Which New York Ranger(s) Would You Trade This Season?
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Eyes On Isles
Sooner or later we New York Rangers fans must face reality and realize that one of our fan favorites will no longer be wearing a Rangers sweater in just a few months.
By the time the trade deadline arrives on March 2, 2015, one of the names below could very likely be moving onto a new team for various reasons. One reason being the Rangers still need to improve up the middle and acquire a natural centerman and the biggest reason being money. Not that the Rangers don’t have money of course, but because the NHL salary cap only allows you to spend a certain amount of cash on players per season.
Now the salary cap is supposed to increase next season, however just like this season, it is not supposed to increase by a huge substantial amount. So with the Rangers already right near the cap ceiling, and having a total of 10 players on the current roster either going to be an unrestricted or restricted free agent at this season’s end, I feel the Rangers are going to have to make a trade.
Some of the names that I think could be on the move, because of their current contract situation and/or bring in the most value, are Marc Staal, Mats Zuccarello, Carl Hagelin, and Chris Kreider.
Staal is not as valuable to the Rangers as he used to be, ever since the emergence of Ryan McDonagh and Staal’s concussions and horrific eye injury. However, Staal still has value to teams that need defensive help, which are a lot in today’s NHL, and trading him could very well bring back a center the Rangers so desperately need. With Staal being an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, wanting a long term contract worth around $6 million per year, I think Staal and his agent are out of their minds and should make Staal the prime candidate to be traded at the deadline.
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Just last season, Zuccarello led the entire Rangers team in points, yet this season he is performing not even close to the level he was at last year. An unrestricted free agent next season, making $3.5 million this season, Zuccarello is another fan favorite that could be on the move since Rangers management may very well be thinking that his season last year was just a flash in the pan.
Hagelin is a restricted free agent after this season, which could make him more valuable to deal than Staal and Zuccarello since a trading partner would have very little to no fear of Hagelin walking in the offseason, which is not the case with Staal and Zuccarello. Hagelin’s speed is a great asset but his inability to consistently finish and produce offense could be the reason why the Rangers maybe decide to part ways with him.
Kreider I feel is the least likely to get traded, but I decided to add him to this poll for a reason. Kreider has all of the talent and potential to be a power forward in this league, however, his effort has often been called into question. When Kreider is on his game, using his speed and being physical, he become a dominant player. The problem is that a lot of times Kreider seems hesitant and soft out there on the ice like he is taking games off. But Kreider is still only 23 years old and out of all of the Rangers young guns, I believe Kreider has the best skill set and it may be too early to give up on him.
Okay, I’ve said all I’ve got to say. Please vote below and let your opinion be heard.