New York Rangers: Central Division Trade Targets

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Mar 24, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Stephen Johns (28) and San Jose Sharks center Chris Tierney (50) during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeat the Sharks 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Dallas Stars – Stephen Johns

The right side of the Rangers’ defense is in dismay at this point of the offseason. Longtime Ranger Dan Girardi is having his contract bought out by the team and fellow veteran Kevin Klein is all but officially retired. That’s where the Dallas Stars come into play.

Dallas is missing a lot of veteran depth throughout their defense, but they have an abundance of young talent. Stephen Johns is a 25-year-old right-handed defenseman, who could work wonders for the Rangers’ depleted defense corps.

The 6’4″ 230 pound defenseman played well on a poor defensive team. He featured in 61 NHL games this past year, posting only 10 points. However, his possession numbers more than make up for that. His 51.4 Corsi For Percentage at even strength would have ranked highly among Rangers’ defensemen.

The Dallas Stars have a talented group of forwards, but their defense is inexperienced. The Rangers happen to have a pair of veteran defensemen that general manager Jeff Gorton has made expendable.

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