Ovies successor

Right now the Rangers’ biggest issue is finding a 2C that is not Ryan Strome. Kuz solves that issue comfortably and would allow them to trade Strome without consequences.

Usually Laf trades involve either the 2nd, 3rd, or 5th overall picks, but obviously this one doesn’t. IMO the Rangers are capable of winning now, so waiting for Byfield when they have Zibanejad and Kuz now would push him down the depth chart and affect his development.

When I look at the Rangers current roster, what jumps out to me is that they don’t really have 4th liners/depth forwards. Sprong can fill one of those holes and doesn’t have much competition from the Wolf Pack.

Alexeyev is pretty much only here to equalize the value among players, as well as being a legit blue-chipper D prospect

WSH has a capable 1C in Nicklas Backstrom, and they can definitely pull some strings to get a new 2C, for example Ryan Strome.

Lafreniere is a bona fide superstar player. He can develop slowly under Ovie and Vrana(and maybe even make the latter expendable). Hey can be the key piece in ushering in a new generation for the Caps eventually.

Robertson is really just to replace Alexeyev in the prospect pool.

For anything. This isn’t the main trade