New York Rangers: Grading the Eastern Conference playoff contenders deadline trades
With the NHL Trade Deadline passed, here is where the New York Rangers stand and it’s time to grade their playoff rivals.
The New York Rangers made headlines when they acquired the marquee pending free agent. Of course, we’re talking about Chris Kreider. The Rangers took the top rental off the market when they extended their longtime power forward to a seven year deal at an annual cap hit of $6.5 million.
After the deadline closed a trade with the Hurricanes was announced. The Blueshirts swapped defenseman Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes for a first round draft pick in a move to save cap space.
In shocking news, team president John Davidson announced that Igor Shesterkin and Pavel Buchnevich were in a car accident in Brooklyn last night. Shesterkin has broken ribs and is week to week while Buchnevich is okay and is day to day. Both players were wearing seat belts and their air bags deployed so more serious injury was avoided.
It means that Alexandar Georgiev and Henrik Lundqvist will be the top tandem in goal while Shesterkin will be out at least two weeks, probably longer.
It also means that the Rangers are willing to mostly stand pat with their current team and they believe that they have a decent shot at making the playoffs. Retaining Kreider is a refreshing change from the last two years that saw key pieces subtracted and not replaced. His departure would have left a gaping hole in the top two lines and we can look forward to an extension of the marriage between Mika Zibanejad and Kreider along with Buchnevich as their right wing.
The Skjei trade will allow the team to re-sign some of their top restricted free agents. As with the Joey Keane trade, the Rangers depth at defense allowed them to make moves that will result in the team becoming stronger in the long run.
Their rivals
The Rangers playoff rivals were very busy. The Blueshirts still need to leapfrog at least two teams ahead of them to make the wild card and most of those teams made moves to improve. There were no blockbuster trades, but the Rangers’ road to the playoffs did not get any easier.
The Islanders and Hurricanes improved substantially while the Blue Jackets did not help themselves at all. The irony is that in trading Brady Skjei to Carolina, they might have given one of the teams they will have to beat a piece that will make that task even harder.
In looking at Eastern Conference rivals, we are going to take the top two teams in the Atlantic Division (Boston and Tampa) and Metropolitan Division (Washington and Pittsburgh) out of the equation as they are pretty much guaranteed a playoff spot barring a total collapse. Here’s what the Rangers’ remaining playoff rivals did on deadline day.
Metropolitan Division
CAROLINA HURRICANES – Grade A : The Hurricanes needed defense help and they got it in Sami Vatanen and Brady Skjei. Vatanen and Skjei replace Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce so they filled all of their needs. Theoretically, they upgraded their offense by replacing Wallmark and Haula with Trocheck who has a better upside, but those two have combined for 23 goals and 45 points while Trocheck has 10 goals and 26 points. Trocheck is outstanding on faceoffs and is built for a playoff run…if they make it.
Trade 1: The Hurricanes acquire center Vincent Trocheck for Lucas Wallmark, pending UFA Erik Haula and two prospects.
Analysis: At first it looked like the Hurricanes would flip Trocheck for some help on the blueline, but they have declared they are very happy with him so he will be sticking around. He’s under contract and he’s two years away from a 31 goal season.
Trade 2: Sami Vatanen from the New Jersey Devils for forward Janne Kuokkanen and a 2020 second round pick.
Analysis: Vatanen was the best available rental on defense and the Hurricanes got him. Kuokkanen is a decent prospect who is playing center in Charlotte and the Canes had two second rounders (one from the Rangers in the Adam Fox deal).
Trade 3: Brady Skjei from the New York Rangers for a first round draft pick.
This is a win-win for both teams. For more analysis look at Blue Line Station’s story abotu the deal:
Related Story. Skjei traded to Carolina. light
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Grade D: The Jackets didn’t do much to help their playoff push. Devin Shore isn’t going to the much of a replacement for the boatload of injuries the Jackets have suffered. John Tortorella will continue to work his magic behind the bench, but Columbus didn’t do enough to improve and are ripe to be overtaken.
Trade 1: Devin Shore is acquired from the Anaheim Ducks for Sonny Milano.
Analysis: Shore is a 25 year old center who scored 13 goals a few years ago for Dallas. Sonny Milano is a former first round pick who never lived up to his potential. With Shore they get a restricted free agent with an upside, but this is really nothing more than a change of scenery transaction.
Trade: The Jackets get a 2020 seventh round pick for forward Markus Hannikainen.
Analysis: Columbus needs to replenish their supply of picks, this is a start.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS – Grade B plus : The Islanders needed offense and they got it in J.G. Pageau and he then signed with the Isles for six more years. The key question is whether the Isles got the guy who has scored 24 goals this season or the player who scored 18 goals the last two years combined. If it’s the latter, they gave up an awful lot and will be stuck with him until he is 33 years old.
Trade 1: The Isles get center Jean-Gabriel Pageau in exchange for a 2020 lottery protected first round pick, a 2020 second round pick and a 2022 third round pick if the Islanders win the 2020 Stanley Cup.
Analysis: For the rebuilding Senators, it is a nice haul of draft picks for the player many considered the second best pending UFA forward out there. The Islanders needed offense, especially with Derick Brassard out with a fractured cheek and Pageau will help them. Pageau has agreed to a six year contract at $5 million per year.
Trade 2: The Islanders got defenseman Jordan Schmaltz from the Maple Leafs for Matt Lorito.
Analysis: Schmaltz is a former first round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2012 who was traded to the Leafs in the off-season. He played 20 games for the Blues last season, but has been in the AHL all season and is a depth forward for the Islanders.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Grade B : The Flyers must think that they are a lock for the playoffs as their two acquisitions are depth pickups. Both players are pure rental as Grant and Thompson will be UFA’s after the season. Thompson will be the more valuable of the pair with his faceoff ability and experience.
Trade 1: Center Derek Grant from Anaheim for a 2020 fourth round draft pick
Analysis: The Flyers are loading up for the rest of the season and the playoffs and they get a solid depth center in Derek Grant who has scored 14 goals this season, a career high. Not much of a return for the Ducks as Criscuolo is a career AHL player and the pick is in the 4th round.
Trade 2: Center Nate Thompson for a 2021 fifth round pick.
Analysis: It’s a good pick up for the Flyers. Thompson is 35 years old and has a career 52% faceoff winning percentage. It’s useful depth for the rest of the season and the playoffs.
Trade 3: Forward Nathan Noel from the Blackhawks for defenseman T.J. Brennan.
Analysis: Who? Noel was assigned to the ECHL and Brennan plays in the AHL.
Atlantic Division
BUFFALO SABRES – Grade C : Curious transactions for the Sabres in both of their trades. Wayne Simmonds is a pure rental and wasn’t expensive if the Sabres miss the playoffs which is likely. Dominik Kahun is an acquisition for the future especially since he is out with a concussion.
Trade 1: Right winger Wayne Simmonds for a 2021 conditional fifth round pick.
Analysis: I suppose the Sabres still believe the playoffs are within reach, though they are eight points out. The Devils didn’t get much for a legitimate power forward. The 2021 fifth round draft pick that turns into a fourth rounder if the Sabres make the playoffs
Trade 2: Center Dominik Kahun from Pittsburgh for left winger Conor Sheary and center Evan Rodrigues.
Analysis: Sheary was going to be a UFA this summer so he’s a rental for Pittsburgh. The Sabres must see a bigger upside in Kahun over Rodrigues, but he won’t be helping the Sabres right away since he has been sidelined with a concussion.
FLORIDA PANTHERS – Grade C minus: The Panthers are loaded with firepower and need help on defense, so they acquired two forwards and no immediate help for the blueline. Hmm.
Trade 1: The Panthers get centers Lucas Wallmark and Erik Haula along with prospects blueliner Chase Priskie and center Eetu Luostarinen in exchange for center Vincent Trocheck
Analysis: Curious. The Panthers and the Hurricanes need blueline help and they trade centers. This could be a precursor to some other deals involving some of these players. Haula is a pending UFA while Trocheck and Wallmark are both under contract.
Trade 2: Emil Djuse from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 2020 sixth round pick that was originally Buffalo’s.
Analysis: Djuse is a 26-year old defenseman from Sweden in his first season in North America. The Panthers need help on the blueline, but Djuse is not the answer.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Grade C : The rumor mill had the Leafs trading pendin UFA Tyson Barrie, but that didn’t happen. They acquired a depth defenseman in former Leaf Calle Rosen
Trade 1: Defenseman Calle Rosen from Colorado for goalie Michael Hutchinson
Analysis: Both teams get some depth at positions they could use it. Rosen went from Toronto to Colorado in the Nazem Kadri deal so the Leafs know what they are getting.
Trade 2: Right wing Mikko Salomaki from Nashville for defenseman Ben Harpur.
Analysis: The Leafs have had some injuries on the forward lines so Salomaki is a depth pickup, who will play in the AHL.
Trade 3: Acquire winger Matt Lorito from the islanders for defenseman Jordan Schmaltz.
Analysis: Lorito is a winger in Bridgeport of the AHL and will play in for the Marlies, the Leafs’ AHL affiliate.
Wrapping up
That should be it for trade deadline deals. There’s always the chance that a deal will be announced long after the 3pm deadline, but if they were of any note, they would have been revealed already.
The Rangers will face the Islanders on Tuesday in a game affected by the deadline as J.G. Pageau will play his first game for the Islanders. He has 13 points in 17 games against the Rangers, the most against any team.
The Rangers will be without Igor Shesterkin and probably Pavel Buchnevich after their car accident and Chris Kreider missed today’s practice due to illness.
In a minor roster move, the Rangers loaned Brett Howden and Julien Gauthier to Hartford in a paper transaction so they will be both be eligible to play in the AHL playoffs. They were both immediately recalled by the Rangers.
As far as a grade for the Rangers, they are not a better team today than they were yesterday, but the moves they made will mean they will be a better team next year than they could have been if they had lost Kreider and been forced to trade players like Strome and DeAngelo due to cap constraints. So, for the day, they get an A minus.
Related Story. A fan's deadline day diary. light