What is enough for the Rangers to trade for Adam Fox

Adam Fox (NHL.com)

The Tampa Bay Lightning, aka Rangers south, are in a spot where nobody thought they would be 3 games into the first round; facing elimination. After a dominating 3-0 lead in game 1, we all thought that the series was over. Beginning in the second period, the Blue Jackets mounted a comeback and eventually beat the President’s Trophy champions in game 1 in Tampa.

Two games later, the Jackets sit comfortably with a 3-0 lead and a game away from a date with either the Leafs or Bruins. How does a first round exit for the Lightning impact the Rangers?

When the blockbuster deal involving Ryan McDonagh and JT Miller was made in February of 2018, the final piece of that trade was a 2019 draft pick that carried a condition. As part of the deal, the Rangers received the Lightning 2018 1st round pick that was number 28 where the selected promising Swedish defensive prospect Nils Lundkvist. They also received a 2019 pick that carried a condition.

The condition was that if the Bolts were to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup in either 2018 or 2019, the pick would be a first round pick in 2019. Tampa obviously did not win the cup last year, and are going to have a tough climb back to even win their first round matchup with the Jackets.

If, and in my opinion when, the Bolts are eliminated by Columbus, the pick the Rangers will receive will be number 58. Since the Lightning won their division, the best the pick could be would be 27 in round 1, which means, as mentioned before, pick number 58 in round 2. Now brings the question, what should the Rangers do with that pick?

With 6 picks in the first three rounds, including two in the first, and a chance at a third in the first, Rangers brass is loaded yet again with ammunition heading into the draft. When they get on the floor in June in Vancouver, I fully expect them to make some moves and be a bit more aggressive than last year; but I would like to see them do something earlier than the June draft.

The Rangers have been linked to top defensive prospect from Harvard University, Adam Fox. Fox, as mentioned in a previous article, is not expected to sign his ELC with the Hurricanes. All signs point to him being a Rangers at some point….but the question is when? Fox, as of right now, is going to go back to Harvard for his senior year and will become a free agent in the summer of 2020.

If he goes this route, many think that he will sign with the Rangers. Here’s the problem with that; sometimes people get a change of heart and may not have the same feelings they once had. If Fox were to become a Ranger, he would immediately become their best defensive prospect, sign his ELC with them, and most likely be in the opening night lineup in October 2019. This is why the Rangers need to trade pick number 58 right when the Bolts are eliminated for Adam Fox.

The only thing that people will lean on is that in 2011, the Tampa Bay Lightning drafted Nikita Kucherov 58th overall. Yes, he obviously turned into a superstar, but pick number 58 is lucky to turn into an NHLer, let alone a superstar. The person that goes 58 will NOT be as good as Fox. The Rangers need to get this done.

Yes, the Rangers can wait until the summer of 2020 and sign him for nothing in assets. However, if they could broker a deal Fox may reconsider going back to Hartford to play for the Rangers. Let’s see what happens.

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