Major development surfaces regarding this Kings defenseman and the Rangers
Photo credit: NHL.com
The New York Rangers have to improve their blueline during the off-season, or their future championship hopes could turn into dust.
GM Chris Drury will have to bargain hunt for top defenseman in the league during free agency, as he has limited cap space to work with, in $12.8 M currently.
The team may trade away Captain Jacob Trouba, who will likely be asked to submit his 15-team no-trade list, when July 1st rolls around.
In the meantime he will have to plug holes in the defense, when they shed someone like Jacob Trouba, and one player who could replace Trouba on the blueline is on the West Coast.
That defenseman is Kings defenseman, Matt Roy.
According to NHL Insider, Perre LeBrun GM Rob Blake and the Kings risk losing one of their best defenseman:
«Never say never, but all signs point to Matt Roy going to market,» LeBrun reported on X. «Kings and his camp haven't been able to bridge the gap.»
Roy could be the perfect, affordable replacement for Trouba, as for the Kings he may be asking for too much in terms of contract value. But for Drury and the Rangers he could fit perfectly.
The surplus from trading Trouba could be used to acquire Roy, a 29-year old defenseman drafted in 2015. He has enjoyed an impressive career in Los Angeles, and with a +67 as a stay at home defenseman, he could be a solution for the Rangers, as a physical piece on the blueline.
During the 2023 season, Roy scored 25 points( 5 G, 20 A) with a +21 on ice, and according to Evolving Hockey could fetch a nice $6.1 Million AAV for his next contract.
There should be free-agents worth a look, but Roy should come first for the Rangers to call in Trouba's absence.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 29 | 173 ANSWERS Major development surfaces regarding this Kings defenseman and the Rangers Do you think Mat Roy would be a great addition to the Rangers lineup? | ||
| Yes | 106 | 61.3 % |
| No | 67 | 38.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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