New York Rangers: Trade target Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

The Rangers have continued to win after a rocky start. However, the team is still missing a key piece down the middle of the ice.

It is no secret that center has been a position of need for the Rangers this season. After the Derek Stepan trade, the team has lacked depth. While they have done an admirable patchwork job of covering up their deficiencies at the pivot, center is still a position of need.

A few months ago the Rangers seemed like they might be sellers rather than contenders. Now they seem closer to adding at the deadline. Still, the team needs another center if they want to seriously contend for the Stanley Cup. The belief seems to be that the team has a shot this season, but only if an addition is made.

One of the centers that could be acquired is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers center is young and has top-six ability. Here is why the Rangers should trade for RNH and what that trade might look like.

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Why RNH?

Nugent-Hopkins immediately fits a position of need. He could immediately slide in on either the second line or the third line and immediately make a positive impact on the team. Nugent-Hopkins is a first overall pick who will never live up to the hype that comes with that status. However, he can certainly be a player who gives a team quality minutes and puts up points.

If you look at Nugent-Hopkins, his career numbers aren’t far off of those produced by Derek Stepan, the former first line center of the Rangers. Nugent-Hopkins had averaged .67 points per game for his career while Stepan has averaged .68. Both are pass-first centers that average roughly 19 minutes per game. Even though the Rangers lost Stepan, Nugent-Hopkins can serve as a decent facsimile.

The other reason to bring in Nugent-Hopkins is the fact that he is still very young. He could be a part of the Rangers team for years to come. The team seems to be moving forward with youth as the focal point of their team.  Nugent-Hopkins would fit into this youth movement nicely. At just 24 years of age, RNH may not have even had his best season yet.

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The Price

So what would it take to land Ryan Nugent-Hopkins? My guess is the rumors circulating roughly two months ago wouldn’t be far off. Kreider for RNH straight up isn’t an awful trade for either team. I think the Rangers may be slight winners in that scenario because of their dire center situation.  However, I’m sure New York would still want to keep Kreider if possible.

Michael Grabner is the type of player that teams looking to buy at the deadline target. Grabner’s value will never be higher than it is right now. His speed has always been mesmerizing. Now throw in the fact that he has been scoring at will and suddenly he is starting to look like the first rounder that he was when he was drafted. That deal wouldn’t be straight up though. The Rangers would likely have to send over another piece, either a depth player or draft pick.

Krieder would be the easiest trade, but I think the Rangers would feel like they are giving up too much. While it would be tough to say goodbye to him, Grabner seems like the logical trade bait if the Oilers bite. I think they would if there were another piece coming their way. This trade would give the Rangers a center they desperately need and they have players capable of filling in at wing.

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Nugent-Hopkins to New York is not an impossible move, it even seems like a feasible scenario. The Rangers may have to give up a valuable player, the difference this time is the player wouldn’t be given up for an aging veteran. This time it would be a young, talented center who could really help the Rangers.