Rangers make 2021 3rd round pick Jayden Grubbe available

Despite the Blueshirts not being in action tonight, they are still in the limelight as there is news coming from the management side of things. Chris Drury has let the league know that they are unlikely to be signing 2021 3rd round draft pick Jayden Grubbe before the deadline to do so on June 1st, and have made him available for trade ahead of the postseason push moving forward.

At 6’3, 200 lbs, the 20-year-old center had had quite the season for the Red Deer Rebels in the Western Hockey League tallying 18 goals and 49 assists for 67 points in 64 games. With his value high and the player looking promising, you have to wonder if the Rangers will be able to get anything for a prospect of this caliber before his rights expire in just 2 months’ time.

Usually, someone producing like this would hold a lot more value and could even be used as a major piece of a trade deal. That will not be the case. With the trade deadline already having come and gone, there is no reason for the Rangers to be looking to add players ahead of next season before they have sorted out their own players, so this is likely going to be a prospect for prospect or picks trade, and Blueshirts fans shouldn’t expect a roster piece in exchange.

For a right-hand shot center, you can usually get something decent. Perhaps the Rangers seek a pick roughly in the same area they picked up Grubbe in the 2021 NHL Entry draft. If they were able to get a pick before the 65th overall selection where they took the Calgary, Alberta native, they would have worked well with the assets they were given. I still think in an ideal world, the Rangers sign Grubbe to his entry-level contract, but it could work if the return is good enough.