You've overpaid for LAF not only in the trade but for 5m. Just better ways to spend 5m

How is that an overpay in the trade? 2 reclamation projects and a mid 1st for him seems pretty low

lol LaF isn't worth half that

Too much for Laf.

The only way Detroit makes that trade for Laf is if we include Chiarot as a dump

Gee for 5m you can just a good UFA. Or even offer sheet or say you are at 4.3m and you get cap strapped Rangers to trade LAF for a second.

Im not talking about the cap hit, I thought I was pretty clear with that. You have to remember Laf is only 21. Players develop at different paces. Take Brady Tkachuk for example. The guy was fantastic this year but it took him until 23 to get to that level of play.

Also they really aren't cap strapped currently. Right now they have just over 10M to fill 5-6 roster spots. K'andre Miller will eat a chunk of that but other than him Lafreniere is the only relevant RFA. Now if they try to keep Kane or Tarasenko that's a different story but we don't know their plans currently

Drury says no thanks.

We'd prefer Albert Johansson and one of your 2023 seconds to Niederbach and your 2023 third. Although a nice prospect and a former second-round draft pick himself, Niederbach isn't a good fit with a team that has an overabundance of forwards and forward prospects.