Trade incoming: New York Rangers linked to Central Division forward ahead of upcoming trade deadline

According to Rangers insider Vince Mercogliano of Lohud, the Rangers have over $15 million in cap space and are looking for long-term additions rather than short-term rentals.

The new name that has surfaced is Ryan O'Reilly of the Nashville Predators, who has two years left on his deal at a $4.5 million AAV.

A players that would certainly be a reliable two-way center and a strong presence in the faceoff circle, Along with providing leadership and defensive stability down the middle.

The Nashville Predators are expected to move the 34-year-old. However, he's gaining a lot of interest from other teams, including the New Jersey Devils and Utah Hockey Club.

Mercogliano also pointed a very good point, as he mentioned that O'Reilly addresses a need but it would be another move that keeps the Rangers old.

The team already relies on veterans like Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Vincent Trocheck, and J.T. Miller, so prioritizing another older player will limit opportunities for younger talent like Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard.

«It's another short-term move for a team that's already aging,» Mercogliano wrote. With pending UFAs such as Ryan Lindgren, Reilly Smith, and Jimmy Vesey expected to be on the move, maybe the Rangers could figure out a way to make it work.

On the other hand, the New York Rangers also need to prioritize some defence as they just lost their top defenseman Adam Fox to an upper-body injury, and is likely to miss significant time.

Definitely leaving the New York Rangers in a tough spot this season, so it will be interesting to see what General Manager Chris Drury will do once the time comes.