Rangers pursuit of Kiefer Sherwood is a desperate retreat to a failed past

The New York Rangers are in danger of missing the playoffs for the second season in a row, and that was the case with Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox in the starting lineup. Both will be out of the lineup for the immediate future, but the Rangers' brain trust isn't quite ready to throw up the white flag. While the front office had been eyeing reinforcements prior to losing their star goalie and defenseman, they want to see what happens in January.

Rangers' have interest in Kiefer Sherwood

The news comes from Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic, and while the team was previously interested in acquiring Quinn Hughes, it appears there was another Canuck being monitored. Mercogliano reported, the Rangers "have been pushing hard for Vancouver Canucks wingerKiefer Sherwood, a league source said. The asking price is believed to be a first-round pick and possibly more for the 30-year-old who has netted 17 goals through 42 games and is in the final year of a modest contract that pays him $1.5 million annually."

Right away, there's quite a few red flags that make this troubling. Sherwood is 30 years old, and with 17 goals in 42 games he's on pace for a career year. His contract pays him $1.5 million a year, and as and he's an impending free agent due for a massive raise. Then there's the initial cost of a first-round pick. Any one of these facts should be enough to stay away, let alone all of them at the same time.

What Sherwood would represent

While Sherwood's 17 goals are certainly something to pay attention to, he's not what they need even if he is a late bloomer as a player. He's been a grinder for the majority of his career, and is a prolific hitter who has been known for his grit. In some ways he's Barclay Goodrow with a deeper bag of offense, which is funny because Goodrow's best offensive years came with the Rangers.

In previous years the Rangers made additions like Frank Vatrano and Jack Roslovic which represented taking a swing on players with talent who could benefit from a better situation and surrounding cast. But Vatrano and Roslovic were low-risk and low-cost additions, whereas a hypothetical Sherwood deal would be a bigger buy that could be potentially extended. That logic is something that was pointed out for the Rangers and their potential interest in Alex Tuch, another player who isn't a great fit for the roster.

The Rangers need stars

Given where the Rangers are as an organization, the only players they should be trading for are established stars, or young players with star potential. Artemi Panarin is a pending free agent who has been an elite franchise forward producing well above a point per game. They have no one ready to take over that role.

Alexis Lafrenière was drafted as a player that was expected to produce at or just under a point per game, and he's failed to live up to that. Will Cuylle is a hard-working player who can score, but it is fair to say that he hasn't taken enough of a leap in his third season to suggest he can be a consistent top-six contributor. Gabe Perreault is still young, but he was a later first-round pick that wasn't highly touted. Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller are aging veteran forwards who can be fine secondary or tertiary players, but their days of being "the guy" are over.

Vincent Trocheck has been better this season than last, but he could be an interesting trade chip to help the Rangers bolster their war chest for some big game hunting in the offseason. There is no one currently in Hartford ready to take a jump, and the only other name of note worth mentioning is Noah Laba. Laba has been fine as a third-line center, and it remains to be seen if he can be more than that. All of this screams the need for more established talent, and talent that jumps to the top of the depth chart and pushes everyone else down a rung.

In recent years the Rangers have made the playoffs and come close to advancing to the Stanley Cup Final. They had a roster that featured a blend of top talent, young up and comers, and some established veterans. The roster they are expected to dress on Thursday, against Buffalo, is a mess. The absence of Shesterkin and Fox hurt, but even if they were dressed, the Rangers need help.

The Blueshirts are scoring just 2.59 goals per game which makes their offense the third-worst in the league. There is no easy fix to that, and it will require a focused approach to build a group that leverages the talent that's already here, and moves on from players whose value is greater in trade than what they contribute on the ice.

Rangers can come back strong next season

If the Rangers are realistic about their situation, they can put themselves into a position to be better for the 2026-27 season. The roster features a number of players who can help put contenders and aspiring contenders over the top. Given the amount of teams who have a chance of making the playoffs, there is a good chance bidding wars can break out. If the Rangers were to be realistic with their injuries, they could move players to season ending injured reserve, open up cap space, and absorb expiring contracts with a sweetener of a pick or prospect.

The CBA's changes to double retention and the institution of a playoff salary cap will make the deadline interesting, and this is an area where a deep pocketed team like the Rangers could capitalize. If the Rangers botton out, gain assets, and have some lottery luck, they will enter the summer with cap space, and options to build out their roster while also having multiple draft picks to rebuild the farm system. It is clear that James Dolan doesn't want a full on rebuild, but the Rangers can use this situation to pivot into something that props open a window that is on the verge of being slammed shut.