Buchnevich recorded a hat trick for the St. Louis Blues in their 7-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3 of their Western Conference First Round series Thursday night at Enterprise Center. His massive performance comes nearly four years after Drury traded the popular forward to the Blues on July 23, 2021.

Pavel Buchnevich has the first hatty of the 2025 #StanleyCup Playoffs! 👏

Hat Trick Challenge presented by @AstraZenecaUS pic.twitter.com/WrW9Jz6Ri1

— NHL (@NHL) April 25, 2025

Faced with a tight salary cap and Buchnevich an RFA with arbitration rights, Drury — then just two months on the job after replacing the fired leadership tandem of Jeff Gorton and John Davidson — shipped Buchnevich to the Blues for forward Sammy Blais and a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Buchnevich had already scored 20 goals twice for the Rangers at that point, and was a nice fit on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Buchnevich has scored 30, 26, 27 and 20 goals for the Blues since the trade, and established NHL career highs with 30 goals, 46 assists and 76 points in 2021-22.

Blais sustained a brutal knee injury and was eventually traded back to the Blues. The Rangers spent much of the past four seasons trying to find a suitable replacement on right wing for Zibanejad and Kreider.

So, yeah, with Rangers fans already angry that Drury received a contract extension after overseeing one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history in 2024-25, it was twisting the knife a bit more to see Buchnevich explode in the postseason for the Blues on Thursday.

Related: Rangers owner sends ‘shot across the bow at locker room’ by extending GM Chris Drury: ESPN insider believes

Popular ex-Rangers star Pavel Buchnevich explodes for playoff hat trick

With his team trailing 2-0 in the best-of-7 series but back on home ice, Buchnevich wasted little time in showing the Jets that this was not going to be their night. The 30-year-old scored 48 seconds into the game and made it 2-0 less than three minutes later. He capped his hat trick early in the third period to make it 4-1.

Buchnevich has had plenty of success in the NHL, though not so much in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Before his breakthrough Thursday, Buchnevich had just one goal in 22 career postseason games with the Rangers and Blues.

It should be noted he had 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) in 12 games during the 2022 playoffs and two assists in the first two games against the Jets in this series, so it’s not like he was completely unproductive. He just couldn’t find the back of the net. Until Game 3 against the Jets.

“I thought ‘Buchy’ has been good in the first two games, especially defensively, but offensively i thought there was more in his game and I thought he brought that tonight,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery stated.

Each of his three goals was scored from within a few feet of the net. The first was on a rebound, when he kicked the puck toward the cage and then deftly got a piece of it in midair before it crossed the goal line. Had he not touched the puck with his stick, the goal likely would’ve been waved off.

“The crowd got nuts and the emotions get even more and we keep going,” Buchnevich explained postgame.

Buchnevich then deflected a Robert Thomas shot past reigning Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck at 3:11 for a power-play goal. He capped off his big night by capitalizing on a Hellebuyck turnover behind the net caused by back pressure from Thomas, wrapping a shot into the vacated net at 5:24 of the third period.

“‘Buchy’ stepped up right away, came out flying, and made some great plays and got us off to a great start,” Thomas explained. “So, he deserves a lot of credit.”

Three goals, one assist, five shots on goal, six hits. Just a little reminder of what the Rangers traded away.

There are 16 former Rangers players set to take part in the chase for Lord Stanley’s chalice this spring, including one, defenseman Niko Mikkola, who won the Stanley Cup last year with the Florida Panthers.

Additionally, three head coaches in the postseason have Rangers ties. Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis finished his Hall of Fame playing career with the Rangers, and took part in several iconic playoff moments with them in 2014 and 2015. Joining him in Montreal is Jeff Gorton, the team’s executive vice president of hockey operations, who was the Rangers general manager from 2015 to 2021, and Glen Sather’s assistant for many years before that.

Kris Knoblauch, coach of the Edmonton Oilers, coached the Hartford Wolf Pack for four seasons and was 4-2-0 filling in for David Quinn when the Rangers coach was on the League’s COVID-19 protocol list in 2021.

Lastly, Scott Arniel spent time with the Rangers as an associate coach under Alain Vigneault. In his first season as coach of the Jets, Arniel led them to the Presidents’ Trophy this season.

Players are listed in alphabetical order.

Related: Why Rangers were not most disappointing team in NHL this season

Morgan Barron – Winnipeg Jets

The Rangers selected Morgan Barron in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Draft (No. 174 overall), but the forward did not debut with the Blueshirts until the 2020-21 season. He played in five games that season and scored his first NHL goal against the Washington Capitals. Barron appeared in 13 games for New York in 2021-22 before he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets as part of a package for forward Andrew Copp. Barron has appeared in 70 or more games in each of the past three seasons for Winnipeg and has eight goals and seven assists this season. The Jets open the postseason against the St. Louis Blues.

Colin Blackwell – Dallas Stars

Colin Blackwell played 47 games with the Rangers in the 2020-21 season, and made an impact in the bottom six with 12 goals and 10 assists. The Seattle Kraken scooped up Blackwell in the expansion draft in the summer of 2021, and the forward made his way to Dallas this past summer, signing a one-year deal. In his first season with the Stars, Blackwell has six goals and 11 assists in 63 games. The Stars open the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche.

Pavel Buchnevich – St. Louis Blues

Buchnevich had 79 goals and 116 assists in five seasons with the Rangers, but was traded to the St. Louis Blues in the summer of 2021 for Sammy Blais in Chris Drury’s first major move as general manager. Buchnevich became a star once he got to the Blues, recording his only 30-goal season in 2021-22 and scoring at least 20 goals in each of the past four seasons. The 30-year-old forward had 20 goals and 57 points this season for the Blues, who face the Jets in the first round.

Brett Howden – Vegas Golden Knights

Brett Howden made his way to the Rangers from the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the return for Ryan McDonough and J.T. Miller ahead of the 2018 trade deadline. He made his NHL debut the next season, his first of three with New York. In 178 games with the Rangers, Howden tallied 16 goals and 33 assists. In the 2021 offseason, the Rangers traded Howden to the Vegas Golden Knights, where he still plays today. He was a part of their Stanley Cup-winning squad in 2023. Howden broke out offensively with NHL career highs in goals (23) and points (40) this season. Vegas skates against the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs.

Ryan Lindgren – Colorado Avalanche

Ryan Lindgren was notably dealt to the Colorado Avalanche before this season’s trade deadline, ending his seven-year stint on Broadway. In his 18 games with the Avalanche, he has not added much offensively (two goals, one assist) but has brought his typical gritty defense with 26 blocked shots and 21 hits. Lindgren totaled 387 games with the Rangers, playing an integral part in multiple deep playoff runs as Adam Fox’s defense partner, and is hoping to go on another long postseason journey with the Avalanche, who play the Stars in the opening round of the playoffs.

Ryan McDonagh – Tampa Bay Lightning

No. 27 on the ice was named the 27th captain in Rangers history at the start of the 2014-15 season following New York’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. McDonagh patrolled the blue line for the Rangers for eight seasons. In the Rangers’ iconic series against the Washington Capitals in the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Mac Truck blasted a game-winning goal in overtime of Game 5, kickstarting the Rangers’ comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. The Rangers traded McDonagh and Miller to the Lightning in a blockbuster deal before the 2018 trade deadline. McDonagh won two Stanley Cup championships with Tampa Bay before being traded to the Nashville Predators, and then was reacquired by the Lightning last summer. The Lightning will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the first round.

Dylan McIlrath – Washington Capitals

The Rangers selected Dylan McIlrath with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2010 draft, but things never worked out for him in New York, in part to a brutal knee injury early in his career. He’s played 92 NHL games (37 with the Rangers) and has not lived up to the expectations that came with being a top pick and prospect, though he’s won two Calder Cup championships in the AHL. The towering defenseman is an excellent fighter and as tough as they come; and this season remained on the Washington Capitals roster all year for the first time in his career, even though he played just 17 games. The Capitals open the postseason against the Montreal Canadiens.

Niko Mikkola – Florida Panthers

Niko Mikkola played every regular-season and postseason game for the Panthers last year, helping them win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. In their title defense, he has once again played an important role, appearing in 76 games as a regular on the blue line. Coming over along with Vladimir Tarasenko in a trade with the Blues ahead of the 2023 deadline, Mikkola spent a half-season with the Rangers. He played 31 regular-season games for the Rangers, plus seven more in their first-round playoff loss to the New Jersey Devils. The Panthers face the Lightning in the first round of the playoffs this year.

Vladislav Namestnikov – Winnipeg Jets

A Rangers forward for parts of three seasons, Vladislav Namestnikov is in his third season with the Winnipeg Jets. He had 38 points (11 goals, 27 assists) in 78 games this season, the second-highest point total in his NHL career. The Jets open up the playoffs against the Blues.

Neal Pionk – Winnipeg Jets

Neal Pionk played his first two NHL seasons with the Rangers before they traded him to the Jets in the Jacob Trouba deal on June 17, 2019. Since then, the defenseman has recorded at least 30 points in six straight seasons with Winnipeg, including 45 in 2019-20. Despite being limited to 69 games because of injury this season, Pionk had 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) and established a career-best with a plus-21 rating. He and the Jets play their first-round series against the Blues.

Ryan Reaves – Toronto Maple Leafs

He played in only 35 games with the Maple Leafs this season, but Ryan Reaves is still an intimidating force when he’s in the lineup. Reaves has racked up an even 1,100 penalty minutes in the NHL, including 55 with the Rangers in parts of two seasons. This season he had two assists and 28 penalty minutes and will see a limited role in the postseason, when the Maple Leafs open up against the Ottawa Senators.

Jack Roslovic – Carolina Hurricanes

The Rangers acquired Jack Roslovic from the Columbus Blue Jackets ahead of last year’s trade deadline, and he spent much of his time in New York on a line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. He scored three goals and five assists in 19 regular-season games; in the playoffs, Roslovic scored two goals in the opening round and added two assists on Kreider’s natural hat trick in Game 6 against the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Second Round. Roslovic went quiet in the Eastern Conference Final, recording only one point in the six-game loss to Florida. In the offseason, he inked a one-year deal with the Hurricanes and put together a solid season, scoring 21 goals and adding 17 assists. The Hurricanes face the New Jersey Devils in the first round.

Brendan Smith – Dallas Stars

Ahead the 2017 trade deadline, the Rangers added Brendan Smith from the Detroit Red Wings for their playoff push. That offseason, he signed a four-year, 17.4 million contract to remain in New York and played 235 games during his five seasons with the Blueshirts. Smith spent time with the Hurricanes and Devils afterward before landing with the Stars for the 2024-25 season. He played 32 games for Dallas in the regular season and has been a veteran presence on the blue line. The Stars play the Avalanche in the first round.

Reilly Smith – Vegas Golden Knights

Reilly Smith, Brendan’s brother, was one of six original “misfits” from the Golden Knights’ inaugural roster who were members of their Stanley Cup championship in 2023. He’s representing the Golden Knights again in this year’s playoffs, two years and two teams later. After spending the 2023-24 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Smith signed with the Rangers. He had 10 goals and 19 assists in 58 games before New York sent him back to Vegas ahead of the trade deadline in exchange for a third-round pick and forward prospect Brendan Brisson. Vegas hooks up with Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs.

Jimmy Vesey – Colorado Avalanche

Jimmy Vesey has had two separate stints on Broadway in his nine-year NHL career, the first from 2016-19 and the second from 2022-25. The versatile forward totaled 434 games with the Rangers, scoring 78 goals and adding 69 assists. New York sent Vesey to Colorado on March 1 along with Lindgren. Vesey has not played much with the Avalanche, appearing in just 10 games, with one goal and one assist. The Avalanche play the Stars in the first round.

Mats Zuccarello – Minnesota Wild

Mats Zuccarello became as a fan favorite during his nine years in New York. He scored 113 goals and had 239 assists in 509 regular-season games, and suited up for 60 more in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Zuccarello was also beloved in the locker room; when the Rangers traded him in 2019 as a part of their rebuild, Henrik Lundqvist was famously brought to tears. The Rangers sent him to Dallas, where he appeared in just two regular-season games before an injury kept him out until the playoffs. He signed with Minnesota in that offseason and has spent the past six seasons with the Wild. Now 37 and with more than 900 games of NHL experience, Zuccarello had 19 goals and 54 points this season for the Wild, who get the Golden Knights as a first-round opponent.

Skating for the St. Louis Blues in their home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, Buchnevich dropped the gloves with Pontus Holmberg at 8:50 of the third period, with the Blues leading 2-1 and on the power play.

After teammate Jake Neighbours took a slashing penalty — following a massive check thrown by the Maple Leafs — players from both sides converged in a scrum inside Toronto’s zone. Buchnevich, was along the wall when all of a sudden he sprinted into the fray.

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Buchnevich threw a headlock on Holmberg, yanked him out of the pile and wrestled him to the ice. Holmberg got up ready to fight, but Buchnevich beat him to the punch — literally and figuratively. The 29-year-old threw six consecutive punches, landing at least one big right to the face and another to to the back of the head that drove the Maple Leafs forward back down to the ice.

Saturday night's alright for fighting 🥊

Pavel Buchnevich lays some HEAVY punches on Pontus Holmberg pic.twitter.com/gLJ9NNi6DO

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 3, 2024

If not a knockout, it was at least a clear TKO for Buchnevich.

Now, this wasn’t exactly Ryan Reaves whom Buchnevich was fighting. But it was an impressive performance nonetheless.

Buchnevich added an exclamation point to his night when he hammered a shot into the empty net to seal a 4-2 victory, in what was former coach Craig Berube’s return to St. Louis as Maple Leafs coach.

Also Read: Giant Rangers prospect extends point streak, but Wolf Pack lose again

Pavel Buchnevich had five fights with Rangers

According to HockeyFights.com, this was Buchnevich’s first fight since Feb. 12, 2021 when he was with the Rangers. He fought Jeremy Lauzon, then of the Boston Bruins. So, this was Buchenvich’s first fight as a member of the Blues, whom he joined in a trade ahead of the 2021-22 season.

By the count of HockeyFights.com, Buchnevich has now had six fights in the NHL, including two in the 2017-18 season. Most memorable was his March 30, 2018, fight with Steven Stamkos, then captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning, at Madison Square Garden.

A year later, Buchnevich squared off with Lightning forward Brayden Point at the Garden.

More lover than fighter, Buchnevich has 408 points (166 goals, 242 assists) in 529 NHL games after being selected in the third round (No. 75 overall) of the 2013 draft. His goal Saturday gives him four this season, along with three assists.

He’s a five-time 20-goal scorer, who scored 30 with the Blues in 2021-22.

Buchnevich had only one minor penalty this season before adding five more minutes to his total Saturday.

Now, eight numbers remain that have never been worn by a Rangers player: Nos. 52, 57, 59, 65, 66, 69, 83, and 98. Meanwhile, 17 numbers have been worn only once; here are those digits and the players behind the sweater.

Related: Why Artemi Panarin already greatest Rangers player to wear No. 10

Rangers players and their distinctive numbers

00 – John Davidson

John Davidson has a deep connection to the Rangers, not only as a goalie from 1975 to 1983 but as a long-time broadcaster with the MSG Network. After leaving the booth, he got an executive job with the St. Louis Blues and then the Columbus Blue Jackets before serving as President of the Rangers from 2019 to 2021. Davidson remains one of two players in NHL history to wear No. 00, with the other being Martin Biron. Eventually, the league unceremoniously retired the number, so no one else would ever wear it.

60 – Alex Belzile

Alex Belzile appears in the Rangers database as the only player to wear No. 60. However, he’s never worn the sweater in an official NHL game. According to his career profile, he has only appeared in 44 NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens and is a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2024-25, waiting for another crack at the league.

63 – Anthony Duclair

Initially drafted (80th overall) by the Rangers in 2013, Anthony Duclair made his NHL debut in 2014-15, skating in 18 games while wearing No. 63. He scored 17 points as a 19-year-old before a trade for Keith Yandle sent him to the Arizona Coyotes in March 2015.

64 – Tyler Motte

Tyler Motte has played with the Blueshirts on two separate occasions, first in 2021-22 and then again in 2022-23. During his first stint, which lasted only eight games, he wore No. 64 and remains the only player to wear those digits. Motte scored no points that season but collected 10 in 24 games in 2022-23 while wearing No. 14.

68 – Jaromir Jagr

Not only is Jaromir Jagr the only Rangers player ever to wear No. 68, but he may also be the last, as arguably the greatest skater, to wear the number in NHL history. After dominating the 1990s with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he took his act to Broadway in 2003-04.

Related: Rangers Greatest Hits: Jaromír Jágr’s Record-Breaking Year of 2005-06

In his first full campaign with the Blueshirts (2004-05), Jagr set the franchise records for goals (54) and points (123) in a single season. Even though he spent just three and half years with the Rangers, he scored 319 points in 277 games, which equals a 1.15 points-per-game average.

72 – Filip Chytil

Filip Chytil is one of two active players on this list and wears No. 72, the same number he’s had since his debut in 2017-18. Entering his eighth season with the Rangers, the 24-year-old has scored 64 goals and 144 points in 337 games. Unfortunately, injuries derailed Chytil’s 2023-24 season, and he only dressed 10 games before returning for six games during the playoff run.

78 – Brennan Othmann

Brennan Othmann is one of New York’s top prospects. He wore No. 78 in three NHL games in 2023-24. The former 16th overall pick from 2021 has been in the American Hockey League for two seasons, collecting 49 points in 67 games.

79 – K’Andre Miller

K’Andre Miller is the only other active player on this list and has worn No. 79 his entire career, which is entering its fifth season. As another first-round pick, 22nd overall in 2018, he finished his first year as an All-Rookie Team member and was 12th in Calder Trophy voting. In 294 games, Miller has scored 29 goals and 105 points.

82 – Martin Straka

Martin Straka, who wore No. 82 throughout his career, came to New York to play alongside his best friend Jagr in 2005. Over three seasons, the Czechia center scored 65 goals and 187 points in 224 games. During his debut on Broadway, Straka scored 75 points, the third-highest point total of his career.

87 – Donald Brashear

Enforcer Donald Brashear played his final NHL season in New York, skating in 36 games while wearing No. 87. He picked up an assist and finished fourth with 73 penalty minutes. In 1,025 games, Brashear compiled 2,634 penalty minutes, which ranks 15th all-time in NHL history.

89 – Pavel Buchnevich

Pavel Buchnevich was a third-round pick (75th overall) in 2013 and played the first five seasons of his career with the Blueshirts. He scored 79 goals and 195 points in 301 games before a trade to the Blues in July 2021. Even though Buchnevich outperformed his New York totals in the Midwest, he remains a topic of discussion in the Big Apple as one of the good players who got away.

Related: Former New York Rangers goalie believes he could’ve led team to Stanley Cup

92 – Michael Nylander

Michael Nylander was a well-traveled NHL veteran who played for seven franchises, including the Rangers. He is the father of William and Alex Nylander. At the tail-end of his career, Michael came to the Big Apple as a free agent and played 160 games, collecting 162 points, arguably the best stretch of his career. He wore No. 92 with each team, remaining the only one in New York.

94 – Derek Boogaard

Derek Boogaard played 277 games in the NHL, racking up 589 penalty minutes, and was known as one of the league’s top heavyweights. He dressed 22 games with the Rangers in 2010-11, scoring two points and collecting 45 penalty minutes. Boogaard’s last NHL game was on Dec. 9, 2010, when he picked up a fighting major. Unfortunately, he passed away on May 13, 2011.

Related: Find out where New York Rangers rank in key stats during salary cap era

95 – Vinni Lettieri

Vinni Lettieri came to the Rangers as an undrafted free agent and appeared in 19 games as a rookie in 2017-18. The following season, he skated in 27 games but only scored three points. He did not appear in the NHL again until 2020 when he signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Ducks.

Related: Most important New York Rangers players for 2024-’25, 16 through 20

97 – Matt Gilroy

Matt Gilroy played for the Rangers twice in his career, wearing No. 97 on both occasions. As another undrafted free agent, he debuted in 2009-10 and collected 26 points in 127 games before departing as a free agent to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. After a year, Gilroy returned in 2012-13 to skate in 15 more games (no points) before finishing his NHL career in 2013-14 as a member of the Florida Panthers.

Related: 5 alternate New York Rangers jerseys that should be brought back

99 – Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky was already “The Great One” before he donned the iconic Rangers sweater, the only Original Six team he skated during his legendary career. After shattering the NHL record book with the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, he briefly skated in St. Louis and rejoined his longtime teammate Mark Messier in New York in 1997.

Related: Top offensive seasons in New York Rangers history

Together, the duo led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final, with Gretzky scoring one of his final playoff hat tricks in a memorable performance against the Panthers in the first round.

In three seasons, Gretzky scored 249 points in 234 games, including his final goal (Apr. 12, 1999) and final point in his last contest against Jagr and the Penguins on Apr. 18, 1999. He remains the last player to wear No. 99 as the NHL retired the sweater league-wide.

The New York Rangers haven’t been immune to the kind of trade that leaves fans scratching their heads and wondering what their GM was thinking when he made the deal. Sometimes it’s a player they acquired who didn’t produce; other times it’s one whose career took off after leaving New York. And sometimes it’s both.

Either way, they’re the kind of move that fans can’t forget — no matter how hard they try.

Related: Rangers best trades in past 50 years, including Mark Messier

Worst Rangers trades in past 50 years

Here’s a look at the seven worst trades the Rangers have made during the past five decades.

7. Singing the Blues on Buch

The Trade: Rangers acquired forward Sammy Blais and a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft from the St. Louis Blues for forward Pavel Buchnevich.

Date: July 23, 2021

Why it mattered: Buchnevich, a third-round pick in the 2013 draft, arrived in New York three years later and took a slow but steady path toward NHL success. He was coming off his best NHL season with 20 goals and 48 points in 51 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season — becoming the player the Rangers had been waiting for. But as a restricted free agent that summer and with unrestricted free agency a year away, “Buch” was going to cost the cap-strapped Rangers more money than they could commit.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Chris Drury, who’d just been named general manager, traded Buchnevich to the Blues for Blais, a bottom-six forward, and a draft pick.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, each player continued on the development track he’d been on before the trade.

For Buchnevich, it meant that he became a reliable top-line point producer, one who’s scored 73 goals and averaged nearly a point per game in his three seasons with the Blues. At 29, there’s no reason he shouldn’t continue to put up solid point totals for the foreseeable future.

Blais had been a role player on the Blues’ 2019 Cup-winning team, but never developed into anything more than that and was plagued by injuries during his time with the Rangers. He wound up going back to St. Louis ahead of the 2023 trade deadline as part of the deal that brought Vladimir Tarasenko to New York.

6. Left out

The Trade: Rangers acquired left wing Kevin Stevens from the Los Angeles Kings for left wing Luc Robitaille.

Date: Aug. 28, 1997

Why it mattered: Robitaille is among the all-time greatest scorers in NHL history, but not because of his two seasons with the Rangers. He scored at least 40 goals with the Los Angeles Kings in all eight of his non-lockout NHL seasons when the Rangers acquired him in the summer of 1995, and GM Neil Smith was counting on “Lucky Luc” to give the Rangers an offensive boost on left wing.

But it didn’t happen. After two seasons that saw Robitaille fail to score even 25 goals, the Rangers decided to cut their losses and send him back to L.A. Unfortunately for Smith and the Rangers, the return was veteran left wing Kevin Stevens, a scoring terror with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early 1990s whose offensive numbers had dropped sharply.

Robitaille turned out to be going through a mid-career lull, but Stevens’ issues were more serious, on and off the ice. His 23 goals and 43 points with the Rangers in 1998-99 were his best single-season numbers from 1994 through the end of his career in 2002. A big reason was that the pain pills he took to cope with a serious head injury sustained in the 1993 playoffs turned into an addiction and a long downslide that ultimately led to his arrest on federal drug charges in 2016 (he’s sober today and helps those dealing with addictions).

Robitaille’s scoring touch returned in Los Angeles, where he scored at least 30 goals three more times — then did it again while helping the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup in 2002. He’s a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017.

5. Chasing past glories didn’t work

The Trade: Rangers acquired forwards Jari Kurri and Shane Churla and defenseman Marty McSorley from the Los Angeles Kings for center Ray Ferraro, forwards Ian Laperriere and Nathan Lafayette, and defenseman Mattias Norstrom.

Date: March 14, 1996

Why it mattered: Smith’s love for ex-Edmonton Oilers didn’t end when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994. Unfortunately for him, the same formula didn’t work two years later.

Smith added to his collection of former Oilers ahead of the 1996 trade deadline by bringing in Kurri and McSorley, who had previously been dealt by the Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, as well as enforcer Shane Churla. The deal cost the Rangers three young players and Ferraro, a veteran center who had signed with the Rangers as a free agent in the summer of 1995.

It turned out to be a complete failure, with the three newcomers playing a combined total of 78 games with the Rangers. Kurri and McSorley did almost nothing in New York and were gone before the next season began. Churla played the final 55 games of his 11-season NHL career with the Rangers, managing all of one assist.

Even worse for the Rangers was the success of two of the young players they traded away.

Norstrom became a top-four defenseman who played 11 solid seasons in L.A. and was Kings captain. Laperriere became one of the League’s most effective agitators and played 13 more seasons in the League, eight with the Kings.

Add in the 110 goals scored by Ferraro after the trade, giving him 408 for his career, and this goes down as the kind of trade teams have nightmares about making.

4. A Question of style

The Trade: Rangers acquired left wing Luc Robitaille and defenseman Ulf Samuelsson from the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Sergei Zubov and center Petr Nedved.

Date: Aug. 31, 1995

Why it mattered: Zubov was a steal when the Rangers grabbed him in the fifth round of the 1990 NHL Draft with the compensation pick they received when the Quebec Nordiques signed Guy Lafleur. He led the team in scoring during their 1994 Cup run and had 36 points in 38 games in 1994-95. But the young Russian looked physically overwhelmed in the playoffs by the Philadelphia Flyers’ “Legion of Doom,” so Smith decided to make some changes.

He got the size and nastiness he wanted on the blue line by sending Zubov to the Pittsburgh Penguins along with Nedved for Robitaille and Samuelsson, a defenseman who never saw an opponent he didn’t want to bash.

Unfortunately for Smith, the NHL was shifting away from big, slow defensemen like Samuelsson, who contributed little offensively in his nearly four seasons with New York. The new model was skilled players such as Zubov, who was traded by the Penguins to the Dallas Stars the following summer and went on to a Hall of Fame career that was built on his ability to move the puck and generate offense.

To make matters worse, Robitaille looked little like the player who’d had eight 40-goal seasons with the Kings before a lockout-shortened 23-goal showing in Pittsburgh in 1994-95. In the summer of 1997, the Rangers sent him back to L.A. — and his scoring touch returned. Talk about a trade where nothing went right!

3. A New Year’s dud

The Trade: Rangers acquired center Bobby Carpenter and a second-round pick in the 1989 NHL Draft from the Washington Capitals for center Mike Ridley and forwards Kelly Miller and Bob Crawford.

Date: Jan. 1, 1987

Why it mattered: Phil Esposito was one of the greatest goal-scorers in NHL history, so it’s not surprising that a young player who could put the puck in the net would pique his interest after he became the Rangers general manager in 1986. Carpenter, the first player to jump from high school to the NHL, had the first 50-goal season by a U.S.-born player when he scored 53 times for Washington in 1984-85. His offensive numbers were down in 1985-86 and again in the first half of 1986-87, but he was still just 23 when the impulsive Esposito started 1987 by bringing him to New York. It didn’t look like the price was unduly high. Though Ridley was coming off a 65-point rookie season in 1985-86 and had 36 points in 38 games in year two, he had no pedigree as an undrafted center from a Canadian college. Miller, a ninth-round pick in 1982, didn’t look like he’d be anything special, and Crawford’s 36-goal season with the Hartford Whalers in 1983-84 looked more and more like a fluke.

However, whatever offensive skills Carpenter owned didn’t make the trip. After five straight seasons of at least 27 goals and 56 points, Carpenter couldn’t find the net with radar after coming to the Big Apple. He managed all of two goals and 10 points in 28 games with the Rangers before Esposito, in another bout of impulsiveness, sent him to Los Angeles for future Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne, who lasted two seasons before retiring.

Carpenter went on to an 18-year career that saw him evolve into a solid checking center who helped the New Jersey Devils win the Stanley Cup in 1995, though he never showed the kind of scoring touch that had attracted Esposito. To add insult to injury, Ridley became one of the League’s best two-way centers during the next decade, finishing with 10 seasons of 20-plus goals, and Miller grew into a reliable middle-six forward. The Rangers paid a huge price for Espo’s impulsiveness.

2. M is for Miss

The Trade: The Rangers acquired centers Brett Howden and Vladislav Namestnikov, defenseman Libor Hajek, a first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2019 draft from the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Ryan McDonagh and center JT Miller.

Date: Feb. 26, 2018

Why it mattered: Nine years after the Rangers got McDonagh in one of the best trades in team history, they sent the defenseman to the Lightning in one of the worst.

McDonagh’s terrific two-way play was a big reason the Rangers were among the best NHL teams for much of the 2010s. But by 2017-18, things were falling apart — and GM Jeff Gorton was in rebuilding mode, so he sent McDonagh and center JT Miller, a talented 2011 first-round pick who never quite seemed to fit in New York, to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who had beaten the Rangers in Game 7 of the 2015 Eastern Conference Final.

It looked like Gorton had gotten quite a haul. In addition to the draft choices, Howden was a 2016 first-round pick, Hajek was a highly regarded young defenseman and Namestnikov had already scored 20 goals in 62 games for the Lightning that season.

Instead, the deal turned into a disaster. McDonagh played a key role in helping the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021, then helped them oust the Rangers in the 2022 Eastern Conference Final. He’s still an effective defenseman in his mid-30s. Even worse, Miller has blossomed into a 100-point scorer with the Vancouver Canucks, who acquired him from the Lightning in 2019. Meanwhile, none of the players or picks the Rangers received has made any significant impact in the NHL.

The big swing and miss helped turn Gorton into a former Rangers GM by 2021.

1. Hodge Podge

The Trade: Rangers acquired forward Ken Hodge from the Boston Bruins for forward Rick Middleton.

Date: May 26, 1976

Why it mattered: John Ferguson’s first trade as general manager was one older Rangers fans are still trying to forget.

The scene had been set six months earlier, when the Rangers and Bruins made perhaps the biggest trade in NHL history at that time, with the Rangers getting Esposito, still a high-scoring center, and defenseman Carol Vadnais from the Bruins for center Jean Ratelle and defensemen Brad Park and Joe Zanussi. Espo’s scoring touch diminished in New York, and after the season he went to Ferguson, who got the GM job in January 1976 after Emile Francis was fired, and pushed for the acquisition of Ken Hodge, his longtime right wing.

Ferguson, who was trying to remake the Rangers, was willing to help Espo by bringing in his old linemate. The Bruins wanted 23-year-old Rick Middleton, who had scored 22 and 24 goals in his first two NHL seasons. “Nifty” was talented but flashy — not Ferguson’s kind of player. Hodge, nine years older, was.

To say the trade was a disaster would be putting it kindly. Hodge managed 21 goals and 62 points in his only full season with the Rangers. By the middle of 1977-78, he was in the American Hockey League and never played in the NHL again.

Middleton took a couple of seasons to find a fit in Boston, but he began a streak of seven straight 30-goal seasons in 1978-79 and scored 40 or more from 1979-80 through 1983-84. He helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Final three times (they lost all three), had two 100-point seasons and finished his career with 448 goals and 998 points in 1,005 games. The Bruins retired his number in 2019.

The Rangers traded Middleton’s future for Hodge’s past. It’s a formula that almost never works; in this case, it was a disaster.

In fact, they haven’t reached the Cup Final since 2014, their lone appearance since their most recent Stanley Cup title 30 years ago in 1994. Of course, each of those precede his tenure as GM, but while Drury has built some competitive and successful rosters, he’s made a few critical mistakes that have prevented New York from reaching their peak.

As we’re currently in the midst of arguably his most important offseason to date, let’s take a look at his worst 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: 5 best moves by Rangers GM Chris Drury

Worst moves by Chris Drury as Rangers GM

5. Acquiring Patrick Kane before 2023 trade deadline

Acquiring Patrick Kane was a dream come true for many Rangers fans and seemingly a no-brainer when the Rangers acquired the forward ahead of the 2023 NHL trade deadline. With the future Hall of Famer all but forcing his way to New York, all it took was a second and fourth-round pick, which made the move even more appealing.

Kane did not impress in the regular season (five goals, 12 points in 19 games), and although he’s not to blame for a first-round playoff exit to the New Jersey Devils, scoring a goal and six points in the seven-game series, the addition of the injured superstar only made things more complicated.

A hip injury that ultimately required surgery in the offseason greatly limited Kane’s effectiveness. While the name still carried plenty of cache, a visibly hampered Kane didn’t do much to move the Rangers in the direction of Stanley Cup contender.

Drury had already acquired a talented veteran scoring winger in Vladimir Tarasenko, so Kane was less of a need and more of an added bonus. Perhaps there’s something to the expression “too many chefs in the kitchen” because what resulted was a disjointed forward grouping that never truly found its footing.

Kane is not to fault for a disappointing first-round exit but, in retrospect, Drury should’ve stayed away from the injured superstar.

4. Signing Barclay Goodrow in 2021 offseason

One of Drury’s first moves as Rangers GM was signing Barclay Goodrow to a 6-year, $3.64 million AAV contract.

Fresh off helping the Tampa Bay Lightning to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021 as part of a dynamic third line with Yanni Gourde and Blake Coleman, Goodrow was a desirable target League-wide. But Drury overpaid to acquire his championship pedigree and veteran leadership, giving a hefty contract with a lot of term to a bottom-six role player.

Goodrow largely saw a fourth-line role as the center of New York’s top checking line. Despite getting top penalty kill minutes as well, Goodrow’s ATOI dipped from 16:43 in his first season down to 12:34 in 2024.

After back-to-back 10-plus goal, 30-plus point seasons with New York, his production fell off a cliff in 2024, when he scored just four goals and finished with 12 points in 80 games while recording a minus-13 rating. He proved to be a valuable asset in the postseason, though, when he scored six goals in this past spring’s run to the Eastern Conference Final, but it wasn’t enough to get the Rangers to the Cup in any of his three seasons.

His impact on the penalty kill and postseason should not be overlooked, but it’s overshadowed by his AAV that was simply too high for someone who only played a bottom-six role. The fact that Drury put him on waivers after his strong postseason is a telling indictment of the contract, and the GM was fortunate the San Jose Sharks claimed him and the final three years of that deal.

3. Trading for Jack Roslovic before 2024 deadline

Drury’s first trade deadline was a resounding success, but the next two have left something to be desired. After failing via the superstar route in 2023, Drury opted for a quieter trade deadline in 2024, trading for Alex Wennberg, Nic Petan, Chad Ruhwedel, and Jack Roslovic.

While Wennberg was ultimately a solid move to bolster depth down the middle, Roslovic was not the answer at wing that the Rangers were searching for.

Despite a very good record and a lead in the Metropolitan Division, the Rangers faced a familiar issue with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, who struggled to mesh at even strength with a medley of right wingers that included Kaapo Kakko, Blake Wheeler, and Jimmy Vesey.

Plenty of talented wingers switched hands at the deadline. Pittsburgh Penguins star Jake Guentzel was the headliner when he was shipped to the Carolina Hurricanes, but other enticing names like Tyler Toffoli, Anthony Mantha, and Anthony Duclair were available as well. The Rangers, though, acquired the enigmatic Roslovic, who’d scored more than 12 goals once in his career, right before the deadline from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The speedy winger had just three goals and eight points in 19 regular-season games after the trade, all on the top line. After a hot start to his postseason, recording a point in each of his first five games, Roslovic’s production completely cratered. By the Eastern Conference Final, he was relegated to a fourth-line role.

Like Kane, he’s probably not the reason the Rangers fell in the postseason, but perhaps a stronger offensive winger could’ve helped turn the tide back in their favor. Drury only gave up a fourth-round pick, so the deal itself isn’t a disaster, but when there’s a Stanley Cup title in reach, it hurts to miss on a top-six add like that.

Roslovic is out the door already after signing a one-year contract with the Hurricanes this summer.

2. Signing Patrik Nemeth in 2021 offseason

Another one of the moves from his first offseason, Drury signed Patrik Nemeth to a 3-year, $2.5 million AAV deal with hopes he could be a reliable bottom-pairing defenseman.

Nemeth was 29 at the time and coming off a solid season splitting time with the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche, posting 10 points and a plus-5 rating. But Nemeth’s metrics took a deep dive as soon as he donned the Rangers uniform.

Nemeth recorded seven points and had a minus-9 rating through 63 games, grading out in the bottom one percent of all skaters in Evolving Hockey’s player charts.

With two years and $5 million still left on his contract, Drury attached a pair of second-round picks just to send him to the Arizona Coyotes and get his money off the books.

Nemeth’s lone season in New York was a disaster and the collateral of two second-round picks just to get rid of him easily makes this signing a complete failure.

1. Trading Pavel Buchnevich in 2021 offseason

The most maligned move of Drury’s tenure, unsurprisingly, is trading Pavel Buchnevich in the summer of 2021.

Buchnevich was due a significant raise as a restricted free agent, and the Rangers were tight against the salary cap. So, Drury opted to avoid a bigger payday for the then 25-year-old winger, tradsing him to the St. Louis Blues for Sammy Blais and a second-round pick.

Blais had a brutal knee injury, didn’t score a goal and had just nine points in the 54 games he played for the Rangers before ultimately getting shipped back to St. Louis in the Tarasenko trade in 2023. The second-rounder was flipped to the Winnipeg Jets for Andrew Copp, leaving the Rangers with no remnants from the trade, though Copp was a nice short-term add after the 2022 deadline.

If the lack of return wasn’t painful enough, Buchnevich has thrived since leaving New York, taking the leap that many fans envisioned he would.

After scoring 20 goals and 48 points in his last season as a Blueshirt, Buchnevich immediately made the step to elite winger, scoring an NHL career-high 30 goals and 78 points in his first season with the Blues. He’s kept up the production, posting 60-plus points and 25-plus goals in each of his first three seasons in St. Louis.

Despite Rangers fans longing for a return, Buchnevich won’t be going anywhere after signing a 6-year, $8 million AAV extension to stay with the Blues long term.

New York, meanwhile, has been left with a void at right wing that Drury has failed to fill outside of Frank Vatrano’s half-season in 2022. Even Vatrano wasn’t quite able to replicate the chemistry and production that Kreider, Zibanejad, and Buchnevich were able to develop.

This offseason’s trade for Reilly Smith marks the latest attempt to fill a gap that has lingered ever since Buchnevich’s departure. Drury’s made his share of missteps, but none quite compare to this.

It’s been nearly three years since the Rangers traded Buchnevich to the Blues on July 23, 2021. Since that day, Buchnevich has scored at pretty much a point-per-game pace with 206 points in 216 regular-season games and has at least 26 goals in each of his three seasons with the Blues, including an NHL career-high 30 in 2021-22. And now he’s got himself a fairly sizeable payday in St. Louis.

As for the Rangers, they’ve done quite well since that trade, with three straight 100-point seasons, a Presidents’ Trophy and two trips to the Eastern Conference Final. What they haven’t done since that trade is effectively replace Buchnevich on the line centered by Mika Zibanejad.

And some would argue that’s what’s held the Rangers back from winning the Stanley Cup.

Zibanejad and left-wing BFF Chris Kreider have put up some impressive numbers. But they simply have not been able to form consistent chemistry with any of the host of right wings that have tried to replace Buchnevich, who had excellent chemistry, especially with Zibanejad.

Frank Vatrano was the best of the lot, fitting in nicely on the top line after being acquired ahead of the 2022 trade deadline. He mixed well with Zibanejad and Kreider all the way through an exciting Stanley Cup Playoff run that ended in a six-game loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the conference final.

Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, Kaapo Kakko, Blake Wheeler, Jimmy Vesey and Dryden Hunt (!) are among those who tried and failed to replace Buchnevich — though it should be pointed out that Alexis Lafreniere scored 28 goals when he switched to right wing this past season, just not on Zibanejad’s line.

Meanwhile, Buchnevich has been a model of consistency with the Blues, second on the team the past three seasons with 83 goals and 123 assists. And now he’s a cornerstone with the franchise, signed with the Blues through his age-36 season in 2030-31. When his extension kicks in for the 2025-26 season, he will be the third-highest paid player on the Blues.

Related: Former Rangers center lands stunning free-agent contract

Reilly Smith could be latest player Rangers try to replace Pavel Buchnevich with

The Rangers acquired veteran forward Reilly Smith in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins for two draft picks Monday. The 33-year-old will be in the mix to play right wing on the Zibanejad line when training camp opens in September.

Perhaps Smith will be able to unlock Zibanejad and Kreider at 5v5, though there are doubts considering his production in Pittsburgh tumbled to 13 goals and 40 points last season after he scored 26 goals in 2022-23.

He won’t be handed the opportunity, though. The Rangers may not be done looking outside the organization for a top-six right wing, perhaps in another trade. The Rangers will take a long look at internal candidates like rookie Brennan Othmann and returning wings Will Cuylle and Kakko. Perhaps even Filip Chytil, who played right wing this spring during the playoffs, will get a look in that spot.

None of that is a concern for Buchnevich, who’ll be trying to help the Blues get back into the playoffs for the first time in three years.

Not only did it free up $3.6 million in salary cap space the next three seasons for the Rangers, but Goodrow was the last remaining piece from Chris Drury’s first offseason as general manager of the Blueshirts.

After several seasons in the organization as the assistant general manager, Drury was appointed as the president and general manager of the Rangers on May 5, 2021, replacing John Davidson and Jeff Gorton, who were let go by the organization.

Drury took over with two games left in a disappointing 2020-21 season, when the Rangers failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a 56-game shortened regular season, finishing fifth in the Metropolitan Division with a 27-23-6 record.

Four days after the season ended, he fired coach David Quinn and soon after replaced him with Gerard Gallant. Overseeing his first NHL Draft in 2021, Drury and the Rangers selected forward Brennan Othmann No. 16 overall in the first round. Though the rest of that draft class has yet to impress, Othmann could have a regular role with the Rangers in 2024-25.

Sparked by an incident against the Washington Capitals on May 3 when Tom Wilson cross-checked Pavel Buchnevich and rag-dolled Artemi Panarin, Drury entered the offseason motivated to make the team bigger and tougher.

Tom Wilson gets two roughing minors, plus a 10 minute misconduct. Artemiy Panarin is called for roughing, as is Pavel Buchnevich. pic.twitter.com/ExNO73eFhA

— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) May 4, 2021

Drury’s major offseason moves included signing defenseman Patrik Nemeth, trading for forward Ryan Reaves, and acquiring Barclay Goodrow’s RFA rights in order to sign him to a six-year, $3.6 million contract before he hit free agency.

Related: Future uncertain for these two Rangers defensemen

Breaking down Chris Drury’s first offseason as Rangers GM in 2021

Perhaps the most memorable move, unfortunately for Drury, was trading Buchnevich, who was due for a new RFA deal, to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for forward Sammy Blais and a second-round pick that Drury later used to acquire forward Andrew Copp.

Drury engaged in heavy trade talks with the Buffalo Sabres to acquire Jack Eichel, but was unwilling to give up Alexis Lafreniere or Kaapo Kakko. The Rangers stood pat and Eichel was shipped to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Goodrow was ultimately the most valuable piece from Drury’s first offseason, but now that he’s been claimed, no players acquired in the 2021 offseason remain on the roster.

Nemeth’s three-year, $7.5 million contract was an absolute failure. He lasted just one season in New York and posted a minus-nine rating. Drury had to attach a pair of second-round picks the following offseason in order to trade him to the Arizona Coyotes and get his contract off the books.

The Buchnevich trade is now looked upon as a total disaster, though it was believed to be somewhat necessary at the time because of New U=York’s salary cap situation. Blais played just 54 games with the Blueshirts due to injury and recorded nine points, never scoring a goal. He was ultimately shipped back to St. Louis midway through the 2022-23 season as part of a package for forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola. That worked out much better for New York.

Similarly, the second-rounder in that deal was flipped in a package for Copp midway through the 2021-22 season. Copp was excellent in the postseason and a big part of the Rangers reaching the Eastern Conference Final, though they fell short against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Copp, Tarasenko, and Mikkola all left in free agency after half-seasons in New York, leaving the Rangers with no remaining ties to Buchnevich, who has tallied between 63 and 76 points in his three seasons with the Blues. Not to mention that the Rangers have yet to adequately replace him as the right wing on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.

Reaves’ toughness, personality, and skillset as a fighter was a welcome addition to a Rangers team that needed more of that going into Drury’s first season. Reaves was a beloved teammate, but his lack of skill and defensive ability, while making $1.75 million annually, became a detriment and he was shipped to the Minnesota Wild early into the 2022-23 season.

Even his coaching hire, Gallant, was fired after just two seasons. Gallant did lead the Rangers to back-to-back 100-point seasons and an Eastern Conference Final appearance, but he fell out of favor with management and the clubhouse and left New York on sour terms.

That left Goodrow as the final piece standing. Overpaid for his fourth-line and penalty-killing role, Goodrow had 33 and 31 points in his first two seasons in New York, the two highest marks of his career, and was reliable in the postseason.

While his experience and skillset were definitely valuable, it looks as if Drury paid too steep of a price for a bottom-six player. The decision to place Goodrow on waivers and clear his cap hit certainly supports that.

It’s safe to say Drury didn’t knock it out of the park when he first took over. But for what it’s worth, he showed his value ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, making substantial additions by acquiring Copp, Frank Vatrano, Tyler Motte, and Justin Braun. Despite a couple swings and misses early, the Rangers made the conference final in Drury’s first season.

In the midst of his fourth offseason, the pressure is on with the Blueshirts failing to reach the Stanley Cup Final once again. Drury’s become a well respected GM in the League, but his tenure in New York could be defined by the way he attacks the next few seasons.

Of course, this is not news to general manager Chris Drury. And it’s expected the Rangers are going to get to work soon on a contract extension for their all-world goalie, who likely added a few extra dollars to his next deal after his brilliant play in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Shesterkin is eligible to sign a contract extension beginning July 1.

When asked about the possibility Tuesday at breakup day, Shesterkin offered no insight into his thinking, but did provide a good sound byte.

“Sorry, I don’t speak English,” was his answer.

Reports have indicated that he’ll likely ask for around $12 million a year, which surpasses Carey Price as the highest paid goaltender in the League. Price, who’s unable to play due to a knee issue, averages $10.5 million per season on his contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky averages $10 million per season on his seven-year deal.

So, how did the 118th overall pick from the 2014 NHL Draft jet into superstardom and potentially command this kind of salary?

Related: Kaapo Kakko’s future with Rangers big question this offseason

Like Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers found Igor Shesterkin later in draft

This is the second massive goalie success story for the Rangers in the latter rounds of the NHL Draft. New York landed Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist with the 205th pick in the 2000 draft. His No. 30 already hangs in the rafters at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers didn’t have to delve as deep to find Shesterkin in the fourth round 14 years later. But it’s not like he was a top-rated pick either.

After making his professional debut at just 16 years old for the KHL’s Spartak Moskva team, he quickly rose through the ranks of the league and signed with the juggernaut SKA St. Petersburg, a superteam that often feeds the NHL with elite Russian talent.

Among his teammates in St. Petersburg were future Rangers Pavel Buchnevich and Artemi Panarin. 

After being drafted, Shesterkin remained in Russia, just as Lundqvist stayed in Sweden, to build his game and reputation.

In his final season in the KHL, 2018-19, Shesterkin had an absurd 1.11 goals-against average coupled with a terrific .953 save percentage in 28 games.

This is the same Shesterkin who was passed over for 13 other goaltenders in the 2014 draft.

Some, like Thatcher Demko, Elvis Merzlikins and Ilya Sorokin, are bonafide NHL goalies. Each was selected before Shesterkin.

But Mason McDonald (34th overall)? Zach Nagelvoort (111th overall)? Neither of them saw a lick of NHL ice time.

Interestingly, Shesterkin wasn’t even New York’s first goaltending choice.

The Rangers selected Brandon Halverson with the 59th overall pick. Halverson went on to face six total shots in the one game he played at the NHL level.

There were initial concerns about Shesterkin. Some argued that his 6-foot, 185-pound frame wasn’t large enough to fill the net. That didn’t seem to trouble him against the heavy Panthers in this year’s Eastern Conference Final.

His eye-popping numbers were enticing, but there was also uncertainty about his ability to convert his success to the North American competition.

Related: Filip Chytil could have ‘major impact’ on Rangers next season

Physical setbacks didn’t derail Igor Shesterkin with Rangers

After dominating with Hartford in the American Hockey League in 2019-20,Shesterkin took the NHL by storm, winning 10 of his 12 regular-season starts as the third string goalie with an excellent .932 save percentage.

It was the only season Shesterkin would get to play alongside Lundqvist.

He likely would’ve played more if it wasn’t for an unfortunate rib fracture caused by a car crash that involved Buchnevich on Feb. 23, 2020, that sidelined him for weeks. He was banged up several times his first two seasons, in fact.

The following year, Shesterkin assumed starting duties during the shortened COVID-19 season, finishing with a solid 2.62 goals-against average. He was just scratching the surface of excellence.

And If there was any doubt about his size or consistency, it was long gone by now.

Leading the NHL in save percentage (.935), goals-against average (2.07), and goals saved above average (44.9), Shesterkin secured the Vezina Trophy as the top NHL goalie in 2021-22 and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy as League MVP.

He is the only member of that 2014 draft class to win the Vezina. 

“He kept us in games, he single-handedly won games. He’s got my vote if that counts for anything,” Chris Kreider said at the time.

Calgary Flames 6-foot-6 goalie Jacob Markstrom was second in Vezina voting that year. So, perhaps, size isn’t everything.

The 2022-23 season was not as solid. By Shesterkin’s standards, anyway. Other goalies would’ve been thrilled to post a 2.48 GAA with a .916 save percentage. A first-round playoff exit in 2023 after reaching the conference final the seasons before also didn’t sit well, though Shesterkin was New York’s best player against the New Jersey Devils in that series.

The ever-so-slight regression seemed to affect his mentality, as he admitted to getting frustrated in practice with his performance.

“Oh yeah, I was too hard on myself, for sure,” Shesterkin admitted. “I just want to be positive every day because last season I was so mad at myself because I didn’t play like I want.”

He had some ups and downs this season, too. Remember the month of January?

But Shesterkin rebounded, finished strong and was simply magnificent over 16 postseason games with a .927 save percentage and another conference final trip.

Related: What next Ryan Lindgren contract could look like for Rangers

Rangers future for Igor Shesterkin looks bright – and expensive

Heading into the final year of his contract, Shesterkin has honed the mental and physical aspects of his game, and has been among the most consistent goaltenders in the NHL.

Just as he did in the KHL, Shesterkin’s has been a rock for the team in front of him.

It’s rare to find a goalie that you can build a team around. The Rangers were incredibly lucky to find Shesterkin after riding Lundqvist for 15 seasons.

Now, it’s time to pay up for that good fortune.

All signs point to the Rangers working on a reunion with Frank Vatrano to fill that need on right wing. But could there be another reunion option at the position?

Word out of St. Louis is that Blues general manager Doug Armstrong is willing to “get creative” regarding a trade of former Blueshirts forward Pavel Buchnevich. Creative could mean the Blues would retain half of Buchnevich’s $5.8 million salary which carries through the 2024-25 season. 

So, that could be two playoff runs at an average annual value of $2.9 million for the five-time 20-goal scorer.

If it sounds too good to be true for the Rangers, it probably is.

Frank Seravelli of Daily Faceoff wrote Wednesday that, “Armstrong was reportedly looking for one first-round pick and one first-round pick equivalent, and retaining [salary] would force a team to add in one more premium top-level asset.”

For argument’s sake that could mean, in theory, the Rangers’ first-round pick in 2024, either Brennan Othmann or Gabe Perreault and perhaps a prospect in the line of Drew Fortescue, Brett Berard, Adam Sykora or, perhaps, Zac Jones. 

And that’s before factoring where the relationship between Buchnevich and the Rangers stands. Buchenveich was traded by the Rangers to the Blues on July 23, 2021 because of salary-cap issues and there appeared to be no love lost in that relationship.

Related: Updated Rangers trade board before deadline Friday

Rangers reunion with Pavel Buchnevich would require ‘creative’ approach

Buchnevich has thrived in St. Louis. The 28-year-old has 191 points, including 80 goals, in 196 games since being traded to the Blues. He scored an NHL career-high 30 goals and 76 points in 2021-22 and has 24 goals and 48 points in 60 games this season.

Of forwards on the trade market, likely only Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins is more attractive than Buchnevich.

The Blues are under no pressure to trade Buchnevich. They have him signed through next season and are just six points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with 20 games to play this season.

But they’re also a team clearly looking to rebuild, or reboot, and trading Buchnevich could help fast track that plan.

Trading for Vatrano remains a more possible scenario for the Rangers after picking up Wennberg in a trade with the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday. But GM Chris Drury wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t pick up the phone to discuss things with Armstrong, unless the Buchnevich relationship is too damaged.

If the price is too high, which it sure sounds like, the Rangers move on.

But closing the eyes and picturing Buchnevich playing alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider with the Rangers again is worth the exercise, too.

File this in the unlikely, but not impossible, file.