The first annual New York Rangers trade value column

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.