Successful Rangers retool likely relies on trading Lafreniere and Schneider - Blue Seat Blogs

"With the dust settled on the Artemi Panarin trade and the saga now behind us, it has become clear that he was never realistically going to return the kind of retool-caliber assets the Rangers needed, largely because his no-movement clause limited both leverage and potential destinations. I never believed Panarin was going to ignite the retool, as he and his agent effectively had Chris Drury over a barrel, and I was clear about this on X (formerly Twitter).."

"Teams rarely trade players like that unless the return meaningfully matches a larger vision. Lafreniere's perceived trade value is unlikely to be as low as some fans believe. Former top picks early in their careers carry intrigue that front offices find difficult to ignore. His improving five-on-five production, willingness to engage physically, and ability to contribute in scoring chances all suggest untapped upside remains."

"The true ignition to this reset will be trading Lafreniere and/or Schneider. That reality brings the focus squarely to what comes next. With the Panarin chapter closed, we can finally exhale and focus on potentially trading this duo, among other decisions that will determine whether this reset becomes a quick turn rather than a prolonged transition. Somewhat surprisingly, trading Lafreniere and Schneider is the clearest path toward that outcome."

Artemi Panarin's no-movement clause prevented him from returning retool-caliber assets, eliminating him as the path to a quick Rangers reset. The actual reset hinge is trading Lafreniere and/or Schneider to acquire players who better fit Mike Sullivan's style. Trading two young assets seems counterintuitive because Lafreniere is a former first-overall pick with offensive flashes and Schneider is a growing, physical defenseman, but both carry tradable value. Lafreniere's improving five-on-five numbers, physical engagement, and chance creation imply untapped upside, while Schneider's reliability and growth could fetch complementary forwards or stylistic pieces to accelerate a turnaround.

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