When the New York Rangers made the deal to add Oliver Bjorkstrand on a one-year, $4.5 million AAV contract, they had high hopes for him to be a solid secondary scorer. The second line was calling his name, and it was rightfully his at the time.
But, things changed, and now Tye Kartye has taken his spot and Bjorkstrand is sitting at the bottom of the barrel. Where did things go wrong, and is there anyway for the Rangers and Bjorskstrand to get back on track?
$4.5 million fourth-liner?
The Rangers currently have Bjorkstrand on the fourth line, as a winger alongside Justin Dowling and the recently recalled Taylor Raddysh. He is making a lot of money to only play an average of 10:31 of ice time every night. This is a big downgrade for a guy who scored 28 goals for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022-23.
His main expertise now on the fourth line is to bring some extra offense to a line that lacks a punch. Raddysh isn't known for offense, and Dowling is someone who has just 26 points in 156 career games. Bjorkstrand can contribute nicely in that way, and still use the little bit of time he has on the ice to make an impact.
Nobody thought that Kartye would have this kind of emergence with the Rangers this season, and that Alexis Lafrenière would become this monster of a player. That has seriously hurt Bjorkstrand's standing on this lineup sheet, and why he is pitted down on the fourth line.
How long will he remain a Ranger?
The Athletic released their one under-the-radar trade candidate for every NHL team, and Bjorkstrand was the Rangers' candidate. It makes complete sense as the Blueshirts are going to have to save every penny they have to retain Gabe Perreault, Will Cuylle, and Kartye for next season and beyond.
Bjorkstrand can be brought back on a very team-friendly deal, but there is no long-standing allegiance here. It would be different if No. 28 were with the Rangers for a good amount of time, not just 10 games at this point.
The likely outcome of this situation is that Bjorkstrand will finish out the season and be lost in free agency again, or that the Rangers dump him off to a Stanley Cup contender. Of course, that is if the Blueshirts themselves are not in that position.
Bjorkstrand has not had a terrible season, it has just been lost in the craziness. Unexpected arrivals and lack of space have left him on the outside looking in. He was a productive player as part of the team's original second line that also include J.T. Miller and Pavel Dorofeyev, and one wonders if that trio will share minutes together again in the near future.
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