First, the Rangers throttled the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 in a matinee at United Center, their first win of more than two goals since a 4-0 victory at the Detroit Red wings on Nov. 9. Then their AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack rode a 29-save outing from goalie prospect Dylan Garand to a 5-1 win against the Bridgeport Islanders.

Finally, Rangers prospects Gabe Perreault and Drew Fortescue helped lead the United States to their second consecutive gold medal victory at the World Junior Championship.

Sing it loud and proud! 🇺🇸 #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/sCwFzhe4Qr

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) January 6, 2025

For the reeling Rangers, it was a much-needed respite from their massive struggles this season. Remember, all of this good came 24 hours after a sloppy 7-4 loss to the Washington Capitals that extended the Rangers’ misery to 5-16-0, and public criticism from The Captain, Mark Messier, himself on ABC.

Since the Islanders also won Sunday, the Rangers remain tied in points (37) for last place in the Metropolitan Division. Yet they are just four points out of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, and have two games on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Of course, there are five teams between New York and Pittsburgh, but there seems to be a bit more light at the end of the tunnel after the Rangers won two of their past three games. Simply, there are a lot of mediocre teams in the mix, which is good news for the Blueshirts, after a really good day.

New York Rangers news

Let’s start with our three takeaways from the Rangers’ 6-2 win in Chicago, including how good things happen when they get pucks and bodies to the net.

Then let’s segue into Perreault and Fortescue becoming two-time gold medal winners at the World Juniors.

For those wanting a complete look at the Rangers weekend, we also have our three takeaways from that 7-4 loss to the Capitals, including a rough day for Jonathan Quick and his defensemen.

NHL news

We reported that former Rangers forward Frank Vatrano is now off the trade market after he signed a three-year, $18 million contract extension with the Anaheim Ducks.

Vatrano then went out Sunday, scored two goals and added an assist in a 4-1 Ducks win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Vancouver Canucks welcomed injured stars Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson back to practice Sunday. Hughes is day to day with an unspecified injury and could play Monday against the Montreal Canadiens.

Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark remains sidelined and is week to week with a back injury. Teammate Travis Hamonic will be out 2-4 weeks with a lower-body injury.

Top-pair defenseman Jake McCabe left the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers and didn’t return because of an upper-body injury after a fight with Garnet Hathaway.

Watch Toronto’s Morgan Rielly score the overtime winner against the Philly.

Bo Horvat scored in overtime to lift the Islanders to a much-needed 5-4 overtime win against the Boston Bruins.

Watch Sebastian Aho also score in OT, lifting the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Vatrano could’ve been an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, which is why he was included in so many trade rumors. Now, he’s locked up with the Ducks and appears quite happy about that.

Also Read: DirecTV Stream Review: Is Worth It for NY Rangers Fans?

“Ever since my family and I got here three years ago, fans, teammates and staff welcomed us with open arms,” Vatrano said in a video posted on the Ducks’ social media. “It’s something that we’ll be forever grateful for. I see how bright our future is here. We’re making turns in the right direction to build a winning culture and ultimately bring a Stanley Cup here to Anaheim.

“With that being said, I couldn’t be happier to say that I signed a three-year extension to stay on here in Anaheim. I’m excited to help this team grow and be part of the future here.”

A message from Frank Vatrano. #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/FISmD6fqPF

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) January 5, 2025

There was plenty of speculation last season that the Ducks would move Vatrano ahead of the 2024 trade deadline. The Rangers were believed to be very interested in a reunion at the time, but instead acquired Jack Roslovic from the Columbus Blue Jackets to try and fill a hole on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.

Though the Rangers went on to win the Presidents’ Trophy and get within two wins of the Stanley Cup Final, Roslovic was no Vatrano. Roslovic had three goals and eight points in 19 games with the Rangers and another two goals and eight points in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He ended the postseason on the fourth line.

Vatrano scored an NHL career-high 37 goals and had 60 points for the first time last season. He played in the NHL All-Star Game and averaged a career-high 18:21 TOI for a Ducks team that finished well out of the playoff hunt again.

The rebuilding Ducks (16-18-4) are again seventh in the Pacific Division, though they entered Sunday with a better record than the Rangers before New York defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 to improve to 18-20-1. The Ducks host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night.

Related: Top Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault leads United States into gold medal game at 2025 World Juniors

Frank Vatrano won’t have reunion with Rangers any time soon

While a reunion with Vatrano made sense for the Rangers last season, it didn’t this season since the Blueshirts have dropped like a stone in the standings. They’re next-to-last in the Metropolitan Division and had lost 16 of their previous 21 games before Sunday’s win in Chicago.

Vatrano had excellent chemistry with Zibanejad and Kreider after he was acquired ahead of the 2022 trade deadline. He scored eight goals and had 13 points in 22 games after the trade with the Florida Panthers. Vatrano then helped the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 20 postseason games.

A UFA at the end of that 2021-22 season, Vatrano signed a three-year contract with the Ducks. And despite fairly consistent trade rumors, Vatrano has scored 68 goals in 200 games with the Ducks.

“Frank is an important member of our team and is committed to the organization moving forward,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. “He is a hard-nosed, competitive player with a gift for scoring goals. We couldn’t be happier for Frank to sign for three more years.”

Vatrano hasn’t scored at the same pace this season. He has nine goals and 20 points in 37 games, though he still figured to be highly sought after by contenders ahead of the trade deadline.

Now, that won’t be the case.

Fowler was passed over by the Rangers in the 2010 NHL Draft. Sitting with the 10th overall pick in the first round, the Rangers selected hulking defenseman Dylan McIlrath instead of the highly-rated Fowler, who’s also a defenseman.

That move, of course, famously backfired. McIlrath played 38 games over four seasons with the Rangers and has totaled 85 NHL games with four teams in his career. Fowler, selected two picks after McIlrath at No. 12 overall, has 988 NHL games on his resume, each with the Ducks.

Given a second chance, though, at the 33-year-old, the Rangers reportedly passed when his name was brought up by the Ducks in trade talks. Instead the Rangers traded captain Jacob Trouba to the Ducks for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a fourth-round draft pick.

“I heard that Anaheim wanted Fowler in this deal. I have no doubt Fowler wanted to be in this deal,” NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast. “It’s been out there: he wants to be traded, he wants to play for a contender. I never heard [Frank] Vatrano’s name in it, but I did hear Fowler’s. At the end of the day, they couldn’t get it done. I think one of the reasons is New York wanted the flexibility for both this year and next.”

Like Trouba, Fowler is owed a significant salary through the 2025-26 season. One of the main reasons the Rangers wanted to part with the Trouba was to open up salary cap space by moving the entirety of his $8 million annual cap charge. Fowler is on the books for $6.5 million annually.

So, the Rangers would have added an older defenseman and saved just $1.5 million against the cap. Vaakanainen, who’s 25 and currently on IR with an upper-body injury, makes $1.1 million per season and is an RFA at season’s end.

Related: Igor Shesterkin ‘so happy now’ after birth of daughter, massive contract extension

NHL Insider believes Rangers didn’t seek reunion with Frank Vatrano in talks with Ducks

Friedman mentioned Vatrano’s name because recent rumors suggested that the trade with the Ducks could have been expanded to include the forward. The Rangers sought a reunion with Vatrano ahead of last season’s trade deadline, but settled on winger Jack Roslovic instead.

Vatrano scored an NHL career-high 37 goals last season with Anaheim. Two seasons before, after New York picked him up ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, Vatrano was an excellent fit on Mika Zibanejad’s line with Chris Kreider. Vatrano had 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 22 games and then added five goals and 13 points in 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games, when he helped the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final.

Since he’s owed just $3.65 million this season, the final one before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, Vatrano’s name will be all over NHL trade rumors the rest of this season. The Rangers could have interest again, if they seek an upgrade over Reilly Smith in the top six, though the 33-year-old does have goals in consecutive games after a slump.

Vatrano has six goals and 12 points in 24 games for the Ducks, who are 10-12-3 and last in the Pacific Division.

Fowler has three assists in 14 games this season. He missed a month of action with an upper-body injury.

Drury and the Rangers have fallen short of the ultimate goal — the Stanley Cup — and the team has failed to reach the Cup Final since 2014. Still, Drury has some fingerprints on a roster that has produced three consecutive 100-point seasons for just the second time in franchise history.

As we’re currently in the midst of arguably his most important offseason to date, let’s take a look at Drury’s best moves as general manager of the Rangers.

It’s way too early to tell with this current offseason so none of those transactions are on the table, but everything else since he took charge in June of 2021 is fair game.

Related: Why signing Chad Ruhwedel was smart move by Rangers

Best moves by Chris Drury as Rangers GM

Honorable Mention: Extending Adam Fox

Several months into his tenure as GM, Drury locked up Adam Fox long term after he won the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman in the NHL. Fox was entering the final season of his entry-level contract when Drury aggressively signed the rising star to a seven-year, $66.5 million deal, pinpointing him as a cornerstone piece of the Blueshirts moving forward.

At a $9.5 million AAV that currently ranks fifth-highest among NHL defensemen, it’s not the cheapest contract in the world — understandably so given the caliber of player that Fox is. It was a smart move to lock him up long-term and provide piece of mind for the team and one if its most important players moving forward.

It’s not the bargain that some of the other moves on this list are, but it’s a move that needed to happen and one Drury got out in front of.

5. Signing Jonathan Quick in 2023 offseason

Expectations were low for Jonathan Quick when he signed with the Rangers on a one-year deal worth $825,000 prior to the 2023-24 season.

The future Hall of Famer, who led the Los Angeles Kings to two Stanley Cup championships and won another as a backup with the Vegas Golden Knights, struggled mightily in his age-37 season, posting a 3.41 goals-against average and .882 save percentage in 2022-23, both NHL career-lows outside of his debut season when he played just three games.

Perhaps goalie guru Benoit Allaire worked his magic because Quick was a revelation in New York, recording a 2.62 GAA and a .911 save percentage, the latter of which was his highest mark since 2017-18 when he finished Top-10 in Vezina Trophy voting as top NHL goalie.

Quick was brilliant amidst some early-season struggles by No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin, allowing the Blueshirts to get off to a hot start. Beyond his on-ice performance, he was a leader in the locker room, and received New York’s Players’ Player Award and was a steady respected voice throughout the postseason despite not appearing in a single game.

The cherry on top, he became the winningest American-born goaltender in NHL history in a Rangers uniform.

Jonathan Quick, the winningest American-born goaltender in NHL history.
⁰Congrats, Quickie! pic.twitter.com/TdepbM6RIf

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 31, 2024

He earned himself a one-year extension to remain the Blueshirts backup to Shesterkin once again for the 2024-25 season. The Rangers have had some excellent backup goaltenders over the past decade, but Quick was one of the most surprising and proved to be a brilliant pickup by Drury.

4. Signing and extending Jimmy Vesey in 2022 offseason

Jimmy Vesey may not have lived up to the hype in his inaugural run with the Blueshirts but his second stint has been a resounding success.

Drury signed Vesey to a one-year, $750,000 contract prior to the 2022-23 season. Like with Quick, expectations were low for the 29-year-old forward who was bouncing to his fifth different franchise in four years.

The former Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in NCAA men’s hockey has completely evolved his game, becoming an excellent defensive forward and penalty killer and establishing himself as a staple in New York’s bottom six.

Seeing a good thing, Drury and the Rangers extended Veasey with a two-year deal worth $800,000 annually, a steal of a deal for a quality bottom-sixer who’s given the Blueshirts 10-plus goals and 25-plus points in each of the past two seasons on top of his staunch defensive play.

At a nearly League-minimum rate, you don’t get better value than that too often.

3. Selecting Gabe Perreault in 1st round of 2023 NHL Draft

This may be the trickiest move to evaluate since Gabe Perreault has yet to make his NHL debut, but Drury still deserves credit for selecting a heralded prospect late in the first round.

Going back to the well of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, the Rangers chose Perreault No. 23 overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The youngster quickly flourished in his freshman campaign with a stacked Boston College team, finishing fourth in all of Division 1 hockey with 60 points and second in assists with 41. He was named a Second Team All-American and helped BC reach the NCAA National Championship game, where they lost to the University of Denver 2-0.

Perreault also helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2024 World Junior Championship, registering 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in seven games.

Now, at just 19 years old, he’s considered the Blueshirts clear-cut top prospect and a future star. He’s already announced his return to BC for another season, but he could sign his entry-level contract at the end of his sophomore campaign.

What he does at the NHL level with ultimately determine the value of this pick. Still, it’s not often that you find a gem this highly rated later in the first round, particularly for a Rangers team that hasn’t always been the best with drafting over the past two decades. Drury deserves credit alone for that.

2. Trading for Andrew Copp and Frank Vatrano before 2022 deadline

Drury’s first trade deadline as GM was arguably his best. The Rangers were tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for second in the Metropolitan Division on the day of the trade deadline, but needed a boost to truly make a playoff push.

Drury brought in a big haul that included defenseman Justin Braun and bottom-six forward Tyler Motte, both of whom were fine additions in their own right. But the headliners were forwards Andrew Copp and Frank Vatrano.

Copp and Vatrano assumed top-six roles and thrived, adding a more potent offensive punch to the group. The Rangers ended up making a run all the way to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and it’s hard to imagine them doing so without their help.

Copp scored 14 goals and 30 points in his 36 games between the regular season and postseason and was one of the strongest performers throughout the playoffs.

Vatrano, meanwhile, found a home on the top line, playing right wing next to Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. He remains one of the only wingers who’s found success on New York’s top line next to that duo since Pavel Buchnevich was traded in the summer of 2021.

Both players left for other destinations in free agency that offseason so it didn’t result in a Stanley Cup or a long-term stay, but Copp and Vatrano helped spark a lengthy and unexpected playoff run that officially marked the end of the rebuild and reframed the expectations in New York.

1. Signing Vincent Trocheck in 2022

Vincent Trocheck is certainly the best free agent signing of Drury’s tenure and the best move of his three years as general manager.

The 2022 offseason saw a few key pieces of the Rangers’ conference final run — Ryan Strome, Copp, Vatrano — depart in free agency. Drury eased the loss by bringing in Vincent Trocheck on a seven-year deal worth $5.625 million annually.

After a very solid first season, when he recorded 22 goals and 64 points, Trocheck flourished in his second year in New York, tallying an NHL career-high 77 points and one of the League’s best face-off win percentages (58.4 percent). He centered a line with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere on the wings that was among the best in the NHL, with all three setting career-highs in points.

He plays a major role on both the power play and penalty kill and has a strong impact at even-strength. In the Rangers’ most recent postseason run, Trocheck logged an average TOI of 23:08, the second-most of any skater, trailing only Fox. Their most consistent player in the postseason, Trocheck had a team-high 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 16 playoff games.

And he also played in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game and was voted the winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award.

The Rangers have him locked up for five more seasons at a price that now feels like a bargain, given his production the last two years. It’s hard to think of the last time they had a better 2C than Trocheck.

On Friday, at 3 pm E.T., the buzzer will sound and any chance to improve your roster via trade will pass. Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury missed out on rental winger Jake Guentzel to address their hole on the top six, but there are still plenty of options.

A reunion with Frank Vatrano has always been the Rangers main objective. Now that the Guentzel gambit didn’t pan out, it’s very likely that Drury will need to part with a first-round pick and a B-level prospect to reacquire the speedy winger.

It’s a price worth paying for the 29-year-old All-Star, who has one-more year on his contract with a reasonable $3.65 million cap hit. Plus, Drury doesn’t have to worry about chemistry as he was beloved in the locker-room during his brief stay in 2022.

“Frankie was always an awesome teammate, always an awesome player,” Vincent Trocheck told Forever Blueshirts at All-Star Weekend. “Him being an All-Star is not a surprise based on how he played in the past. It’s more opportunity. He’s a spectacular goal scorer and if you continue to give him the opportunity, he’s going to continue to do great things.”

Can Drury pull this deal off?

Related: Rangers trade board

Rangers need to go all in on Frank Vatrano

On Thursday, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that the Rangers already rejected a bigger trade with the Anaheim Ducks for Vatrano and Adam Henrique due to the high asking price.

“I’ve heard the Ducks offered the Rangers a package deal a few weeks ago that included [Adam] Henrique and Vatrano for [Kaapo] Kakko and a first-round pick,” Kaplan wrote. “The Rangers clearly thought that was too rich for their liking.”

Henrique was moved to the Edmonton Oilers and the Rangers landed on Alexander Wennberg, whom they felt was a better fit. As for Vatrano, Ducks GM Pat Verbeek holds the advantage because he has term and there’s no pressure to move him at this deadline.

That being said, Vatrano’s value is at an all-time high with 29 goals to this point of the season. So Verbeek runs the risk of getting a far less significant return moving him next year.

Currently, the Rangers have $2.9 million in cap space and the Ducks have used up all of their salary retention slots. If Adam Edstrom is included in the trade or sent down, his cap hit of $846,667 makes it $3.7 million which would fit Vatrano in under the cap.

New York and Anaheim could also get creative to involve a third team in order to have them retain a little of Vatrano’s salary to give them some more space, which they could use for recalls or to acquire a depth defenseman.

What are the plan B options?

What if Drury and Verbeek can’t agree to a trade? Where else can the Rangers turn?

Jason Zucker of the Arizona Coyotes is a pending UFA, who could very well be where the Rangers land if they fail to acquire Vatrano.

The 32-year-old has registered 25 points (9 goals, 16 assists) in 51 games to date on a bad Coyotes team. However, when he played for the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, Zucker potted 27 goals and 48 points in 78 games.

Another name that the Rangers have had interest in the past is another Penguins winger Reilly Smith.

The 32 year-old has 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 55 games this season. He also won the Stanley Cup last year with the Golden Knights, so he knows what it takes in the postseason. However, he also has one-year left on his deal at $5 million, which likely makes the cost to acquire him prohibitive for the Rangers.

Other names to consider are Tomas Tatar with the Seattle Kraken, who always plays well against the Blueshirts. If you are wondering why not Jordan Eberle, the latest out of Seattle is they are working on a contract extension. Tyler Toffoli of the New Jersey Devils would be an intriguing fit, but it’s extremely unlikely these two teams could get together on that deal.

We are just a few hours away from the deadline closing. What will the Rangers do? We’re going to find out shortly.

On Thursday, the rumor mill was churning that the Rangers were really in on Guentzel. However, up until late Wednesday the Blueshirts were rarely mentioned as a destination. Previous reporting also indicated that highly-touted prospects Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault were not available. Additionally, Kaapo Kakko was supposedly not an option to move either.

Yet, all of sudden, there were talks that a first-round pick, and possibly Othmann or Kakko were heading the other way. It just seemed like an abrupt role-reversal for Rangers general manager Chris Drury. Especially when you consider Guentzel is a rental.

Normally, inter-divisional trades are rare, but he’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion and top-notch scoring forward that could put a team over the top. The 29-year-old has scored 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 50 games this season. He’s a pending UFA with an AAV of $6 million, and the Penguins will likely retain some of that cap hit to improve the trade package.

At this time, it appears one of Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas’ former players from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Michael Bunting is part of the package from Carolina that will surely include a combination of pick(s) and protect(s).

Ultimately, the Penguins got what they wanted. And if it was Drury’s plan to get in there to raise the price on a potential playoff opponent, mission accomplished.

.@emilymkaplan speaks on the Jake Guentzel trade news 👀

📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/VrxbPxN8Iv

— ESPN (@espn) March 8, 2024

Where do the Rangers go from here?

Forever Blueshirts reported in February that Frank Vatrano has been the Rangers top trade target. According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the Rangers rejected a bigger trade with the Anaheim Ducks already.

“I’ve heard the Ducks offered the Rangers a package deal a few weeks ago that included [Adam] Henrique and Vatrano for [Kaapo] Kakko and a first-round pick,” Kaplan wrote. “The Rangers clearly thought that was too rich for their liking.”

Is it possible that Drury was also trying to enter the Guentzel sweepstakes to lower the price on Vatrano? If so, the news that the Hurricanes have landed Guentzel may mean he overplayed his hand and will need to give the Ducks a first-round pick and a decent prospect to reel Vatrano in.

Vatrano, 29, has registered 49 points (29 goals, 20 assists) in 62 games this season. He knows the Rangers locker room and fit in nicely when they made a run to the Eastern Conference Final in 2022. Plus, he has one-year left on his contract with a $3.65 million AAV which means Drury won’t have to try and address this position at the next deadline.

Another option that the Rangers can turn to for depth on the right wing is Jason Zucker of the Arizona Coyotes. Anthony Duclair was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning by the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, removing another option.

As for talks of a reunion with Pavel Buchnevich, the price is expected to be a lot higher than Vatrano’s. That goes up even higher if the St. Louis Blues retain salary.

In her report Thursday, Kaplan stated that the Anaheim Ducks offered Vatrano and Henrique to the Rangers for a first-round draft pick and forward Kaapo Kakko.

“The Rangers clearly thought that was too rich for their liking,” Kaplan reported.

It had long been speculated here that the Rangers would try and do a one-stop shop ahead of the deadline with the Ducks. New York’s two biggest needs have been a top-line right wing and a third-line center. Vatran, a right wing, and Henrique, a center, arguably, were among the best available options at those positions.

The Rangers filled their need at center Wednesday, acquiring Alex Wennberg from the Seattle Kraken for a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2026. That happened shortly after the Ducks packaged Henrique and center Sam Carrick in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers that did bring back a first-round pick.

Rangers considering trades for Frank Vatrano, Jake Guentzel, others ahead of deadline

With the clock clicking toward the 3 p.m. ET deadline Friday, the Rangers remain engaged with the Ducks on Vatrano. However, the asking price is high, especially since the former Rangers forward has another season after this left on his contract at an affordable $3.65 million salary cap hit.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post reported Wednesday night that the Ducks could decide to keep Vatrano, who has an NHL career-high 29 goals this season, and sign him to a contract extension this summer.

There are other options on the market for the Rangers to consider. According to multiple reports, the Rangers are in on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel, a two-time Stanley Cup winner. Anthony Duclair, who’s on a tear with the San Jose Sharks, could be a reunion option. 

Jason Zucker has been held out of the Arizona Coyotes lineup recently, so the wing will be moved before the deadline. Though he’s having a down season, Zucker did score 27 goals with the Penguins in 2022-23.

And St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said he’s willing to “get creative” in a possible Pavel Buchnevich trade. That would likely mean taking on half of Buchnevich’s contract for the rest of this season and all of next to knock his cap hit to $2.9 million for an interested team.

But there are numerous hurdles with such a potential deal involving the former Blueshirts forward.

The 28-year-old forward exploded with four points for the San Jose Sharks in their 7-6 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. Duclair scored two power-play goals, each giving the Sharks a lead at the time (1-0 and 4-3), and two even-strength assists.

“To me that was Anthony Duclair letting everyone know that if you don’t think I can help you, I can help you,” hockey insider Elliotte Friedman said on Sirius/XM’s NHL Network Radio on Wednesday.

“I thought that was a big statement game from Anthony Duclair [Tuesday] night.”

Anthony Duclair kicks off the scoring early with a great shot on the tic tac toe power play setup!#SJSharks pic.twitter.com/oZwTmz5rBi

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 6, 2024

Friedman had previously stated there wasn’t much interest around the League in the pending UFA and other available Sharks forwards closing in on the deadline. And that’s why he’s impressed with Duclair’s response recently.

Related: Projecting moves Rangers will make ahead of trade deadline

Rangers trade option Anthony Duclair getting hot before deadline

Duclair is on a heater. He has five goals and eight points in his past four games, which also includes a three-point game against the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 29.

“I don’t know how much interest there is, but I’ll say this, Duclair is aware of this perception and he had a huge game [Tuesday] night,” Friedman explained.

Being able to elevate his game brings to light some good and some bad with Duclair. The good is what the former 30-goal scorer is capable of offensively. The bad is that he has struggled on a very bad team most of this season.

But checking off another box in the positive column is Duclair’s distaste for losing, which he displayed after San Jose blew a three-goal third-period lead in its loss to Dallas.

“I’d feel more comfortable (with the Sharks) if we started winning some games,” he said.

Remember that Duclair did play some of his best hockey last spring, when he had 11 points (four goals, seven assists) helping the Florida Panthers reach the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights.

So, there’s enough there to intrigue the Rangers, who seek a top-line right wing to play alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. 

There doesn’t seem to be much debate that the Rangers are heavily pursuing Ducks forward Frank Vatrano to fill that spot. But if the price is too high or a deal doesn’t work out, Duclair definitely could be an option. And a more affordable one, at that.

Forever Blueshirts lists Duclair No. 4 on its updated Rangers trade board.

Duclair was a third-round pick by the Rangers in 2013 and played 18 games with them in 2014-15 before being traded to the Arizona Coyotes in the Keith Yandle deal. He’s bounced around the League, now on his seventh team, and has 138 goals and 288 points in 546 games.

With his recent surge, Duclair has 16 goals and 27 points in 56 games. And may have caught the Blueshirts’ attention with his recent surge.

The plan remains clear. The Rangers desire a top-line right wing to help get Mika Zibanejad going at 5-on-5. They also wish to upgrade at third-line center, filling the void left by Filip Chytil’s season-ending upper-body injury believed to be a concussion.

And don’t rule out the Blueshirts trying to acquire a third-pair defenseman, or at least a depth blue-liner.

So, that’s some heavy lifting for general manager Chris Drury in the coming days. And that’s without factoring in Drury doesn’t want to mess with solid team chemistry.

That said, let’s see what the Blueshirts trade board looks like at this point.

Related: Projecting moves Rangers will make before trade deadline

Updated Rangers trade board 3 days before NHL deadline

10. – Kevin Labanc – F – San Jose Sharks

Previous: NR

OK, this would not be a popular move. Let’s start with that. Labanc has been scratched the past six games by the second-worst team in the League. He has only two goals in 37 games and is a minus-21. But the 28-year-old is a New York kid who’s been solid in even-strength point production throughout his career and could absolutely benefit from a change in scenery. San Jose would have to eat half his salary, but even with that, it would not cost the Rangers much to land Labanc. However, this is more of a last-resort option if better ones don’t bear fruit.

9. Yakov Trenin – C – Nashville Predators

Previous: NR

Trenin plays a heavy game, perfectly suited for the postseason. He’s not going to help the bottom six generate more offense but he’d be a solid add for his defensive smarts and physical play. He did score 17 goals two seasons ago, but has 10 this season, which is less of an outlier. The Rangers have scouted him and he’d be an affordable 3C option.

UPDATE: Trenin was traded to Colorado Avalanche on March 7.

8. Kyle Okposo – RW – Buffalo Sabres

Previous: NR

Okposo has recently been linked to the Rangers. At this stage of his career, the Sabres captain seems better suited to a third-line role than top-minutes on the ZIbanejad line. But Okposo is a pro’s pro, a solid two-way wing, who has 12 goals this season and had 21 two seasons ago. Okposo wouldn’t cost much to acquire, but the Rangers likely seek a more dynamic option on the wing.

7. Jordan Eberle – RW – Seattle Kraken

Previous: No. 3

Eberle fell quite a few spots in the latest Rangers trade board because rumors continue to swirl that he’s not on the trade block and could be a candidate for a contract extension. However, he remains an intriguing option if the Kraken do seek offers for the pending UFA. Eberle is sitting on 296 career goals and produces both 5V5 and on the power play, making him a good fit with New York.

6. Joel Edmundson – D – Washington Capitals

Previous: No. 9

Edmundson would be an excellent fit on the Rangers third defense pairing, providing defensive stability that Erik Gustafsson cannot. The 30-year-old is the best left-shot defenseman who’s also a rental on the market, steady and reliable and with a winning pedigree. He won the Stanley Cup in 2019 and played in another Cup Final, and said recently he’s hungry to play for a true contender again. It might cost too much to land Edmundson, though, since there will be many teams in on him.

UPDATE: Edmundson was traded to Toronto Maple Leafs on March 7.

5. Tyler Johnson – F – Chicago Blackhawks

Previous: No. 6

Johnson is pointless in his past four games after the 35-year-old had five points (three goals, two assists) in his previous six. But he’s an intriguing option. Johnson has value as the 3C and can also play wing, so the versatility in a long playoff run is worth keeping in mind. He’s also played 116 Stanley Cup Playoff games and is a two-time Cup winner. Haven’t heard his name pop up too often in regards to the Rangers, but he could be a real under-the-radar pick up.

4. Anthony Duclair – RW – San Jose Sharks

Previous: No. 7

The Duke gets a fairly significant bump here and it’s just a feel that a reunion with him could be the second best option at right wing for the Rangers. He has scored 14 goals in 55 games on a bad team, but was a key contributor for the Florida Panthers in the 2023 postseason, which has to be intriguing to the Blueshirts. He’s a fast, shoot-first wing, who’s not just a power-play scorer. That’s key when considering he’d play with Zibanejad if brought back to New York.

UPDATE: Duclair was traded to Tampa Bay Lightning on March 7.

Related: Why Rangers must acquire top-line right wing to spark Mika Zibanejad

3. Adam Henrique – C – Anaheim Ducks

Previous: No. 2

Originally, Henrique was No. 1 on this list after the All-Star break. Then he dropped to No. 2 a week ago. Now, he’s been passed by fellow center Alex Wennberg. That doesn’t mean Henrique wouldn’t be a solid fit as New York’s 3C. But it’d cost more to acquire Henrique than Wenbberg and there’s more salary at play, too. If right wing wasn’t their most pressing need, Henrique might be worth it for the Rangers. But that’s not the case. So, he’s dropped back another spot here, though still worth taking a close look at. 

UPDATE: Henrique was traded to the Edmonton Oilers on March 6.

2. Alex Wennberg – C – Seattle Kraken

Previous: No. 8

Wennberg was held out of Seattle’s 4-2 win against the Calgary Flames on Monday for “trade-related issues.” Reportedly, the Kraken are evaluating offers from the Rangers, Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche, if not another team or two. The Rangers likely need a third team to make the money work, but they are solidly in on the 29-year-old two-way center, who’s a more affordable option than Henrique.

UPDATE: Wennberg was traded to the Rangers on March 6.

1. Frank Vatrano – RW – Anaheim Ducks

Previous: No. 1

This is the player that’s made the most sense for the Rangers all along, and it appears they are trying their best to push this deal over the goal line. Of course, the Ducks do not have to deal Vatrano, who has one more season after this one on his contract. So, they could revisit the trade market this summer or at next season’s deadline. But there’s no guarantee Vatrano will duplicate his career-high 29 goals (so far), which means his trade value might be the highest it’s ever going to be right now. It’s going to cost the Rangers to get him, but Vatrano already proved in 2022 that he’s an excellent fit alongside Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.

Additionally, Larry Brooks of the NY Post reaffirms Forever Blueshirts report that Anaheim Ducks Frank Vatrano is a top target.

“I keep hearing his name, but they are going to have to do something to entice Pat Verbeek (Ducks GM) to move him,” a source told us in late February. “He’s not in the position where he’s walking out the door for nothing, so he won’t be looking to sell at any cost.”

Rangers may be getting traction on Wennberg…In addition, told NYR have more interest in Vatrano than Henrique….

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) March 4, 2024

Rangers working on trades

Wennberg, 29, has registered 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 60 games this season. The Rangers are among several teams that have expressed interest in Wennberg, including the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche.

Per Arthur Staple, there’s a possibility the Rangers could be using a third team to lower Wennberg’s AAV. A second-round pick and a prospect to Seattle for Wennberg, and a fourth or fifth round selection to another team may drive his cap hit to as low as $1.125 million.

#NYR could use a third team to get double retention on Wennberg to keep the cap hit down to $1.125m… 2nd and a prospect to SEA/4th or 5th elsewhere could get it done

— Arthur Staple (@StapeNHL) March 4, 2024

Meanwhile, Vatrano is a player that could spark Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider’s to start scoring more 5v5.

The former Blueshirts forward has an NHL career-high 29 goals in an All-Star season, and has another year left on his contract with a $3.65 million which means he isn’t a rental.

“The price for Frank Vatrano is high,” Elliotte Friedman wrote in his 32 Thoughts blog Monday. “He’d be perfect in many places, but someone reminded me that, a year ago, there was interest in [center Adam] Henrique, but [Ducks] GM Pat Verbeek made it clear if he didn’t get what he wanted, he could wait.”

Initially, Forever Blueshirts was told that the Rangers 2024 second-round pick along with either prospect Brett Berard or Matthew Robertson may be enough to get it done. Based on the latest reports, that pick now has to be a first rounder.

One final note, we have also learned that an upgrade over Erik Gustafsson is also on general manager’s Chris Drury’s radar. A name brought to my attention is Joel Edmundson in Washington.

Edmundson, 30, has played 44 games this season and amassed six points (1 goal, 5 assists). The pending UFA comes with a $1.75 million cap hit, that could come down with salary retention. A defensemen prospect like Matthew Robertson or Zac Jones could get the deal done.

So why Edmundson? He won the Stanley Cup in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues and played in the Stanley Cup Final in 2021 for the Montreal Canadiens, who fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning.