Back in 2020, we watched the Toronto Maple Leafs choke away a golden opportunity in the Toronto bubble, losing in 5 games to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the play-in round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. If there were any silver linings at all at the time, it was that the Leafs then had a ping pong ball in the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery and a chance at drafting 1st overall for the 2nd time in 5 seasons. In the end, the Leafs' ball rattled off the sides of the lottery vacuum and the New York Rangers' ball was sucked up, signifying that they had won the right to draft Alexis Lafreniere 1st overall.
Well, fast forward a couple of short seasons later and Lafreniere now finds himself a healthy scratch and, according to reporter Arthur Staple, on the Rangers' trading block.
Staple also revealed that since Lafreniere has struggled so much and that the upcoming draft is reportedly very deep, teams are having a tough time determining what they're comfortable parting with in exchange for the 2020 1st overall pick.
In the midst of his third season with the Rangers, Lafreniere has missed only a handful of games in his career, has yet to top 20 goals in a season, with a career high 31 points in 79 games last season. The asking price is rumoured to be in the neighborhood of a high draft pick and a high-end roster player, but who knows what they'll end up getting.
