After a disappointing 2025 season, the New York Rangers will have to retool to stay in win-now mode. As expected Stanley Cup contenders, they failed miserably and GM Chris Drury will have to move out major pieces in order to stay on schedule, could that involve moving Alexis Lafreniere, and acquiring Marco Rossi?![Marco Rossi]()
The Rangers looked rough at the beginning of the season with a 2-14-0 record under Peter Laviolette. As we all saw, the team fell apart in the middle of the season, and after multiple moves, have lost their identity.
One player who has drawn heat from fans for his declining production this season was former first OA pick in 2020, Alexis Lafreniere. After scoring 57 points in 2023-2024 we expected more out of him.
He'd only score 45 points in 82 games this season, playing with the same linemates who helped him secure a nicer contract.
After his breakout year in 2023-2024, the Rangers signed him to a rich, long-term deal at seven years, with an AAV of $7.45 million.
Lafreniere's name has been buzzing in trade talks in recent months, and Adam Getz of the Bleacher Report thinks that he could make sense as a trade chip for the Minnesota Wild.
«Could that sort of swap be a potential starting point? The Wild would get a young, potential top-six scorer who is already signed long-term. The Rangers would get a potential impact scorer at center whose best days are still ahead of him,» Getz wrote of this trade idea.
Who would the Rangers receive in return? Highly skilled center, Marco Rossi. Since 1Cs don't grow on trees, Rossi is a marketable commodity in the NHL, with the Rangers center depth lacking, adding Rossi would strengthen the team down the middle.
With Miller and Zibanejad aging and in their thirties, Rossi could be a smart add, at only 23 has the rest of his career ahead of him in the NHL.
Seeing as Rossi is an RFA, if the Rangers do make the swap with Minnesota, they'd have to clear salary cap space to sign him in the summer.
If GM Chris Drury could convince Zibanejad to waive his NMC to go to Minnesota that'd solve two issues at once, resolving center depth issues, and the money to go with it.
Would you trade Alexis Lafreniere for Marco Rossi?
