The New York Rangers are at a tremendous crossroad. The team currently sits last in the Metropolitan Division, and looks like a long shot to make the playoffs. Last week, Jeff Gorton and Glen Sather met with the media and sent out a letter announcing their intention to rebuild. While this was very refreshing news, Gorton needs to get it right for it to be a success.
Jeff Gorton is in unprecedented territory for a New York Rangers general manager. Over the past 13 years, this team has typically been aggressive buyers at the trade deadline. However, this year is different. Last week, Jeff Gorton publicly announced his intention to sell at the trade deadline, and attempt to bring back young assets.
While this is undoubtedly the correct move to make, Gorton can’t afford to mess this up. The players that the Rangers have available will be highly sought-after, and Gorton cannot sell low on them.
If all goes according to plan, Rick Nash, Michael Grabner, Nick Holden, David Desharnais, and possibly Ryan McDonagh will no longer be Rangers by day’s end on February 26th. If Gorton plays this right, the Rangers could walk away from deadline day well-positioned for the future.
Rick Nash
From what everybody is reporting, the Nashville Predators are “all in” on Rick Nash. If the team wants him that badly, Gorton needs to leverage that as best he can. He needs to walk away with at least a first round pick and a high-level prospect.
Eeli Tolvanen would be the dream scenario, but that seems like a pipe dream. Dante Fabbro would be really nice, as would Grant Mismash. Gorton could also ask for a young roster player, such as Kevin Fiala. Either way, Gorton needs to do everything he can to maximize Nash’s value and walk away with the best possible return.
Michael Grabner
Grabner is a curious scenario. It seems clear that he is a system player, excelling in the system that the New York Rangers play. He can also be very inconsistent, but 52 goals over almost two seasons can’t be ignored, especially for a guy on as cheap a contract as he is. A contender will most likely be willing to part with a first round pick for him, possibly a lower-level prospect as well.
Nick Holden and David Desharnais
Holden and Desharnais will net a draft pick each, Holden possibly a fourth or even a third-rounder, and Desharnais somewhere around a fifth-rounder.
Ryan McDonagh
McDonagh is where things get interesting. He is clearly the New York Rangers’ most valuable trade chip, as well as the top defenseman on the market. Combine his undeniable skill with his extremely team-friendly contract, and contenders should be foaming at the mouth at a chance to acquire him.
A player of McDonagh’s caliber will not come cheap. If a team like Tampa Bay really wants him, they’ll have to pony up. While landing Mikhail Sergachev or Brayden Point in a deal would be incredible, that most likely won’t happen. A deal consisting of Callan Foote, Brett Howden, a 1st round pick, and a conditional 2 rounder seems more realistic.
But, Gorton shouldn’t trade McDonagh just to trade him. If he isn’t approached with a sizable enough return at the deadline, he should hold off on trading McDonagh until the draft, when the pool of suitors will likely widen.
Draft
If Gorton gets the trade deadline right, he then needs to focus his attention on the draft. This is going to be a crucial day for the New York Rangers, as they will hopefully have multiple first round picks, in addition to their own, to work with.
This year’s draft is absolutely stacked, and the Rangers are sure to get a very talented player if they finish in the top five, whether it be Rasmus Dahlin, Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, Adam Boqvist, or Brady Tkachuk.
Gorton will most likely have other draft picks in the first round to use as well, to continue to re-stock the prospect pool. He could also trade McDonagh at the draft to net a bigger return, as well as Mats Zuccarello. It is imperative that Gorton get the draft right too, as they cannot afford to squander their picks in a draft with as much talent as this.
Next: New York Rangers: How tanking could be a good thing
The next few months are going to be absolutely crucial in evaluating Gorton’s tenure as GM so far. If he gets it wrong, he’ll be remembered as the man who set the Rangers back for years. But, if he gets it right, he’ll be remembered as the man who got the Rangers back on the path to contention, and, ultimately, on the road to winning their fifth Stanley Cup.