Valid center-needy observation JE but Davidson and Gordon are (hopefully) looking beyond 2020-2021, i.e. not concerning themselves with merely getting into the playoffs but continuing the rebuild to perennial contender status by adding a cornerstone talent to the mix. Rangers have a flock of young talent (plus the Cane's 1st round pick) and having Lafreniere on a rookie deal under a flat salary cap until 2023 enables the Rangers to go after veteran help at center and defense.
edit: Gorton
Yes but what do you do with him? You can give him third line minutes as a rookie but you're still running into the whole problem of the size and length of the contracts that you already gave your top 2 LWs. I don't think they're bad contracts because they're both good players, even if Kreider is a dirty goalie-running freak and the contracts are both a little big, but you've got them both for the next 6 years and you're not moving either of them so how do you fit three talents into two spots?
I think that trading out of #1 to 2 or 3 and taking Stutzle or Byfield is the definition of looking beyond 20/21; your 2C is Ryan Strome who isn't great and only has a year left on his deal, and Byfield and Stutzle both project to be top centers. Byfield in particular is big, strong and skilled, he's still only 17 albeit for a few more days, I think that if you can trade #1 to LA for #2 and a good prospect then it makes sense in all sorts of ways.