Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 16, 2025
Should the Rangers trade Alexis Lafreniere for Trevor Zegras? Could Erik Karlsson’s play in the 4 Nations Face-Off improve his trade value? Are a couple of Western clubs looking at Islanders forward Jean Gabriel Pageau? Check out the latest in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.
THE LATEST RANGERS SPECULATION
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes Rangers general manager Chris Drury should look into trading winger Alexis Lafreniere to the Anaheim Ducks for forward Trevor Zegras. He thinks the two 23-year-olds haven’t met expectations and might benefit from a change of scenery.
Brooks called Lafreniere’s unwillingness to backcheck in each of the Rangers’ last two games before the 4 Nations Face-Off break “a bad look”. He believes the young winger hasn’t built off the promising 2023-24 performance that earned him a seven-year, $52.15 contract extension.
New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere (NHL Images).
Zegras has been hampered by injuries and playing for a bad team in Anaheim for the past two seasons. He’s considered a one-dimensional player whose skills haven’t translated well into the NHL but Brooks doesn’t buy that assessment, suggesting Zegras might thrive playing close to family and friends in New York.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks sees Lafreniere and Zegras as centerpieces of a larger deal with the Rangers perhaps including defenseman Zac Jones and the Ducks including a promising blueliner like Drew Helleson or Tyson Hinds.
Swapping Lafreniere for Zegras would be a bold move by Drury. He’s already made his share of them since December, shipping Jacob Trouba to Anaheim, sending Kaapo Kakko to Seattle for Will Borgen, and acquiring J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks in a multi-asset deal.
However, Brooks isn’t saying that he’s hearing rumors of a Lafreniere-for-Zegras swap. He’s merely spitballing here.
THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh answered trade questions from several Rangers fans in a recent mailbag segment.
He doesn’t see Mika Zibanejad getting traded this summer partly because of his hefty contract, and his no-movement clause. The same factors apply to Artemi Panarin, including the difficulty in replacing his production.
Winger Chris Kreider faces an uncertain future with the Rangers. However, it’s doubtful that anyone will take on his contract in midseason. He’s also complained about back spasms, which have affected his performance and trade value.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Drury goes into sell mode by March 7 it’ll be pending free-agents like Reilly Smith and Ryan Lindgren who get moved.
COULD ERIK KARLSSON’S 4-NATIONS PERFORMANCE IMPROVE HIS VALUE?
THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe was asked by a reader if Erik Karlsson’s play in the 4 Nations Face-Off would make rival general managers look at the Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman more closely.
Yohe believes it does, pointing out that Karlsson was Sweden’s best player in their 4-3 overtime loss to Canada on Wednesday. “Karlsson playing well in this series only helps Dubas, I assure you.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Karlsson’s age and contract remain two sticking points. He turns 35 in May and has two seasons left on his contract with the Penguins carrying $10 million of his $11.5 million average annual value. He still has his full no-movement clause.
OILERS, GOLDEN KNIGHTS INTERESTED IN PAGEAU?
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner recently reported hearing several Western Conference teams, including the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights, are interested in New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
The versatile Pageau, 32, has a year remaining on his contract with an AAV of $5 million and a 16-team no-trade list. He’s enjoying a bounce-back season with 27 points in 52 games, winning nearly 60 percent of his faceoffs, which would be a new career high. Pageau is also the Isles’ top penalty killer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello could become a seller if his club hasn’t gained ground in the standings by March 7. He’ll more likely peddle pending UFAs like Brock Nelson or Kyle Palmieri but could entertain offers for aging veterans like Pageau who were signed past this season.
I still believe that Erik at 7.5 to 8 per year will be enticing this summer. Not a massive return for Pittsburgh but should get a decent asset like a 2nd rounder or b prospect for him.
a 2nd rounder+ a
b prospect .
(read future 3th-4th dman).
stand to reason regarding
Karlsson nothing less.
The answer to the initial question is a resounding NO! No way should the Rangers trade Lafreniere.
Watched the ABC feed of last nights game.
No Cuthbert and Simpsons endless droning. No Botterills nonsensical babble and best of all no MaClean or Freidman.
Game was actually enjoyable to listen too.
Yah, HNIC is just not the same without the “Cherry” on top! 😏
So true. My kid was all over it. Why have all these old, boring stiffs. Get some entertaining people on the broadcast. Most of all, get rid of Elliot. Take a page from the NFL. All of the personalities are players or coaches.
Messier and Subban were unbearable homers. Subban went so far as using “we” when discussing what Canada needed to do. Praised Bennett and Hagle for putting up good fights while being smaller opponents, but not JT’s huge size disadvantage vs Parayko.
I do think Zegras will be a Ranger this season or in July but not for #13
I have no idea what happened to the player that we saw vs Florida last spring but Lafy’s ceiling is still high
Every prospect has a high ceiling, but are they willing to take all of the steps up to get there? The elevator only goes so far before they have to work for it. I still think Lefreniere is Daigle 2.0.
i would swap lafy for slav in montreal
and yeah he looking like daigle this season after teasing us last season
Slafkovsky is young, coachable, self-critical and shows a desire along with the work ethic to improve his game.
Lafreniere, like Zegras shows skill but not the drive to put it all together.
I keep Slafkovsky all day long.
Some Old Guy, your Lafreniere-Daigle comparison is pretty much on the mark, insofar as production is concerned following roughly the same number of games played.
In their Major Junior careers in the Q
Daigle with Victoriaville – 137gp 94g 187a 281pts – or 0.7gpg 1.4apg 2.1ptspg
Lafrenière with Rimouski – 173gp 114g 183a 293pts – or 0.7gpg 1.1apg 1.7ptspg
As pros
Daigle with Ottawa & Philadelphia after his first 349gp – 90g 117a 207pts for 82-game averages of 21g 28a 49 pts
Lafrenière with NYR – 353gp 89g 91a 180pts for 82-game averages of 21g 21a 42pts
After his Ottawa-Philadelphia stints which ended in 1998-99, Daigle’s career would last to 2009-10 with time in the AHL and Switzerland, in addition to 267 more NHL games divided between Tampa, Pittsburgh, NYR and Minnesota where his production fell off dramatically – 267gp 30g 81a 120pts for 82-game averages of 12g 25a 37pts.
So now the question becomes, will the same pattern continue? 349-353 games is a pretty good sampling.
As I recall, one of the knocks against Daigle also applied to his “unwillingness” to play an effective 2-way game.
Could there be a deal centered around Lafreniere for David Savard + Jake Evans some of Montreal’s excellent prospect base?
Gets Rangers some proven experience and playoff-ready talent as they try and make a playoff run, plus a young sweetener kicked in (Beck? Kapanen?), while the Habs at least theoretically upgrade their forward talent.
Paddy.
To Montreal: Laf and Lindgren (2 players Gorton drafted/traded for)
To NYR: Evans, Xhekaj, 2025 1st, 2026 1st
Slick, I am awful at gauging trade values, but I dig this from the Habs’ side. They don’t really need picks & prospects anymore, so they give those away for a talent upgrade, while Rangers get some ready-now players as well as future draft capital 👍
Any GM stupid enough to trade two first round picks (which are assuredly early in the round) in a deal whose centrepiece is player whose effort is lacking should be tarred and feathered.
They need to sit him for a game or two.
ds. After adding JT, how are we bringing in Zegras without salary going other way? Assume Ducks would want equal value in a young player. Laf makes sense but not sure I’d do that
slick
Lindgren and smith salaries off the books soon… is that enough? i know the rangers have a ton of cap
space THIS season … so they can fix it this summer
Re; Pen’s Erik Karlsson’s
if the Pens retain 40% to 50% of his $$10,000M salary
for $1.5M to $2.M salary they may get a
deal done…❓
The Oilers would be intrested in him as a RD, 2nd pairing d/man
and a number of other teams….
your thoughts on who….❓
Don’t know who, but I know one won’t – Ottawa!
for $1.5 to$ $2.M should read an other team Picks up that in a deal………
The team he go’s to pays him $3.5M to $4.M PA…?
You can`t get another team to retain on Karlsson, San Jose already retained on him. So the best a team can get him for is 5 million if Pittsburgh retains half. Karlsson 50% retained for Domi, Hirvonen, Voit and Niemela. Dubas likes those miniature prospects he drafted
Lafreniere work ethic is lacking. Talent still there . Disappointing playing with the bread-man and not producing a ton of points . Might end up as a third line type winger 2nd PP.
If Zegras was not seriously hurt multiple times I would make that deal. That is not the case so I need more considering the risk
I like Cuthbert . However, Simpson is an Oiler Leaf homer who makes excuses . Friedman only speculates . I doubt anyone really tells him anything
Rangers and Boston in desperation mode to make the playoffs! Drury keeps reaching for straws with his trades!Sweeney better start making some moves quickly! Wonder which GM is packing if they Don t make the playoffs!
Sr
Not what a lot of Bruin fans want to hear but I believe Sweeney will get a mulligan from ownership for this year if they no make dance again this is just MOH
Mrbruin4,This organization needs a culture change while they Retool, not rebuild! The corps other than 88,73,Swayman is getting stale! They can t keep firing coaches!They have very little in terms of talented young players in the organization! By talented I mean top 6 forwards and top4 defensemen! This management group has been together for 10 years! That s a lifetime in pro sports! Time for another Flavor!
SR & Mr.Bruin4
Yes, both the Bruins and New York Rangers need help. Both teams need help in scoring for sure and I’m not sure if it’s one or two players each team needs or what
But if they want to make the playoffs, they’re both gonna have to make some trades to get decent players picks and prospects and maybe some players to get shooters you’re gonna score for them
What are you guys think…..🤔❓
Who would you like for each team…..❓❓
Dubas needs to get off this stance re: retention (publicly citing only 1 retention spot left as why he’s against it)
He will have 3 spots available come July 1st.
Karllsson HAS improved his tradeability
He is literally untradeable at $10 M Cap hit
He’d have a good few suitors at $5 M Cap hit
At $5 M Cap hit (and taking back a poor contract in the $4 M -$5M Cap hit range); he gets a 1st, young roster, and prospect
At TDL ; Pens (their portion) still owe Karllsson $16.5 M
An “investment” of $16.5 M on a declining asset for the remainder of the season and 2 more years; is not smart.
Proposal:
To Oilers:
-Karrllson (@$5M cap hit);
-Nieto (only to balance assets as Pens already at 49/50, Oilers immediately send him to Bakersville);
-lowest Wilkesberre UFA player (again just to balance player counts)
-3rd (latest of 3 ) in ‘25
-another 3rd (2nd latest of 3 ) in ‘25
To Pens:
-Arvidson
-Emberson
-Savoie
-1st (‘26)
-2nd (‘25)
8787
Why do you think an older, slower Karlsson is worth this amount of assets in a trade?
No opposing GM is going to take assets just to do the Penguins a favour.
IF the Penguins were to retain 50% I think they would get a 1st pick and a young, yet to be established NHL player.
The trade they made to SJ included Granlund as a cap dump which worked out great for the Sharks.
Hi Daryl
I do think at $5 M cap hit, that is the type of return, just based on the return for UFA Pettersson
Waiting until July 1st, when his SB has been paid and more suitors, AND final team getting him then at$5 M Cap per year but actually less than $3.6 M cash per year; will definitely get that return.
Remember in my proposal above; Pens are taking on the small and underperforming Ardvisson for next year AND are ponying up 2 * 3rds
hey 8787,
would give them – $4.M Arvidson and a 3rd pick maybe a 2nd pick in 2026 and thats it…..🤔❓
Maybe more player’ but NOT
-Emberson
Or
-Savoie
if they includer Brian Rust………❓
maaybe a 1st pick and 2nd pick spread out over 3 years………………
and 1 more $3.M player….🤔
Hi Williew
See my above response to Daryl
Don’t forget, Pens would be taking on the diminutive and underperforming (and older);Ardvisson, AND giving 2 * 3rds
I don’t understand this trade lafrenairre stuff? It seems like critics of the rangers/ or rangers fans always zero in on him? Maybe they are trading the wrong guys away? Chytill.is going to thrive in Vancouver and if they want to trade lafrenairre away, I hope the Avalanche are interested!
Chytil has had some moments where he looks like a great player. But he just hasn’t turned that corner.
Aside from one season, he’s been a low 20s per season guy that can’t stay healthy.
I like Chytil, and hope he can continue to grow. But he’s 25 and just cannot stay healthy.
I honestly think him thriving anywhere has probably not a reality.
CO, he looks like a good young hockey player to me . I thought kakkko as well? What’s the story with rangers? The rangers looked best to me when all those guys were playing together. Now, they want to get rid of lafrenairre? Maybe they need to move one of the big guys; except trocheck.
Tommyboy,
Kakko is a different story. He’ll be just fine. Chytil? Meh. Like I said, he has moments he looks amazing. But has only surpassed 23 points once in 8 years and will do so again this year (he has 23 right now) and that year he put up 45 he played with Laffrienere and kakko.
I don’t believe Laffrienere is actually being shopped at the moment. As Lyle points out, this was Brooks spitballing. Having heard nothing of Drury wanting to trade him.
I believe NY had some locker room problems earlier in the year to some degree. Not sure if they’ve fixed that issue or not?
tommy boy, if you look at my post above you’ll see that Lafrenière’s career to date (353 games played to date) eerily matches that of another # 1 pick – Alex Daigle. And 350-odd games is a decent sampling. Like Daigle, Lafrenière either can’t – or won’t – play the 2-way game that most intelligent coaches demand. In today’s game you have to be as effective away from the puck as with it.
Be careful what you wish for.
Well all I can say is I guess when I watch the rangers on NHL NETWORK, ESPN OR TNT, He is a very good hockey player with skill and some grit . Maybe he is in a funk playing for the rangers, they don’t look the same as the last few years? I think with a coach like bednar, he would fit well because bednar is a really good coach. BTW, gets no respect from writers who vote jack Adams? Despite that, I think my point is he’s young, skilled, got a great shot and plays good in the playoffs from what I observed. I don’t understand why the rangers would want to move him. Not everything can be measured by statistics.
No, I agree, you can’t measure everything by statistics alone – but at some point they have to enter the picture if there is no sign of an improvement.
We’re not talking one or two seasons here, but the better part of 4 seasons – 353 gp – and 82-game averages of 21g 21a 42 pts. That’s a pretty solid sampling by an standard.
Not bad in and of themselves. But his cap hit for the next 3 seasons after this is $7.450,000 per, after which he becomes a UFA. Is that worth a seasonal average of 42 pts?
Imagine JT Millet’s treatment of Lafrenierre if he senses a lack of effort…de ja vu all over again?