I mean, if you're going to talk about playoffs, at least look in the mirror. Rags are literally known for underwhelming playoff performances with 0 cups in the cap era. If they weren't going to win with a team as stacked as they were last year, good luck this year. At least the Pens have 3 in the cap era, 2 of them being not too long ago.

Show me where I say the Rangers will win the cup. I said make the playoffs and have a shot at a cup.

Even thats a stretch

Only in your mind.

Except none of those players will successfully replace the players you have.
Kakko best season is equal to Kreiders worst
Laf isn't even close to what Panarin has always been in the NHL offensively
Chytil has the best chance, not likely but, with lesser wingers he won't be able to match
Sykora is a C level prospect, that has nothing tangible that says he'll develop into a productive pro
Touché on Gabe Perreault, he looks nasty but, still not a center
You can have a guys that look nice but, if they don't produce nobody cares
Sorry to burst your bubble

Rangers don't even consider this nonsense offer.

That's so interesting because Lafreniere is on pace for 41 goals this year. Funny how that happens the second he gets put in the top six. No one is producing to Panarin levels playing a third line grinder role. No one.

Kreider didn't even score 50 points in a season until he was 25. So I don't care that Kakko isn't on present-day Kreider level as a 22 year old. It's called giving young players time to develop. This is clearly lost on you based on your confidently wrong assumptions about Alexis and Kakko.

"Chytil has the best chance" I wonder what makes you say that. I bet you wouldn't have said that about him when he was Kakko and Laf's age. Even Ranger fans wanted to run him out of town until he broke out, which was only in the 2022 playoffs. Again, it's called giving young players time to develop.

Even if Sykora's ceiling is a middle/bottom six player that's still an NHL player who can play a useful role on the future Rangers.

Perrault is important even if he's not a center because the Rangers' main issue in the future will likely be right wing depth. Speaking of Chytil not having good enough wingers, when our top line is Lafreniere-Chytil-Perrault we can revisit this conversation.

My bubble isn't burst because I have no worries about the long term future of this team. I am worried about this vet core. But I'm not worried about the young kids in any way shape or form. No one not named Kyle Dubas would entertain your Pittsburgh/NYR trade, sorry to burst your bubble.

Also if Lafreniere sucks so much, why would the Penguins even want him?

The past means nothing. What's important is what's happening now. Whether you like it or not, the Rangers are in a position to contend for a long time. And the Penguins are on a natural downswing. They're most likely not making the playoffs this year and will have to rebuild once Crosby retires. It's over for them. And that's what's happening now.

Also, "underwhelming playoff performances"? Did you just start watching hockey less than a year ago? Every run in the 2010s, especially the Finals Appearance and ECF Appearances, the Rangers literally had NO BUSINESS even making it that far. Those Ranger teams were mainly subpar and just dragged there by Hank Lundqvist. That's the opposite of "underwhelming". You could even say the same about the 2022 playoffs, which for the record there was no shame in losing to the TBL Wagon that had two back to back Cups right before. There's literally nothing underwhelming about exceeding expectations but falling short of the entire thing. I don't think you know what that word means.

Third best team in the league currently. You're an unserious person

41goal pace also a 41point pace
Penguins would want him because he's young and an RFA after his current contract is up, even if he only imrpoves marginally (60point a year guy) that's fine since the team is rebuilding and a 60point guy can be traded again down the line. If he by some miracle becomes a Panarin, Marner, Kaprizov, Pastrnak etc type guy that drive the line from the wing, great but, the odds aren't great

Ignores everything else I said that explains why trading Lafreniere is a nonstarter. Lol. It's not happening

Of course I ignored it, you said a whole lot of nothing that wasn't already said lol