As the 2024 NHL free agency deadline approaches sooner than ever, the Rangers are in need of a small shakeup if they want to have another deep postseason run like they did this season in 2024/25. With the news of veteran winger Barclay Goodrow hitting the market, that leaves a moderately sized hole in the Rangers' right wing offense. However, there is one current UFA that could fill that spot, and in turn play much greater than Goodrow possibly ever did in his time in New York.
The Winnipeg Jets' Tyler Toffoli, a 32-year-old 12-year NHL veteran in his 1st season with his hometown club, scored 7 goals and 4 assists in 18 games with the Jets, but before you judge those absurdly low numbers, here's the kicker- Toffoli had been traded midway through the 2023/24 season from the New Jersey Devils, where he'd managed 26 goals, and 18 assists in 61 games. Much more impressive, right? Sure, he may be getting old, but he's definitely a talented goalscorer, given his 2 separate hat tricks this season, one of which completed a comeback win over the Vegas Golden Knights (I like the Rangers and the Knights so that hurt on both ends.) Toffoli also has a similar build to the Rangers' fellow star right-wingers Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, making him an ideal candidate to wear what would be his 7th different team sweater. A hard hitting player and a journeyman all in one big scoring-heavyhard-hitting package. What more could New York want?
Toffoli, a Scarborough, Ont. native, was a 2nd round, 47th overall pick by the LA Kings back in 2010 from the Ontario Hockey Leagues' Ottawa 67's, but didn't start until 2012/13 after playing a couple seasons with the now defunct Manchester Monarchs, the Kings' AHL affiliate from 2001-15. With a 12-year NHL career under his belt, Toffoli may be looking for a reasonably large contract with the Rangers. But if you've read anything on how good NY is at contract negotiation, Toffoli may be able to squeeze a few more years out of himself before hanging up the skates. Now, he surprisingly hasn't been a single All-Star or multiple-time All-Star or won any regular season hardware except for a lone Stanley Cup in 2013/14, where the Kings actually beat the Rangers in the most dramatic fashion possible but don't let that stop you. There aren't too many players who can log multiple hat tricks in 1 season like Toffoli did this year.
The Rangers actually had a bit of an interest in Toffoli before last March's trade deadline but couldn't quite jump at the chance to snag him, probably because they weren't in need of an extra right-winger at the time. But now, they may get a second chance, and this time, save some good cap space amount while they're at it, too. The one problem could be that Toffoli himself could decline a trade, but since he's a UFA heading into the end of 2024/25, neither the Rangers nor Jets worry about a guy who can do it all on even strength and especially the power play.