New York Rangers’ Free Agent targets: who should be signed?
The off-season is here, and everyone has an opinion on who the New York Rangers should sign. Here’s who we believe the Rangers should target this off-season.
Following a disappointing second round exit in the playoffs, the Rangers will be looking to make some moves. While the roster is expected to largely remain the same, there will still be some changes coming.
Although popular opinion points to the changes coming on defense, some trades could lead to forwards joining the roster as well. Free agent signings make tremendous impacts each season. Simply look at how much a Brad Richards or a Marian Gaborik impacted the roster right from the get-go.
While plenty of players would not have that significant of an impact, every signing means something. With that in mind, let’s go through who the Blue Line Station team would like the Rangers to sign.
Brandon Cohen- Joe Thornton
Truthfully I would most like to see the Rangers make a move on defense, but my expectation is that that happens through a trade. With that in mind, the trade would likely include one of New York’s top forwards going to a new team. Thus, a gaping hole will exist in the top six. Enter Joe Thornton.
Not only could Thornton join the team as a top six forward with a bevy of experience, but he could also be a tremendous mentor for the likes of Kevin Hayes and Chris Kreider. Hayes has plenty to learn from a player like Thornton, who could be somewhat of a player-coach. Oh, and his ability to put up points certainly doesn’t hurt either.
It would have to be a short term deal, but Thornton would be a fantastic fit to replace a traded forward.
Dan Carrozzi- Chad Johnson
A free agent the New York Rangers should pursue this upcoming off-season is Chad Johnson.
Antti Raanta will likely not still be a Ranger at the beginning of the 2017-18 season. Whether he is taken in the expansion draft by the Vegas Golden Knights, or traded, the Rangers will need to replace him.
After underwhelming seasons from their crop of AHL goaltenders, the Rangers may choose to pick up an Unrestricted Free Agent.
I think they would do well in picking up an old friend in Chad Johnson. The former Rangers farmhand has had success in the past two seasons serving as a backup and spot starter for the Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames.
On one hand, his numbers by the end of the season were not spectacular. However, his play in holding down the fort in Calgary while Brian Elliot was struggling was a reason they made the playoffs.
His performance may lead Johnson to attempt to land a starting gig somewhere in the league. In the event that he cannot, the Rangers should explore a reunion with Johnson, provided the price is right.
John Cavanagh- Cody Franson
The Rangers needs on defense are well documented. Before Brendan Smith was acquired at the trade deadline, one of the possible trade targets for the Rangers was right handed defenseman Cody Franson.
Franson played for the Buffalo Sabres the past two seasons, and is now an unrestricted free agent. The defenseman would be a good fit because he has the key checkmarks the Rangers should look for in rebuilding their defense.
Franson has good skating ability, can move the puck efficiently, and is a big right handed shot the Rangers have been missing on the power play. While the Rangers are looking to get younger on defense, Franson is only 29 years old.
Brendan Smith is likely to be re-signed by the Rangers, and the consensus is he will command about four to five million dollars. Kevin Shattenkirk is the top defenseman on the market, and like Franson, is also a right handed shot.
However, signing Shattenkirk means shelling out close to six million dollars, unless he gives the Rangers a hometown discount. With Smith likely signing on, the Rangers would have to make big changes to their roster to make room for a player like Shattenkirk.
While he’s not as flashy, Franson would be a fine addition to the Rangers defense, and at a much cheaper cost. Franson averaged 18:29 TOI (Time on Ice) a night for the Sabres, and has positive puck possession numbers with a lifetime CF (Corsi For) of 52.6% (via Hockey Reference).
Logan Clements- Brendan Smith
The Rangers will need to address their blueline this offseason. They have been extremely weak down the right side in recent years. Brendan Smith has proven that he is able to play solid defense on his off-side. He also managed to have great chemistry with Brady Skjei during the regular season and the playoffs.
Smith is reportedly looking to get four to four and a half million dollars per season for four years. The New York Rangers will be pressed for cap space this offseason. Smith’s potential new contract would be a more affordable option than Kevin Shattenkirk’s would be.
All of these reasons make Brendan Smith a great fit for the Rangers blueline and it’s imperative that they bring him back.
Tim Haggerty- Kevin Shattenkirk
The New York Rangers should pursue free agent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk this summer.
Shattenkirk is the perfect fit for the Rangers. He plays a unique, puck-moving style that the Rangers desperately need.
The Rangers defense is in serious need of an upgrade. Girardi, Staal, and Holden leave a fatal hole that needs to he plugged. Shattenkirk would plug that hole and then some.
If the Rangers play their cards right, the price should not be a problem. Shattenkirk should ask for $6.5-$7 million per year. The Rangers have the room in the cap for that, and a buyout of Girardi and/or Staal could open up even more space.
Born and raised in New Rochelle, New York, Shattenkirk wants to come home and play for his childhood team, the Rangers. The opportunity is knocking at the door, and all the Rangers have to do is open it.
Connor Healey- Nick Bonino
Nick Bonino could be a potential target for the Rangers this off-season. Bonino is a second or third line center that has proven himself on the biggest stage. This Stanley Cup champion was pivotal in the Penguins 2016 championship run centering the HBK (Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino, and Phil Kessel) line.
With the uncertainty of the expansion draft and what Jeff Gorton is thinking about in regards to the Rangers core players, an experience center should be looked at. This season the Rangers experienced a disappointing playoff performance from Derek Stepan and an up and down year from Kevin Hayes. Having strength up the middle of the ice is crucial to advancing far in the playoffs. Bonino is a player who, if at the right price, could provide stability to the center position.
Bonino is currently under 30 years old (29) and is a steady 35-45 point scorer. He will not be a defensive liability and he will be crucial on the penalty kill. His contract on the Penguins was worth $5.3 million dollars for 3 years (Sportrac) . Bonino will be looking for a raise and it is deserving. A deal that makes sense would be around 4-5 years and between $14-16 million dollars.
Despite the fact that the Penguins will be in the front running for Bonino’s services, the Rangers should look his way if one of their centers is either traded or drafted to Las Vegas.
Karly Redpath- Sam Gagner
This past summer, Sam Gagner signed a one-year $650,000 deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets and shined posting career-high goals, assists and points in 2016-17.
Gagner is a free agent that the New York Rangers should consider as an option to be picked up in effort to aid their struggling power play. He was one of the Blue Jacket’s most vital pieces to their power play unit, which was one of the best in the league for a portion of the regular season.
The key was Columbus’s head coach John Tortorella being able to effectively utilize the 27-year-old to best showcase his abilities.
This season, Gagner made an impact as a fourth liner who played on the Blue Jacket’s top power play unit with Nick Foligno and Cam Atkinson.
Gagner hit the 50-point mark for the first time in his career this season. Eight of his 18 goals and 10 of his 32 assists came on the power play.
Gagner averaged 2:35 on the power play this season, and his impact on the power play can be seen in his goals for and shots for in man down situations.
His goals for per 60 on the power play was 1.85 and shots for total was 14.48.
Assuming the Rangers could get him at a reasonable price (seeing he made $650,000 it will be interesting to see what he’s asking) and so long as he fits and can be used effectively he could be a huge asset for the Rangers both in 5-on-5 and on the power play.
George Ruggiero- Eric Gryba
Although the Stanley Cup is yet to be awarded, the Rangers’ offseason is in full swing. Trade rumors are swirling and ideas are brimming from us armchair general managers. Free agency is one of the most exciting times of the offseason, and we all have ideas on who our favorite teams should sign.
As for the Rangers, they should attempt to sign Eric Gryba. The Rangers’ defense was a point of contention all season, both regular and post. Gryba would be a solid addition to a defense particularly bare of right handed options.
The 6’4”, 228 lb. righty only played in 40 games for the Oilers this past season due to injury. However, he played well in said games. He posted a positive Corsi For % of 52.13, better than all but one of the Rangers’ defensemen. Gryba also played on a very inexpensive contract.
Touting a cap hit of only $950k, Gryba would prove to be a very cheap option for a weak area on the Rangers’ roster. His cheap contract plus whatever he brings to the ice, when he isn’t injured, make Gryba a low risk-high reward type player, the type of player the Rangers can afford to bring in.
Lou Venditti- Brian Boyle
The New York Rangers are going to shed some veteran leadership this offseason. However, there is one veteran leader they should pursue for a reunion.
Brian Boyle will be a free agent this summer after spending time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning in2016-2017. Boyle, who will turn 33 come December, spent five seasons with the Rangers before leaving in free agency to the Lightning in 2014.
Next: Round-table: Bold off-season predictions
Boyle is a gritty fourth line centerman, and an upgrade on the Rangers current (former) grit-man Tanner Glass.
He isn’t a huge scoring factor, with 13 goals and 12 assists this past season. However, he’s led the teams he’s played for. Brian Boyle would make a great re-addition to the Rangers.