IF Laf was traded - Tampa will have a very hard time being the ones to get him. They have so few good prospects and very few picks.

Although their GM is a wild man (see Jeannot trade) - so it wouldn't surprise me to see the most ridiculous QUANTITY package offered.

2026 1st + 2025 2nd + 2026 2nd + 2024 3rd + 2024 5th + a prospect that New York really likes.

That is a lot.

All the value is in several years for now, so they hold less value.

The core of my post is that Tampa would have a VERY hard time coming up with a package that New York would want. Unless it was ALOT and in the future future.

I’d think Newhook return would be the asking price (1st, 2nd, meh prospect) if they wanted futures package. But I’d imagine they get some ‘win now’ pieces from developing club that might be better in short-run.

(And surprised we haven’t seen any Lafreniere for Byfield trades)

That's Tanner Jeannot

Alexis Yakapov, I mean Nail LaFreniere, I mean Alexis LaFreniere?

Rangers will want a player that plugs into their lineup right now. They won't want picks two and three years from now as the primary return. Laf for Hagel? Which Tampa Bay definitely shouldn't do. I actually don't think Tampa Bay has the right pieces to make a trade for Laf.

Julien Brisebois would have to repeatedly beat his head against a concrete wall to be that brain damaged

Yeah can't see a world in which JBB gives up Hagel for Laf or just about anything. We'd basically be taking away a player from our top six to add another and it's back to square one, even a step back I would say.
If the acquisition cost was different with a prospect like Howard + something else instead I think it's something JBB would consider, but even then Laf would need time and to see where he fits proper

I'm not saying Lafs getting a fair shake in NYR stuck at 3LW, but he's seems to be going backwards right now.

He isn't improving defensively, he isn't getting better at skating, and he doesn't seem to be putting in the effort. That sounds like the kind of player Tampa DOESN'T want

Tampa has nothing of need for NYR

While I share the concern that Tampa may need a top 6 forward, I also believe we may be fine without making a big splash, at least for the time being. Come playoffs the story could change. However, I agree that we wouldn't be able to offer a very desirable package to the Rangers. I also believe we shouldn't. We had lots of guys make big strides last season and in camp/preseason this year. While it looked like we didn't have many candidates to make our roster over the summer, another year of growth from our prospects, coupled with likely big steps in production from Eyssimont and Sheary, we should be just fine. The jury is out on ABB at the NHL level, but he's gonna get his shot this year. Goncalves made huge strides and could certainly make the team next year and be the top 6 skilled guy we need. Merela, Groshev, Gauthier. We have options and I am not in favor of big game hunting for a guy I didn't even hold that high in his draft year. While his stock may appear to have plummeted some, it doesn't seem like the right move for Tampa in my opinion

The price you’d have to pay wouldn’t be worth it

Because Laf is a top 6 player currently? For all this debate about Laf, he's produced a decent amount for the amount of ice time, and the quality of his ice time.
He's not fed power play time, almost all his production comes at 5v5.
He's going to be given top 6 time for the first time this season, and the odds are his numbers are going too take a big jump, so the rangers would be insane to move him.



Because Byfield hasn't played more than 55 games in his NHL career. People say Laf busted, but Byfield physically can't stay healthy.

There was a byfield deal a few days ago lol. Didn’t go over well. I’d say they want a win now piece for sure unless the idea is to move Laf, sign Kane and move OThmann in. That being said the other point was the picks aren’t 24’ so they are 2nd rate to what other teams can offer. I saw a deal in the last few days with Jarnkrok, Robertson and 1st(24’). I would consider this if I honestly thought the leafs weren’t going to the conference finals or further. Because it’s so late I’d want more. Maybe it too much, maybe too little but that where I see him valued.

Byfield played 75 games last year. I don’t think either have ‘busted’ but both hurt by inflated expectations (that comes with being a top forward drafted out of CHL).

And the “not getting time on power play” excuse is not really applicable anymore. He has gotten every opportunity to prove himself on PP, just hasn’t been effective (6 points over 276 minutes in career, 4 points in 111 minutes last year).

Pt/60 on NYR power play last year:
- Zibanejad 8.13
- Panarin 7.35
- Tarasenko 4.87
- Kane 4.39
- Trocheck 4.20
- Kravtsov 3.77
- Kreider 3.74
- Chytil 2.93
- Kakko 2.46
- Lafreniere 2.15

Yet he still remained on PP2. At least it’s progress from the 1.27 he put up in 2021-22.

Time as a whole is a bit different than real time. The 2nd unit gets the last 30 seconds so unless the unit is perfect on the 1 rush/possession in that PP chances it looks bad. Where as the first PP has plenty of time to get in, get control, move the puck around and set up shots and have multiple cracks at this. 2nd pp is rushed. I’m sure if you looked at every team out there you will see similar results. Consider this, if McJesus was on the pp2 and got a 20s shift each time would he still be as productive trying to win a faceoff in his own zone and then skate down the ice and try to make something happen.. he would for sure succeed but his rate of success/60 would decline. And this obviously isn’t a comparison between the two, McJ would still have better stats than Laf in that position but kreider or trochek might not is what I’m trying to say.

Lafreniere is not getting more PP time since he has not earned it.

I don't know why there is a conspiracy that NYR brass are depriving him of his chances. They are not. He has gotten plenty of chances, plenty of minutes all throughout lineup.

Simplest explanation is best one: He just has not been good.

Laf would be best on the PP in positions taken by mika or panarin. He's not forcing those two off the PP1.
He's a left shot, so the bumper doesn't work well for him on pp1 with 4 other righties.

Gallant refused to give kids a legit shot.
Please see Kakko's run with Mika and Kreider which was a top 5 NHL line in terms of xgf, and he gave them 5 games, and pulled kakko off.

And someone else pointed out, Laf had 111 minutes on the pp last year. Over 81 games that less than 1.5 minutes per game. Thats not any real pp time.

He has gotten enough PP time to show he doesn’t deserve more PP time. Even at 5v5, he has been 1.6 pts/60 player, which is decent for 3rd liner, but a bit inadequate for top-6 player.

So I’m not saying he’s deprived. I’m suggesting that if you put bread or Zib on PP2 their stat/60 would suffer.