The New York Rangers are in open conversation with Alexis Lafreniere about a potential contract extension, but there appears to be no rush to complete the agreement. On Wednesday, NHL insiders Pierre LeBrun and David Pagnotta provided an update on the ongoing conversations. None of them created a positive image for the organization when it came to signing the former first overall choice to a long-term agreement.
According to both Pagnotta and LeBrun, conversations between the two parties have yet to heat up as the Rangers navigate their salary cap predicament ahead of the 2025 free agency period. TSN’s LeBrun claimed that while conversations were held prior to the season, they did not result in a settlement, calling the negotiations “not an easy thing to navigate.”
“There was a mutual desire to see if there was a way to get something done before the puck dropped, but the urgency is not the same as it is for someone like Igor Shesterkin, who will be a UFA,” LeBrun told reporters. “Lafreniere is coming off a two-year bridge deal and will be a restricted free agent next July.” LeBrun highlighted that the Rangers still see Lafreniere as a crucial player and aim to extend him long-term, but the insider also mentioned the issues the Rangers would face in managing their salary cap. Even yet, LeBrun believes he will receive a significant wage increase due to his breakout season and status as a former first-round draft pick. Lafreniere is in for a pretty healthy raise from the $2.35 million he’s currently making,” LeBrun told the newspaper.
Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reiterated LeBrun’s claim, stating that while discussions are underway, nothing appears imminent. “Conversations with both Lafreniere and [K’Andre] Miller have been fluid,” he stated. “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 projected to consume a large chunk of the Rangers’ quota. Despite this, Pagnotta stated that the negotiations will not interfere with Shesterkin’s extension talks due to an expected increase in the salary ceiling next year, which is likely to reach $92.5 million.
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