The New York Rangers came close to the Stanley Cup Final once again in 2024. New York hoped to go on a deep playoff run when they hired Peter Laviolette as head coach last summer. Now, they are looking to finally get over the hump and actually make the Stanley Cup Final in 2025. They began working toward that goal in NHL Free Agency earlier this month.
The Rangers have had their eggs in a few different baskets this offseason. They reportedly had a trade in place with the Detroit Red Wings involving Jacob Trouba. However, Trouba was not interested in returning home to Michigan. Additionally, reports indicated that they wanted to try adding an impact player to their roster at some point.
At this point, it's likely the Rangers are done with their work in NHL Free Agency. And they may be done adding outside reinforcements to their roster entirely barring a surprising move. With this in mind, let's take a look at what New York did and hand them a grade for their NHL Free Agency moves.
Rangers turn to trade market on July 1
The free agency market opens on July 1, allowing teams to sign free agents from other teams. However, New York turned to the trade market to make a big move. The Blueshirts traded for veteran winger Reilly Smith in a deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins. New York sent a 2027 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Penguins in this trade.
Smith spent just one season in Pittsburgh. The Penguins traded with the Vegas Golden Knights last summer to bring the veteran to town. They hoped that Smith's experience winning the Stanley Cup in Vegas would have a big impact in their playoff hunt. However, their hopes didn't turn into reality on the ice.
Smith didn't have a bad season, to be fair. He scored 13 goals and 40 points in 76 games for Pittsburgh. That said, his 13 goals are exactly half of his goal total (26) during his last year with the Golden Knights. Additionally, his shooting percentage plummeted from 14.4% to 8.6%. His 8.6% shooting percentage this past season also represents the lowest such mark of his career.
New York does little in NHL Free Agency
Outside of the move for Smith, the Rangers were relatively quiet. Their biggest external signing was depth forward Sam Carrick, who joined on a three-year contract worth $1 million a season. Carrick split this past season with the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers. He scored 10 goals and 16 points in the regular season while adding one point in 10 playoff games.
Beyond that, New York has made two other notable moves. First, they signed former second-overall pick Kaapo Kakko to a one-year contract. Kakko put in a promising 40-point season in 2022-23. However, he struggled with injuries this past season and made little impact on the ice. He scored just 13 goals and 20 points in 61 regular season games.
The Rangers then re-signed defenseman Braden Schneider to a two-year contract. Schneider was a restricted free agent and has been a promising player on New York's blueline. Schneider scored five goals and 19 points during the regular season. He saw his ice time increase from 16 minutes a night to around 17 and a half minutes a game during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Grading the Rangers in NHL Free Agency
Overall, the Rangers can be excused for their quiet NHL Free Agency. New York didn't have a ton of salary cap room, and they did try creating cap space to give them more wiggle room. However, their activity is still disappointing, at least to some extent.
Smith is coming off a rough season with the Penguins. The Blueshirts are banking on him returning to form surrounded by a better team. But there is no guarantee that happens. And to trade a second-round pick to bank on this resurgence is a big risk for them to take even if the second-round pick is still a few years away.
Adding Carrick to their bottom-six is a fine move for the Rangers. He is good in the faceoff circle and is a replacement-level player. Additionally, they didn't spend too much on contracts for Schneider and Kakko. Kakko's deal is likely a prove-it contract for the former second-overall pick who has been the subject of trade rumors for over a year now.
In the end, the Rangers did what they could. But their moves feel disappointing in the same vein. This is a team that faces a lot of pressure to try and capitalize on the talent currently on the roster. And they may have caused an uncomfortable situation in their efforts to trade Jacob Trouba this summer. It'll be interesting to see if the moves they made are enough to make the Stanley Cup Final in 2025.
GRADE: C+
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