The New York Rangers fanbase is waiting to see what exactly general manager Chris Drury's plan is to retool the roster. This was a team banking on head coach Mike Sullivan to turn them back into a playoff contender in his first season, and it resulted in a last place finish in the Eastern Conference. This offseason, there was no superstar to save them, as all of the pending free agents signed contract extensions.
This offseason will be that much more important for Drury, especially with fan skepticism at an all-time high. What exactly is his plan beyond trading away center Vincent Trocheck?
Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos unveiled his latest trade board filled with information he is hearing across the league. Kypreos mentions Alexis Lafrenière as a potential trade candidate, while bringing up that Drury's plan is to make the Rangers "tougher and nastier." This comes after he failed to acquire Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators.
Chris Drury reportedly wants to make Rangers 'tougher and nastier' this offseason
"Chris Drury wants to make his team tougher and nastier and is considering many ways to achieve that. Lafrenière's name as a trade candidate has popped up, but he makes a lot of money and has a lot of term left on his contract, so it's unclear if they could move him for the type of return they'd find acceptable," writes Kypreos. "We should consider that Lafrenière has one more season without any trade protection in his contract before he gets a modified no-trade list. Give the Rangers your best offer they can't turn down and Lafrenière could be had, but is that offer out there?"
Hearing the "tougher and nastier" plan Drury has in mind is giving fans flashbacks to 2021. That was after Washington Capitals goon and enforcer Tom Wilson singlehandedly bullied the Rangers in a game late in the season. Team owner James Dolan was livid after the lack of fight from the Rangers, called out the NHL. After team president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton expressed they didn't stand behind Dolan's criticism, they were fired at the end of the season. Drury was named as Gorton's replacement, and his plan was to build a team that can withstand the fighting and pestering from Wilson. That came at the expense of skill players.
That offseason, the Rangers notably traded Pavel Buchnevich to the St. Louis Blues and received Sammy Blais in return. The move was decried, due in part to Buchnevich's potential and subsequent success with the Blues. Drury also brought in Barclay Goodrow and Ryan Reaves that offseason. While the Rangers did make it to the Eastern Conference Finals that year, they couldn't make it past a skilled Tampa Bay Lightning team.
It's no surprise that Drury was seeking Tkachuk in a trade. After all, there was the report in 2024 that the Rangers were hoping to trade for him, and Drury, Tkachuk, and Sullivan have the Team USA link. He does make any team "tougher and nastier." But if that is Drury's plan to get the Rangers out of the Eastern Conference basement, that's not exactly a promising update, especially if it involves trading away Lafrenière.
Yes, Lafrenière has been a frustrating player for Rangers fans. He showed promise during the 2023-24 season when he posted a career-high 57 points (28 goals, 29 assists), and it earned him a seven-year, $52.15 million contract. Lafrenière didn't come close to producing at a similar level the following season. But after a bit of a slow start this past season, he bounced back after the Olympic break, putting up 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 25 games. Overall, Lafrenière recorded 57 points in a full 82-game season. Most importantly, Lafrenière showed real chemistry on the top line alongside Mika Zibanejad and Gabe Perreault, which was a positive heading into next season.
To trade Lafrenière away for a player that makes the Rangers "tougher and nastier" could very well backfire much like it did when they dealt Buchnevich away in 2021. Free agency begins on July 1, so maybe fans will get a clearer picture as to what Drury has in store this offseason. But fans are certainly hoping it's not a botched plan.
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