A Draft Day Lafreniere Hypothetical

[Phil]

Assuming Matvei Michkov falls to 5th — which is a fairly realistic scenario — would you trade Lafreniere and the Rangers' first (23rd) to Montreal to draft him?

 

Who says no?

[siddious]

No more Russians in the first round

 

Nothing against Russians we just suck with them

[Phil]

4 minutes ago, siddious said:

No more Russians in the first round

 

Nothing against Russians we just suck with them

 

I mean, yeah. I don't hate it, but I also kinda hate Laugh, so...

 

Total catch-22 here.

 

Still, my gut tells me jump on this.

[Pete]

And wait 6 years for the guy to come over? 

 

Yep. He would most assuredly be better than what we have. 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Pete

[Sod16]

Waiting for LaF is like waiting for a pretty girl with a big butt to lose weight.  It ain't happening.

 

Don't mind the wait for him to come over, given it is unlikely that he will be good at 18-20 in an alien environment.  Let him develop on someone else's dime and come later, like Kril the Thrill.

 

I've been thinking of whether we should do Miller for the 5th overall in a rich draft year.

Edited June 27, 2023 by Sod16

[The Dude]

I am no fan of Lafrenière.  But the talk of waiting for this kid as a prospect, isn't very appealing, when the Rangers need a guy for the top 6 sooner rather than later. 

 

That whole Kravtsov fiasco really put a damper on interest in drafting Russians in the 1st round. I actually think Drury is more likely to just go mostly NA in the 1st few rounds anyway. I don't think Drury makes that deal even if it were Lafrenière straight up. 

 

I understand the desire to move Lafrenière for almost anything.  

 

I'm indifferent on it. Want Lafrenière gone and it's good value in obtaining the 5th pick.  But who else would be there instead of this Russian kid? 

 

What do the draft gurus here have to say about him? 

[BrooksBurner]

1 hour ago, Sod16 said:

Waiting for LaF is like waiting for a pretty girl with a big butt to lose weight.  It ain't happening.

 

Don't mind the wait for him to come over, given it is unlikely that he will be good at 18-20 in an alien environment.  Let him develop on someone else's dime and come later, like Kril the Thrill.

 

I've been thinking of whether we should do Miller for the 5th overall in a rich draft year.

Yes

[BrooksBurner]

1 hour ago, The Dude said:

I am no fan of Lafrenière.  But the talk of waiting for this kid as a prospect, isn't very appealing, when the Rangers need a guy for the top 6 sooner rather than later. 

 

That whole Kravtsov fiasco really put a damper on interest in drafting Russians in the 1st round. I actually think Drury is more likely to just go mostly NA in the 1st few rounds anyway. I don't think Drury makes that deal even if it were Lafrenière straight up. 

 

I understand the desire to move Lafrenière for almost anything.  

 

I'm indifferent on it. Want Lafrenière gone and it's good value in obtaining the 5th pick.  But who else would be there instead of this Russian kid? 

 

What do the draft gurus here have to say about him? 

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

Oh this would be so funny.

 

And great. Michkov is the real deal and Laf sucks.

 

I don’t even care about the years waiting. It would honestly be a blessing in disguise. No chance for the Rangers to fuck up his development.

[SaveByRichter35]

No more Russian forwards

[Albatrosss]

Hell no!!!!

[jsm7302]

Ryan Leonard, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

[RJWantsTheCup]

I would trade Donut Hole and our #1 to Anaheim or San Jose in the hopes of getting one of the top centers in the draft. 

[Keirik]

The only way I’m trading Laf is for a can’t miss RW prospect that is nearly NhL ready. 

[Long live the King]

I'd do it if Will Smith is there at 5.  Then work a Nylander deal around Chytil. 

[BrooksBurner]

I do it if Bedard is there at 5.

[RJWantsTheCup]

A top 5 pick, Cuylle, Othmann & Fast is better than Lafraniere, #23  and Motte.

[Sharpshooter]

I would only do it because he has a cool name.

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

I think I'd do it

 

We can afford to wait for him to come over. 

 

I think 32 thoughts hinted that if he gets drafted by Washington something would be resolved where he comes over earlier (ovechkin would have enough pull to get him here) but not sure we'd be able to pull that off.

 

Michkov is better that Kravstov though. If I recall correctly, Kravstov had his draft stock rise sharply because of a good KHL Playoff run but had a far less previously established pedigree beforehand, whereas Michkov has always been rated super highly but has seen his stock slip a bit just due to geopolitical factors and a contract in Russia that he wouldn't be able to get out of right away.

 

I'm still a believer in Laf's ability. But maybe a move to Montreal would do better for him than being stuck here behind a lot of established vets.

 

 

 

 

[Phil]

12 hours ago, jsm7302 said:

Ryan Leonard, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

 

Sold.

 

[Morphinity 2.0]

For a "win now" team, this is a terrible move. I hate Lafreniere, but at the very least he's a warm body on a cap strapped team. 

 

Unless you could arrange some sort of Jack Bauer "rescue a hostage from the Russian consulate" mission for Michkov, you absolutely don't do this. 

 

And, even if it's not Michkov, none of the players outside the top 3, maybe 4, are NHL-ready. So you're waiting a year at least, which the Rangers cannot do.  

[Long live the King]

37 minutes ago, Morphinity 2.0 said:

For a "win now" team, this is a terrible move. I hate Lafreniere, but at the very least he's a warm body on a cap strapped team. 

 

Unless you could arrange some sort of Jack Bauer "rescue a hostage from the Russian consulate" mission for Michkov, you absolutely don't do this. 

 

And, even if it's not Michkov, none of the players outside the top 3, maybe 4, are NHL-ready. So you're waiting a year at least, which the Rangers cannot do.  

 

I disagree,  currently ~$11 mill in cap space.  Move out Chytil and Laf and bring in Nylander is essentially a wash.  Halak for a mill.  Cuylle, JBrod, and Jones on to the roster is 2.4 mill.  Say 4 for Miller. 

 

That leaves you with 3.6ish.

 

You can go bargain basement to find a RW for the 4th line for a Brett Ritchie, Josh Leivo, Tyler Pitlick type guy.

 

That leaves you about 2.8.

 

From here you can still trade Goody, which I would if....(This one is for @The Dude) you Can sign Domi for 4 or less.  Then utilize Othmann.

 

That gives you:

 

CK - Zib - Kakko

Panarin - Tro - Nylander

Othmann - Domi - Vesey

Cuylle - Jbrod - Cheap RW4

 

and leaves you $1.5 in cap space just needing a 13th forward.  Depending on price you might be able to replace Cheap RW4 with Hathaway.

[Long live the King]

BTW next summer you can trade Trouba and Kreider to resign Nylander.  Will Smith makes the team after a year at BC.  He can play wing as a rookie.  The year after you can trade Tro and Smith is your 2C.

 

 

[Long live the King]

BTW next summer you can trade Trouba and Kreider to resign Nylander.  Will Smith makes the team after a year at BC.  He can play wing as a rookie or Domi can move to wing.  The year after you can trade Tro and Smith is your 2C.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Long live the King

[Br4d]

The only Lafreniere deal I am interested in right now is one that brings a young RW ready to step in right away in the top 6.  Both things have to be true: young and ready to step in.

 

Ideally the guy is 22-24 and still not extremely expensive against the cap.  If he's older I'm still ok with the deal but the Rangers need to get something else back because it's 50/50 Laffy is going to be an inexpensive superstar on his next team.