New York Rangers: The P.K. Subban market this summer

For the second straight summer, the Nashville Predators are at least rumored to be considering trading defenseman P.K. Subban to alleviate cap issues. The New York Rangers should consider making a move.

For all of the hubbub surrounding this upcoming summer’s free agent class which includes forwards Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene and defenseman Erik Karlsson, the biggest name available this summer may be the flashiest player in the entire league, P.K. Subban. The New York Rangers must seriously consider a move if the rumors are true.

While a team being willing to listen to offers for a player doesn’t mean the front office is committed to moving a player, it does mean there’s an opportunity. The Nashville Predators are in an okay cap situation for this summer, however, the summer of 2020 does present a challenge to make the math work.

The former Montreal Canadien is under contract for three more years at $9 million per season. The main sticking point and driving force between a potential move is the fact that Nashville will need to pay Roman Josi and bump up the annual pay of several restricted free agents. In the team’s current pecking order, Josi is the number one and plays most of his shifts with Ryan Ellis.

So, it seems like Nashville is paying an awful lot for a player it uses on its second pair. Granted, Subban’s riverboat gambler style of defense is an acquired taste, but it’s no stretch to say that the 2012-2013 Norris Trophy winner is one of the ten best players at his position in the entire league even now at age 29.

How good is Subban?

The Rangers should be very familiar with Subban based on his time with the Montreal organization. The Toronto native is amongst the most electrifying players in the entire sport who uses his dynamic skating and elite edgework to contribute in the offensive end at a game-breaking level.

Peeling back the curtain a little bit, Subban does pretty much everything required of a modern defenseman. The blueliner is amongst the best at his position in terms of generating zone exits while also holding his own line well and preventing zone entries. The Ontario native’s breakout passes are amongst the best in the entire league.

Where Subban truly shines is his ability to take over a game from the back end. There are few players in all of the NHL that can dictate the flow of the game better than the Nashville defenseman. The blueliner is good for 40 points per year, more than 24 minutes per night and can run the power play at an elite level.

Yet, the risks that Subban takes are worth it in the long run. He consistently helps create scoring chances every time he’s out on the ice and drives possession. The Rangers had just one defenseman, Kevin Shattenkirk, a net positive in terms of even strength scoring chances this past season.

What would it cost?

At Subban’s age, his style of play has kept him relatively healthy. The Predator’s defenseman missed almost an entire month of the season last year with an upper-body injury but for the most part, has proved pretty durable. Make no mistake, Subban is one of the ten best players at his position in the entire league and it would cost the Rangers a haul.

Nashville’s main reason for making this move is salary cap relief, Subban’s $ 9 million per year will be a problem come next year when the team needs to sign other extensions. This means that the Predators would want cheaper and younger players in return from the Rangers. But, with much of that team’s core still intact, it’d like to try and compete for a Stanley Cup.

Enough of the Predator’s core is young enough that the team could take a year to redesign the roster and still compete for a cup in a year or two. Designing a package from the Rangers would likely be centered around prospect center Lias Andersson and one if not two of the several blueliners it has somewhere in the pipeline.

If the Predators were married to competing next season, the Rangers could offer Chris Kreider in the final year of his contract, Andersson and the Winnipeg draft pick to really put the ball in Nashville’s court.

It’s more likely that a team firmly in the contender mix swings a deal for Subban. But, if the Rangers’ front office feels like it can land a marquee free agent on July 1st, adding Subban would firmly throw the team right back into the playoff mix. And as these playoffs this year have proved, all it takes is one funny bounce to advance as an underdog.