Impending Superstar Free Agent Officially Linked To The New York Rangers
On the Real Kyper and Bourne show on Sportsnet, TVA hockey insider Renaud Lavoie dropped a huge story that the New York Rangers are linked to impending superstar free agent Mikko Rantanen.
Lavoie explains that the Colorado Avalanche have put themselves in a predicament that the team will not go over their self-imposed salary cap which prevents other players from getting more money than they should.
He states that 12.6 million that Nathan McKinnon is making is the highest the team will go and it appears Rantanen is looking for 13 to $14 million a year. He believes that the avalanche will likely trade Rantenen prior to the NHL trade deadline if a deal cannot be resolved as it appears negotiations have gone quite poorly.
He explains that the New York Rangers may likely be a destination for Rantanen and that the likely return would be Mika Zibanejad.
The Avalanche are like, 'No, if we can't have an extension with you, we're gonna move you. Even if we're probably a Stanley Cup (contender).'
If you get a good player like Mika (Zibanejad) in return? I think you're good. If you're getting an asset that's under contract for a few years, you're good.
Acquiring a player like Rantenen would change the landscape of the Rangers significantly as he has had two 100-point seasons and has 24 goals and 58 points through 42 games. This season has been the worst for Zibanejad which leads to the notion that he may need a change of scenery.
Acquiring him would give the Avalanche cost certainty as he has five years remaining on his deal at a much more affordable $8.5 million per season.
It remains to be seen on whether both general manager Chris Drury and Avalanche general manager Chris McFarland can make a deal work, but I expect the avalanche to do their best to try to sign him before they have to pull the cord and move one of their best players in their history.
