The New York Rangers are in need of answers to help save their season. After the Winter Classic on Jan. 2, the Rangers lost five games in a row. It's not exactly surprising since they lost Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox during that stretch, but it's still shocking how far the team has fallen. During that five game losing streak from Jan. 5-14, they surrendered 30 goals on 129 shots. They lost 10-2 to the Boston Bruins, and in another dud performance lost 8-4 to the Ottawa Senators.
Reports indicated that Rangers General Manager Chris Drury eyed the stretch before the Olympic break to give him a clearer picture of the direction they needed to head for the March 6 trade deadline. The direction was obvious to Drury now: this is a Rangers team that desperately needs to sell. And he let the hockey world know just that.
Drury sent out a letter to the fans and it let be known that the Rangers would begin the process of a "retool." While not saying it was a rebuild, it's pretty evident that's what he's saying. Granted, not every player will be dealt, but there are obvious names the team could explore moving on from, with the chance to get a premium return from interested teams.
Which Rangers could get the most in return in rebuilding trades?
The best way for the Rangers to get a decent return of young players is to trade away Panarin. He is set to be, probably, the top player in free agency next summer. You could thank the entire class of young superstars, such as Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, and Jack Eichel deciding to re-sign with their respective teams on contract extensions. McDavid's was a two-year deal, while Eichel and Kaprizov were eight-year deals. So, there's no real savior for the Rangers next summer, much like they found with Panarin back in 2019.
Panarin has lived up to his contract for the most part. Sure, the Rangers didn't get a Stanley Cup, but he has 205 goals and 401 assists through 479 games.
But it's not going to be easy, since Panarin would have to waive his no-move clause, meaning he'd have say on where he gets traded. That could limit the return the Rangers get. Even so, the Rangers should get a decent return for the Rangers.
Another player that stands out as a trade option is Vincent Trocheck. He was their big signing back in 2022. He may not have provided the production like Panarin does, but he could provide 60-70 points a season, and provide help on face-offs. You're not going to get a ton for Trocheck, but if there are multiple teams interested in him, that could drive the price up. His ability in the faceoff circle would be something that playoff teams would like to add.
It may have been a difficult choice for Drury to make, considering this is the roster he built, but it is the right choice. This is a team that's not ready to contend for a Stanley Cup anytime soon, so it's best to try and build a sustainable roster that could contend down the road for a long time.