New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury did the bulk of his work for this offseason when it comes to the roster retool. Gone are Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck, and entering are Pavel Dorofeyev, Sean Durzi, and Marcus Pettersson. Those are the players that will be on the pro roster.
With training camp approaching, it's been made evident by reporting around the Rangers that they are in need for a top six forward. That was the risk they were taking by trading away Panarin and Trocheck. Even with the addition of Dorofeyev, they still have an open spot. It's unlikely that a legitimate option is available to them before the start of the season, so they very well night have to look internally for options. But if they wanted to add a top forward, free agency next summer would present them with the best chance of doing so.
It already appears that one of the top free agent forwards is not going to be an option for the Rangers.
Alex DeBrincat seems likely to sign extension with Red Wings over hitting free agency
Alex DeBrincat is set to be one of the top free agent forwards next summer. That's understandable, considering he has shown to be one of the more consistent scorers in the NHL, while increasing his production nearly every year. This past season, DeBrincat had a career year, putting up 41 goals and 44 assists for 85 points in 82 games.
DeBrincat would be an ideal target for the Rangers with those numbers. Sure, it might cost quite a bit to sign him, but the contract could have aged well with the salary cap rising every year. The thing is, it doesn't seem like DeBrincat wants to leave the Red Wings.
During a recent appearance on NHL Network, Red Wings expert Bob Duff said from all indications, DeBrincat wants to stay with the Red Wings, due in part to being in proximity to his family and the fact that he's a Michigan native.
"From talking to Alex at the end of the season, he wants to be here," said Duff. "He's from Michigan. He's a homebody. He likes having his family close. He likes living here. He's got a wonderful home on waterfront property. He's very, very happy here...Now, that being said, he also acknowledged it is a business and he's got to look out for himself and get paid. So I think as long as the Wings are willing to pay him market value, I think he'll lean towards staying here. Again, if they want him, and I think they do."
While DeBrincat does want to stay in Detroit, there are factors that stand out. First, it's that the Red Wings will have to match the market value, which is increasing by the day, given the contracts being handed out this offseason (i.e. Macklin Celebrini, Cale Makar). But then there's the fact that the Red Wings don't have a general manager after Steve Yzerman stepped down. So, it will be up to the new head of the front office to decide whether or not re-signing DeBrincat is part of their plan.
But if those two factors work into Detroit's favor, the Rangers would be out of the running for a top forward.
Rangers could face another weak free agency class in 2027
The way this is shaping up, the Rangers could be facing a second consecutive free agency class with a lack of desirable forward options.
This summer, the Rangers were hoping for the likes of Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov would hit free agency. Instead, they all signed contract extensions with their respective teams before the start of last season. That resulted in the Rangers prioritizing the trade block, which is how they acquired Dorofeyev.
If DeBrincat is off the board well before free agency, that leave the Rangers with not many options.
Nikita Kucherov is the headliner of the class, coming off of a Hart Trophy-winning season. But would Kucherov even entertain the idea of leaving the Tampa Bay Lightning? And would the Rangers consider giving him a huge contract, as he would enter his age 34 season? Kucherov simply doesn't seem like a realistic option.
Next up is Mark Stone, who has been a mainstay for the Vegas Golden Knights since the 2018-19 season. Again, would the Rangers invest in a player entering his age 35 season? Plus, would Stone even want to leave Vegas, considering they will be perennial Stanley Cup contenders for the foreseeable future.
Then there's Sidney Crosby, Let's face it, he has been open about his desire to finish his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Considering they defied the odds last season and made the playoffs, it's hard to see Crosby leaving, much to the dismay of Rangers fans.
There is one realistic option for the Rangers, and that's Drake Batherson, the winger for the Ottawa Senators. He flew under the radar on a Senators team that featured Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle. But, he put up 267 points (109 goals, 158 assists) in 325 games the past four seasons with the Senators. That is solid production any team would look to add to their top six. Luckily for the Rangers, it appears that both Batherson and the Senators are far apart in contract talks, so that increases the likelihood that he could hit free agency.
Other than Batherson, there is Jason Robertson. But, that's if he wants to leave the Dallas Stars.
There are no superstar options for them, unless, McDavid or Auston Matthews demand a trade off of the Edmonton Oilers or Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively. That would be the dream scenario for the Rangers, but it's unknown if that would actually come to fruition.
DeBrincat seemed like an ideal free agent signing for the Rangers next summer. But unless things drastically change, it appears he's going to re-sign with the Red Wings.
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