NHL insider makes his thoughts crystal clear on $52,150,000 NY Rangers forward's worth as a trade asset

Alexis Lafreniere’s name has come up a lot at the combine over the past week. The NY Rangers seem open to moving him. They are working to clear salary cap space this summer. After trading Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks, they now have about $15 million in projected cap space. Trading Lafreniere would free up even more space. Lafreniere is starting the first year of his seven-year, $52,150,000 contract. His cap hit is $7,450,000 per season until the end of the 2031-32 season.

Lafreniere has shown flashes of talent but has not met the big expectations. He was the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. The NY Rangers gave him many chances, including playing on the top line with Artemi Panarin. He also got opportunities in the top-six forwards. Still, the results were not enough. Last season, Lafreniere had his best year with 57 points, but teams expected more from him.

NHL insider Greg Wyshynski shared his thoughts about Lafreniere’s trade value. Jeff Marek and Wyshynski discussed this on Jeff Marek’s show, "The Sheet with Jeff Marek." Marek said that Lafreniere is no longer seen as the player who was drafted first overall. He explained that, over time, a player's draft position stops mattering. At some point, teams stop thinking about potential and focus only on what the player has done.

Marek said this is now the case with Lafreniere. He also said Lafreniere is not as valuable in a trade as people think. Wyshynski agreed and said the NY Rangers overpaid him based on what they thought he could become. He added that other teams may not see Lafreniere as worth that contract.

"They overcompensated him. They overcompensated him for what they projected he could do. And other teams may not necessarily agree with the math on that," Wyshynski said.

Both insiders made it clear that Lafreniere’s trade value has dropped. He is not seen as a top trade target anymore. His name is out there, but teams may not want to take the risk. The Rangers might have a hard time finding a team that agrees to their asking price.

NY Rangers are also considering a Mika Zibanejad trade, per reports

The NY Rangers may make another big move by trading Mika Zibanejad. After moving Chris Kreider, this would be another step away from their old core. GM Chris Drury is focused on reshaping the team. Reports by Arthur Staple say the Rangers may have a deal in place to send Zibanejad to a contender. One possible team is the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Zibanejad has a full no-movement clause and an $8.5 million cap hit. Still, there are signs he might waive it. The trade would signal a clear shift from the Rangers’ past group that made deep playoff runs but never won the Cup.

This season, Zibanejad scored 62 points with 20 goals and 42 assists. His play was up and down, and he moved through different lines.