Two rangers top Defensemen emerge has trade candidates for western conference team
The New York Rangers have a glut of good defensemen, and have a great pipeline of talent in Hartford.
However, there's been talk of the postseason being a bloodbath for the current core of the Rangers as they are now. GM Chris Drury may not be able to sign the talent available, and after Igor Shesterkin the list just keeps going.
It includes players like K'Andre Miller, Adam Edstrom, Will Cuylle, and Zac Jones to name a few.
They're going to find a way to reduce salary and one way is to make trades, and the Vancouver Canucks could be a destination for one or two Rangers defensemen.
K'Andre Miller
K'Andre Miller seems like a shell of himself this season, as he's having trouble finding his game at both ends of the ice.
PK Subban thinks Miller could be the Rangers' top defenseman if his play was up to par with his linemate Adam Fox.
However, Miller has only scored 4 points( 1 G, 3 A) in 18 games, and is producing unlike he did in 2022-2023, which saw him score 43 points, a career-high.
He could benefit from a fresh start elsewhere, and could Vancouver be the one to pry him from the Rangers' hands? He won't be a cheap trade piece for the Rangers, but the Canucks have 3 1st round picks, and two 2nd round picks available for trade.
He's currently making $7.7 Million AAV, and with the lack of capital the Rangers know they'll have, they might have to trade him instead of extending him.
With Adam Fox locked in on the top-pairing on the right side doesn't give a player like Braden Schneider a lot of hope. While he's been a consistent third-pairing defenseman and hasn't played to his full potential yet, he's still developing and could be a trade piece in the future.
He'll be an RFA in 2026 and will need an extension. With the Rangers controlling his right, and likely optimizing contracts on the left side, Schneider could be moved, for the right price of course.
Schneider's future with the Rangers is determined by the possible extension of Jacob Trouba, and Ryan Lindgren, if it were to go through.
The Rangers could get a haul for either Miller or Schneider and if Patrik Allvin is offering a decent package of picks and prospects, GM Chris Drury should listen.
