Rumor site sends Alexis Lafrenière to play with Connor Bedard

It’s nothing new. Alexis Lafrenière is still at the heart of some trade rumours.

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

After all, the Hawks are rebuilding and will be looking to add talented young players to their roster over the next few years in order to be competitive sooner rather than later.

But…

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

Would it be worth it for Chicago to part with a talented young player and a draft pick to go after another young player with great potential?

It seems like the rhetoric changes all the time with Alexis Lafrenière.

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

What’s the real plan in New York?

Yesterday afternoon, the team reached an agreement on the terms of a new contract with K’Andre Miller. As a result, the Rangers now have a current cap space of just over $2.3 million, and the Quebecer finds himself, as of today, without a contract for next season.

The idea of offering him a bridge contract is on the table. So is the idea of trading him.

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

So I think it would be a bit crazy for the Rangers to trade him elsewhere. We need to find a way in New York to give him some freedom on the ice, without him having to think about the little details of the game.

He needs to find the confidence he had in junior, and that’s not going to happen by playing on the team’s third line. Of course, the many rumours about him don’t help either…

At this point, the Rangers have a choice to make. Either they give him a (real) vote of confidence, or they continue to “screw around” with him.

Because morally, it’s got to be tough for a 21-year-old to have his name in all the rumors out there. I’m not saying that’s why he’s not yet living up to NHL expectations, but it certainly doesn’t help either.

In gusts

– He’s already a big part of the organization.

– In my opinion, they should play each other much sooner.

– The photo 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.