NY Rangers: Evaluating a possible Trevor Zegras trade
So far, the New York Rangers have been quiet in free agency - besides trading for winger Reilly Smith, the Blueshirts have yet to make a big move.
The Rangers have done some things in house, including re-signing youngsters Kaapo Kakko and Braden Schneider to keep much of the team in tact. But, New York still has work to do to remain a significant Stanley Cup contender.
The biggest area of need might be the right wing position next to Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, who have had 18 players occupy this position since Pavel Buchnevich was traded in 2021. The Rangers need to unlock two members of their veteran core - specifically at 5v5 - if they want to compete for years to come.
If the Rangers were to make a trade, one of the possible targets is the Anaheim Ducks' Trevor Zegras. It was reported that New York has interest in the 23-year-old, and the Bedford, NY native could slot in with Zibanejad and Kreider.
Moreover, Zegras might be the best solution for New York.
Why Trevor Zegras makes the Rangers better
Ever since he entered the league, Zegras has flashed superstar potential: in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons, Zegras had 61 and 65 points respectively. To put that into context, Pavel Buchnevich never had over a 50 point season with the Rangers.
The Rangers have their top three centers nearly locked in for next season with Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Filip Chytil. If New York is able to pull off a trade for Zegras, he'll slot in on the wing.
Last season, the 23-year-old dealt with an ankle injury that kept him out for the majority of the season, but if he is healthy, he can flash on a line with Zibanejad and Kreider. The offensive production has been apparent since he's entered the league, and on one of the NHL's better teams he can take the next step.
It's not only about the next step with Zegras, but for Zibanejad and Kreider, both of who struggled at even strength at some points during the season and especially during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers. New York needs a winger who can help these members of the Rangers core not go through slumps that they have went through in the past.
In a down year for Zibanejad, he still had 72 points. Kreider has had three straight 35+ goal seasons, and that's been with a rotating door as their third linemate. Zegras flashes star potential and possible stability that this line needs.
Lastly, a healthy Trevor Zegras might be what the Rangers need to remain a Stanley Cup contender. They would have one of the best top sixes in the league with Kreider-Zibanejad-Zegras and Artemi Panarin-Trocheck-Alexis Lafreniere, and New York has revamped their forward depth.
There are still decisions that need to be made, especially with Kaapo Kakko, who remains in New York on a one-year contract for next season. But, he is a prime candidate to be traded. If the Blueshirts want to make a move for a star like Zegras, Kakko might be in the package. But, this is the move a team needs to make to contend for a Stanley Cup.
Last season, the Rangers set records in regular season wins and points and won the Presidents' Trophy. It still was not enough - they lost to a powerhouse that clearly was better. How did that team turn into a powrrhouse? By making a trade for a superstar in Matthew Tkachuk and building around that and the core they already had. It resulted in two straight Stanley Cup appearances.
This is not to say Zegras is at the same level of a player like Tkachuk, because he is not. But, the bottom line is he makes the Rangers (and two of their most meaningful players) better.
If the Rangers want to make it to the mountaintop that they haven't seen for 30 years, Zegras might help them get there.