New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly in a bidding war for most sought after free agent
Photo credit: Sportsnet
forward Mikko Rantanen is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. Could GM Chris Drury and the New York Rangers be suitors for the former Stanley Cup winner?
The Blueshirts are in dismal need of another goal-scoring forward, as the core that formulated the team has stalled.
With Mikko Rantanen failing to sign a contract extension with GM Eric Tulsky and the Carolina Hurricanes, the New York Rangers need to keep their eyes peeled.
Rantanen could be a steal for GM Chris Drury and the Rangers who have been rumored to be interested in his services.
«Teams will make room for this guy,» Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said. «If they have a feeling that he's going to come to them - the New York Rangers, Toronto - it won't just be the teams with a lot of cap room.
"It'll be teams (saying), like, 'OK, if I have to move a mountain to get Mikko Rantanen, we're going to try to do it.'»
"It'll be teams (saying), like, 'OK, if I have to move a mountain to get Mikko Rantanen, we're going to try to do it.'»
Elliotte Friedman's report was followed by Emily Kaplan's report that the Rangers' front office wouldn't be afraid of making big moves soon.
«I think this is a front office that have always targeted two free agents from now when they would like to make a big splash, but maybe it's this summer instead.
«We just know it's in the nature of the New York Rangers and a James Dolan owned team to always go after the big splashes. Any of these top names that you're going to see available this summer or next, whether it is Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Jack Eichel.»
«We just know it's in the nature of the New York Rangers and a James Dolan owned team to always go after the big splashes. Any of these top names that you're going to see available this summer or next, whether it is Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Jack Eichel.»
While the Four Nations Face-Off continues, GMs everywhere will look to future plans on how they can ensure a winning lineup in the future.
Chris Drury has a lot of work to do, as the team that won a President's Trophy in 2023-2024 exists no longer.
At the moment the Rangers are 5th in the Metropolitan Division, and have a record of 27-24-4 and 58 points.
They will have a fight to win a wild card spot in the playoffs, but those hopes will fail if they don't keep winning games this season.
The Rangers are 3 points out of a wild card spot which the Detroit Red Wings currently hold, along with the Ottawa Senators who hold the 1st wild card spot.
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 14 | 1263 ANSWERS New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly in a bidding war for most sought after free agent Should GM Chris Drury attempt to make forward Mikko Rantanen a New York Ranger during free agency? | ||
| Yes | 964 | 76.3 % |
| No | 299 | 23.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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