New York Rangers McDonagh’s Injury Impacts Trade Deadline

Wayne Simmonds vs. the New York Rangers

Dear New York Ranger fans,

Whether you think the punch Wayne Simmonds threw was dirty. Whether you think the NHL was wrong for not fining Simmonds. Whether or not you believe Alain Vgneult is correct in saying that if Crosby were to have been on the receiving end of Simmonds uppercut, there would have been a suspension issued, guess what? No one really cares and nothing will change.

The NHL will feel criticism from the New York Rangers organization and fan base for a short period of time and then it will all blow over. This won’t even be a topic of discussion after Valentines Day, which is when Tanner Glass will inevitably find himself holding a fist full of Flyer sweater followed by a nice sit in the penalty box.

Instead of worrying about the past, what people should be concerned with are aspects of the team that have been impacted by this injury and  what the New York Rangers can control as we head towards the trade deadline (Feb. 29th), which is coming in hot.

New York Rangers 9-4-1… with McDonagh

The New York Rangers are going to be without their captain and lead defenseman, Ryan McDonagh and for how long? No one knows. The timing of this concussion could not have come at a worse time.

Over the last three weeks, McDonagh has played like a man on a mission, an absolute mad man. Not in ways that are measured by points, but with passion and hustle that has helped will the team to repeated victories. It is almost as if the captain felt responsible for the Rangers woes that were experiencing before the All-Star break.

As soon as he started playing better it was as if the rest of the Rangers remembered that they were still fighting for playoff positioning. Miller has scored nine goals in ten games, Kevin Hayes has taken his benching earlier in the season to heart and notable improvements to his game have been recognized and Lundqvist has been playing like the old Lundqvist we all know and love.

Oh, and the Rangers are currently on a three game winning streak, which shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but considering that the last time this happened was before Thanksgiving, it is a big deal.

The New York Rangers have gone 9-4-1 through their last 14 contests. Sure, one of those wins came Monday night against the Devils, a game which McDonagh did not participate in, but is it realistic to think the Rangers can keep that up?

Ryan McDonagh’s Concussion Clouds Gorton’s Judgement

As if this is not enough to discourage the team and fans, the GM of the New York Rangers, Jeff Gorton, now is faced with one incredibly complex, and quiet possibly brain melting decision. No matter what his solution to this dilemma is, fans and media members may be asking for his head shortly, because it is New York and what New York does best is run failure out of town, even if your starting position is inherently poor.

This conundrum revolves around the one and only, you guessed it, Keith Yandle.

Now a couple of weeks ago everything was pretty clear. The Rangers were struggling heading towards the trade deadline and Yandle was, and still may be, on the hunt for a huge paycheck since he is an unrestricted free agent. The Rangers have Salary Cap issues and realistically cannot extend his contract without moving other pieces around. This left Gorton with clear cut options, either trade him for talent or a draft pick, or trade others to clear Cap space and retain Yandle.

Not anymore. Now, with the left-handed McDonagh suffering from trauma dealt to his brain and no timetable available to schedule a return, Gorton will have to do something in order to acquire a left-handed defenseman and Yandle is now off the table.

Keith Yandle Stays Put

Yandle has produced lately, he scored the game tying goal in Philly that sent the Rangers into overtime at 19:47 in the third period, which they won in a shootout. He has also lead the team in ice time over the last two games with 27:33 minutes logged. Keith is playing like the high priced asset he is supposed to play like. This both helps and hurts the New York Rangers.

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The Blueshirts need Yandle to produce now more than ever. With McDonagh down, Yandle will have to step up and make plays from the blue line, which McDonagh does so well. The good news is Yandle seems to be achieving this with more consistency. However, the bad news is, if McDonagh does return in the very near future the Rangers will have a player in their possession whom is producing at a high level and will be asking for a pretty penny.

Now, this would all be fine and well if the Rangers knew McDonagh would be back by the end of the month. If this was the case, they could start wheeling and dealing to line up trades that would go in affect as soon as the captain returns to the line up, but no. They do not have all the necessary information needed to start these conversations, which leaves the Rangers and more specifically, Gorton, with a very expensive, and very crucial aspect of the team in unrestricted free agency.

How Does Yandle Stay While Acquiring a Lefty

Jeff Gorton needs to create a solution for the Cap Space issue, while acquiring a left-handed defenseman and retaining Yandle. If he does not, the New York Rangers will have to continue dressing four right-handed defenseman and two left, as they did against the Devils. This strategy may have worked Monday night, but it surely cannot be the long term solution to this problem.

Jeff Gorton, this is why you make the big bucks. I hope you have a solid plan and I wish you good luck. Don’t worry though, I am sure no matter what you do the city of New York will embrace and respect your decision wholeheartedly.

Next: Jesper Fast Plays Key Role in Winning Streak