The first annual New York Rangers trade value column
Following a string of four consecutive losses, the New York Rangers have to be considered open for business in regards to next month’s trade deadline.
The 2018-2019 New York Rangers made a valiant effort for the accumulation of talent it was. Although it’s only January, it’s fairly safe to say that the team’s season is effectively over. There was no realistic hope of making the postseason and this recent string of defeats cemented New York’s status as one of the five worst teams in the league.
In fact, if it were not for the Rangers’ seven overtime loss points, they’d be dead last in the entire league with 34 and this conversation would have started even earlier. There is no shame in attempting a serious rebuild as the front office has initiated. However, there needs to be a clear path with a timeline as to when the Rangers can be taken seriously again.
Teams that end up in a perpetual rebuild do so because their front office and coaching staff lack direction. It took the Buffalo Sabres more general managers and head coaches than you can count on your fingers to rise from the abyss the organization was in.
For an organization to successfully execute a rebuild, it requires the front office to exchange current assets for those that can positively impact the future. Since talent evaluation and development are not exactly a science, this is where the inherent risk comes in. Trade a 30 goal scorer away for an A-level prospect and there’s no guarantee they ever sniff the NHL.
Throw in the fact that no general manager is ever going to want to actually trade away fair value if they can help it and it creates a true balancing act for those who have a mandate to rebuild without getting fleeced. If every other G.M. knows you have to make a trade, they hold all of the leverage.
This brings us to the Rangers and the upcoming deadline on February 25th. G.M. Jeff Gorton has to make moves and doesn’t have much of a choice. Maybe, he’ll use this guide ranking all of the team’s assets and find something informative to help swing a trade.
Maybe you’ll remember that the Rangers are still paying Matt Beleskey or that Brendan Smith was one of the team’s worst free agent signings this decade.
The value of an asset increases the further down the page it is, with the most valuable being the last one.
All salary information comes from capfriendly.com and all stats are courtesy of hockeyreference.com.
Maybe a bag of chips
In the grand scheme of things, an NHL team can have a maximum of 50 players under contract at any given time. Of course, not every single player can be Henrik Lundqvist or Connor McDavid, someone needs to play 11 minutes per game with no special teams time. These are the players that get in once in a while and would be lucky to get claimed off of waivers let alone traded.
Cody McLeod
The Rangers’ enforcer is the lowest man on the totem pole in these rankings. Simply put, the enforcer is a dying position in the NHL and it does not make sense to invest in a player that is one dimensional. There are a variety of players around the league that can throw hands while still being an effective hockey player in other phases of the game.
New York claimed the veteran off of waivers last season and it’s unlikely that the team would get any takers this time around.
Boo Nieves
An under the radar depth player that’s as exciting as a ham sandwich, Boo Nieves checks in at second from the bottom. Every team needs a defensively responsible fourth line center, but Nieves has failed to make much of an impact in the ten games he’s played this season. As a pending restricted free agent, he holds minimal trade value.
Adam McQuaid
While Ryan Reeves of the Vegas Golden Knights was pummeling Adam McQuaid, the former Boston Bruin must’ve been thinking about what a rough year it’s been. The veteran defenseman was traded away from a team where he was a cornerstone for a majority of the decade to a rebuilding team and proceeded to get injured so severely that he missed two whole months.
Granted, his sample size with the Rangers is microscopically small, it’s hard to fairly judge him. However, McQuaid looks painfully slow and unable to keep up with play. For the team to get even a fraction of what it invested in him, it’d take a miraculous turn around or an unsuspecting G.M. falling prey to the brand name.
Matt Beleskey
A throw-in on the Rick Nash deal from last year, the overpaid veteran has spent the majority of the past two years in the AHL. Since the Bruins are still paying half of his deal, the contract is slightly more palatable but still on the books until the end of the 2019-2020 season. This would likely be a throw-in piece on a bigger deal.
There isn’t an army of G.Ms lining up to take on the forward that has never lived up to the contract he signed two years ago.
Maybe in the right lighting
Players in this category may be enticing to the right organization that needs their specific skill set. No one on this list is having a particularly strong season thus far, but playing on a borderline last place team is draining on just about everyone. Given their low but not insignificant trade value, players in this category can fetch mid-round draft picks or possibly slightly more.
Fringe and underdeveloped players: John Gilmour, Vinni Lettieri, Ryan Lindgren, Ty Ronning
All of these players have played a majority of the season in the AHL and fall into a saturated category as either replacement level NHL players with minimal ceiling or need significant development to break through the glass ceiling. Of the four, Ryan Lindgren has the highest ceiling but has yet to even sniff a callup thus far into his NHL career.
Ty Ronning has a significant hill to climb as an overage player from the bandbox that is the WHL junior hockey league. His 50 goal season is a nice accolade, but that league has a terrible defense and is prone to those type of offensive explosions in the right conditions. As for Gilmour and Lettieri, both are replacement level NHL players and likely career AHL level.
Neither Gilmour or Lettieri will move the needle much, but they can play competently at the NHL level for brief stints when called upon. Every team has these type of players within their own organization so it’s unlikely that they’d garner any outside interest.
Jimmy Vesey
This is a case in which a player’s name is more impressive than their resume. Jimmy Vesey is a solid depth forward that could sniff 40 points on the right team if given the right situation. On a rebuilding New York team, he’s averaging about .5 points per game in an increased role.
The former Hobey Baker award winner could easily fetch a third round pick on the open market from a G.M. looking more at brand than his resume. With just next year on his contract at an affordable $2.275 million, expect Vesey to get moved within the next 12 months.
Brendan Smith
Ever since Brendan Smith signed his four-year extension in the summer of 2017, the Rangers have had to regret it. The shot suppression monster that played with a snarl in the 2017 postseason turned into a traffic cone that panicked everytime the puck touched his stick. Since Smith cleared waivers last year to end up in the AHL, it’s unlikely he’d garner much interest.
Given that Smith makes $4.35 million per season, it would likely take New York retaining some salary to make a deal happen. Given his deteriorating performance and high cap hit, it’d take a really specific type of trade. Given how valuable defensemen are, expect Smith to be dealt before his contract expires in 2021.
Marc Staal
If only time machines existed, everyone could go and warn then G.M. Glen Sather to extend Keith Yandle instead of Marc Staal. It’s not an indictment of Staal as a person, but the fact remains that he was perfectly suited for the NHL five years ago. Today’s speed-based game moves to quick for the one-dimensional defender.
Somehow, Staal still has until the 2020-2021 season remaining on his contract that includes a full no-movement clause. Being that the veteran defenseman checks certain boxes that old school G.M.s love, there is a scenario in which he could be traded pending his approval. But, like most in this category, it’d take the right lighting to convince another organization.
Alexandar Georgiev
The Rangers as an organization have the perfect infrastructure for cultivating quality backups. With a firmly entrenched starter in Lundqvist and an elite goaltending coach in Benoit Allaire, the number two on the depth chart can play in a low-pressure role and not be life or death.
Georgiev has struggled more in his first full season as a professional than he did last year in limited action down the stretch but it’s fair to account the drop off to the team in front of him. An above average backup goaltender is important but not essiential to a contender. Mid-round pick gets the Bulgarian to backup your starter.
Jesper Fast
The first player that was slightly difficult to place, Jesper Fast is a Swiss-Army knife capable of playing anywhere in the lineup. The Swede plays a solid two-way game that can produce either conventional offensive production or shot suppression depending on what’s needed. Fast has the 2019-2020 season on his contract at a very cost effective $1.850 million.
Not flashy in any way, this is the type of trade that another G.M. can point to and say to his owner and fan base “this is the depth forward that sure up our bottom six for the postseason.” A serious contender could always use another quality forechecker that can create some offense with the right linemates. It would not be crazy to imagine the Rangers getting a second or third for Fast.
Ryan Strome
The former fifth overall pick in the 2011 entry draft is on his third team and has unanimously failed to live up to his amateur production. However, all of that being said, teams will give almost unlimited chances to top five picks based on the idea that all they need is a change of scenery. To be fair, Ryan Strome has produced nine points in 23 games since joining New York.
At $3.1 million until the 2019-2020 season, Strome is a classic trade-off for a late round pick for his restricted free agent rights. It’s unlikely that the Rangers view the former Oiler and Islander as a building block for the team going forward and it’s perfectly reasonable to expect some value in return.
Vladislav Namestnikov
The Rangers tenure of Vladislav Namestnikov is extremely uneven. At times, the former Tampa Bay Lightning forward has played like one of New York’s best forwards, then he just disappears for games at a time. It’s unlikely he’ll ever produce at the clip he did last year again given that he’s not playing with Steven Stamkos or Nikita Kucherov.
The forward’s 15 points in 38 games is a respectable level of production for a middle six forward. As a complementary piece, Namestnikov is perfectly fine, but he cannot be the driving force for production on a line. The Russian is under contract for $4 million per season until the summer of 2020 when he can hit unrestricted free agency for the first time.
The Rangers will get something in return for Namestnikov as it’s unlikely the organization would keep a soon to be 27-year-old that produces at an average level at a premium price. Whether at this or next year’s deadline, New York can probably get a second round pick for the forward.
Neal Pionk
Based on an extremely small sample size of 68 games over the course of two seasons, Neal Pionk is an uneven defenseman. The Minnesota-Duluth product’s offensive production of 33 points in that span is above average from the blue line, but his defensive deficiencies leave a lot be desired. However, that level of offense is uncommon from the position group artificially inflates his value.
The right team that needs a second power-play unit defenseman that can play on the third pair could see plenty to like in Pionk. The defenseman skates well and has solid ice vision, it’s just a matter of fixing his defensive issues to develop a well-rounded player. Given his small sample size, it may be tricky, but Pionk definitely falls in this mid-range value.
Frederik Claesson
It’s funny that the Rangers’ most low-key move of the past year has also been one of it not the most effective. As a restricted free agent that had his rights declined to be picked up, Frederik Claesson was supposed to serve as the seventh defenseman on a crowded blue line. Instead, the Swede has played an under the radar game that actually translates well.
As a whole, the Rangers’ blue line is a dumpster fire, but Claesson has managed to look solid amongst the chaos. It’s not easy for a defenseman to have a near positive Corsi while on such a bad possession team, but Claesson sits at 46.3 percent, meaning that when he’s on the ice, New York creates 46.3 percent of the shots in the game.
At an extremely cost-effective $700,000 and a restricted free agent in the summer, Claesson is a low-risk rental that a playoff team could use to sure up its depth.
Mats Zuccarello
As a pending unrestricted free agent that’s mired in an awful slump of poor play, Mats Zuccarello gets relegated to the third tier as opposed to the second tier. To be frank, the Norwegian has played poorly when in the lineup and has sunk the trade value he was expected to have.
Granted, Zuccarello himself has said that the trade rumors have gotten in his head and are affecting him, it’s important that he be moved as soon as possible. If he were playing like his usual self, he’d get a late first-round pick in return no questions asked. But, now, it’s looking like a smaller return for the fan favorite.
Whatever Henrik Lundqvist is
Since Henrik Lundqvist has repeatedly rebuffed offers to be traded to a contender, it’s pointless to try and rank him accurately. With an average annual cap hit of $8.5 million per season, he’s one of the highest paid players in the entire league and on the wrong side of 35. At his age, goalies are typically already on the decline.
Miraculously, the best player in the history of the Rangers’ franchise has staved off father time longer than any person thought reasonable. He’s still the reason New York has a chance to compete in games on a nightly basis.
To the right team in need of an anchor, Lundqvist would be invaluable. Good goaltending is extremely hard to find, ask the Philadelphia Flyers or Carolina Hurricanes just how important it is. Even replacement level goaltending can sink a decent team. In those big moments, players like Lundqvist rise to the occasion and answer the bell.
At his age and with such a large cap hit, it would likely require the Rangers retaining at least half if not more of his contract to actually facillitate a trade. With $4.5 million of dead money, it’d be difficult for New York to get fair value for its signature player, therefor he falls into his own tier between three and two.
Okay, now you’re talking
These second-tier players have either succeeded at the NHL level or have high enough potential to be regarded as relatively safe enough to invest in. Some are veterans who signed on to be part of a contender and other are young players who would be more valuable to a contender than a rebuilding team.
2017/2018 draft picks: Andersson/Miller/Lundkvist/Keane/Lindblom, ETC,
These players all have too small of a sample size to be properly evaluated, they retain the value of what they were drafted with.
Kevin Shattenkirk
The New Rochelle native has had about as nightmare as possible start to his time with the Rangers organization. Kevin Shattenkirk missed 36 games last season and has failed to carve out the top pair defenseman job he was expected to upon signing with New York. While the underlying numbers are okay, his conventional production has taken a dip.
Granted, he’s playing on a bad team so it’s hard to critique him for the lack of raw counting numbers. In 34 games this season he has 10 points, well below his career average of .58 points per game. Yet, as a niche position (right handed offensive defenseman) Shattenkirk will always have a high floor in terms of value.
With two years remaining on his contract after this year at $6.65 million per year, the New Rochelle native is a costly luxury piece. It would likely require the Rangers retaining some salary to actually make a move happen. But, with all of that said, a contender looking for some extra punch could definitely find a spot for Shattenkirk.
Pavel Buchnveich
At soon to be age 24, Pavel Buchnevich is no longer a prospect on the verge of breaking out, more or less, this is the player he’s going to be. A playmaker with flashes of being dynamic that disappears for games at a time and is prone to being lackadaisical in his own zone. With 12 points in 26 games this season, the Russian is producing at a worse clip than he did last year.
It was expected that Buchnevich would seize the opportunity presented to him and instead has drawn the ire of head coach David Quinn for not playing a complete game. There is still time for the forward to improve in the future, but at this point, there is not much more growth in a player’s development.
Buchnevich may prove to be nothing more than a 40 point guy that can play on the man advantage. These type of players will always retain a reasonable value and given that he’s still on the younger side of things, another team may be more willing to give him a chance.
Tony DeAngelo
While most of New York’s defense resembles a car accident, Tony DeAngelo has played reasonably well this season. Despite the fact that recently he was pulled from the lineup in favor of another more seasoned defenseman, DeAngelo has made noticeable strides this year and is a much more well-rounded player.
The former Arizona Coyote’s play in his own end of the ice is never going to get him confused for Chris Pronger, but it’s not an outright liability. As a former first-round pick, another organization would take a ticket hoping that another change of scenery is all DeAngelo needs to cement himself into the top four on a contender.
As a pending restricted free agent, DeAngelo’s future is up in the air, it’s a matter of the front office making the right determination as to whether the potential return in a trade is more valuable than the next three or four years of the New Jersey native’s career.
Brady Skjei
In spite of the fact that Brady Skjei has failed to recapture the form of his rookie season, he’s still the most valuable of all the defensemen on the NHL roster. At 24-years-old the Minnesota native has shown the ability to excel at the highest level in the past, it’s just a matter of finding the right situation.
It’s unlikely that the former Golden Gopher will ever ascend to a number one defenseman role, but he can still be a contributor within a team’s top four. Although Skjei’s value has submarined in the past 12 months, his strong rookie season and a reasonable contract would be reason enough for another team to take a chance on him.
Kevin Hayes
If Kevin Hayes was not a pending unrestricted free agent, he’d be in the next tier of trade assets. Every single year since entering the league during the 2014-2015 season, the Boston College product has gotten better and done so while being given a different role each season. The sheltered rookie went to eating defensive zone starts and back again.
This year, Hayes is poised for his best season as a professional, it’s a shame that the center and the front office could not agree to a long term deal this past summer as it likely sealed his exit at this year’s deadline. The standard rental package would be expected in return: a late first round pick, mid-level prospect and a conditional pick based on Hayes resigning.
Brett Howden/Libor Hajek
As players that were only acquired less than 12 months ago, both Brett Howden and Libor Hajek fall in between the highest tier and the second level. The fact that Howden cracked the NHL roster out of camp at age 20 should be encouraging, but it’s blatantly clear he’s hit a wall midway through his first season.
Down in Hartford, Hajek has played reasonably well and would likely be the first defensive call up if a trade were made. With a small sample size, it’s the amateur scouting that keeps Hajek in this tier as the Rangers expect big things from the former second-round pick.
As players from the Tampa Bay organization, both carry some added weight based on how successful that franchise was this decade at extracting value from the draft. Given time, both Howden and Hajek can likely get to that next tier.
An arm and a leg
These are the most valuable assets in the Rangers organization. It would take a significant package to even consider moving any of these players and even then it should require a meeting of at least two or three hours before agreeing to a deal. Building a contender takes assets, but giving up good ones without fair value is how you end up being the Edmonton Oilers.
Chris Kreider
The oldest player in this tier, Chris Kreider is one of the league’s best power forwards. The Boston College product is a menace around the net front and an elite player at redirecting shots from the point on net. In addition to his physical size, Kreider also possesses game-breaking speed when in the open ice.
The 27-year-old forward is under team control until the summer of 2020 at an extremely reasonable $4.265 million per season. Any contending team would get a shot in the arm in adding Kreider to their top six. In his first year with Quinn as a head coach, the forward is poised to finally hit the 30 goal plateau for the first time in his career.
With the chance at two playoff runs with Kreider, his value should be higher than the usual deadline fodder. This is at least a first and second round pick as well as a mid to high-level prospect in return. Think something comparable to the return New York got for Ryan McDonagh last year.
Mika Zibanejad
In terms of skill and actual production right now, Mika Zibanejad is the Rangers best player not named Henrik Lundqvist. The former number six overall pick has 35 points in 41 games and is on pace to have his best season as a professional yet. With so much going for him at 25-years-old while on a team friendly contract, the Swede would command a king’s ransom.
This is the type of trade that would signal to the rest of the league that New York won’t be good again for three or four years. Zibanejad is managing to produce while playing on a bad team, being that he’s so young and under team control until 2021-2022, he’s the perfect building block to work with.
Almost any offer for Zibanejad should result in Gorton just hanging up the phone.
Vitali Kravtsov
Here we are, the second most valuable asset in the entire Ranger organization. The team selected Vitali Kravtsov with the ninth overall pick in last year’s draft in an off the board pick. Granted, New York’s player evaluation puts significant weight in players playing against men during their developmental years.
In the KHL playoffs last year, Kravtsov was a dominant force against grown men as a 17-year-old. That alone should be encouraging, throw in his performance at the World Junior Championships earlier this month and the Rangers should be penciling him into the roster for foreseeable future.
As an 18-year-old, Kravtsov is extremely raw and plays mostly with his skill instead of operating within a system. Given all of the potential, Kravtsov should be pretty much untouchable.
Filip Chytil
Even though Filip Chytil has hit a wall midway through his first full NHL season, the talent is so obviously there, he deserves the top spot on this list. The five-game goal scoring streak in mid-November may prove to be the highlight of the entire 2018-2019 campaign for the organization.
There is so much to like about the Czech forward’s game, whether it be his elite vision of the ice, soft hands or his wicked shot. Chytil is the Rangers’ future, it’s just a matter of him catching up to the grind of playing an 82 game season before the production matches up to the potential.
The 21st pick in the 2017 draft is the single most untouchable asset in the organization.
Of course, Wayne Gretzky was traded. Twice. So, anything can happen but these are the rankings.