The Eichel trade rumors have been constantly changing since last offseason. Forever Blueshirts has been monitoring this situation closely. We know that the Rangers made an offer last season and several other teams, such as the Los Angeles Kings and the Columbus Blue Jackets were interested. It’s all been chronicled here.

Forever Blueshirts also noted the Rangers interest cooling in May. That was followed by teams like the Kings and Blue Jackets dropping out of the running. More recently, reports indicate the ask from the Sabres has dropped but there’s been some conflicting information as to what that means.

Eichel’s skill, injury, and cap hit of $10 million per season presents many factors for teams to consider. It’s no different for the Rangers. Before possibly making another offer for Eichel, Chris Drury will have to seriously examine all of his options.

The Rangers’ situation at center

On some teams, Ryan Strome would not be considered for the second line center spot, but on the Rangers he is. This has several fans screaming for an Eichel trade. Eichel and Mika Zibanejad as the top two centers and Strome as a strong third line center sounds good, right? Sure, but that’s an overly simplified view of the situation.

Last season, the Rangers generally lined up down the middle with Zibanejad, Strome, Filip Chytil (when he wasn’t injured), and Kevin Rooney or Brett Howden. In order to add Eichel, management would have to clear out roster space, as well as some cap space for the final four years of Eichel’s deal.

The clearing of roster space began when Brett Howden was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday. Expect more moves like that to come, including uncertain futures for Strome, Chytil and Pavel Buchnevich.

Assuming they’re able to sign Goodrow, that would leave them with Zibanejad, Strome, Chytil, and Goodrow down the middle. The organization chose to protect Rooney in the Seattle expansion. That’s a pretty good indication that they feel he belongs with the team.

Rooney was a solid fourth line center last season and helped the U.S. win bronze at the World Championships. He, and Goodrow are very likely to play key roles for the Rangers bottom six.

So what if the Rangers try to trade for Eichel? Chytil could be part of the package. That would certainly solve the logjam at center. He made strides early last season but experienced a setback when he was injured against the Penguins. Eichel, Zibanejad, Strome, Goodrow is a much deeper lineup at center, but is it realistic cap wise?

That’s likely why we are hearing Ryan Strome’s name coming up in the rumor mill. If the Rangers believe Goodrow can become a third line center, the middle could look like Eichel, Zibanejad, Goodrow, and Rooney.

How much does Goodrow change anything if at all?

Barclay Goodrow is definitely a solid, gritty fourth line center who could possibly play some third line minutes too. He was an unlikely playoff hero for the Sharks in 2019. As Jon Cooper put it, “You can’t have all Ferraris.” Eichel would be just another finesse player.

Adding Goodrow and sending Howden to Vegas suddenly makes the fourth line a lot stronger. Goodrow doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas of the game. He epitomizes what it means to be an effective fourth line center.

Eichel’s cap hit would cause problems for the Rangers. At $10,000,000 AAV for Eichel, the Rangers wouldn’t be left with much space to work with. They still have to sign Barclay Goodrow, but he will undoubtedly be much cheaper and affordable for the Rangers. Latest reports indicate a 6 year deal with an AAV of $3,600,000.

Once signed, they’ve gained a center that gives the team more depth at the position. They do so without risking spending too much on a player who may not even be the same due to his neck injury.

Does the acquisition of Goodrow lessen the probability of trading for Eichel? It’s unlikely.

Eichel’s neck issue is a reason not to trade for him

Eichel obviously possesses super star status and belongs on the top line of any team. However, there are some questions about the implications of his neck injury. Multiple reports note that Eichel and the Sabres were working towards a resolution. Eichel was reportedly interested in a surgical option that there were questions about, the Sabres are against it so it is likely his next team will deal with it.

This issue, whether Eichel undergoes surgery or not, presents uncertainty. He may not be the same player no matter what treatment option he accepts. It’s too much of a risk to pay $10,000,000 annually for a player in his situation. Especially when there are other options. This is somewhat hypothetical, but still important to acknowledge.

If the Rangers want to put themselves in the best position to win, they need to decide what risks are acceptable. Trading for Eichel could backfire. Trading for Goodrow was a less risky move, and has already improved the team.

What would the Rangers have to give up for Eichel?

If the Rangers do decide to make another offer for Eichel (if they haven’t already), Buffalo could use a goaltender. The Rangers initially signed Keith Kinkaid so they’d have a goaltender to expose in the expansion draft, but he actually played well for them. He isn’t expected to be taken, so the Rangers could put Alex Georgiev in the package. If the Rangers were to acquire Eichel and have Goodrow, Chytil could wind up on the outside of things, so it makes sense to include him in the package as well.

Plus, reports have surfaced that the Rangers are shopping Buchnevich. Buffalo would likely be open to acquiring him. They could use a younger right wing who has shown improvement recently. Finally, the Rangers could throw in the 15th overall pick.

To trade or not to trade for Eichel

There are always unknowns when bringing in players. New environments, team cultures, and teammates present factors for players to adjust to. Goodrow will be facing these things with the Rangers. However, this unknown is less of a concern than Eichel’s injury.

Eichel’s neck issue is more likely to affect his play than Goodrow’s adjusting to a new team. Drury will have to do due diligence and decide if it’s worth giving up some familiar and valuable players like Georgiev and Buchnevich for a player whose game might be at least partially inhibited. When examining the available information, it ultimately seems that it’s not necessary to trade for Jack Eichel now that they have Goodrow.

Then again, bold moves win Stanley Cups and nothing would be bolder than trading for Eichel.

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Most of those guilty of this are the veterans. The Rangers’ top six, outside of Panarin, has not reached the level of play that they are expected to be at. Right now, this team requires every player on the roster to be better. There is plenty of potential and proven skill here that is not being reached or utilized at present.

Rangers veterans must step up

David Quinn has already shuffled the lineup quite a bit through the first nine games of the season. However, it appears the top six is expected to consist of the following players: Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Buchnevich, Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome, and Alexis Lafreniere. Of those, five can be considered veterans at this point. The best of them so far this season has been Panarin, as it should be, who has five goals and seven assist for twelve points. Other than him, Buchnevich has impressed so far with his apparent confidence and noticeable presence on the ice. He currently has two goals and five assists for seven points.

The veteran concerns on offense start with Mika Zibanejad. Over his last two seasons with the Rangers, Zibanejad proved he could be a top player in the league. So far this season, he hasn’t quite been able to reach his normal level of play.

He did test positive for COVID in January and therefore missed most of training camp. Nine games into the season though, the Rangers need their number one center to step up. Zibanejad only has two points (a goal and an assist) and is a -4 on the season.

The players, the organization, and the fanbase all know that this is not a true showing of Zibanejad’s ability and that he is well-deserving of the “A” he wears. It is just a matter of getting back to the level he was at last season. In a 56-game season, there isn’t much time to work things out. Kreider and Strome have both been producing more in the last few games, but improvement from just two veterans isn’t enough.

Kaapo Kakko needs more ice time

Kaapo Kakko has shown that he has an effective shot and after spending a year in the NHL, has the willingness to shoot more. He is also better adjusted to the pace of the game this season.

David Quinn may feel that Kakko is not quite adjusted enough, but losing him in a game won’t help that situation. Kakko has good size, is strong on his skates, and has a goal-scorer’s shot. Playing him on the third line made sense earlier as he showed excellent chemistry with Filip Chytil and Phil DiGiuseppe. But now that Chytil will be out for the next few weeks, it may make more sense to try him on the second line with Panarin and Strome. This will get him more playing time, and the opportunity to play with a star and a proven veteran.

Without more ice time, it will be harder for him to develop into the star many believe he can be. He was the obvious choice as the second overall pick in 2019, and the Rangers cannot allow his talent to go to waste. On the whole, the team needs every player to do more in order to be competitive in their division. But again, Kakko cannot contribute if he doesn’t play.

Note: Kaapo Kakko is currently on the NHL’s COVID List

Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller leading Rangers defense

Last season, Adam Fox surprised in his rookie season. He looked far more comfortable than other rookies and made an immediate impact. So far this season, he has been just as effective. Fox plays a good transition game, is almost always in position in the defensive zone, and capable of generating offense. He leads the defense in assists (5) and points (6). Last year, this was Tony DeAngelo’s territory. Now, DeAngelo has been placed on waivers. It should be interesting to see where this goes.

K’Andre Miller had a good night against the Penguins on Saturday as he recorded two assists. His effectiveness goes beyond the numbers. Miller’s assist on Kevin Rooney’s goal was a true heads-up play that is indicative of his constant awareness. He did make a mistake in the third period, but was able to recover immediately and get back to block a shot. Miller currently lead the team in plus/minus at +7.

Consistency is key for this Rangers team

In this shortened season, there isn’t much time for trial and error. Yet Quinn continues to try different combinations, mainly up front, every couple of games. It is also not uncommon for the Rangers’ lines to change mid-game.

This Rangers team is trying to find their identity, and it may be more worthwhile to give the players some consistency during this process. They need to find a level of comfort with their linemates or defense partners. This cannot be established if the combinations keep changing.

Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren have been a consistent pair with obvious chemistry. Kreider, Zibanejad, and Buchnevich have chemistry but have been split up of late. The third and fourth lines may require consistency the most as they find ways to play effective hockey. The fourth line, for example, must turn into an energy line. While chemistry is not necessary for hitting everything that moves, it is for generating offense as a result of gaining puck possession.

The Rangers have blown too many leads already this season, and it has cost them games. They start to sit back a bit too much and stop skating. As Kreider mentioned in his post-game interview on Saturday night, the team started going east to west instead of north to south. They need to not just understand what needs to be done to hold a lead, but actually be able to do so.

It is not time to panic about goaltending

While Igor Shesterkin and Alex Georgiev may have seemed shaky through the first eight games, this is not who they are. Both have proven that they can be elite goaltenders at the NHL level. They just need to find their game. It appears they may be adjusting to the lack of a veteran presence at their position without Henrik Lundqvist. But once they get past this, they should be back to normal.

Last night, Igor Shesterkin was rock solid and turned aside 25 of 26 shots in the Rangers 3-1 win over the Penguins.

The Rangers are close to the team they should be

Overall, this team has talent and skill in all areas. Now it is about making sure every player shows up to play every night and developing the individual parts into a cohesive group. The rookies and younger players have not be an issue so far this season. If they can continue to do what they’re doing and if the veterans can reach the level they’re expected to be at, this Rangers team will be a playoff contender.

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John Davidson knows where the Rangers are this season. They are at the crossroads of their rebuild with a commitment to stay the course. That means continuing to develop the talent they have and retool this lineup with those players. We are seeing it now with the promotion of Igor Shesterkin and the ice time given to Kaapo Kakko. Knowing full well Vitali Kravtsov is going to play this season on Broadway, this team is getting younger and improving.

Waiting in the wings are also two surefire blue liners in Nils Lundkvist and K’Andre Miller. That means Davidson and GM Jeff Gorton have to make room for them and ensure the best lineup heading into next season. It’s important because not making the playoffs could have job ramifications for David Quinn in 2021.

Must Trade Players At The Deadline

There’s two players the Rangers have to move at the deadline, Chris Kreider and Alex Georgiev. It’s not because they aren’t valuable but exactly because they are. Here’s the problem with Kreider, his next contract will be in the neighborhood of 7 years and $7M, and while it would be fine for next season, it will be an albatross by year 3, if not 2. Gorton needs that money to pay the future of this franchise in Pavel Buchnevich, Kravtsov and Kakko soon.

As for Georgiev, he is simply the odd man out in a three goalie situation that boasts a Hall of Famer in Henrik Lundqvist and his heir, Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers could get a 1st rounder for Kreider, and a possible a 2nd for Georgiev. It’s just good asset management.

Need for Centers

While it sounds like I am telling you the Rangers should be sellers, I am not. The fall out from Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil’s inconsistencies at center shows Gorton should look to add another center to the organization.

First things first, they need to lock up Ryan Strome who will be an RFA this summer to at least a 2 year deal. He has locked up the 2C spot and earned it for next season already. Chytil could be better suited on the wing and Howden should be the 4th line center regardless of his solid play on the wing lately. So how can the Rangers be buyers at the deadline too?

The Rangers have a moveable asset in Brady Skjei with a cost controlled contract to 2024. They could use him, along with the likes of Lias Andersson to try and add an NHL center to this lineup. How about 27 year old center Jean-Gabriel Pageau? He has 30 points in 44 games and could be part of a blockbuster between the Rangers and Sens since he is a UFA this summer. Of course, if Skjei is involved in any trade the Rangers need to extract maximum value and a possible 1st round pick to boot.

Davidson and Gorton in the driver’s seat

This article is just scraping the surface here. The bottom line is that the Blueshirts are in total control at the deadline and can both buyers and sellers. Simply put, the Rangers are going to be players at this year’s NHL trade deadline.

As 2019 comes to a close there’s a whole lot to breakdown when it comes to a critical year in the “Rebuild”. Forever Blueshirts has been your best source for NYR rumors all year and we intend to do that and more in 2020. Let’s review the latest info out there and see what we can determine.

Lias Andersson

We noted recently that the best way to trade Lias Andersson would be in a package deal. In that article we mentioned that he likely returned to Sweden which was just confirmed by Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts blog. Also suggested was the Rangers possibly loaning Andersson to get some playing time.

Lias Andersson has gone back to Sweden. It remains to be seen if the Rangers loan him to a local team, as Edmonton’s done with Jesse Puljujarvi. (Can’t hurt to have him playing.) The Oilers have taken a tough stance with their winger, as has Dallas with Julius Honka. Like Andersson, they are young former first-rounders, and, in trade talks, are being treated as such. New York is following that path.

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From what I can gather, the Rangers feel zero pressure to move him now. They are likely to work out a deal where he is loaned to a team in Sweden and trade him in a package deal at the deadline.

Chris Kreider

Like Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello last deadline and Rick Nash the prior, Chris Kreider is the next UFA to be moved at the deadline. And regardless of what Larry Brooks recently wrote, the Rangers are still very likely to deal him.

They do not have to trade Kreider. They do not have to trade Strome or DeAngelo. They do not have to break up the Kreider-Zibanejad combination on one line and the Strome-Panarin combination on another unit that have created power-matchup dilemmas for opposing coaches. They do not have to move DeAngelo as he grows into one of the most proficient right-side, blue-line, offensive forces in the NHL.

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While I agree wholeheartedly about Strome and DeAngelo, it makes no sense to keep Kreider. Brooks citing that young players go to him is not reason enough either. Should he get traded players like Zibanejad, Panarin, and Trouba will assume the leadership mantel without issue.

And there’s nothing wrong with Kreider the player, but if you have to sign him to 7 years at 7 million, that contract will be an albatross in just a few years when he’s in his 30’s and you need to pay Kakko, Zibanejad, Fox, and Buchnevich to just name a few.

Jeff Gorton

The person all these decisions ultimately rests on is GM Jeff Gorton. Don’t get me wrong, President John Davidson will have input on the plan, but the execution will be all Gorton. The key to a successful trade deadline will be patience and playing it close to the vest. Both are things Gorton is excellent at.

Lots and lots of interest in Chris Kreider, no decision yet from the Rangers. “Lots of time,” one source said. Again, look at their history. Marc Staal’s last contract was signed on Jan. 18, 2015. In 2014, they signed Dan Girardi on Feb. 28. They took Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello down to the wire last year. There’s a lot of interest — believed to include contenders who might be happy to wait for cap reasons (Boston, St. Louis) and others who aren’t worried about that (Colorado). There’s plenty of speculation about Montreal, as the Canadiens could use some beef, but Kreider’s partial no-trade affects that.

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Both Brooks and Friedman have talked about the possibility the Rangers may not trade Kreider. Let me offer this, what if the Rangers have already determined that the best course is to trade him and making other GMs think they want to keep him. Doesn’t that help raise the price? Isn’t that how playing it patient and close to the vest is done? I think so.

Alex Georgiev

Let me finish with Alex Georgiev and the Rangers goaltending situation. Prior to Georgiev having to pass through waivers to be sent down, many believed something would happen. Obviously he wasn’t sent down or traded so what to make of it. I mean there was a lot of trade rumor buzz around Georgiev and it basically just went cold silent.

Here’s a wild theory that’s should cause a stir, what if the Rangers let Lundqvist control his fate? Say the Rangers look likely to miss the playoffs again near the deadline, is there a chance Henrik could change his mind for one last chance at a Cup? Although it is a highly unlikely a request, it is a smart move by Gorton to hold onto Georgiev until the deadline just in case.

Here’s one thing I’m pretty sure of, Igor Shesterkin will play for the Rangers this season. It will come when one of the two current goalies is traded and it’s likely to be Georgiev.

After beating the Lightning at the Garden, the Baby Blueshirts look to track down and beat the Predators in Nashville today. The 2PM start is due to the fact this is the European Game of the Week, and that is sure to put a little extra step in Kaapo Kakko’s stride.

Sticking with the kids

Yesterday, David Quinn announced that he will be going with the same lineup from the Tampa game. Mika Zibanejad is still out with what appears to be a neck issue after getting a high hit from Patrice Bergeron last Sunday. That means Filip Chytil will build on the 17 minutes he received last game. There is no doubt that Chytil looks engaged and made an immediate impact in his season debut.

However, the biggest news is that Marc Staal will be a healthy scratch for his second consecutive game. In his time with the Rangers, he had never been a healthy scratch; that is until Tuesday’s game vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning, when 21-year-old defenseman, Ryan Lindgren made his season debut at the Garden, notching his first NHL point with an assist in the Rangers’ 4-1 win. Lindgren paired with fellow rookie Adam Fox looked spectacular against the Lightning and fans are eager to see if they can repeat that effort.

Read: The Writing Is On The Wall for Marc Staal

Riding the hot hand?

Another big piece of news heading into today is Alex Georgiev who was sharp as a tack will make consecutive starts. Henrik missed practice early in the week due to an upper body issue, which many believe happened when he body checked Pastrnak Sunday.

Georgiev has been stellar this season posting a 2-2-1 record, a 2.56 GAA, but most importantly a .924 SV%. This shouldn’t come as any surprise since the game plan before the season started was to give Hank less starts. But no doubt, it will spark the conversation of what Henrik’s role should be heading towards the end of his contract which expires next summer.

Tony DeAngelo – The Rangers got all of their offense from the 23-year-old defenseman, who netted both Blueshirts tallies in the second period. DeAngelo’s first goal came after the Rangers broke down the ice on an odd-man rush. Pavel Buchnevich fed Brendan Lemieux across the middle and his shot was stopped by Darcy Kuemper. However, the Arizona goalie kicked the rebound right to DeAngelo who potted the loose puck into the net to get the Rangers within one.

DeAngelo’s second tally came on the man-advantage. After the Rangers failed to score on the 5v3 chance, DeAngelo took a pass from Ryan Strome – who was on the goal line – and hit the defenseman cutting to the net to tie the game.

Lias? Kakko? – Perhaps the most glaring thing in this game – aside from the shots discrepancy – was the fact that both Lias Andersson and Kaapo Kakko had limited ice time in this game. Lias Andersson played just 7:34 and Kakko, the second overall pick in this year’s draft, played just 9:51. David Quinn did say that he shortened his bench late in the game, but to have Brendan Smith, who is a natural defenseman, playing significant minutes late in the game, is asinine to me. We keep hearing about it being a rebuild, but if you aren’t going to play the players that are at the proverbial center of that rebuild, then what is the point of bringing in all of these young pieces?

Alex Georgiev – Had it not been for the Russian backstop, the Rangers would not have even had a chance to get the game to overtime. Georgiev made 32 saves, including a couple of dandies to keep his team in the game.

Next Game: The Rangers play their third consecutive home game on Thursday night when they host the Buffalo Sabres. Puck drops at 7!

LETS GO RANGERS!!