NHL Insider reveals the top trade candidates on the Rangers roster following the holiday break
GM Chris Drury hasn't been shy from moving on from bad experiments, and the last one was sent to Anaheim. After Jacob Trouba was moved, Kaapo Kakko followed as he resides in the PNW, and in the deep with the Kraken, while the Rangers remain in turmoil, with a 2-8-0 record in their last ten games. Who could Drury move next?
Now, with more bad news on the way, Igor Shesterkin was recently placed on IR with an upper-body injury and word that Peter Laviolette is on the hot seat is just a cherry on top of the mess.
The Rangers could be big movers at the trade deadline, as they're 8th in the Metropolitan Division, with a 16-19-1 record.
Who could the Rangers afford to move next?
Chris Kreider was a recent scratch against the New Jersey Devils, and instead of playing into the rumors took his benching with humility.
He's not been the same player we saw last season, who scored 39 goals, and 75 points in 2023-2024.
But, caveat emptor, he's only scored 13 points( 12 G, 1 A) in 32 games with the Rangers. His name was one of the first to drop when GM Chris Drury mentioned they were open for business, along with Jacob Trouba's.
Kreider makes $6.5 Million AAV the next two seasons, and retaining salary cap space might help facilitate a deal sooner.
The 24-year-old blueliner is a pending RFA and has been in a downturn this 2024-2025 season and we're not sure if we'll see him extended anytime soon.
Miller has played 30 games for the Rangers this season and only scored 6 points( 2 G,4 A).
Is Miller a scapegoat for the team's shared woes? Obviously, the team as a whole is struggling.
Zibanejad is one of the more highly-paid Rangers, with a cap hit of $8.5 Million AAV, and has just scored 21 points(6 G, 15 A) in 36 games.
He's heard about his lack of production, and consistent play from the Rangers fandom all season.
While his contract would make a move tough, if he's willing to waive his NMC the Rangers and GM Chris Drury could find a suitor and make a deal happen.
Until then the Rangers are stuck.
Could shaking up the entire Rangers roster be the solution? It doesn't seem like Peter Laviolette is to blame alone, as this team is only a year removed from a trip to the ECF and a President's Trophy.
Either way, GM Chris Drury needs to figure out this rubix cube soon, or else his head could roll next.
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