New York Rangers Pacific Division Trade Targets
The New York Rangers have a bit of roster work to do this offseason. Free agency is right around the corner, but trades can be done even before then. The Rangers can find some great players via trade from the Pacific Division.
When the GM Jeff Gorton and the New York Rangers set out to improve the team this offseason, one way they will improve is through trade. While there are many players who can’t be touched, there is plenty of low-hanging fruit to be picked in the Pacific Division for the Rangers.
Every team in the Pacific Division has something to offer for the Rangers. Some teams simply have a bundle of cap space that the Rangers can dump contracts like Dan Girardi’s, while others have legitimate playmakers that the Rangers have a shot at acquiring. When it comes down to it, these are the deals that the Rangers could make to improve the team this offseason.
Anaheim Ducks – Cam Fowler
The Anaheim Ducks have a glut of young defensemen that are ripe for the picking. Since last season, there have been rumors of the Rangers and Ducks engaging in a trade to send a Rangers forward for a Ducks defenseman. If the Rangers trade for any Duck’s defenseman, it should be Cam Fowler.
Of the Ducks defensemen, Fowler is the best for his price. At $4 million per season, the 25-year-old workhorse can quarterback the powerplay and score at even strength. In 494 career games, Fowler has scored 45 goals and added 172 assists for 217 points. Of the 217 points, 96 came on the power play.
Fowler has been linked to the Rangers in the past. Last offseason, the Ducks were in a more dire need for scoring help. Once again, that appears to be the case as the expansion draft is going to strip Anaheim of scoring forwards if they don’t deal a defenseman.
The Rangers, if they chose to pursue Fowler, would not only have to give up a forward but would likely have to give up on re-signing Brendan Smith as well. Fowler’s $4 million cap hit is reasonable, but the Rangers would likely deal a forward with a lesser cap hit for Fowler, such as J.T. Miller. Smith is projected to fetch around $4 million per season this offseason, but Fowler has more upside at the price than Smith.
If the Rangers chose to trade for a defenseman, the Ducks will answer. Their backs are against the wall with the upcoming expansion draft, and they’ll do anything to get out of it.
Arizona Coyotes – Anthony Duclair
The Arizona Coyotes are the dumping ground for dead contracts. At last year’s draft, they picked up Pavel Datsyuk’s contract from Detroit after Datsyuk announced he’d be returning to the KHL. All it cost Detroit was the 16th pick in the 2017 draft, and they got picks back in return!
So, what’s stopping the Rangers from dumping Girardi, Staal, or Klein in Arizona, adding on a first round draft pick, and only asking for Anthony Duclair in return? Not very much, but a couple of things.
First, Girardi or Staal would have to have a roster spot in Arizona. As embarrassing as it is, they may not be able to crack the roster out of the preseason. GM Jacob Chayka wants to use his kids and the Coyotes are stacked with prospect power. There’s no spot for old and dead weight on the Coyotes blue line.
If Girardi or Staal have a roster spot, the Coyotes would have to be willing to actually take them on. Chayka took the contract of Datsyuk because Datsyuk retired. Even so, Datsyuk is one of the greats of the game and could find a spot on any team. However, Girardi and Staal are not greats of the game.
Klein to Arizona could be somewhat reasonable. The Rangers would have to send addition sweets for Duclair, and it may not even be worth that. Duclair has struggled recently. In 58 games last season, Duclair only scored five goals and added 10 assists. This was a giant step back from his 2015-2016 campaign where he posted 20 goals and 24 assists. Still, Duclair is young and has time to bounce back.
If the Rangers were wise, they would use Arizona as a dumping ground for Girardi or Staal. However, the possibility of reuniting the team with Anthony Duclair makes the Coyotes legitimate trade partners of interest.
Calgary Flames – Dougie Hamilton
Dougie Hamilton’s name came up in trade rumors during deadline season, but nothing came out of it. The 23-year-old defenseman has been posted up in Calgary since being traded by the Boston Bruins in the 2015 offseason. As a member of the Calgary Flames, Hamilton has continued his rise to stardom as one of the NHL’s premier young defensemen.
Since joining the NHL in 2012, Hamilton has scored 47 goals and 129 assists. However, in his last two seasons in Calgary, Hamilton has 93 points in 163 games. In contrast, he played 178 games for the Bruins and posted 83 points. Calgary has allowed Hamilton to flourish and mature.
The Rangers roster lines up perfectly with the Flames for a trade for Dougie Hamilton.
During the IIHF Men’s Championship in May, former college teammates Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary) and Kevin Hayes (New York) teamed up once again. Their chemistry was on full display to the world, showing how dangerous they can be if placed on the same line. In the NHL, the combo of Gaudreau and Hayes would be a top of the line one-two punch against any defense.
The trade wouldn’t be one for one, however. The Rangers would have work on their end of the deal. Kevin Hayes is enough to start the conversation, though. Hayes and the 2017 first round pick could entice the Flames to part with their young defenseman. With the Rangers, Hamilton could be on the top pair with Ryan McDonagh.
If the Rangers are serious about adding a young defenseman this offseason, Dougie Hamilton is worth a consideration. Giving up Hayes is a lot, but the return is just as good.
Edmonton Oilers – Jordan Eberle
Jordan Eberle is going to be traded at some point this offseason. Rumor has it that Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli has offers on the table for the former 1st overall draft pick. It’s unlikely that any offer is from the Rangers, but Eberle would make a fine addition to the Rangers.
Since breaking into the NHL in 2010, Eberle has played in 507 games. The right winger has 165 goals and 217 assists for 382 points across seven seasons of play. Eberle reached the playoffs with the Oilers for the first time in his career this season and failed to show up. In 13 games, Eberle only notched two assists.
Eberle fits with the Rangers almost perfectly. If/when Rick Nash is moved, Eberle fills his role as a strong righty with a high shooting percentage. Eberle also has power play experience, which the Rangers have sorely needed.
The issue with targeting Jordan Eberle in a trade comes down to the price. Eberle is a former first round pick and has shown himself to be a dangerous scorer. Rick Nash alone wouldn’t be enough, and the Rangers would likely have to sweeten the deal with draft picks or prospects. Eberle also has a hefty cap hit of $6 million, making a potential deal more complicated with the Rangers’ limited cap space for the offseason.
All in all, Jordan Eberle is the best of the Oilers to target in a trade. The Oilers are looking to move him, which makes it that much more convenient.
Los Angeles Kings – Alec Martinez
The Los Angeles Kings are in a tough spot. Their Stanley Cup winning core has crumbled, leaving the pieces scattered across the league and the Kings with huge contracts to reward clutch performances. As such, the Kings can’t be the greatest of trade partners due to strenuous cap limitations.
However, Alec Martinez is worth one last look.
Every time the highlight plays, Rangers fans everywhere feel sadness. Martinez ended the best Rangers season I had personally been able to witness, and that’s hard to get over. Yet, he can still make a good addition to the Rangers.
Martinez isn’t a great point producer, having had a career year in 2016-2017 with 39 points over a full 82 games played. Since joining the league in 2009, Martinez has 147 points over 419 games. Martinez is a down and gritty defenseman, however.
The Rangers could’ve used Martinez much more in the past, but could now be a decent fall back plan if the defensive market doesn’t play out for Gorton this summer. What he lacks in point scoring he makes up for in defensive prowess. Martinez can kill penalties and protect leads- something the Rangers could’ve used this year.
His price tag is high at $4 million per season, but he is likely available for less than other trade options. The Kings are cap strapped. They could shed the $4 million to invest in more youth.
San Jose Sharks – Joe Thornton
Joe Thornton is going to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and it’s likely that his time in San Jose has come to an end. Thornton’s tenure with the Sharks featured a short run as the team’s captain, as well as a Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
Thornton is a living legend, having appeared in 1,446 games with the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks. In those games, Thornton scored 384 goals and 1,007 assists, totaling 1,391 points. That’s good for 23rd all-time in the NHL.
Thornton has shown that his age can catch up with him, even with a career full of achievements. Thornton, who turns 38 this summer, scored only 7 goals and 43 assists for 50 points. It was his lowest producing full season since 1998-1999 when he had 41 points as a 19-year-old.
The Rangers are going to need an extra center this offseason, one way or another. Mika Zibanejad is safe, but Oscar Lindberg has come up in expansion talks, and Derek Stepan and Kevin Hayes could see themselves on the move this offseason. As a top-six forward, Thornton can still produce.
The best way to acquire Thornton is to simply wait for free agency, but they could trade for his rights before free agency and try to sign him. That way, the Rangers can get a reasonable deal for Thornton, and then can sign them on their own terms. The Rangers would likely only need to give up a draft pick, especially if San Jose has no intention of re-signing Thornton for themselves.
Joe Thornton’s long and storied career could simply end if the Sharks don’t re-sign him, but he still holds a good amount of value. Thornton would be a fantastic addition to the Rangers, especially for a low price.
Vancouver Canucks – Erik Gudbranson
Erik Gudbranson was just traded to the Vancouver Canucks from the Florida Panthers in the offseason of 2016, but he didn’t find his groove in Vancouver right away. Albeit, his season was cut short by a wrist injury in December. Even so, in 30 games with Vancouver, Gudbranson only posted 6 points.
Gudbranson is a great big defenseman with a powerful shot. He doesn’t add much on the power play, but he can kill penalties and sees the ice well. Assuming Brady Skjei is moved up to the second pair for the 2017 season, Gudbranson could slot into the Rangers bottom pair.
Would Vancouver part with Gudbranson that easily? More than likely not. They see a good amount of potential in him, and the rumors haven’t been flying. The Canucks also have very little to offer in the way of trades. Their prospect system has been depleted. They’ve failed to get the ball rolling on their rebuild for the last couple season. Gudbranson may very well be one of the only bright spots in the organization, and even he’s shaky.
Next: Five Potential Replacements for Michael Grabner
The Rangers should definitely be interested, depending on his availability. He may not be a high power offensive defenseman, but the Rangers could use a little bit of grit on the blue line.