Report: The New York Rangers and Alexis Lafreniere are close to finalizing a blockbuster extension
The New York Rangers and their 1st overall pick from the 2020 NHL Draft, Alexis Lafreniere may be close to signing an extension soon.
It was reported today by NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman that the talks between the two have been increasing.
It was speculated that the team would have to trade the winger, as he wasn't originally ready to sign the first deal offered to him.
The length of the deal would take him into age 30 with the Rangers, as the deal could be a 7-year, $7.6 Million AAV deal.
Pagnotta of The Fourth Period echoed LeBrun's report.
«Conversations with both Lafreniere and [K'Andre] Miller have been fluid,» Pagnotta said. «Nothing sounds imminent, at the moment."
Lafreniere, 23, is in the final year of his $4.65 million bridge deal, and his next contract is expected to take up a significant portion of the Rangers' cap.
Despite this, Pagnotta acknowledged that the negotiations won't interfere with Shesterkin's extension talks because of the expected jump of next year's cap to about $92.5 million.
That is the number posted by the New York Post's Larry Brooks, which means the next player to be locked down should be Igor Shesterkin right?
Alexis Lafreniere has recently become the kind of player the Rangers drafted him to be. Scoring 57 points( 28 G, 29 A) in 82 games last season.
He's been fortunate enough to be flanking Vinnie Troecheck, and Artemi Panarin who the left-wing forward has built chemistry with.
This season, Lafreniere has proven to be a point-per-game player, as the Rangers look to run it back to the Stanley Cup playoffs, in what could be the last dance with the current core.
It all depends upon how much Igor Shesterkin wants for his next deal, and honesty if the Rangers can make it to the Stanley Cup finals.
Lafreniere, like Shesterkin, is part of the Ranger's long-term plans and can they manage to keep him in New York all of these seven years?
We'll see.
With Lafreniere signed, there remains Miller and Shesterkin to re-sign and keep their young core intact for the future.
