New York Rangers could trade for 2018 free agents centers

Kyle Turris

The Ottawa Senators are going to be in a dicey situation next summer, with Kyle Turris a pending free agent and Erik Karlsson due an absolutely insane pay raise. It’s likely Karlsson will command eight digits per year on his next contract, putting a crunch on a team that generally doesn’t like to spend near the salary cap.

Turris could be the odd man out, and like Mika Zibanejad in 2016, the Rangers should target him in trade.

A game-changing skater and shooter, Turris took some time to develop. A rocky relationship with the Coyotes turned into a trade to Ottawa, where Turris finally blossomed. He’s routinely among their highest scoring players not named Karlsson, and has a penchant for killing the Rangers in the playoffs.

Grabbing Turris away from the Senators would easily fill that top-6 center hole, and give the Rangers a lock for 20 goals and 55 points per season.