NHL insider reveals complications between New York Rangers and Alexis Lafrenière
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman recently revealed what the New York Rangers are thinking in regards to a contract extension for Alexis Lafrenière.
Lafreniere, the 1st overall pick in the 2020 draft has become a somewhat polarizing figure within the Rangers fan base. Early on in his career he struggled, leading many to doubt his capabilities, with many even calling him a flop. However, he has slowly made improvements every year and now appears to be a solid part of the team's core. Since he is on an expiring contract, fans are now wondering what his next deal could look like. This is what Friedman had to say about it.
" As for LaFreniere, I had heard that one of the issues here that was being discussed was term. So one of the things I heard was there was a question about, whether is it smarter to wait. And number two, what is the right term for Lafreniere max term might take him to a point where you might not get another big deal out of that. So it might end up being a little shorter, as opposed to the full eight."
This seems to be not in line with previous rumors about the contract negotiations with the 23-year-old. Earlier this month, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the two sides were discussing an eight-year, 64 million dollar contract extension. This new revelation from Friedman would seem to put that claim in question.
Regardless of what fans think of Lafreniere, he has matured into a great NHL player. While it may still take some time to establish himself as the rightful 1st overall pick in 2020, he is climbing the leaderboards in just about every stat among his draft class.
With that being said, the Rangers kind of have their hands full at the moment with even more important matters than Lafreniere's next deal. Currently, the team is still trying to extend Igor Shesterkin, avoiding a worst-case scenario in net for the team.
"But I think one of the other things too is, is until you know what (Igor) Shesterkin's number is, you know, do you wait and make it like another piece of that puzzle?"
As such, it may be some time before we get any clarity on Lafreniere's next contract. Regardless though, Rangers fans sure are excited to watch him play this season.
| POLL | ||
How long do you think Alexis Lafreniere's next contract with the New York Rangers will be? | ||
| 8 years | 27 | 32.9 % |
| 7 years | 11 | 13.4 % |
| 6 years | 11 | 13.4 % |
| Less than 6 years | 33 | 40.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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