New York Rangers Must Achieve These Second Half Goals

Get a Defenseman

The struggles of the team’s defense have been beaten like a rented mule numerous times throughout the last two years. The team doesn’t need to go out and get a top defenseman. They would be better served to wait until the offseason to do that–I laid out an entire blueprint for the Rangers’ defense going forward right here.

What the Rangers do need to do is start the blueline remodel by bringing in a 2nd pair defenseman and shipping one of Marc Staal and Kevin Klein–preferably both–out at the deadline.

A guy like Cam Fowler, who many Rangers fans are up in arms about potentially acquiring, is a solid fit and could probably come to the Rangers at a reasonable cost for a young defenseman with puck-moving ability.

Whatever the Rangers do, though, they cannot go out and trade for Kevin Shattenkirk. They should do everything in their power to sign him in free agency when they won’t have to give up any assets to acquire him.