Despite the Rangers having themselves quite a successful season just a couple years after the infamous rebuild letter went out, there are still some glaring needs for this team. They have had several strengths throughout the season but their weaknesses seem to be growing more and more obvious as the season progresses. There’s been a lot of debate on whether this team should go “all in” or not but before deciding that, I think it’s important we define what the Rangers definition of all in is, or at least should be.
The Rangers by no means should go out, trading away all of their prized prospects and picks for the next two seasons, collecting every single available asset that will be shopped next week. There’s a significant difference from completely mortgaging the future and responsibly gambling pieces of it. When you go to the casino you don’t clean out your bank account and bring the deed to your house, you withdraw a hundred, maybe a couple hundred bucks and that’s what you play with for the day. That’s the mentality Chris Drury and the Rangers organization need to have, there’s an opportunity to drastically improve this team and if they can do it responsibly, then they absolutely have to go for it.
With the trade deadline a week away, it’s time for Chris Drury to start closing some deals in order to get this team ready for a run at the Stanley Cup Playoffs. You have a goaltender who’s having a Vezina AND Hart Trophy calibur season, a top three defender in the NHL coming off a Norris Trophy winning season and your captain/not captain having a career year, making a push for the Rocket Richard Trophy. That’s not even mentioning your number one center scoring goals left and right or your top forward with 51 assists in 59 games. Currently constructed, this team might not be ready to be serious contenders but a couple moves certainly change that. There’s no such thing as a perfect time to go for it but this is as good a chance as any the Rangers might have to make a run. While some may see risking future pieces for a run as irresponsible, it’s almost more irresponsible to pass up on the chance to go for it when your top players are having the prime years they’re having.
In order to do that, they need to build a third line that can provide secondary scoring which includes acquiring a big name forward, preferably a natural right winger that can fluctuate between lines two and three with Kaapo Kakko when he returns from injury. On top of that, depth never hurts a team looking to go on a playoff run so any depth pieces will certainly be welcomed. Depending on what they do with Georgiev, they could also potentially use a backup goaltender and while defense isn’t a major need, Chris Drury is bound to explore any option that makes this team better.
With the needs in mind, let’s establish who the Rangers should consider shopping and look at some teams who could be potential trade partners with the Rangers come March 21st
Defining Rangers Trade Bait:
As I said at the top, just because the Rangers should be buyers at the deadline doesn’t mean they need to sell the farm. They’re not going to shop guys like Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller, Braden Schneider nor are they likely to sell all of Nils Lundkvist, Brennan Othmann and Zac Jones. The Rangers will absolutely explore options involving Vitaly Kravtsov and Alexandar Georgiev who have either asked to be moved or clearly need a change of scenery. Depending on who the Rangers target, Filip Chytil, Morgan Barron, Matthew Robertson, maybe even Will Cuylee are guys the Rangers could consider moving if the price is right. Their 2022 first round pick should absolutely be in play as it’ll likely be a mid-late round pick and if they go after one of the big fish and it costs one of Lundkvist, Jones or Othmann, that could be an example of responsible gambling, especially given the team’s surplus of defensemen and left wingers.
Now that we identified who could be available on the Rangers end, let’s look at some teams they could be doing business with.
Arizona Coyotes
Rumors have already flown around, linking the Rangers to the Arizona Coyotes. Jeff Marek reported in late January that the Rangers have offered the Coyotes a package for defenseman Jakob Chychrun that included Vitaly Kravtsov. Marek also reported that night that the Coyotes have received at least one offer that meets their criteria which is said to be two former first round picks, and a first rounder in an upcoming draft. Without doing a deep dive into teams who could be in the running for Chychrun at that price, the Rangers come to mind as they certainly have the assets to meet the Coyotes ask.
The Rangers have their first round pick in 2022, Vitaly Kravtsov and one of Filip Chytil or Nils Lundkvist. You have to think that a combination of that could very well be the offer Marek reported the Coyotes have received. While a top defenseman really isn’t the Rangers major need, anytime a 23 year old top defenseman, who is under contract for the next four seasons on a very team friendly contract, becomes available and you have the assets to make an offer, you have to be players in the negotiations.
Another player in Arizona that fits the Rangers needs a little more head on would be Phil Kessel, who is also likely on the move this year. The seasoned right winger has an illustrious resume which includes an iron man streak, a pair of Stanley Cups as well as a whole lot of goals. He’s in the last year of his contract which is a perfect fit in New York where they only have about one year of free spending left before Chris Drury has to start penny pinching. Phil’s a goal scorer, which is an asset that never goes out of style and will always benefit a team, especially one looking to make a run. The one question with the move is chemistry, would Phil Kessel be a good fit on that line with Strome and Panarin? Or could he play a third line role kinda similar to the HBK line the Penguins had when they won their cups?
If the Rangers can get Chychrun AND Kessel for Chytil, Kravtsov a first and a second, you have to think Drury strongly considers pulling the trigger. Win now, worry later and bringing in these two players really can put the Rangers in a position to win going into playoffs.
Vegas Golden Nights
The Rangers have an obvious connection to the Golden Knights as Gerard Gallant was head coach in Vegas for almost three years. Vegas has their own cap problems as the acquisition of Jack Eichel leaves them pushing through the ceiling. With a healthy Eichel and an eventually healthy Mark Stone, their first line alone holds a cap hit of 26.5 million. With that in mind, Vegas will likely be looking to get some larger numbers off the books and Riley Smith could be one of those names. The Rangers could potentially get a package of players from Vegas in a trade and another name they should be interested in is Chandler Stephenson. Brayden McNabb was another name I would’ve included in a potential package but he ended up re-upping with Vegas for another three years essentially crossing him off any buyers list.
Chandler Stephenson is still young, can play center or wing and is under a reasonable cap hit for the next couple seasons. Adding him and Riley Smith immediately boosts this team’s depth as they can be the third line with Barclay Goodrow or Dryden Hunt on the left side. Smith can move up and down between the second and third line with Kakko once he’s healthy again and if things go well and the check book allows for it, maybe Smith would take a discount to keep playing under a coach he assumedly was happy under? There hasn’t been much chatter linking the Rangers and Golden Knights but there were murmurs about them potentially having interest in Alexandar Georgiev. If the Rangers packaged Chytil, Georgiev, a non Nils Lundkvist prospect and picks to get Stephenson and Smith, you’d have to think that’s good business for the Rangers and could be their best option at this year's deadline.
Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks are a trade partner for the Rangers that has picked up some traction recently as they are beginning to fall off in the standings more and more. There aren’t a ton of super exciting names of Ducks players potentially on the move but one name the Rangers are linked to and should absolutely consider is Rickard Rakell. The former first round draft pick once had a 69 point season as well as a pair of back to back 40+ point average seasons. He’s fallen off a bit over the years and isn’t the most consistent player but he would be a great addition to the second/third line. He can play the right or left wing side and is a safer bet at generating offense on that second line than Dryden Hunt is right now.
Another player with an expiring contract that could potentially be on the move is defenseman Hampus Lindholm. While again, acquiring a defenseman isn’t huge on the Rangers priority list, if they can put a package together that can land them Rakell AND Lindholm, it’s without a doubt worth exploring. The price for both could be a little too steep for the Rangers liking but it’s a conversation worth having for sure. Regardless, Rickard Rakell should be high on the Rangers shopping list, especially if they can get him for something like a pick and a B level prospect.
Seattle Kraken
The league's newest team drafted a team almost specifically to sell off at the deadline to start building for the future. So much so that excluding their goalies, they only have four players on their active roster that are signed after this season. (Seven if you include players on IR) Regardless, they’re likely going to be sellers at the deadline and it’s worth Chris Drury’s time to consider his options with the Kraken. There aren’t any Phil Kessel or Brock Boeser type of flashy names up for grabs here, but if the Rangers want to add some depth guys to their bottom six, there’s definitely some interesting names at play.
Calle Jarnkrok, Marcus Johansson and Mason Appleton are all guys with expiring contracts that can play pretty much any forward position that would be solid additions in the bottom six. Calle Jarnkrok being the most enticing of those options, has playoff experience, can play any position and would be a solid addition to the third line with potential to play up if needed. Kind of like Barclay Goodrow in the sense that he’s a utility player type of forward however with a more proven track record of being a consistent goal scorer. In his last six seasons, he’s scored more than ten goals in each and has averaged 30 points a season.
Marcus Johansson is another swiss army knife type of option who is a year older and less of a safe bet than Jarkrok. You’re more likely to get assists from Johansson than you are goals which is interesting when you consider the possibility of acquiring someone who can flip flop from the first and third line. In a perfect world, Lafreniere catches fire and runs with Zibanejad and Kreider. However, in the event that Lafreniere needs to go back to the third line from time to time, it’d be interesting to see what a player like Johansson could do on a line with two forwards who can’t stop scoring goals.
Mason Appleton is a guy I like and see some potential in but likely would be just a depth acquisition for the Rangers as he’s essentially a hybrid of Morgan Barron and Julien Gauthier. He can play center or right wing, is a big bodied right handed shot and with the position the Rangers are in, could be a great depth piece for this team gearing up for a playoff run. He has less experience than Jarnkrok and Johansson and is less of a utility player but if options become limited, he’s worth consideration for sure.
Depending on how much of a yard sale the Kraken are looking to have, Mark Giordano would be a great addition on the back end and a perfect mentor partner for Braden Schneider. The Rangers have been linked to him before but you have to think if the veteran defender goes anywhere it’s probably back home to Calgary.
San Jose Sharks
San Jose is home to the big fish of the trade deadline pond as 28 year old centerman Tomas Hertl and his expiring contract could be on the move. Now this is the largest gamble the Rangers could make and if the price is right, they’ll certainly consider it. The Sharks once flirted with a playoff spot earlier in the season but have since fallen toward the bottom, likely making them sellers. Hertl does have a modified no trade clause but you have to think the Rangers are a team he would be interested in going to. Now the burning question is what could the price be for a player like Tomas Hertl, who has put up more than 30 points all but once in his eight full seasons in the NHL, five of which were 40 or more point seasons, including a 74 point season in 2018-19.
Let’s look at some comparables. One of the biggest trade deadline moves in the last decade involving a top center came back in 2012 when the Columbus Blue Jackets sent Jeff Carter to the LA Kings. The price for Carter, who was a little younger than 28 at the time, was Jack Johnson and a first round pick in the following year's draft. A small price to pay for a guy who was a big part of two Stanley Cups for the Kings that followed the move. Another big deadline trade for a center came from the Rangers in 2016 when they sent two second round picks a B level prospect to Carolina in exchange for Eric Staal. Granted Staal was a little older than Hertl is and that trade didn’t really work out for the Rangers. For the sake of argument, let’s say the price for Hertl would be somewhere in the middle of those two moves or perhaps a “pick, player and prospect” type of deal. The Rangers can and should do that.
Chris Drury could offer any of the following packages and at the end of the day, assuming the reward outweighs the risk, the Rangers will be fine with the outcome.
Zac Jones, a first and a third for Tomas Hertl
Nils Lundkvist and a first for Tomas Hertl
Filip Chytil, Matthew Robertson, a second and a third for Tomas Hertl
Or Filip Chytil, Zac Jones, and a second for Tomas Hertl
Tomas Hertl absolutely makes this team a contender but the likelihood of him coming back to New York in the offseason is slim unless the Rangers move on from Ryan Strome. If the front office isn’t so sure about getting Strome signed to an extension it could make sense to go all in and bring Hertl in, that way you can decide on which of the two you want to keep long term. We could split hairs and debate on who would be the better number two center for this team, frankly Panarin’s chemistry with Strome will always be a kicker in any debate but regardless, with the cap space they have, if the Rangers can bring Hertl in without selling the farm, why not do it?
Honorable Mentions
Vancouver Canucks: Many rumors have circulated, linking a JT Miller reunion with the New York Rangers but it doesn’t seem like there’s much to it. Vancouver has turned things around and JT Miller doesn’t seem to think he’s going anywhere. I’ve gone back and forth on the idea many times and to be honest still don’t really know where I stand on it. I have a feeling if Vancouver was shopping Miller, the price would be too high and the Rangers efforts would be better spent on Hertl.
The Rangers were briefly linked to a more realistic option in Conor Garland. The gritty winger certainly fits the new identity of this Rangers team but is signed at just shy of $5 million until 2027. Unless Vancouver ate some salary or took on Patrik Nemeth’s contract, it wouldn’t really make sense to take on such an extensive contract for a player that is more risk than reward. Now if Vancouver was interested in moving Brock Boeser, the Rangers should try to get in on that action as he could be the right wing addition the second line so desperately needs. However, Boeser will be an RFA after this season and the Rangers likely won’t be able to pay him.
Montreal Canadiens: With Jeff Gorton taking over hockey operations in Montreal, it almost makes too much sense for at least one deal to take place between the Canadiens and Rangers next week. There’s been a lot of chatter regarding veteran defenseman Ben Chariot. To be frank, I don’t understand why, nor do I see a world in which he is worth giving up a first round pick. Artturi Lehkonen is a depth option and perhaps a slight upgrade from Dryden Hunt that the Rangers have shown interest in. If the Rangers can pick him up for a late round draft pick or a B level prospect that Jeff Gorton drafted then by all means go for it. Aside from Lehkonen, I don’t really see the Rangers having much of a need to engage in discussions with Montreal unless they want to swap Kravtsov for Cole Caufield.
Edmonton Oilers: Goalie problems? The Rangers got you covered. If there is any world where the Rangers can somehow move Alexandar Georgiev for Kailer Yamamoto I want to live in it. That’s probably a stretch but it’s no secret the Oilers need to improve on their goaltender situation if they have any hopes at playoffs. There aren’t many players in Edmonton that fit the Rangers needs but don’t rule out Chris Drury getting some draft capital from them to give Georgiev a new home.
Ottawa Senators: There hasn’t been much chatter regarding the Senators plans at the deadline and there certainly hasn’t been any correlation between them with the Rangers. However, if Nick Paul is available, the Rangers should be all in on him. He’s a great depth guy, he’s become a leader in Ottawa, he’s been great for them this season. Frankly, I think they’d be foolish to move him but like I said, if they’re considering it, Drury should be all over it. Zach Sanford is another name that could intrigue the Rangers, he’s a depth piece, he’s won a cup with Sammy Blais and the Blues, if the price is cheap you have to think it’s worth exploring. There were rumors before the season started that Ottawa was interested in Ryan Strome, if the Rangers want to get real crazy and send Strome for a package involving Josh Norris, Nick Paul and Erik Brannstrom, that would be interesting but certainly a stretch.
At the end of the day, you have to think the Rangers make at least one or two moves. In my opinion, their best option is in Vegas if they can get Smith and Stephenson for a reasonable price. If they do that and pick up a couple other depth pieces, they’re in a much better place to make a run and can do so without selling the farm. It’ll be interesting to see what Chris Drury does, who has held his cards very close all season long.
Chris Feldman
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