New York Rangers could trade for 2018 free agents centers
The New York Rangers have had an eventful offseason thus far, but many of the moves point toward General Manager Jeff Gorton having a long-term plan in place. Blue Line Station looks at a few potential future moves that could fit into that plan.
As crazy as it sounds, the New York Rangers have more questions at forward than they do on defense. Jeff Gorton’s shrewd trades and signings netted the Rangers Kevin Shattenkirk and Anthony DeAngelo. When taken with the buyout of Dan Girardi and re-signing of Brendan Smith, New York has a solid top-four on defense.
But those moves came with a cost. Top-line center Derek Stepan is now in Arizona, and fourth-line pivot Oscar Lindberg is just up the road in Las Vegas. While the free agent signing of David Desharnais helps replace Lindberg, the Rangers still have a big top-6 center void to fill.
With the 2017 free agent market thinned out, it’s likely the Rangers will look to trade to fill that gap. There are several intriguing names at that position who might be available due to pending free agency in 2018.
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.
Paul Stastny
In St. Louis, things are shaking up. A team with Stanley Cup aspirations for many years, the Blues have shed some key pieces, including Shattenkirk. With Stastny due a new contract next summer, they may decide to move him and rebuild around the talented Robby Fabbri.
While Stastny hasn’t ever hit the point totals of his early career playing with Joe Sakic in Colorado, he’s still a serviceable center with good impacts at both ends of the ice. He’d fit in the Rangers’ top-six.
The Rangers could likely get him for a reasonable price, especially if St. Louis is struggling to sort out the left side of their defense. Dangling the superfluous Nick Holden doesn’t hurt the Rangers (who have tons of left-shooting defensemen) but would be attractive to the starved Blues.
John Tavares
Okay, I’ll get this out of the way early: this one’s a long shot. The price of trading for a superstar like John Tavares would be astronomical. Think multiple of Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller, Brady Skjei, and Mika Zibanejad. Add in a prospect and probably a couple of first-round picks. To one of the Rangers’ most-hated rivals.
Honestly, it’s not gonna happen. But…
The whole hockey world knows about the difficulties going on around the Islanders organization. The uncertainty around their rink situation and lack of progression has led to rumblings about Tavares seeking free agency.
If that happens, you can bet the Rangers will be all over him. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that the Rangers attempt to trade to acquire his rights early in the summer and get more negotiating time. A high draft pick might be enough to sway the Islanders if Tavares makes it clear he intends to jump ship.
We can all hope, right?
Tyler Bozak
A more realistic solution than Tavares, Tyler Bozak is coming off a career-year in Toronto, and will demand a pay raise. However, the looming cap situation, with budding stars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander due new contracts in two years, means Bozak is probably on the way out.
Toronto is searching for affordable defense solutions to make a run now and retain flexibility to stay competitive after 2018. The New York Rangers could dangle Holden or even a prospect like Neal Pionk or Ryan Graves.
Bozak might be a bit of a risky move, as 2017 was his first season breaking the 50-point mark. Despite playing much of his career with Phil Kessel, the points just never really came until last season. It may not be a sure thing, but Bozak could represent an attractive short-term solution while 2017 first-rounder Lias Andersson develops.
Bryan Little
A perennially underrated player, Bryan Little has quietly put together an impressive career in Atlanta and Winnipeg. Good for 50-60 points in a full season, the veteran is an important part of Winnipeg’s core.
However, tides may be changing. With two straight injury-shortened seasons and young reinforcements on the way, the Jets may be looking to shift away from Little and invest in the future.
At 29 years old and carrying a $4.7 million cap hit, Little would be a good fit for the New York Rangers top-six. The injury problems are a risk, but sometimes you need to take a risk to find the right answer.
Like Bozak, Little would be a short-term solution. The Rangers are clearly hoping that Andersson develops into a solid top-six piece, but going with a proven veteran is a safe route in the meantime. The injury risk with Little might even be a bargaining chip for the Rangers in a potential trade, especially since Little hasn’t played a full season since 2014.
Next: Ranking the best American-born Rangers on the roster
One way or another, Gorton must be exploring his options at getting the Rangers an impact center for the 2017-18 season and beyond.