The New York Rangers have been planning for the summer of 2026 for quite some time, and were deliberate with how they structured contracts so they could be aggressive about improving their roster. So far the team's three biggest potential targets have been removed from the list, and the Rangers will need to set their sights elsewhere with Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov out of the picture.
Yes, the 2025-26 National Hockey League season is just one game old for the Blueshirts, but you better believe that President and General Manager is already thinking about how he and the Rangers can improve their team next summer. With that in mind, let's get into who the next big name of intrigue could be.
The Rangers are quite familiar with Martin Necas
Martin Necas doesn't have the name recognition of McDavid, Eichel, or Kaprizov, but he is still an exciting player who could help the Rangers. The 27 year old forward is a right winger, but he's had some experience at center. That is noteworthy because the Rangers are a team that like to have flexibility when it comes to moving players between center and wing.
This year is set to be Necas' first full campaign with the Colorado Avalanche, and he appeared in 30 games with them last season after being the main piece in the trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes. In those 30 games Necas tallied 28 points in 30 regular season games, and five points in seven playoff games.
The 2024-25 campaign was a career year for Necas, and he ended the season with 83 points in 79 games. It bested his previous career high by 12 points, and in total he's compiled a line of 126-202-328 in 442 games. He's also been worth 40.2 goals above replacement per Evolving-Hockey.
Where Necas could fit in
If the Rangers were to be in a position to sign Necas, he could be a natural fit on the top line right wing. That is a spot currently held by Mika Zibanejad, a center who started playing wing for the Rangers last February. There is no knowing how Zibanejad will perform their over the course of a full season, so it is only wise to start thinking about worst case scenarios.
An alternate scenario would involve Zibanejad remaining on his wing, and Necas taking the right wing spot occupied by Alexis Lafrenière. Necas wouldn't be replacing the budding Blueshirt winger, but instead taking his spot after he slides back to his natural position of left wing. Artemi Panarin is set to be a free agent in July of 2026, and the soon-to-be 34 year old could be in line for a massive pay day.
It remains to be seen how Panarin performs under Mike Sullivan, and if the team doesn't like how things are going, they could either trade him in-season, or just let him walk after seven productive years on Broadway. A team with Lafrenière on the left and Necas on the right in the top six has more long-term upside, and with Sullivan back in New York it appears the focus is more about the future as opposed to the immediate.
It is also possible for the team to keep Panarin, and add Necas, but it would require the team to get creative if they want to still have opportunities for Lafrenière and Gabe Perreault who is currently in Hartford. In any case, Necas is a name of intrigue who could help the Blueshirts, and one they will look to target if he makes it to free agency in July of 2026.