New York Rangers: Five unrestricted free agents to target

The New York Rangers are at a crucial point and there is much work to be done. While a lot of the attention has been on who the next head coach will be, as well as the draft, free agency also looms large as well.

This summer promises to be a busy one for the New York Rangers. General manager Jeff Gorton has to hire a new coach, work out a plan for the draft, and also look ahead to the beginning of free agency on July 1. The first of July is often an exciting day for Rangers fans, as the team usually brings in a big name, whether it be Kevin Shattenkirk, Marian Gaborik, or Brad Richards.

This July 1 could also prove to be exciting since the Rangers are flush with cap space. Now, this obviously doesn’t mean that Jeff Gorton should just go out and throw a bunch of money and term at every big-ticket free agent. Luckily, in Gorton’s time as GM, he has shown a propensity for smart signings, such as Michael Grabner. He even managed to bring in Shattenkirk, last year’s consensus number one UFA, at a discount.

This year should be no different. While it would be nice to bring in an elite talent in free agency, giving out absurd contracts to players in their late 20’s does not always tend to work out well. With that in mind, here are five free agents the Rangers may, and should, be looking at come July 1.

John Tavares

Now, I know what you’re all thinking; “John Tavares is the face of the Islanders, he’d never leave them to come to their biggest rival.” Well, never say never. If you throw enough money at somebody, they’ll most likely go anywhere you want them to.

Now, there is no denying that the Rangers signing Tavares is the longest of long shots. Still, Jeff Gorton would be foolish to not at least inquire. If they were to somehow ink him, the Rangers would instantly be getting a franchise changer. He is unquestionably a number one center, and one of the most talented players in the game.

If Tavares does indeed leave the Islanders and hits the open market, we could be in for a bidding war the likes of which we haven’t seen in years. Tavares is going to obviously command a long term deal, somewhere in the range of seven-eight years with an AAV of between $9-10 million.

While that is a great deal of money and term to commit to a single player, Tavares, at 27 years old, is in the prime of his career. Players of his caliber do not hit the open market very often. While he most likely will not be a New York Ranger come July 1, the organization needs to at least do their due diligence.

Ilya Kovalchuk

Of all the potential free agent targets on this list, Kovalchuk is the one that I most expect the Rangers to sign. He has been linked to the Rangers for a while, and back in April a report broke that he would be signing with the Rangers. Of course, Kovalchuk refuted the report, saying he hadn’t agreed to anything.

There may have been a reason for this; Kovalchuk was not yet 35 years old at the time of the report, and so could not officially negotiate with any NHL teams. Now, however, his 35th birthday has passed, and he has been free to negotiate.

Related: How Kovalchuk would fit in the Rangers’ lineup

He just posted back to back 30 goal seasons with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL and his shot is still lethal. If you shelter his minutes, start him primarily in the offensive zone and let him loose on the power play, he could very well be a 25+ goal scorer.

Kovalchuk is most likely going to want a two-three year deal worth around $5.5-6 million per year. While the money isn’t an issue, Jeff Gorton should be insistent on a two year deal, nothing more.

If the Rangers do happen to land Kovalchuk, they will be getting a player who, despite his age, is still talented and can shoot with the best of them.

Rick Nash

While a Nash reunion on Broadway doesn’t seem all that likely, the Rangers should at least look into it. While it is true that, outside of 2015, Nash was never the elite goal scorer here that he was in Columbus, he was still a very talented forward who excelled in all three zones.

If the Rangers were to bring Nash back, it of course would be for substantially less than he previously made. A three-year deal in the $4-4.5 million range seems fair.

Nash would fit right back in in the top-six. He could be used to kill penalties, as an effective net front presence on the power play, and as a power forward, using his frame and strength to his advantage.

While Nash will be 34 by the time July 1 rolls around, and his concussion history is serious, it wouldn’t be a terrible option for the Blueshirts to bring him back. He can still play, and at the end of the day, that’s really all that matters.

Thomas Vanek

Man, it feels like Thomas Vanek is on a different team every year, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because he kind of is. Since 2013-14, Vanek has donned the jersey of eight different NHL teams.

A bit of a journeyman over the past five years, what gets overlooked is the fact that Vanek is still a very good NHLer. This year, he quietly put up 24 goals and 32 assists in time split between the Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets. Impressive for a 34 year old who frequently bounces around the league.

The great thing about Vanek is that he could most likely be had for cheap. A one-two year deal in the $2-3 million range would likely do the trick.

The Rangers could use a player like Vanek on their team. He could most likely slot into the bottom-six, say the third line, and play on the power play as well. If the Rangers are looking to go bargain hunting this July, they’re not going to do much better than Thomas Vanek.

Next: Five traits that the Rangers need in their next head coach

The New York Rangers have a ways to go towards getting back to being serious contenders. However, with the right head coaching hire, a smart draft, and some wise signings on July 1st, they could be back to contention sooner rather than later.