During last night’s NHL’s Prime on Sports broadcast, Frank Seravalli from Daily Faceoff suggested that a long-term contract extension may be in the works for former No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere of the New York Rangers.
On today’s Daily Faceoff Live, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Frank Seravalli delved deeper into the possibility of a long-term extension for Lafreniere.
Tyler Yaremchuk noted that Lafreniere has had a strong start to the season and is part of the contract discussions. He reminded viewers that Lafreniere, despite being the top pick, has taken time to develop, showing significant improvement over the past three years, particularly last season when he scored 57 points. Yaremchuk asked Seravalli for updates on the status of a potential long-term deal for Lafreniere.
Frank Seravalli confirmed that discussions have been ongoing since last summer and emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement from the Rangers’ perspective. He pointed out Lafreniere’s steady improvement, with an 18-point increase each season. He mentioned that if Lafreniere continues on this trajectory, he could become a point-per-game player. Additionally, Seravalli highlighted Lafreniere’s impressive playoff performance, with eight goals over the last two postseason runs, and he believes Lafreniere is just beginning to reach his full potential.
Seravalli also remarked that at 22 years old, signing an 8-year contract could be Lafreniere’s best opportunity for a substantial NHL deal. He expressed optimism about a deal being finalized, speculating about an 8-year deal worth $8 million, though a shorter contract is also possible. He noted that the Rangers would need to carefully manage the first two years of the contract due to other salary cap obligations. However, considering Lafreniere’s development, Seravalli believes he is unlikely to accept a deal with an average annual value lower than $7 million.
