maybe laff wanted more?

Then logically he would have signed a one year deal and gained from the big cap increase in 2024 IMO.

I think this makes sense for both player and team. I suspect either the Rangers didn’t want to give him a Kotkaniemi-type deal where they sign him long term and hope he grows into it because they’re afraid he might not get much better, or Lafreniere didn’t want that because he thinks he’ll be worth a lot more in two years. It limits the risk for both sides.

The player has to sign with another team. Why would Laf do that?

He obviously did not do that.

But we don't know if he was offered a contract by another team. He may have very well turned down several offers.

How would that be pointless? If you make another team pay more for a player than they want to, that is a W. It means less money for other players on their team.

This is a salary cap website. How could you possibly say paying less money is pointless?

It's pointless because teams send offer sheets to get players and they know the Rangers are going to match.

Go tell Montreal how well strategically trying to hurt another team via an offer sheet they knew would probably be matched worked out...it isn't as if there aren't consequences.

Montreal told me going to the Stanley Cup that year was pretty cool.

would haved made sense, but maybe the rangers never offered a 1 year deal too.

I still see Laf being a top 6 physical guy, like Slaf one day.....but I only see that in the right system/team. Rangers just can't develop forwards correctly for some reason. Great contract otherwise, I think he can still break out and is still only 21.

That line played as a third line and were best in it. No special teams, third line minutes and solid third line points. Laffy will absolutely break out sooner or later.

This is a great signing, especially if Laffy can finally break out like he was projected to do for a while.

1st overall picks first contracts in todays dollars (by % of cap)

Ovechkin $15,831,600 x 13 years (18.96%)
Crosby $14,445,500 x 5 years (17.3%)
McDavid $13,919,450 x 8 years (16.67%)
Kovalchuk $13,702,350 x 5 years (16.41%)
Matthews $12,224,400 x 5 years (14.64%)
Nash x 5 years $11,564,750 (13.85%)
Stamkos $9,736,100 x 5 years (11.66%)
Kane $9,260,150 x 5 years (11.09%)
Ekblad $8,575,450 x 8 years (10.27%)
Hall $8,350,000 x 7 years (10%)
Hughes $8,199,700 x 8 years (9.82%)
Nugent-Hopkins $7,790,550 x 7 years (9.33%)
Hischier $7,431,500 x 7 years (8.9%)
MacKinnon $7,206,050 x 7 years (8.63%)
Tavares $7,139,250 x 6 years (8.55%)
Dahlin $6,145,600 x 3 years (7.36%)
Johnson $3,657,300 x 2 years (4.38%)
Yakupov $3,022,700 x 2 years (3.62%)
Fleury $2,454,900 x 2 years (2.94%)
Lafreniere $2,350,000 x 2 years (2.78%)

And give a top 5 pick?

Definitely outside the top 5.

I would take Stutzle, Mercer, Jarvis, Raymond, and Sanderson ahead of him.

Man, Ottawa really hit a grand slam with that draft, huh? And they fired their scouting director this summer, so he's available.

Money. Who knows if he's gonna get over 4M on his next contract? It's possible he doesn't.

I'm surprised he signed for that low. I think he's worth at least another million

pay 4,290,125 and all it takes is a second

Great contract for the Rangers imo.