The New York Rangers have a bevy of suitors for their roster talent. There are a pair of potential trade partners within the division that would make a lot of sense.
Trades within divisions are a rarity in the NHL. These are the teams you see the most often during your schedule which often leads to a general dislike for each other. The dislike between players on teams is very tangible and spreads to the front office.
Cal Clutterbuck of the Islanders goes out of his way to be extra irritating because no one on the Rangers will stand up to him. More irritatingly, the grinder always seems to tuck in a goal when the two teams clash.
However, if the Rangers front office were able to put aside pride, they could land talent that would be able to make an immediate impact.
Related Story: Everyone needs to relax about J.T Miller's struggles
The hardest part of any potential move with either of these teams is stomaching the sight of a Ranger in that sweater. If there were ever a time to look at the bigger picture and take advantage of a desperate team, now would be it for New York. The Islanders are facing the very real prospect of John Tavares leaving in free agency and are in dire need of a playoff run.
Potvin does suck
Accepting the fact the Islanders have several assets that would help the Rangers is a hard pill to swallow. As a result of the Travis Hamonic trade with Calgary last summer, they have several drafts picks on top of prospects.
The Rangers would hold the leverage in this negotiation because of the Islanders level of desperation. On top of that, the Rangers would actually be better served by doing their due diligence and leaving no stone unturned.
The Rangers could target a number of different assets in the Islanders system. Joshua Ho-Sang, the highly talented forward, has been buried on the fourth line of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. This is a classic case of a team not properly valuing a player and the player needing a change of scenery. The young forward looked like he belonged in the NHL during his stint in the show last year.
The true weak point of the Rangers is, of course, their defense. The Islanders have two interesting defensemen that would work for the Rangers: Ryan Pulock and Thomas Hickey. The team’s defense is so porous that both would be stark improvements.
Pulock is only 23 years old and still developing as an offensively gifted defenseman. This would be the higher end of the two, Hickey is 28 years old and essentially a finished product. The attraction to Hickey would be his strong possession numbers. He starts more than half of the time in the defensive zone and is still a positive possession player.
What it’d look like
This means the Rangers would have to part with a key player. In the case of the Islanders, they desperately need defensive help, so it would mean Ryan McDonagh going down to Brooklyn. This is an outright gut punch to any fan who’s watched McDonagh develop into one of the best defensemen in hockey.
It is imperative for the Rangers to not fall into the trap of being sentimental about a homegrown player. It has burned the organization multiple times in the past and signing a dinged up McDonagh to a five-year extension at age 30 is a recipe for disaster.
The quickest way for the team to go from rebuilding to back in the hunt is landing an array of assets. The Islanders have several that should be enticing for the Rangers, so making a deal would be in the best interest of both teams.
The deal would have to be something centered around one of Ho-Sang or Pulock with draft picks. The Islanders could add in Hickey, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, in as a sweetener to settle any nerves. McDonagh for Ho-Sang, Hickey and a first-round pick from the Hamonic trade is a more than fair offer for both sides.
Next: Potential trade targets: Boston Bruins
It is highly unlikely that these two organizations start doing business with each other. But, if Jeff Gorton has his pulse on the market and senses that a deal could be made, he’d be a fool to not cash in.