10 Free Agents the New York Rangers should target in 2022

As the 2021-22 season inches closer for the New York Rangers, it is time we start thinking about and discussing free agents that could potentially be available for them to grab in 2022. There are countless elite names that will be out there on the market. It is all a matter of if general manager and president Chris Drury can use his cap space wisely and if the team can afford to use up much of their cap space.

One thing we have learned from recent Cup runs is that veteran talent can really help teams go deep in the playoffs. The Lightning benefitted from the playoff experience of Pat Maroon as they won two straight Stanley Cups. The Canadiens rode veterans Corey Perry and Eric Staal all the way to the Final.

Picking up a skilled veteran at the end of his career could help a young Rangers team go deep in the playoffs.

Aging veteran leaders

Evgeni Malkin is the 35-year-old alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins. His contract will be up at the end of this coming season and it is all in the question of whether or not the Penguins will want to hold on to him. A three-time Stanley Cup champion and with numerous awards to his name, Malkin may be one of the free agents the Rangers could focus on getting. Even though he is 35, he would have a great veteran presence on the team.

Wisconsin native Joe Pavelski, is currently entering the final year of his contract with the Dallas Stars. Even though he is 37, Pavelski has grown into an elite playmaker over the years. Chris Drury might be able to give him the last years of his career in New York. He has playoff experience and can work really well with the young kids the Rangers have.

35-year-old Alexander Radulov could be an interesting veteran option for the Rangers. He is coming off an injury-ridden season that limited him to only 11 games. If he can bounce back and prove he still has offensive skills, he may be worth a look. He was excellent in the Stars’ run to the Final in 2020 and won a championship in the KHL.

Although Claude Giroux is 33 years old and has never won a Stanley Cup,14 years in the NHL has given him experience that teams would love to have. Giroux got promoted to captain of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2012-13 after the lockout and has 858 points in 943 games in his career. Even though he is already 33, those numbers are pretty decent, wouldn’t you say?

Two-time Stanley Cup Champion Phil Kessel made a name for himself when he was in Pittsburgh. He was part of the HBK line, which was a huge part as to why the team won a championship in 2016. Being 33 years of age, Kessel would have a tremendous veteran presence on a young up and coming Rangers team. He knows what it takes to win and is without a doubt a born leader.

Justin Schultz is currently a right-handed defenseman for the Washington Capitals. The Rangers could definitely use a veteran right hander on the blue line, as they have mostly left-handed defenseman. Schultz is 31, so he has been around for a while and he has also won back-to-back Cups with Pittsburgh. Having a two-time Cup winner on defense could give the Rangers that last push they need to make the playoffs and even go far.

In their prime

If the Rangers are unhappy with Alexandar Georgiev as their backup, Joonas Korpisalo could be an ideal candidate to replace him. He is 27 years old and has been splitting time in net with Elvis Merzlikins in Columbus. A tandem of Igor Shesterkin and Korpisalo would be formidable, but how much of a raise he would want over his current $2.8 million salary would be an issue.

Swedish left winger Rickard Rakell, might bring the Rangers some depth offensively. Rakell was an All-Star in 2017-18 and has proved to be a forceful young forward for the Anaheim Ducks in recent years. The Rangers might want to go after 28-year-old Rakell as a third-line winger.

Vincent Trocheck has 327 points in 474 career NHL games. Not too bad, right? He is only 28 and has already proven that he is a leader within the last few seasons. He is now a center for the Carolina Hurricanes and we all know how badly the Rangers need a second or third-line center. He may not be too expensive to get either.

Break the bank

Center and captain of the Florida Panthers, Aleksander Barkov, would be one of the most ideal players that the Rangers could go after in 2022. Barkov is only 25 years old and is easily a first line center, which the Rangers could need going into next season. He won the Selke Trophy last season and is going into his prime, but the word is that the Panthers have no intention of him even reaching free agency.

Rangers fans should start getting excited for the 2021-22 season and the 2022 offseason. This young team has a bright and promising future, but as recent championship teams have demonstrated, you need depth and experience.

Will any of these players be available next summer? Should the Rangers focus on signing their own free agent center, Mika Zibanejad, instead of looking elsewhere? Bringing a Cup to New York City is the ultimate goal. Chris Drury knows it and will be fine-tuning the roster to prepare for a long playoff run.

I guess we will have to wait and see what he does.