Rangers exploring trade options on Zuccarello and Skjei

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David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period Magazine just tweeted out some interesting info he heard while at the NHL Awards in Vegas.

Making Sense of the Rumors

As we draw nearer to the draft there have been many developments around the NHL. The biggest news is that Barry Trotz is set to become the new Islanders coach and that appears to have John Tavares ready to re-sign with his current club soon.

If John Tavares is off the table then the big fish the Rangers were hoping to make a run at likely shifts their focus back to a full rebuild. That being the case, the earlier reports that Mats Zuccarello was probably coming back have changed. It makes sense, especially if Zuccarello can be used to obtain Dougie Hamilton from Calgary.

Roy Kvatningen told Forever Blueshirts that the Flames were hot after Zucc at the deadline. If the interest is still there, maybe a deal with Zucc and a late 1st rounder can land Hamilton. That then opens the possibility of using Kevin Hayes, Brady Skjei and the #9 pick for possibly Carolina’s #2 and Jeff Skinner.

Ultimately, the acquisition of Hamilton makes Skjei a rare commodity on the trade market. Edmonton is reportedly looking for a top 4 blue liner so there could be something with them also.

Stay tuned. More to follow.

Anthony Scultore has been covering the New York Rangers and the NHL since 2014. His work also appears at... More about Anthony Scultore

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