna deflate that contact so quickly that a team like Montreal can absorb the overpayment for 2 years.

By the 27-28 offseason you're gonna see 60-70 point wingers getting $9M+ in UFA.

 

[TGWL]

Doubtful.

 

[Savant]

Why would we spend 7m on a winger when we badly need a 2c and rd defence

Ask Tony Marinaro, he’s one of yours. That’s why this thread is open, the Rangers fans didn’t make it

 

[TGWL]

And rags fans were doing handstands when they got laf and kakko. My what has transpired so far is incredible. Dumped kakko for a guy named borgen and laf is a 8 million winger for a paltry 50 points a season.

Wow, are you on repeat?

 

[Mrfenn92]

Id pass on that one. If the idea is for Laf to be on the top line that leaves Slaf to play with Demidov and they still need a 2c.

Unless The Rangers would want picks and/or defence prospects I don't see it....

We have also heard that there is serious beef between Gorton and The Rangers. Not sure a deal is even possible unless a 3rd team is involved

No issue with passing

 

[shello]

Mariano is a radio guy and not always the most professional one at that, guy is probably just looking for views/clicks. Same guy that live streamed Demidov landing in Canada

 

[amnesiac]

I don't see the Gallagher comp. Gallagher hasn't produced near a 45-55 point pace since 20-21.

Laf regressed to 45 points with a God-awful Rangers team that apparently had a morale disaster in the locker room. By 26-27, his cap will have already deflated below $6.5M. By 27-28, it will have deflated to $5.8M.

I don't think it's much of a stretch for him to be a 60-70 point guy out of the Rangers' shitty environment. Even if you don't think that's worth $7.45M now (And I would probably agree) the cap inflation is gonna deflate that contact so quickly that a team like Montreal can absorb the overpayment for 2 years.

By the 27-28 offseason you're gonna see 60-70 point wingers getting $9M+ in UFA.

Fair enough for the contract..... but the thing with Laf is that hes had way too many opportunities to prove himself with elite players like Panarin and Fox, as well as VERY good centres in Zibanejad and Trocheck (not sure how much hes played with Miller int he past few months).

I mean if hes been underwhelming except for some spurts in 23-24 playing with those guys, how will he fair any better in Montreal unless hes on the top line? Youre just taking a gamble on another Dach/Newhook in my opinion, but with a longer contract.

Again, I would just rather stay put and be conservative until they are actual Cup contenders. If he were a centre its a different story, but they need to take care of that first before making any other big trades, imo.

Not sure what theyre thinking for 2C, though. Im glad they didnt get Zegras, though.

 

[BHawk21]

Patrick Laine doesnt have value

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Patrick Laine doesnt have value

While this is true, his contract has 1 year left compared to Lafreniere's contract.

Laine doesn't do anything, it's 1 year of pain instead of 7 years of pain.

 

[NobleSix]

Laf does not get you Slafkovsky.

Laf gets you a middling first and a B prospect.

 

[First Line]

Not a reliable source

 

[Fitzy]

I guess bad luck then both players they got were useless.

I guess so!

 

[Captain Mountain]

FWIW, Tony Marinaro is absolutely the type of guy who puts those things out in the open if there's rumours of a puff of smoke. I'd trust Larry Brooks more tbh.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Fair enough for the contract..... but the thing with Laf is that hes had way too many opportunities to prove himself with elite players like Panarin and Fox, as well as VERY good centres in Zibanejad and Trocheck (not sure how much hes played with Miller int he past few months).

I mean if hes been underwhelming except for some spurts in 23-24 playing with those guys, how will he fair any better in Montreal unless hes on the top line? Youre just taking a gamble on another Dach/Newhook in my opinion, but with a longer contract.

Again, I would just rather stay put and be conservative until they are actual Cup contenders. If he were a centre its a different story, but they need to take care of that first before making any other big trades, imo.

Not sure what theyre thinking for 2C, though. Im glad they didnt get Zegras, though.

I dunno man. I don't see a Dach/Newhook comparison there either, and he did produce pretty well last season. You've gotta consider, he got minimal PP time and was Top 40 in the league in even strength production.

 

[EveryDay]

This is ridiculous, Guhle and Slafkovski are not available for Lafreniere.

Reinbacher is MTL top prospect after Demidov, he's not available either.

16th or 17th + B prospect is more likely.

 

[Baby Punisher]

Habs need a C. Laf is not a C.

Laf sucks.

I'll toss in Mika too.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

While this is true, his contract has 1 year left compared to Lafreniere's contract.

Laine doesn't do anything, it's 1 year of pain instead of 7 years of pain.

Not really.

1 year ensures it's one year of pain. Absurd cap inflation over the next three (maybe more) years means Lafreniere's contract is likely only a pain for a year or two.

 

[Archijerej]

Hughes has made some moves that didn't work out, but they usually have solid reasoning behind them.

This one is downright idiotic, so I call bullshit on Marinaro.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Please take him

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

And rags fans were doing handstands when they got laf and kakko. My what has transpired so far is incredible. Dumped kakko for a guy named borgen and laf is a 8 million winger for a paltry 50 points a season.

Who wouldn’t? Usually getting to draft 2nd and 1st is a good thing. But hockey is different here.

 

[MVP Zacha]

Why would the Habs trade for Lafreniere when they can get him for free in 7 years?