The New York Rangers are headed into a retool, as they sit in last place in the Eastern Conference coming out of the Olympic break. Artemi Panarin is already gone, as he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings before the break. But the NHL trade deadline could see more movement from the Rangers, and Chris Drury must handle it well. There are distinct dream and nightmare scenarios for the March 6 deadline.
The Rangers got a third-round pick and prospect Liam Greentree from the Kings in exchange for Panarin. They reportedly wanted a Brock Nelson-type return, which was a first-round pick and a top prospect. But Panarin's no-movement clause forced their hand, as he was unwilling to play for the Seattle Kraken. That was a bit of a disaster, but Drury can still save his trade deadline.
What must Chris Drury do to pull off a dream trade deadline for the Rangers?
The Rangers' dream should be a full fire sale
The Rangers already traded Panarin, and the letter they sent to fans indicates that more trades will be coming before next season begins. But the phrase “retool” is far different from “rebuild”, so trades of Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin, both on long-term deals, seem unlikely.
The best player they could trade before the NHL trade deadline is Olympic gold medalist Vincent Trocheck. He has three years left on his deal after this one at $5.625 million, which is reasonable for his level of production at center. Trocheck also has a 12-team no-trade list, which is far less trade protection than some of his teammates. Trading Trocheck is the start, but the dream comes from other trades.
If Drury can part with JT Miller, Mika Zibanejad, and William Borgen before next season begins, it would be the dream retool start. Those players do not fit the timeline of the Rangers and have albatross contracts that make it hard to improve through free agency. Trade protection will be difficult to work around for all three, and reports indicate they are not going to trade Miller, their captain. But for the retool to have success, these players can't be on the team.
Doing nothing would be contradictory
For the second time in recent memory, the Rangers sent a memo to their fans saying that they would make trades. They lived up to their word last time, trading Kevin Hayes, JT Miller (the first time), Ryan McDonagh, Pavel Buchnevich, and others. Panarin's free agency came at a weird time, but they signed him anyway when he was willing to take less money to sign on Broadway. That type of free agent is not going to be available this year, so a fire sale has to be coming.
If the Rangers sent the letter just to trade Panarin and Carson Soucy, it would be quite an overreaction. Someone else will be moved off the roster as the team heads ina new direction. But there is a line that Drury must toe, as there are young players on the team who should not be moved.
A different nightmare scenario for Rangers fans would be dealing Will Cuylle, Gabe Perreault, or Noah Laba. Any of those under-25 players could be key to the future of the club. But the one that could be traded is Alexis Lafreniere, who is 24 years old and not living up to his status as the first-overall pick. Lafreniere will be the toughest trade question Drury has to answer before the NHL Draft.
The Alexis Lafreniere question
Drury gave Lafreniere a seven-year, $7.45 AAV contract extension before last season. It started this year, and he has responded with 32 points in 57 games this year. He is not playing up to his draft status or his contract, which could lead to a trade. With a modified no-trade clause starting in the 2027-28 season. It is not a nightmare scenario to part with Lafreniere, as a change of scenery could be good for the player.
The Rangers need to keep adding assets for the future, which trading Lafreniere could bring in. The risk of him improving in a new place is worth taking for Drury to usher in a new era of Rangers hockey. Should your team trade for Lafreniere?
