Rangers trade Ryan Reaves to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a draft pick

Ryan Reaves is no longer a member of the New York Rangers. Today, it was announced that the Blueshirts have dealt the Grim Reaver to Minnesota. Reaves reportedly asked for a trade while the team was in Los Angeles and the Rangers tried to accommodate their vaunted forward by dealing him out as quickly as they could. This does mean that we at least know who the Rangers will be using in the forward core today.

It is important to note that the Rangers will not be retaining any of his salary meaning all $1.75 million is being shifted to the Wild. This gives the Rangers a little more maneuverability and it gives them the room to go out and make an addition to the depth of Chris Drury sees fit. With the Rangers now having roughly $2.5 million in cap space, there’s room to go and make a big move if the price is right.

In terms of a return, the Rangers get a 2025 5th-round pick. That’s not insignificant but it isn’t exactly holding a ton of value for New York moving forward. With Reaves out the door, it means that the Rangers are once again carrying only 22 players again. With the extra roster spot, they can both accrue cap space while having the flexibility to call up or acquire other players as needed.

For the Rangers now, there is going to be a little uncertainty as to what to do when there is a game that we all know is going to be physical. When there is a battle in New York, there is going to be a void to fill. There are people on the roster that can fill that mold but there will be an adjustment period. As things continue to change, the Rangers will continue to look to continue their improvement.