New York Rangers: Central Division Trade Targets

3 of 8

Apr 2, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon (29) passes in the third period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

Colorado Avalanche – Nathan MacKinnon

This trade rumor has been swirling for a while now, so much so that our own Drew McCaffery wrote a full article on the subject. The Rangers have been looking for a bona-fide number one center for a while now. Nathan MacKinnon could prove to be that center.

The 21-year-old has impressed in his four NHL seasons. He got off to a blistering start to his career, scoring 24 goals and 39 assists in 82 games en route to the Calder Memorial Trophy. However, he hasn’t matched that total since, most recently scoring 16 goals and 37 assists for 53 points.

The Colorado Avalanche would require a king’s ransom for MacKinnon, but the Rangers can get it done. The Avalanche are in full on rebuild mode, so a nice package of a roster player, prospects, and picks could pry MacKinnon out of Denver.

Home/Analysis