With trades looming over the New York Rangers' heads, pretty much all Rangers fans are thinking about as of late is the impeding roster changes.
Blueshirt veteran Chris Kreider was traded away to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. But, it is expected that General Manager and President Chris Drury is expected to also do-away with defenseman K'Andre Miller due to his inconsistencies on the defensive line.
While everyone is focused on Kreider's farewell, let's take a look at four possible replacements for Miller for if/when he's also put on the trade block.
3. Aaron Ekblad
Though he was suspended 20 games this year for violating the NHL performance enhancing drugs policy, defenseman Aaron Ekblad is still a valid free agent who the Rangers could look at to potentially replace Miller.
Ekblad won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2024, when he was the longest-tenured defenseman ever to wear a Panthers uniform. The 29-year-old right-shot has already tallied 12 points so far during the current 2024-25 Stanley Cup run for the Panthers. In the regular-season, tallied 33 points in 56 games.
Miller likely ended his time as a Blueshirt at 25-years-old. Bringing someone in such as Ekblad who is 29 could provide an added level of leadership to the Blueshirt blueline.
Ekblad is set to become an unrestricted free agent. His last contract was 8 years, $60,000,000 with a cap hit of $7,500,000 per season with the Florida Panthers.
2. Dante Fabbro
Dante Fabbro had a fantastic bounce-back season with the Columbus Blue Jackets that was fairly overlooked after struggling for several seasons with the Nashville Predators. The 6'0", 192 pound Fabbro registered a career-high 26 points in 62 games this season and scored nine goals this year, three of which were game-winners, both career-highs. Fabbro is also a right-hand shot, always a plus on the open market.
A fellow young, open and coming defenseman, I could also see him paired with Braden Schneider, someone who has been used on the left side even though he shoots right.
Fabbro signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Predators on March 3, 2023, toward the end of a two-year, $4.8 million contract he signed Aug. 5, 2021. He was claimed by the Blue Jackets off waivers from the Predators on November 10, 2024.
The @PredsNHL have signed Dante Fabbro to a one-year contract extension! 🤝 pic.twitter.com/nSOObgGuV4
— NHL (@NHL) March 3, 2023