That’d be pretty crazy

To bad Dubas would have rejected the deal as he wanted a 2020 1st and other teams (Carolina, Nashville, NJ, among others) all were offering. Only reason he took the penguins deal is they added a good prospect

I’d still take larfreniere over the ability to aqcuire Kapanen even though Kapanen has developed some great chemistry with Malkin. Idk who they would of went for, but I think the pens would still find a RW trade at the draft or free agency

Pens would have likely upgraded the prospect to Poulin instead of Hallander in this alternate universe to get kapanen.

the penguins would have probably kept him the the CHL to develop.

That is a valid suggestion, but I believe that Lafreniere’s slow start to his career is do to usage by the coaching. When he was playing on the 1st line, he put up around 6 points in 8 games (that may not be accurate, its just the numbers I think he got in that span). I would personally play him in the AHL to give him a step up in play level to more prepare him for the professional level in his development.

They could have played him in the AHL. He's in the Q, they recalled their players and played a season.
They played him because even 3rd line minutes at the NHL will probably get him more prepared. But the penguins are hell bent on keeping their youth down when they have no one else.