New York Rangers: Post deadline changes and trade details

The Trade

There were questions about the conditions regarding the  first round pick the Rangers acquired since the Carolina Hurricanes own two first rounders, their own and Toronto’s.  They acquired the Toronto pick in the Patrick Marleau salary cap dump last summer.

The Rangers will get the later of the two picks.  But, the Toronto pick was also conditional in their deal with Carolina.  The condition was that if the pick was in the top ten the Maple Leafs would keep the pick and the Canes would get the Maple Leaf’s 2021 first round pick. And that raises all kinds of scenarios.

Scenario 1:  Carolina and Toronto both make the playoffs.  In that case the Rangers get the later of the two picks.

Scenario 2: Carolina misses the playoffs and Toronto makes the playoffs.  In that case the Rangers get the Toronto pick.

Scenario 3:  Carolina makes the playoffs and Toronto misses the playoffs.  In that case the Rangers get the Carolina pick.

Note:  Here’s where it’s important to remember the rules of the lottery.  Every team that doesn’t make the playoffs has a chance to move into the top three.  Any teams that finish with the 11th to 15th worst record cannot move into the top ten. Teams in the bottom ten can stay there though teams finishing eighth to 10th worst can move out of the top ten.  Confused?

Scenario 4: Carolina and Toronto both miss the playoffs so both are lottery picks.  If both teams moves into the top three (which is possible) the Rangers get the Carolina top three pick as it is their only pick in the first round as the Toronto pick moves to 2021.

If only Toronto moves into the top three the Rangers get Carolina’s pick and Carolina gets Toronto’s 2021 first rounder.  If only Carolina moves into the top three the Rangers get the Toronto pick unless the Maple Leafs absolutely tank the rest of this season and finish low enough for them to move into the top ten.  In that case, the Rangers would get the Carolina top three pick.

Yes, this is crazy and it will make scoreboard watching all the more fun the rest of this season.  The bottom line is it will always be in the Rangers’ best interests for Toronto and Carolina to lose.

Davidson pointed out that the Rangers now own 19 draft picks in the next two years including three first rounders, one second rounder and four third round picks. The rebuild may be over, but the pipeline will keep getting fed.