New York Rangers: Five worst trade deadline deals of the Lundqvist era
In recent seasons, the New York Rangers management has stumbled into a few too many poor deadline-day deals. As a result, franchise-goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has been unable to get to the ultimate goal of being a Stanley Cup winner.
The trade deadline is a familiar beast to the New York Rangers. However, for the first time in a while, they will be sellers instead of buyers in the market. In fact, since Henrik Lundqvist has joined the team as a starter, they have consistently been playoff contenders.
As it stands, Nick Holden, Michael Grabner, and Rick Nash all have new homes. This time around, it seems as though GM Jeff Gorton and his staff are well aware of their end goal of building further through the draft and keeping the championship window open just a bit longer for Lundqvist.
When all is said and done, the hope is that this year’s deadline deals will be able to mask some of the poor ones of the past. This is a list of five of the worst trade deadline deals during the Henrik Lundqvist era.
5. Keith Yandle for Anthony Duclair, John Moore, and picks
I’ll start the list with a trade that wasn’t as bad in theory, so much as it was in practice after the fact. In 2015, with the trade deadline coming up quickly, the Rangers made a major move in acquiring defenseman Keith Yandle. It seemed as though they had their powerplay quarterback for the foreseeable future.
The haul given up for Yandle was lucrative, to say the least. Arizona received a first (2016) and second (2015) round pick, as well as one of the Rangers’ finest offensive prospect in Anthony Duclair. John Moore was no throw in either, he had shown promise since joining New York from the Blue Jackets.
Perhaps the assets given up for the Rangers would be more palatable if Yandle was used properly. However, in an era plagued by the coaching decision nightmares of Alain Vigneault, that would not be the case.
Yandle did his best to cover up his coach’s mistakes and performed well in his lesser role in New York. In 2015-16, Yandle recorded 47 points (42 assists), including 22 power play points.
Rangers’ management misused Yandle during his time under their control but also botched his exit. Instead of making the most of his value and trading him at the following deadline, they moved him at the 2016 draft for just a 6th and a 4th-round pick.
4. Eric Staal for Aleksi Saarela and picks
Despite the overall failure of the trade, I’ll leave this one as number four on this list because it should have had a better outcome.
There was a time when a trade for Eric Staal was a no-brainer for just about any franchise in the NHL. Unfortunately for the Rangers, they chose one of the worse times to take a flier on the Stanley Cup winning center.
Once again, the lineup mishandlings of Alain Vigneault ruined what should have been a promising acquisition for New York. The Rangers were in desperate need of defense, not offense, and had three legitimate centers in Derick Brassard, Derek Stepan, and Kevin Hayes. As a result, Staal found it hard to come across minutes and opportunities in the Rangers’ forward rotation.
This was one of the first true sign of poor asset management in the Rangers’ front office. Instead of focusing on the issues at hand on their roster, they chose to once again make a flashy trade. In the process, they lost two early-round draft picks and a quality prospect playing in a men’s league in Sweden.
3. Ryane Clowe for picks
The 2013 trade deadline was not much positive for Glen Sather and the New York Rangers. Bringing in Derick Brassard will always be the most remembered trade of that season. However, the acquisition of Ryane Clowe will remain a question mark in decision-making.
Clowe, who was 30 years old at the time, was a punishing winger clearly on the decline of his career. In 28 games with the Sharks prior to the trade, he registered 11 points, all assists. Still, that did not deter Rangers’ management from overpaying for his services.
The eventual package sent to San Joe for Clowe was a second-round pick in the 2013 draft, a third and a conditional second in the 2014 draft.
Clowe burst onto the scene in New York with two goals and an assist in his team debut. He would go on to register only five more points in just 13 more games (including two postseason contests) with the Rangers that season.
The trade for Ryane Clowe will be remembered more for the amount of time he didn’t spend on the ice, than the time he did.
2. Darroll Powe and Nick Palmieri for Mike Rupp
Another head-scratcher of a trade for the Rangers during the 2013 season. Offloading Mike Rupp could have been seen as a positive. However, the acquisitions of Darroll Powe and Nick Palmieri did little to improve the roster for the upcoming playoff run.
Powe, a penalty-kill “specialist”, accomplished a rather interesting feat in the 2012-13 season. In 42 games with both the Minnesota Wild and Rangers, Powe recorded exactly zero points. In fact, Powe generated more penalty minutes (27) than shots (23).
Palmieri, on the other hand, never got the chance to shine quite like Powe did. He immediately reported to Connecticut to play in the AHL. Palmieri never saw action at the NHL level again following his trade to the Rangers.
There’s a chance the Rangers were looking to lull opponents to sleep with this trade, in which they certainly got the point across. Anything related to making the lineup deeper or more effective is much less likely.
1. John Scott for a 5th-round pick
If anyone needs a way to tell when the Rangers were coached by John Tortorella, here’s a perfect benchmark to mention. During the 2011-12 season, New York acquired enforcer John Scott prior to the trade deadline.
The practice of recruiting big, tough bodies for the home stretch was common practice during those days in the NHL. However, when the Rangers got Scott, they already employed multiple players capable of handling Scott’s responsibilities.
John Scott joined a team that had not one, not two, but three fighters on the roster. Veteran Mike Rupp, fan-favorite Brandon Prust, and the infamous Stu Bickel all called Madison Square Garden home at the time.
Making the situation even more laughable was the way that Scott was advertised to Rangers’ fans. The 6’8″ brawler was listed as a defenseman when he was received from the Blackhawks. Nonetheless, when asked about the move, Glen Sather mentioned Scott’s versatility at both the defensive and winger positions.
Next: New York Rangers: A tribute to Jean Ratelle
Sather was fooling nobody.