Five free agent defensemen worth pursuing

The New York Rangers have a hole in their lineup at left defense

That the New York Rangers were a flawed team was glaringly obvious in their Stanley Cup Qualifier loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.  Their vaunted defensive depth was exposed, lacking the quality to be considered a Stanley Cup contender.  Help is on the way, but a short term fix may be what’s needed and that could be by going the free agent route.

The Rangers are set on right defense.  With Jacob Trouba, Adam Fox and Tony DeAngelo, the Blueshirts have one of the finest corps of righthanded defensemen in the NHL.  In fact, they may be overloaded on the right side with prospect Nils Lundkvist soon to make his move to North America after playing next season in Sweden.  There has been talk of trading DeAngelo, but it’s important to note that  Darren Raddysh is the only righthanded defenseman in Hartford with NHL potential.

The left side is another matter entirely.  Ryan Lindgren is the only lefty who spent this season in New York who has a future with the club.  Marc Staal and Brendan Smith are going into their last contract year and are buyout candidates.  While Staal played sheltered minutes on the third pair, by default Smith was forced into the top pairing with Trouba after spending most of the season as a fourth line forward and depth defenseman.  That’s not the situation a Stanley Cup contender wants.

When the Rangers traded Brady Skjei, Smith was elevated to the play with Trouba and he responded with some of the best hockey he has played since coming to New York.  Was it good?  Yes.  Was it first pair quality?  Probably not.

While Smith plays a physical game and is willing to mix it up.  In a series with few highlights, his hit on Andrei Svechnikov was a big one.

Smith is also known for taking ill-timed penalties and he is also capable of awful mistakes.  With the score tied and 1:20 left in the first period of Game Three, Smith flubbed a clearing pass and handed the puck to Morgan Geekie who was alone in front of the net.  He had a point blank shot that Henrik Lundqvist stopped.   It was a heart attack moment for Ranger fans and if Geekie had scored, it would have been the turning point in the game.  Smith would have been the goat, but Lundqvist bailed him out and the error was overshadowed by the series sweep.

Libor Hajek is an option to pair with Trouba, but he hasn’t proven that he can be the top defenseman they need. There’s no doubt that he will get that opportunity, but it’s significant that Coach David Quinn chose to go with Smith over Hajek after the Skjei trade, not  even promoting Hajek from the AHL.

What they need

Here’s the help wanted ad:  “Veteran lefthanded defenseman, capable of playing top minutes, willing to play reduced role in coming years, mean streak an asset, offensive ability not a requirement. ”

With K’Andre Miller turning pro, it’s very possible he will be ready to move into a top defensive role in a year or two.  That means the Blueshirts should be looking for a veteran defenseman who can play that time with Trouba, then be able to move down in the lineup.  Are there any free agents out there that fit the bill?

First, let’s rule out the senior citizens.  While they could serve as short term solution, they’ve all seen better days.  They include players like Ron Hainsey, Andy Greene, Zdeno Chara and Trevor Daley.

We also need to rule out the players who will be seeking big paydays and Restricted Free Agents who will likely be re-signed.  That includes Torey Krug , Mikhail Sergachev ,Haydn Fleury and Mirco Mueller.

So who is out there?

There are a handful of Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA’s) worth considering.   They are all left handed shots. Here’s a list:

• Dmitry Kulikov – He made over $4 million playing all over the Winnipeg Jets defensive lineup.  Not an offensive powerhouse, he is known for his toughness and was the team’s Masterton Trophy nominee a year ago.  The former first round pick (#14) of the Florida Panthers will turn 30 in October.
• T.J. Brodie – Brodie is a $5 million a year player for the Calgary Flames who just turned 30.  The Flames have five UFA’s on their blueline and $17 million in cap space, so re-signing Brodie is not a sure thing.  He’s a versatile defenseman who played top minutes and was often paired with Mark Giordano. He had a scary collapse at practice in November, so some teams may be concerned about his health.   At any rate, he may be too expensive, but with the COVID-19 flat salary cap, he may be affordable.
• Joel Edmundson – Edmundson came to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Justin Faulk deal with the St. Louis Blues before this season.  A popular presence in the locker room and a Cup winner with the Blues, he is a stay-at-home blueliner who plays a physical game.  Considering the plethora of defensemen on the Hurricanes roster and their $9 million in cap space, he may be available, considering his $3 million salary this year. He’s only 27 so any team looking to sign him will be considering a longer term, potentially an issue for the Rangers.
• Jon Merrill – Merrill has been a disappointment for the Vegas Golden Knights since they took him in the expansion draft from the Devils.  The 28 year old has shown flashes of potential and he’s big (6’3″, 205 pounds).  It may be a reach to look at him as a top pair defenseman, but if his expectations are lowered, he could be an option.  Some would just consider him a younger version of Brendan Smith.
• Brenden Dillon – One of the most intriguing names on this list, Dillon was a trade deadline acquisition by the Washington Capitals from the San Jose Sharks.  Dillon is a big (6”4″, 225 pounds) physical defenseman who plays the body.   He has been a  stay-at-home defenseman as he was paired with Erik Karlsson while with the Sharks.  Dillon will be 30 in November and made just under $4 million in base salary this season.

Other options

By winning the first overall pick, the Rangers lucked into an active roster player who will cost the team an Entry Level salary. That’s significant considering the flat salary cap.  While depth at center is an issue, it’s the defense that is the biggest problem and in 2021-22 they will be without Staal and Smith.  That means the only blueliner with more than two years in the NHL will be Trouba so  they will need to add a veteran presence.

There are more UFA’s available, but this is a a list of practical options and a starting point.  With the flat salary cap looming for next season there may be a number of veteran defensemen available on the trade market.   With the Rangers in possession of a number of prospects and draft picks to deal, a trade may make the most sense.  But that’s a another list that we will look at in the future.