Rangers, Canadiens discussed potential Laine-Lafreniere trade

The Montreal Canadiens showed throughout the season that they had the talent to make a Stanley Cup run, and they made it as far as the Eastern Conference Finals, ultimately losing to the Carolina Hurricanes.

At the same time, they tried to add more talent to the team before the deadline, and they were apparently interested in Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Not only were they interested in him, but they also wanted to see if they could acquire Alexis Lafreniere from the New York Rangers, according to NHL insider Frank Seravalli.

“I wonder about Alexis Lafreniere; if this was truly a thing, what was whispered was, a pick, a prospect and Patrik Laine in exchange for Alexis Lafreniere; I think that was something that was talked about,” Seravalli said on his podcast.

Lafreniere hasn’t lived up to the hype that he had when being drafted by the Rangers, but he is still a serviceable forward who can make an impact when his name is called. Last season, he recorded 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points last season, while playing in all 82 games.

He’s only missed four games in the last five years, and it’s obvious that he’s reliable.

Lafreniere could have been a nice piece for the Canadiens to add to their team, and there’s still a chance that they go after him in the offseason; it might all depend on whether they make a better offer to the Canadiens.

According to sources, the Canadiens were offering Alexander Zharovsky and made two first-round picks available, as well as another prospect in the deal.