Rangers Daily: Retool timeline; 1 more year for Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin
Less than three weeks ago, James Dolan preached patience with general manager Chris Drury and coach Mike Sullivan “installing a new culture” with the New York Rangers. Perhaps the Rangers owner knew what was coming on the horizon, another roster and organizational retool announced publicly in an open letter from Drury last week.
As the Blueshirts Faithful is well aware, this is the second such letter and proclamation and forced re-set in eight years for the Rangers. As defenseman Braden Schneider so eloquently stated: “It sucks.”
Yes, yes it does. But it’s not a complete surprise is it? Drury’s been retooling the roster for more than a year. Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider, Kaapo Kakko, K’Andre Miller, Ryan Lindgren, Filip Chytil, Barclay Goodrow? They’re all out. J.T. Miller and Vladislav Gavrikov each is a core piece added in the past year.
Really, this public announcement does provide clarity in that the Rangers aren’t going to be buyers ahead of the March 6 NHL Trade Deadline, and that pending UFA Artemi Panarin — one of the greatest offensive stars in franchise history — will be moved. And others may follow.
Using the word “retool” instead of “rebuild” perhaps makes it more palatable to the fan base, insinuating that it won’t take as long to get back on track.
As for some actual timelines, we know that the Rangers must move Panarin and defenseman Carson Soucy before March 6 or lose them for nothing during the offseason. Jonathan Quick, Jonny Brodzinski, and Conor Sheary are also unrestricted free agents at season’s end, though each comes with less urgency about moving them out.
If Vincent Trocheck, likely their most valuable trade asset, does indeed get moved, it behooves the Rangers to do it before March 6 to maximize the return since so many teams are in playoff contention, and many need another quality center.
But when it comes to making decisions on the futures of Alexis Lafreniere and Schneider, time is on the Rangers side. They can move one or both before the trade deadline, if Drury and Co. deem a trade worthwhile, or they can wait and decide down the road. Lafreniere is signed for six more seasons past this one, and Schneider is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights after this season.
“The other aspect of this is just laying the foundational groundwork towards potential future deals,” The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta told Forever Blueshirts on the RINK RAP podcast. “Some deals, when you’re up against a deadline, it can happen like this (snaps fingers). Most deals take time. Especially when you’re talking about more significant players [like] Alexis Lafreniere, whether it’s him, whether it’s Schneider … that can take some time.
“So, laying groundwork now to potentially get something done in the summer or at the draft or after July when the free agent window closes, because everybody’s signed and you’re left seeing what you have and don’t have, so you go the trade route. By the way, I think we’re going to see more of that trade activity because of how shallow the free agent pool is.”
In other words, this isn’t all going to be done and over with on March 6. And that doesn’t even take into account, free agency, drafting quality players, and better developing prospects moving forward. Not only does the Rangers NHL roster lack talent and quality depth, the organizational pipeline of prospects is pretty empty.
This is not an overnight fix.
New York Rangers news and analysis
The Rangers are in San Jose just in time for reports that the Sharks have Braden Schneider on their radar as possible trade target.
So, the Rangers plan to trade Artemi Panarin, though Bread has that no-move clause and can direct where he ultimately ends up. But for which teams does it actually make the most sense to add Panarin ahead of the trade deadline?
Want to own a stake in the Rangers? Then you may wish to cast your vote for a certain candidate in the New York Comptroller race. Our Pat Pickens explains why.
NHL news and rumors
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Dan Kingerski was there when Penguins legend Evgeni Malkin said Thursday that he’s like to play another season in the NHL after this one.
Sportsnet: In a true understatement, Mitch Marner expects it to be “loud” when he returns to Scotiabank Arena on Friday for the first time with the Vegas Golden Knights since leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs last offseason.
The Athletic: Pierre LeBrun revealed that the Maple Leafs are not included on Dougie Hamilton’s no-trade list, an interesting fact since Toronto’s blue line is decimated by injury and the veteran New Jersey Devils defenseman is on the trade block.
Montreal Hockey Now: Patrik Laine is close to being ready for game action, so Marc Dumont takes a stab at what the Montreal Canadiens forward-line combinations could look like when everyone is healthy — and explains why Laine might remain the odd-man out.
TSN: Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin had surgery for a lower-body injury and won’t play in the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics for Sweden.
Sportsnet: Ottawa Senators veteran forward David Perron is out 5-7 weeks with a sports hernia injury.
