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New York Rangers: Four centers to be avoided in free agency

By Timothy Haggerty

Apr 16, 2017; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) shoots against the in the first period of game three in the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) shoots against the in the first period of game three in the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 16, 2017; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) shoots against the in the first period of game three in the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) shoots against the in the first period of game three in the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports /

Joe Thornton

Joe Thornton could be on the Rangers radar this summer and he certainly should not be.

There is a lot of uncertainty about what we will get out of Thornton next season. He is just a year removed from an 82 point season and finishing fifth in the Hart Trophy voting. However this year Thornton had just fifty points.

It doesn’t help that Thornton finished this year’s playoffs with a torn ACL/MCL that required surgery to fix. That’s never promising for a player who is turning 38 this week.

The Rangers just don’t need to take a risk like this. Thornton has the rationale to ask for $4 mil over one to two years and that’s money the Rangers could spend elsewhere.

Thornton is too risky for comfort and the Rangers should look elsewhere for solutions at center.

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