New York Rangers: Five potential replacements for Tanner Glass
Tanner Glass likely will not be a New York Ranger next season.
Tanner Glass’ New York Rangers contract has expired, and the team will likely look for a replacement this off-season. Of course, the Rangers do not need to get an enforcer, but better yet someone who can contribute on the fourth line. The options should be plentiful, but not all of them will be appealing.
For example, players like Chris Neil exist if the Rangers opt to try to sign a replica of Glass. Heck, the Rangers could even re-sign Glass himself.
However, it is imperative that the New York Rangers acquire the right player to fill the fourth line role for the club. Let’s take a look at the best options New York can explore.
Antoine Roussel-
While not a free agent this off-season, Antoine Roussel represents a perfect fit for the New York Rangers’ fourth line. Roussel brings everything you want a fourth liner to bring to the table. He can agitate with the best of the best, his possession numbers have been consistently strong in the NHL, and he is not a liability offensively.
It would behoove the Rangers to see what the asking price is to acquire Roussel, as the Dallas Stars are likely open for business after a disappointing year.
Not only would Roussel slot perfectly into a fourth line role, but he would also give Alain Vigneault a close enough player to a true enforcer where the coach doesn’t feel the need to dress a player like Glass.
Brian Boyle-
One of the most significant criticisms of Brian Boyle in his time with the New York Rangers was that he would not play in an enforcer’s role. That would not change if he came back to New York, but the Rangers would need to understand that enforcers are not significant to success.
Boyle fit seamlessly in New York before, and the towering center would do so again. Boyle is a fantastic possession player who can be sneaky good offensively. Defensively he is among the top fourth liners in the league, and the Rangers already know what he can bring to the table.
The main concern is that the rest of the league also knows how good Boyle is, but at the right price he would fit well on the fourth line.
Scott Hartnell-
While Scott Hartnell is not a free agent currently, the Columbus Blue Jackets quite possibly could buy out the expensive forward in advance of the Expansion Draft. Once bought out, Hartnell would be an appealing bottom six addition for any team.
Similarly to Antoine Roussel, Hartnell represents a player that can agitate and play the “enforcer” kind of game when necessary, but does not only play that style. Hartnell uses his big body to get to the dirty areas and find cheap goals others struggle to find. He has a history in the Metropolitan Division, and would likely love to get back at his former teams.
The move would depend on Hartnell taking a sizable pay-cut, but the New York Rangers should look into bringing him aboard.
Internal Solutions-
The New York Rangers boast plenty of forward depth in their minor league system. While they will need new contracts, the likes of Marek Hrivik and Nicklas Jensen deserve legitimate shots at NHL playing time. New York has the luxury of the open spot, as well as the luxury of the players with experience in the organization.
Giving the youth a chance to step up and grab a fourth line role would be wise for New York. Not only would they see the team get younger, but they would also avoid spending big on a minimal role. A player like Boo Nieves could step in right away and succeed. Though he is not an enforcer, we once again stress that enforcers do not need to be on the roster at all.
No One-
If the New York Rangers manage to keep Jesper Fast, Michael Grabner, and Oscar Lindberg in the Expansion Draft, odds are they will not need a fourth liner anyway. The fourth line would consist of those three players, with Glass’ role being a healthy scratch or off the roster altogether.
Additionally, Glass’ role is not one that needs to be filled. Glass brought little to nothing to the table in his time in New York outside of a few meaningless fights and a couple of strong playoff games.
Next: Tanner Glass' replacement (or lack thereof) will loom large
In reality, the Rangers are best off recognizing that enforcers are not significant parts of successful NHL teams (just look at the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins) and ignoring the fact that Glass is a goner altogether.