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Intriguing 2023 Off-Season Trade Targets for the New York Rangers

By Matthew Mugno

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 17: Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates with the puck against the New York Rangers at Wells Fargo Center on December 17, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 17: Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates with the puck against the New York Rangers at Wells Fargo Center on December 17, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 15: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers defends the net against Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Madison Square Garden on December 15, 2022, in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Leafs 3-1. Marner’s 23-game point streak ended in this game. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 15: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers defends the net against Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Madison Square Garden on December 15, 2022, in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Leafs 3-1. Marner’s 23-game point streak ended in this game. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The New York Rangers will always be involved in trade conversations. It’s the nature of the concrete jungle.

With the entry-level draft and free agency approaching, who is on the New York Rangers’ radar that can move the needle? Following a dreadful first-round exit, the New York Rangers have limited capital to add to their roster.

The names that follow: the steamy standouts, the wingers of a similar caliber, and the fleeting fantasies.

Let’s look.

new york rangers
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 03: Tom Wilson #43 of the Washington Capitals yells at the New York Rangers bench after taking a second-period penalty at Madison Square Garden on May 03, 2021, in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Stand Outs:

Tom Wilson (29 years old, $5.1 million AAV)

The New York Rangers fell victim to Tom Wilson’s despicable actions in 2021 and subsequently shifted their identity in response. At the time, the team became the butt end of jokes. The knee-jerk reaction fared well for New York though accelerating their rebuild with the acquisition of sandpaper.

The menace at the center of the “Tom Wilson Incident” is now a potential trade target for the franchise that was on the receiving end of his bullying. Depth at RW is a necessity at a fair price tag, and a player that can bring the edge Wilson does coupled with scoring capability makes him desirable.

Additionally, Wilson played in Peter Laviolette’s system in the nation’s capital. All those boxes were checked off. The box left unchecked is how the locker room would respond. Is it worth adding a player that has serious baggage with the team he’d be suiting up for?

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