Jeff Gorton, John Davidsson and all of management have done an impressive job jumpstarting this franchise. With the apparent rebuild being just about over, what is left to do in order to move from a rebuilding franchise to a hopeful playoff team? With the luck of the draft lottery and impressive selections in the last couple seasons we no longer need to stock up on prospects and picks to fix this teams weak points. It must be done via trades and free agency.
What do we need?
The Rangers are currently well stocked in between the pipes and on the wings, have plenty of promising prospects and a solidified number one center. This teams largest issue at hand is lack of capable defensemen, primarily on the left side as well as center depth, and overall depth. Here are some teams the Rangers should look into negotiating with.
Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens are sort of in a similar position we are, they have a veteran goalie who deserves a cup behind a bunch of young talent mixed with some cap heavy veterans. However, there are certainly some discussions to be had on either end of trade talks here. Two players that have been in the conversation are Max Domi and Phillip Danault. Philip Danualt would be a great short term solution for the Rangers, carrying a manageable cap hit til 2021-22 and offers a good balance with Chytil to go back and forth between the second and third line center roles. However, if the Rangers want a more long term, versatile option, Max Domi is the answer. Not only would he be a great second line center, he would also bring a physical energy to the Rangers that we can definitely use. The Rangers plan with Ryan Strome is definitely a big factor in this decision but either way, the Rangers should look into negotiating with Montreal. Victor Mete, Cale Fleury, and Gustav Olofsson are some younger defenseman worth looking into as deal sweeteners as well.
Calgary Flames
Arguably the team that has been linked to the Rangers the most in trade rumors, there are a TON of possibilities not named Johnny Gaudreau here in Alberta. Sam Bennett probably being the most realistic choice would be a perfect depth center man. Sean Monahan is a more interesting and exciting possibility, if the price is right, Gorton should be all over it. Mark Jankowski is another good option but Calgary’s willingness to move him might not be there. Calgary might be looking to improve their goaltending situation and if the Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist agree to stay together, Georgiev could thrive here in Calgary. Another interesting note, Calgary does have a history of trading away defenseman on the doorstep of their prime.. worth looking into their defensive depth pool if Gorton looks to make a bigger move as well.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Thinking back on previous NYR trade partners, the Blue Jackets certainly have a history in phone calls with New York. Aside from that there may not be a move here but it’s worth looking into. Ryan Murray is a name that stands out to me and has been on my radar for a while. While he is pretty injury prone and hasn’t quite become the star defenseman he was expected as a high draft pick several years ago, you have to wonder, can he be a Ryan Strome type acquisition on the back end? Who’s to say he doesn’t find chemistry with Trouba or Fox and have a true breakout year? Vladislav Gavrikov is another name that caught my eye during these playoffs and not just because his name is fun to say. Turn a draft pick into him and that could become a slept on trade that benefits us in the long run. Dean Kukan could be good for depth and in an absolute long shot, if we shed cap space and Columbus retains half of his salary, wouldn’t hate bringing Dubinisky back to New York in a 4th line role.
Tampa Bay Lightning
This is a scenario that would truly put Jeff Gorton to the test. Two teams with Salary Cap issues and two teams with a lot of enticing names. If there’s any deal to be made where Mikhail Sergachev ends up in New York without us losing a crucial member of our team or the first overall pick, do it. I’d go as far as saying give Tampa our 2021 first rounder, a second, Buchnevich, Andersson, Strome, DeAngelo, take back Brett Howden, whatever they want in exchange for Sergachev. He would be an immediate, long term fix to our defensive core and has a great overall game. Anthony Cirelli would be a great center fix for us as well. Taylor Raddysh and Cal Foote would gladly be welcomed if making a bigger deal. A trade for Sergachev would be challenging but arguably the most rewarding deal to make. If NYR pull it off, lock him up for many many years.
By: Chris Feldman
Comments