New York Rangers
Rangers May Be Open to Trading Former First Overall Pick
Alexis Lafrenière’s play and production have taken another step back this season, so the Rangers might be willing to move on.
The New York Rangers’ 2025–26 season is starting to come off the rails, so as the trade deadline approaches, more names are finding their way into the rumor mill.
Pending UFAs are the obvious sell-off candidates, but when a team underperforms the way the Blueshirts have over the past couple of seasons, the conversation goes deeper—and that could include Alexis Lafrenière.
It’s been a struggle this year for the former first overall pick (2020), and a player once viewed as a franchise cornerstone has become increasingly expendable.
According to team reporter Vince Z. Mercogliano, GM Chris Drury may be open to trading Lafrenière, a topic he and fellow reporter Peter Baugh dove into the prospect of in a recent Rangers trade tiers article for The Athletic.
“Trading Lafrenière would be an organizational loss for the Rangers, who drafted him No. 1 overall in 2020, but his production has stagnated… Lafrenière doesn’t have any trade protection until 2027, so Drury won’t have any restrictions if he decides it’s time to cut bait. New York would presumably seek another young player in return. Trading one of its only young, skilled forwards and getting older doesn’t make much sense. Perhaps the Rangers could look for a trade similar to the Dylan Cozens-Josh Norris swap we saw last deadline,”
The 24-year-old Lafreniere is only in year one of the seven-year, $52.15 million extension he signed with the Rangers in 2024. He’s been limited to just 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in 47 games played this season.
A Fresh Start Feels Necessary for Alexis Lafrenière
Whoever you want to blame for Lafrenière not turning into anything close to a star as a Ranger, it’s become evident that both sides could be best suited to part ways.
After a breakout 2023–24 campaign and a tremendous playoff showing, Lafrenière appeared to finally be trending toward stardom. Instead, the past two seasons—particularly this one—have seen his progression stall. Six years into the relationship, things have gone stale again, making a change a legitimate possibility.
Nothing can be ruled out in New York, given the way things have spiraled since coming within two wins of the Stanley Cup Final two years ago, and Lafrenière is undoubtedly part of that potential shake-up.
Next: Artemi Panarin Trade Buzz: Insider Names 4 Potential Landing Spots
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