New York Rangers: A definitive ranking of the restricted free agents

4. Vladislav Namestnikov

Vladislav Namestnikov came to New York in the trade for J.T. Miller and Ryan McDonagh. Many say that acquiring Namestnikov and dealing Miller was basically a wash, but Namestnikov brings more skill to the table.

In the 19 games he played for the Rangers, his numbers were not all that impressive. Namestnikov recorded just two goals and two assists in his time. This is likely due to the fact that he was not given the opportunity play his best game. Alain Vigneault buried both him and Pavel Buchnevich on the fourth line, at times playing them with Cody McLeod.

It would be great to see Namestnikov get the chance he deserves. There is no doubt that he would be a great fit for the Rangers roster.

However, the young forward is also someone who could bring back good return on the market.  He was successful in his time with Tampa Bay, and at this point has not established himself as an essential player in New York.

The question is, do the Rangers see him as a part of their future? Is he someone that would be essential to the Rangers as they start to lay the building blocks for the next era?

If the answer is no, it may be best to see what they can get if he walks.