Of course, it’s not that simple. The Rangers have $13.695 million in projected salary cap space after Barclay Goodrow was claimed off waivers by the San Jose Sharks, but still need to re-sign restricted free agent defensemen Braden Schneider and Ryan Lindgren.

There are other ways to open up more cap room, like buying out Jacob Trouba or making a trade, but as it stands now the Blueshirts need to be creative to improve their group of forwards.

Keeping in mind that general manager Chris Drury said all internal, as well as external, options will be considered, there’s a chance Kaapo Kakko, Brennan Othmann and/or even Will Cuylle could get a whack at playing in the top six next season. If that’s the plan, whether it be Plan A, Plan B or whatever, then perhaps the Rangers could move in a less expected route during free agency.

Would they consider prioritizing a third-line center instead of a top-six right wing? It’d likely be the more affordable option, though it would displace Filip Chytil, whom coach Peter Laviolette said is a center even though he played on the wing after returning during the Stanley Cup Playoffs from a long-term upper-body injury believed to be a concussion.

So, the question with this strategy is multi-fold. Are there free-agent options who would be better than Chytil at center? Could Chytil adapt to being a wing full-time? Or is this plan a must because you can’t count on the oft-injured Chytil to be healthy next season?

This is another example why Drury is paid the big bucks by James Dolan.

Related: Patrick Kane would want to ‘make it right’ with Rangers

Rangers could prioritize signing center, not right wing in NHL free agency

Depth down the middle is crucial for a Stanley Cup contender. With Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck, the Rangers have two very good centers at the top of the depth chart. A fully healthy Chytil, who scored 22 goals and had 45 points two seasons ago, certainly gives them a solid top three at the position. But, again, Chytil has had a series of head injuries and played just 10 regular-season games in 2023-24.

With Goodrow gone, there’s a hole in the middle on the fourth line. The doughnut can be filled affordably by an internal candidate like Jonny Brodzinski or possibly a free agent such as Kevin Stenlund of the Florida Panthers.

So, back to third-line center. If the Rangers go this route, they could look into Elias Lindholm or Matt Duchene because each would give New York the option of a veteran that can play center or on the wing. Lindholm, 29, disappointed with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks this past season, but had 64 points two seasons ago, and 42 goals and 82 points in 2021-22. He kills it at the face-off dot, though, and is a defensively-aware player. His salary cap hit was $4.85 million and he’ll be looking for a significant raise and term, so he may not be a fit, though the Rangers should check in on him.

Duchene, 33, is another polarizing player. He’s scored 341 goals in the NHL, has always been a solid 5v5 scorer, and remains a skilled playmaker after recording 65 points this past season with the Dallas Stars. His production tailed off dramatically in the playoffs, and he seems to be a true hate-him-or-love-him player. Like Lindholm, Duchene can play center or wing. Unlike Lindholm, he won’t need as many dollars nor years on his contract.

There are other intriguing center options. Chandler Stephenson has won the Stanley Cup twice, with the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights, kills it in the face-off circle and has scored between 51 and 64 points each of the past three seasons. The 30-year-old will get a bump on his latest $2.75 million contract but shouldn’t break the budget.

To varying degrees of interest, there’s also Sean Monahan, 29, who was finally healthy this past season and scored 26 goals and continued his solid two-way play and strong work in face-offs; Adam Henrique, 34, another excellent face-off guy who scored 24 goals this season; and Tyler Johnson, 33, a two-time Stanley Cup champion who’s small (5-foot-8, 185 pounds) and injury prone, but did score 17 goals in 2023-24.

Again, it’d appear that right wing is the Rangers priority in free agency, but it can’t be discounted that they go this route and prioritize a center, especially if the prices for top-six right wings skyrocket.

Additionally, they also have some certainty in what they can do with Chytil’s full $4.437 million in cap space. Some or all of that cap hit can be allocated to bring in a pivot to play behind Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck.

This should automatically catapult Calgary Flames pending UFA Elias Lindholm to the top of that list. The 29-year-old makes $4.85 million, and his 32 points (9 goals, 23 assists) in 49 games, would be a huge lift for the third-line.

Related: Rangers looking for a center or two

New York Rangers need another early deadline trade

On Sunday, the Blueshirts announced that Chytil, who suffered a setback to his upper-body injury, will be out for the rest of the season. The 24-year-old was hit in open-ice by Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast on Nov. 2nd and hasn’t played since. He finishes this season with just six assists in 10 games. Before leaving, Chytil posted a positive message on Instagram.

“It has been the hardest 3 months of my life and has not been easy for my family, closest people and of course for whole NY Rangers organization,” Chytil wrote. “But we gotta stay positive even in these tough moments and just think What is ahead of us! Thanks to you all for nice messages! I’ll come back stronger than ever!”

The fact Chytil won’t be returning makes it clear the Rangers have to replace his offense with another center for the third-line. That being said, the team’s needs at rightwing and defense can’t be ignored either.

Last year, Chris Drury showed the hockey world just how he thinks. Almost a month before the deadline, he acquired forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola from the St. Louis Blues.

“It’s something we’ve been looking at for a while,” Drury said. “It gives the two new players a little more time to acclimate to our group, so excited to do it now and get them in the lineup tomorrow.”

New York was able to get the Blues to retain 50% of Tarasenko’s cap hit in exchange for a conditional first-round pick (2023), a conditional fourth-round pick (2024), forward Sammy Blais, and prospect defenseman Hunter Skinner.

This time around, they may need to do something bigger if they want to address their issues on defense as well.

Noah Hanifin is also a pending UFA, and the 27 year-old left defenseman would drastically improve the Rangers top-four on the blueline. This season, he’s posted 25 points (8 goals, 17 assists) in 49 games, and would look good paired with either Adam Fox or Jacob Trouba down the stretch.

Of course, he makes $4.95 million against the cap, which means the Rangers will have to shed salary in order to make this sort of blockbuster.

The questions Drury has to answer are plenty. Is he willing to give up a first-round pick in order to get the Flames to retain some salary on both players? If so, who from the roster is he willing to part with to make them fit? Would K’Andre Miller and his $3.872 million AAV be going the other way? Should the answer be yes to both, what else would the Flames want?

Calgary currently sits just a few points out of a playoff spot, but both these players may be leaving via free agency at the of the season anyway. It would be better for the Flames if they could get something for them instead of losing them for nothing. However, giving up those assets makes no sense unless the Rangers commit to re-signing at least one of those two players.

There is also the team’s need to upgrade right wing that may include a possible reunion with Vladimir Tarasenko, Anthony Duclair, or Frank Vatrano. After making such a big move with the Flames, I doubt the Rangers would have any cap space to even think about making a trade, unless they are willing to give up Kaapo Kakko or shed Barclay Goodrow’s cap hit of $3.641 million.

The Blueshirts are off until Feb. 5th for the All Star Break. That puts them a little over a month away from the trade deadline, and another potentially big deal.

There’s a ton of questions Drury needs to answer, starting off with if he truly believes this Rangers team can win it all to mortgage some of its future. Should the answer be yes, a very intriguing time awaits.

That’s what Rangers general manager Chris Drury is wrestling with. And knowing Drury’s track record of swinging trades before the deadline, you’d expect he’s actively finding out which centers are available now, even as Chytil recuperates from an upper-body injury back home in Czechia.

New York entered 2023-24 with quality depth at center. But the loss of Chytil 10 games into the season created a domino effect that has taxed their depth.

Peter Laviolette says the Rangers are "hopeful" that Filip Chytil can return this season: pic.twitter.com/gqN0nKpwXx

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) December 30, 2023

Vincent Trocheck replaced Chytil on the second line with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, and that threesome has been one of the most productive lines in the NHL. Mika Zibanejad, of course, centers for Chris Kreider to form a potent 1-2 punch on the top line. Kaapo Kakko, who missed 21 games with a lower-body injury, is now back on that line playing right wing. So, all good in the top six.

From there, though, things are not as good. Nick Bonino, known for his defensive game, has been asked to anchor the third line after Trocheck moved up. Barclay Goodrow and Jonny Brodzinski have spent time as fourth-line pivot. Those three have combined for four goals in 107 games, leaving the Rangers with virtually no production from their bottom-six centers.

And though Chytil has resumed skating, a timetable for his return remains unknown, leaving Rangers general manager Chris Drury in a position to look to add down the middle ahead of the trade deadline.

So, let’s examine what the Rangers’ options are at center.

Related: Rangers’ biggest surprises in 1st half of 2023-24 season

5 centers Rangers could target ahead of 2024 NHL trade deadline

Sean Monahan – Montreal Canadiens

The sixth overall pick by the Calgary Flames in the 2013 NHL Draft, Monahan is healthy and producing at his best rate in years with the Canadiens. He’s scored 11 goals and 27 points through 44 games, and if those rates continue, he’ll have his best offensive season since 2019-20, when he had 22 goals and 48 points with the Flames. 

The 29-year-old could be a perfect fit on New York’s third line, as he has respectable underlying numbers on what’s been a bad Montreal squad. On top of that, he’s been a solid performer in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 30 games, all with Calgary.

A bonus for the Rangers is that Monahan has an affordable $1.985 million salary cap hit and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season

Will former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton be willing to help his replacement? We’ll see in a few weeks.

Alexander Wennberg – Seattle Kraken

The Rangers had a front row seat to watch Wennberg up close Tuesday when the Kraken visited The Garden. Will he call New York home come March?

It feels like a very long time ago when Wennberg nearly posted 60 points as a 22-year-old with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2016-17. But since then, he’s become a solid middle-six center.

The on pace for another 35-point season, which is essentially what he’s been for the last half decade. His advanced stats aren’t impressive and he’s not the sexiest name on this list, but he’d likely be available since he’s a UFA at season’s end.

Elias Lindholm – Calgary Flames

The biggest name on this list is likely the one most out of reach for Drury and the Rangers.

The 29-year-old is now two years removed from his only point-per game season, and the numbers this season aren’t great (eight goals, 29 points in 44 games). But he’s a four-time 20-goal scorer who’s been a top-six mainstay for years with the Flames.

Power play goal for Calgary!

Scored by Elias Lindholm with 12:11 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Nazem Kadri and Yegor Sharangovich.

Anaheim: 0
Calgary: 2#CGYvsANA #FlyTogether #Flames pic.twitter.com/X0lj0X5Lnu

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) December 22, 2023

Lindholm’s role in New York wouldn’t be to drive the offense, but rather anchor the bottom-six, and he’s done that very well during his career in becoming one of the better two-way forwards in the game as evidenced by three top-10 Selke finishes.

The bidding war for the impending UFA will be high and likely more than the Rangers want to spend on a third-line center. Plus the Flames are fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference and may want to add, not subtract a player with Lindholm’s track record.

Adam Henrique – Anaheim Ducks

The name likely still sends shivers down the backs of Rangers fans, but Henrique is having a strong season in SoCal as he approaches his 34th birthday.

The former New Jersey Devil center, who KO’d the Rangers with an overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Final, has 11 goals and 24 points in 43 games. The Ducks are bad, in a rebuild and likely to sell off assets come March.

Henrique has the largest cap hit in this group ($5.825 million) but is a free agent at the end of the season. He’s also a consistent 40-point player and contributes on the penalty kill, making him an ideal possibility to fill a void in New York.

Jack Roslovic – Columbus Blue Jackets

Probably the name with the biggest long-term upside, the youngest member of this list is a strong two-way forward even if the offensive numbers haven’t been there this season on another bad Blue Jackets club. The 26-year-old hasn’t scored in eight games since returning from a fractured ankle (against the Rangers on Nov. 12) and has two goals and 10 points in 22 games.

However, the former first-round pick has posted back-to-back 40-point seasons, including a 22-goal campaign in 2021-22.

Roslovic is an unrestricted free agent this summer and making $4 million. Like with Montreal, Drury would have to work with his predecessor John Davidson in Columbus to get a deal done. But with how things have gone for the Blue Jackets this season, it appears everything not bolted down has a price.

On January 9th, Sportsnet came out with 25 trade candidates less than two months before the March 8th trade deadline. Among this list are several players that could be a great fit for the Rangers as they gear up for a deep playoff run. With lingering injuries and inconsistent play throughout the line-up as of late, a move might just happen sooner than later.

New York Rangers trade targets

Here are four players from the 25-candidate list who fit the bill:

Elias Lindholm – Center

One of the best two-way forwards in the league right now, Elias Lindholm could bring a lot of value to the Rangers lineup. With Chytil still on LTIR, New York’s depth has been hurting at the center position. This season, Lindholm has recorded 26 points (8G-18A) in 41 games. In his last two seasons, he logged 64 and 82 points, respectively. A player like Lindholm will not only add some scoring, but will bolster their defensive play as well. He is great in the face off circle as well. Another center with a face off percentage above 55% would be great for the Rangers.

In addition, Lindholm can be used in all situations. This season in Calgary, he has been on both the power play and penalty kill units. What really makes this deal enticing is that he is affordable. While certainly due for a raise after this season, Lindholm’s current contract only carries an AAV of $4.85 million. With a piece or two heading the other way, there is no doubt that Drury could make this happen.

Anthony Duclair – Right Wing

Another player in the final year of their contract that is likely to be on the move is Anthony Duclair. His numbers are down this season, with just 14 points (7G-7A) in 37 games. That being said, San Jose is a struggling team all around this season. It is also important to remember that Duclair was a big piece of the Florida Panthers run to the Stanley Cup Final last season. In 20 playoff games, he recorded 11 points (4G-7A).

Duclair plays with a lot of speed, and it is possible that he can find his scoring touch once again if he is paired with more talented players. He would be a welcome addition to the Rangers and provide some much-needed depth on the right wing. In addition, his cap hit of $3 million is very affordable. Of all the players available, a reunion with “The Duke” is not out of the question.

Adam Henrique – Center/Wing

We can all remember the call of Doc Emerick when Adam Henrique scored against the Rangers and sent the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. Since then, Henrique has not seen many playoff games. Four, to be exact. This is a veteran forward who is hungry for a chance at a Stanley Cup. With 21 points (10G-11A) in 39 games this season, the 14-year veteran can still produce offensively. He can play in all situations and provide solid depth to New York’s forward group.

With the Anaheim Ducks in a rebuild, Henrique is a prime candidate to be shipped off to a contender. What makes trading for him more enticing is that he will be a low-cost, low-risk player. Not in terms of contract, but in terms of what Drury will have to forfeit to get him. With an AAV of $5.825 million, he is slightly more expensive than the other candidates on this list. However, the Rangers will not have to give up nearly as much in terms of players and picks.

Sean Monahan – Center/Wing

As one of the cheapest options available in terms of contract, Sean Monahan could be a potential fit for the Rangers. He is another low-cost, low-risk player who has been having a solid season with the Montreal Canadiens. With 23 points (10G-13A), Monahan would provide scoring and depth to the Rangers as he has experience at all forward positions. Slotting him on the right wing is the likely outcome, but knowing that he can step into a third-line center role is also a valuable factor.

Speaking of value, Monahan’s cap hit of only $1.985 makes him very affordable. If needed, Drury should have no problem making this deal work. Getting a solid player to provide secondary scoring at such an affordable cost is exactly what the Rangers need as they gear up for a deep playoff run.

The cards are in Chris Drury’s hands. As the Blueshirts work through a bit of a rough patch, the trade deadline continues to approach. One thing is for certain: moves will be made. There are many areas that need to be addressed. We’ve seen Drury play salary cap limbo before, and it is very likely that he will do it again.

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