With the trade deadline, the Rangers have taken a position as sellers. With Reilly Smith being protected for trade reasons, Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey gone, and vultures circling the rest of the roster, the Rangers find themselves looking to recoup assets for their pending unrestricted free agents, and one of those is a newcomer. Calvin de Haan is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and the Rangers have a decision to make with his future.
He tallied an assist in his first game as a Ranger, and the Blueshirts will have a chance to move him again if they want. Making only $800,000 until the end of the year, de Haan is a good depth option for contending teams that want to add more coverage for the postseason. During his career, he's played on contending teams like Tampa Bay, Colorado, and Carolina, but he's yet to capture that Stanley Cup glory.
De Haan's experience would be a good fit for many teams across the league. We know teams like the Edmonton Oilers are looking for steady defensive defensemen who can play both sides. Calvin de Haan is precisely that kind of player, as he can play up the lineup in a top-four role if needed, or he can reside on the bottom pairing and eat minutes that allow the top guys to rest. He's a great option for a playoff team because of his cap hit.
The 12th overall pick in the 2009 NHL draft has had a great career, but at almost 34 years old, de Haan's chances to glory are fading fast. If the Rangers can find a fit to a true contender by the deadline on Friday and get a return that justifies moving him, this is a player we could see move, especially if the Rangers want to continue their youth movement, which seems to be working so well right now.