Report: Rangers reps present as Senators beat Red Wings
The New York Rangers were in Detroit on Tuesday night as the Ottawa Senators beat the Red Wings in overtime.
According to Bruce Garrioch, they were among several teams to have two reps present for the game (Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Vegas Golden Knights). All in all, 18 team scouts were in attendance.
Now that rumored top trade target Elias Lindholm has been dealt to the Vancouver Canucks, is a reunion with Vladimir Tarasenko more likely or is there someone else on their radar?
Related: Updated Rangers Trade Tiers
Rangers scouting the Senators
First things first, the Rangers last game before the All-Star Break was against the Sens, a 7-2 victory. New York does not play Ottawa until the final game of the season on Apr. 15th, so this isn’t some advanced scouting exercise.
Additionally, they don’t play Detroit again until Apr. 5th, and the Red Wings currently hold the second wild card spot in the East. This will make them buyers come the Mar. 8th trade deadline.
Here are several players the Rangers could be eyeing in a deal with the Senators:
Vladimir Tarasenko, RW
Tarasenko, 32, has recorded 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points in 45 games to date. He will be an unrestricted free agent in July and has a cap hit of $5 million. The Rangers and Tarasenko are already familiar with each other from last season, and he would easily become their top right wing. General manager Chris Drury will want the Sens to retain some salary in the deal.
Dominik Kubalik, F
Kubalik, 28, has notched 9 goals and 12 points in 43 matches. While he’s a left handed shot, the Rangers could use him to bolster the bottom-six at either wing. Although he is having a down year, he has a 30 goal season (2019-20, rookie) and 20 goal season (2022-23) in his previous four NHL campaigns. The 6-2′ forward will be a UFA in July and has a $2.5 million cap hit.
Shane Pinto, C
Pinto, 23, recently return from a lengthy suspension and has 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 6 games. The Long Island native will be a restricted free agent this summer as his entry-level contract ($775,000) expires. Could this be a player the Rangers would be willing to deal Kaapo Kakko for? In his first full NHL season (2022-23), Pinto scored 20 goals and 35 points over 82 games.
Jakob Chychrun, D
Chychrun, 25, has 8 goals and 20 assists for 28 points in 47 games this season to date. Unlike Tarasenko, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, the defenseman has one-year remaining at an affordable $4.6M AAV. That makes acquiring him more of a hockey deal. There’s no guarantee the Sens would trade him, but they are open to listening to offers.
More About:New York Rangers Features New York Rangers News New York Rangers Rumors