Subscribe
Follow Us
The New York Rangers missed the postseason in 2024-25, a disappointing finish after a Presidents' Trophy win the year before. While the Stanley Cup Final has evaded this core on Broadway, they have talented players to put together another strong regular season. But if things go awry again, Chris Drury should be looking to rebuild the roster quickly for Mike Sullivan to lead to playoff success. The Rangers should consider a mid-season trade of Artemi Panarin, among other players.
The Rangers missed the postseason last year and made some changes in response. They dealt Jacob Trouba mid-season, and picked up JT Miller from the Vancouver Canucks a few months later. That helped their cap situation slightly and changed the vibes in the locker room. They solved both of those issues by sending out Chris Kreider in the offseason, reuniting him with Trouba.
The Rangers could be competing for the postseason by the NHL trade deadline in March. But if they are not, these are the players they should consider trading.
The Rangers should trade Artemi Panarin
When Artemi Panarin chose the Rangers in 2019, it ended an abbreviated rebuild and put massive expectations on the club. He had some great seasons, including two top-five MVP finishes. His playoff performances have not been up to expectations, however, with terrible runs in 2020 and 2023.
Panarin's $11.6 million contract is up after this season, and he has a full no-movement clause for the season. He would only be moved if he wants to be traded, but if the Rangers are out of it, that should be in the cards. Panarin would be a historically significant deadline deal, and one that could set GM Chris Drury up for a strong future.
Any team with a first-round pick and willing to trade their top prospects would be in on Panarin. Could he join forces with Connor McDavid for a dominant Edmonton Oilers team? Would the Rangers trade him in-division to a Carolina Hurricanes team looking for offense? There are a lot of possibilities that would put New York in a better situation quickly.
Carson Soucy heads right back out the door
The Rangers did pick up some pieces at the trade deadline last year, including Carson Soucy from the Canucks. He was solid in the 16 games he played for the Blueshirts, and has one year left on his contract. If they are out of playoff contention, the Rangers should consider trading him at the deadline.
Soucy is a solid defenseman who can plug into the bottom pair of a Stanley Cup contender. That very well could be the Rangers, who still have Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov at the top of their lineup. Soucy has a 12-team no-trade clause that could make a deal more complicated at the deadline. But if they can get back the third-round pick they dealt for him or even improve on that, they should take that opportunity.
Could the Mika Zibanejad divorce be coming?
The Rangers signed Mika Zibanejad to an eight-year, $68 million contract before the 2022 season. His first year on the contract was excellent, with a 39-goal campaign and a career-high 91 points. The past two seasons have not been as strong, with 72 points and 62 points, respectively. The trade rumors have heated up around the veteran, but the trade would be very difficult.
The Rangers would have to work around Zibanejad's full no-movement clause to make a trade. They gave that to him with the idea of a Stanley Cup contender being a mainstay at MSG for many years. Now, just three years later, they are having a different conversation. Would someone take on his full salary through his age-37 season?
The Rangers may be contending for the Metropolitan Division once again this year. They have a Stanley Cup-winner at head coach and the same core that led them to a Presidents' Trophy. But if they are bad again, they need to make significant trades at the deadline to turn the roster over quickly.
