It Will Be a Challenge for the Rangers to Move Lafreniere
During the Saturday Headlines on Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman was asked about Alexis Lafreniere and whether he could see the New York Rangers trading him.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: New York Rangers; Panarin, Trocheck, Soucy, Schneider, and Zibanejad
Ron MacLean: “Just before we move on to Dougie Hamilton, Alexis Lafreniere. First of all, Jeff Gorton picked him. So, everybody thinks, boy, it’d be ideal to see him go to Montreal. Shane Wright, supposedly, you said he is in play on the podcast.”
Elliotte Friedman: “I think Lafreniere, they would talk about him. But I think one of the things that happens, Ron, is that people can look at it and say, ‘Well, this is where Lafreniere is here today,’ but he’s still a number one overall pick not too long ago. And teams will always look at that. They’ll always say, ” Look, if we’re going to move that player, we’re moving him with that designation.’ So it’s a challenge. Like, who’s willing to look at it that way?”
NHLRumors.com Note: The New York Rangers are open for business. Along with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, they are listening on Alexis Lafreniere, the first overall pick from the 2020 draft. Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast brought up the idea of a hockey trade between the Seattle Kraken and the New York Rangers. They would trade Shane Wright for Lafreniere. Now this is the type of trade that would need to happen for the Rangers to consider it. Drury still believes they can fix him.
Injury Playing a Role in the Devils Trading Dougie Hamilton
During the same segment of Saturday Headlines on Hockey Night in Canada, Friedman stated that Dougie Hamilton trade talks have slowed down due to Luke Hughes‘s injury, but it’s not impossible with the right offer.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: The Boston Bruins Looking at RHD. What About a Dougie Hamilton Reunion?
Ron MacLean: “Dougie Hamilton?”
Elliotte Friedman: “Yeah, so Dougie Hamilton. Last couple of weeks, he’s been the big name we’ve all been talking about. Luke Hughes was injured, and he is going to be out. He’s trying to come back without having surgery, so he’s going to be out for a little bit. And what that has done is brought the Dougie Hamilton Derby to a crawl or a standstill. Now, I don’t think it’s impossible. I think if the Devils, someone came to the Devils with something they couldn’t say no to, they would do it. But at least for the time being, the Devils need him. He’s played very well, so it slowed this down.”
NHLRumors.com Note: While the New Jersey Devils are still looking to clear cap space, they have seen Dougie Hamilton record seven assists in the six games he has played in since being a healthy scratch against the Winnipeg Jets two weeks ago. Now the Devils have won five of six games with him back in the lineup.
However, GM Tom Fitzgerald is still looking to improve his hockey club for the playoffs. Hamilton still has value for many teams, but the $7.4 million signing bonus is a factor, as is the Luke Hughes injury. Hughes will be out for a while, and surgery hasn’t been ruled out. Again, they need a “Yes Offer” to do it and need a right-shot defenseman back, given that would leave a hole on both sides of their defence.
This may wait until the offseason.
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