Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports activities
Within the 2021-22 NHL common season, the New York Rangers have been the fourth-best Jap Convention crew. Their 52-24-6 report was their greatest in eight years, and their second-best since profitable the Stanley Cup in 1993-94, and that gave Blueshirts followers a lot cause for optimism they’d be even higher this 12 months.
Alas, that has not been the case. Their 11-9-4 mark places them fifth within the Metropolitan Division, and since Nov. 1, they’re simply 4-6-2. This has triggered a lot consternation in Manhattan, with some speculating that coach Gerard Gallant could possibly be dismissed earlier than too lengthy. However Rangers GM Chris Drury is extra prone to make lineup adjustments earlier than firing Gallant.
Certainly, Drury started the roster-reshaping course of Nov. 23 when he dealt enforcer Ryan Reaves to Minnesota for a fifth-round draft choose, primarily a salary-dump transfer to place themselves for a bigger commerce later this season.
Nevertheless, though whispers put Chicago Blackhawks celebrity winger Patrick Kane squarely within the Rangers’ sights, they at present don’t have sufficient cap area (as per Cap Pleasant) to amass Kane. They’re projected to have practically $6.7 million in area by the league’s March 3 commerce deadline, however Kane will not be their solely goal.
Actually, should you have a look at their roster, you can also make the argument their extra urgent want is on the blueline.
The Rangers have a strong top-four group of D-men with star Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba and Okay’Andre Miller all averaging greater than 21:20 of ice time per sport and Ryan Lindgren pulling up the rear at 17:52 per evening. Nevertheless, the dropoff after that’s extreme – Libor Hajek, Zac Jones and Braden Schneider are their choices on the again finish after that, and there are going to be higher candidates than that out there on the commerce market.
It was reported final season that Drury had an curiosity in Arizona Coyotes D-man Jakob Chychrun. Whereas the Rangers have ample asset depth when it comes to each draft picks (they’ve all three of their first-round picks within the subsequent three seasons, in addition to Dallas’ in 2023) and younger gamers – winger Kaapo Kakko would possibly do effectively with a change of surroundings – they might discover it simpler to do a deal for an additional Coyotes defender in Shayne Gostisbehere, or certainly one of Anaheim’s three out there D-men (John Klingberg, Dmitry Kulikov and Kevin Shattenkirk).
Bettering their protection very effectively may make life simpler for star goalie Igor Shesterkin, who hasn’t been in a position to steal video games for the Rangers the best way he did final season. And the best way they may also help him isn’t restricted to protection – the Blueshirts may use extra offense from their D-men, as solely Fox, with 25 factors, has greater than eight factors this season.
Klingberg and Shattenkirk undoubtedly may assist in that regard, and each of them are pure rental gamers, driving down the worth they’d command on the commerce entrance.
Offense is one thing Kane would supply, however getting extra factors out of their defensemen would deal with a problem that was chief among the many causes the Rangers have been eradicated within the 2022 playoffs.
They bought off to an excellent begin within the Jap last towards Tampa Bay, profitable their first two video games. However the Bolts received the subsequent 4, and the Rangers managed solely 5 goals-for in that span. When the video games mattered most, they couldn’t produce offense, and you need to know Drury hasn’t forgotten that troublesome development.
The Rangers would make all types of headlines by touchdown Kane, however there will likely be a lot competitors for his providers. They’ll nonetheless add offense at a less expensive price by bolstering their blueline as an alternative. The warmth is now on Drury to make the kind of strikes that may assist the Blueshirts each this season and down the street. Including an offensively-capable D-man would do the trick.
