With 

Obviously John Tavares and Paul Stastny are the leading go-getters for centermen this offseason, so these players will not be of their caliber. But still, these players will be adequate enough and cheap enough during this rebuilding phase.  

Derek Ryan – Carolina Hurricanes

Albeit a brief NHL career, Derek Ryan has been effective in his 2+ NHL seasons. His stats may show a negative plus/minus at -22 for his career, but there are some bright spots. Ryan has won 56.1% of his 1706 career faceoffs. This is coupled with Carolina’s trust in him in, by having him on 59.3% of the offensive zone starts. He also has a respectable CF% (Corsi For) of 54.4% over his NHL career.

Ryan has also spent some time in multiple roles, as a third line center who also played on Carolina’s second powerplay unit. For his career, he has eight powerplay goals and eight powerplay assists. At even strength, he has 28 goals and 41 assists in 153 career games for the Hurricanes.

Obviously, the number one worry is the fact that he has only had really two seasons at the NHL level. Despite playing overseas for nearly a decade in various locations like Hungary, Germany, and Sweden, the lack of experience in the highest level of hockey is certainly an area of concern. Even more so is the fact that he is 31, and by the time this rebuild ends, he will be pushing 34 years old.   

Despite all of that, he can provide much needed help in the center of the ice. His value at the faceoff dot and at both ends of the ice is certainly overlooked. He is coming off of a one year deal that was worth $1.425 million, so he could be picked up for cheap. The Rangers could sway him from staying with the Hurricanes, with a 2-year deal worth $2 million deal per season.

Tyler Bozak – Toronto Maple Leafs

Bozak is certainly not considered a dark horse, but I would say he is definitely overlooked as a signing. His contract is certainly chunky, but in my opinion, is definitely worth the price. He, alongside Ryan, is 31-years-old.

At the end of a 5-year/$21 million deal, Bozak has shown dependability in the faceoff dot and offensive ability. He has 136 goals and 229 assists in 594 career games. Bozak has won 53.6% of his draws and took the draw in the offensive zone 51.4% of his career.

Stats aside, Bozak is very careful with the puck and has good awareness of where he is on the ice. He showed in the playoffs this season against Washington, that he can find open space and provide scoring opportunities. In both of these clips, you can see Bozak finding the open ice in a high scoring area and putting it home.

Some issues with Bozak is evidently not preventing scoring chances. His commitment to playing defense has been questioned; and with that being said, would this work with the Rangers? Possibly, but only if more things fall into place. Re-worked defense, solid wingers to couple his playstyle and a coach that would use him in a way similar to Mike Babcock in Toronto.

Again, his contract will be large. He just made $4.2 million last season, so it will have to hover around that much to bring him over to New York. With Toronto making the playoffs this season, and their future looking better then ever, it will be hard to rip him from the place he has played his entire career.

Mark Letestu – Columbus Blue Jackets

My final dark horse target for center for the Rangers is Columbus’ Mark Letestu. Letestu split last season with Columbus and Edmonton, playing in just 20 games with Columbus. He can be added as a bottom six forward, headlining the bottom two lines from the center position.

Letestu has been moved around alot in his nine years at the NHL level, playing in Pittsburgh, Edmonton, and Columbus on two separate occasions. He isn’t going to put up dazzling numbers in terms of points, but Letestu can add help that the Rangers need from their bottom lines.  

Letestu has a 52.1 % faceoff percentage for his career and is very durable. He has appeared in 60 or more games six times over his career. He has been primarily used in defensive zone starts over his career, with 56.9% of his draws being near his goalie.

His contract is a little more expensive than a traditional bottom six forward. He made $1.8 million last season, which in contrast to the Rangers is about as much as Jesper Fast is getting paid over the next three seasons.

The Rangers may want to move for a more talented scorer, but to balance the lines, Letestu can be a solid acquisition.

Gaining one of these three players could help fill a giant hole in the Rangers lineup. Additionally, New York has nearly $25 million in cap space to play with heading into the summer. This offseason will be fast and exciting, and could make or break this franchise.

Most websites will spend the offseason identifying players the Rangers should go after this summer and why. I’ve decided to flip this a bit and pick out 5 players the Rangers should avoid even though they may seem attractive, particularly by some fans.

We will do this in reverse order, ranking them based on least likely to most likely and least attractive to most attractive combined. Let’s begin:

#5 Tyler Bozak

For the last few years, Tyler Bozak has been linked to the Rangers as a possible trade target. The 32 year old center is not flashy but very solid. He is coming off a nice season in Toronto where he scored, 43 points in 81 games.

Those are good numbers for a possible 3rd line center, but that is no longer what the Rangers need. Especially not with the plethora of young talented centers already on the team. Zibanejad and Hayes are likely the early favorites to center the first 2 lines next season. That leaves the Rangers with 3 possible centers going for the 3rd pivot spot in Namestnikov, Andersson, and Chytil. Add in Boo Nieves and Ryan Spooner to the mix and the need to add a bottom 6 center goes out the door.

Of course at the right price in a 4th line role, Bozak could make some sense. Bozak is coming off a contract with a 4.2M cap hit, and will likely get that and more on the market. The Rangers should just cross his name off the list now.

#4 James Neal

James Neal has been a major reason why the Las Vegas Knights inaugural season in the NHL has been a smashing success. The 30 year old has 25 goals and 44 points in 71 contests for Vegas this year. The winger has great size and uses it well at 6’2″ and 221 pounds. There is no doubt that wherever he lands this summer he will have a positive impact for his new team.

The biggest issue is what it would take to a get him here as he is coming off a contract that paid him $5M. That, plus the likelihood of wanting a 4-5 year deal makes Neal less attractive then say signing Michael Grabner back for less. The Rangers should keep him on their radar, but only at the right price.

#3 Paul Stastny

Paul Stastny is a veteran that would immediately slot in as the #2 center giving the Rangers even more flexibility and depth down the middle. He had 53 points this past season and is helping Winnipeg possibly get to the Western Conference Final with 11 points in 11 playoff games.

The big issue aside from his age, is what he would want in his next contract. His current cap hit is $7M, which he won’t be getting from anyone. Would he settle for a 2-3 year deal at 4.5? That might be reasonable if the Rangers really feel the need to have some more veteran experience up front.

Still, I wouldn’t give Stastny the time of day with a player like John Tavares out there too. The only way the Rangers would consider exploring this option is if they lose out on Tavares and want to use a Zibanejad, Hayes, or Namestnikov in a bigger deal.

#2 James Van Riemsdyk

JVR is a name some Rangers fans absolutely salivate over. Let’s start off with the fact this NJ native grew up a Blueshirts fan. Now add in his 36 goals this past season and his huge frame of 6’3″, 217 pounds. What is not to like here? A lot actually.

First off, JVR is going to get paid this summer. His current contract was earning him 4.2M and he should be breaking $6M and at least get 4 years if not 5 on his next deal. Now unless the Rangers are looking to move wingers like Mats Zuccarello or Chris Kreider this summer, Jeff Gorton should not be entering a bidding war for him.

Some would argue that the Rangers are looking at signing Ilya Kovalchuk who is 35 to a tune of maybe $6M a year. While I think he would sign with the Rangers for $5M, the deal at most would only be for 2 years. Plus, with the amount of Russians the Rangers have already here and coming, he may make their transition easier.

Don’t get me wrong, JVR would look great in a Rangers uniform, but adding him will take away playing time from players like Pavel Buchnevich, Lias Andersson, Filip Chytil and Vlad Namestnikov. He may be worth the risk, but Gorton will have to make room to fit him in long term.

#1 Rick Nash

There is a large group of Rangers fans out there that desperately want Rick Nash back. They simply love Nasher and there are many good reasons why. He is a complete player that plays a solid 200′ game in the NHL. Add in his love for being a Ranger and the fact that he will likely sign for A LOT LESS than his current 7.8M salary, makes him really attractive to the fanbase in NY.

The truth of the matter is that Nash, who turns 34 in June, will have a few 2-3 year offers of 3.5 to 4M on the table from other teams this summer. And why will he get those offers? Because some GM’s will have in the recesses of their mind’s the Rick Nash of several seasons ago.

No, the Rangers need to avoid bringing him in because it would be a move backwards in this rebuild. In his last three years, Nash has not scored more than 23 goals (15,23,21) or posted more than 38 points (36,38,34). Let’s not even discuss his disappearing act in the playoffs. In the last 2 postseasons, Nash has played in 24 contests and registered only 10 points.

Let’s put feelings of nostalgia and fandom aside, if Rick Nash were to be signed this summer, which young kid is losing a job to him? Another concern is this, no matter who is coaching the team next season, he is bound to give into the urge of playing Nash on the top 2 lines because he’s Rick Nash. For all of this, I think the Rangers need to give any thoughts of bringing him back a hard pass.

Joe Thornton, C, 38

Big Jumbo Joe definitely has his better years behind him, there’s no doubt about that, but signing this almost 39 years old center might be a smart move for a rebuilding team. Thornton still puts up points, is a big body and most importantly, wins faceoffs. Though he only played in 47 games this year, he still accumulated 36 points and won about 52% of his faceoffs. He’s no longer the 1^st overall pick player he used to be, but standing at 6-4, 220lbs, he can play some solid minutes. Another thing to consider is his experience, both regular season and playoff games. Teaching the younger players how to function in this higher level will be one main reason to sign Thornton, especially for Chytil and Andersson, the future centers of this franchise. One last thing to consider is Jeff Gorton, who was apart of the Boston Bruins organization when they drafted Joe up until his departure. Having some sort of previous relationship can help sign Jumbo Joe in the first place and may even drive the signing price down a bit. Personally, there’s no way I would sign Joe Thornton to anything close to the 8 million he stole from the Sharks last year but a 1 year deal would be just what the doctor ordered for this new, young team of Rangers.

Tyler Bozak, C, 32

Tyler Bozak has been apart of one team for his whole career, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Since the 2009/10 season Bozak has been a consistent player to say the least. Averaging about 0.61 points per game, his game boils down to his faceoff ability. His career average is about 53.6 percent, which isn’t bad at all. Though the real problem has been decreased playing time over the past three years is the arrival of new, younger players. Have you heard of Auston Matthews? William Nylander? Mitch Marner? These young, dynamic players have taken Toronto by storm and will eventually need new, big contracts to go with their big play. This leaves Bozak out in the cold without a place to stay. Though Bozak isn’t the game-changing player you would want to sign, he’s a player to consider for a small multi-year deal as the Rangers rebuild for the future. Consistency goes a long way and if Bozak can be consistent, he’ll earn that contract.

Ian Cole, D, 29

Defense was an unusual weak spot for the Rangers this past season. With the departures of Ryan McDonagh (and it pains for me to say Nick Holden, I GUESS), the injury of Kevin Shattenkirk, the demotion of Brendan Smith and the usual play of Marc Staal, the Rangers had to rely on rookies to get the job done. Enter Ian Cole. Veteran man with some veteran experience, especially with winning in the playoffs. Though the top two pairs are essentially set with Skeji, Pionk, and Shattenkirk there’s plenty of room to fight for 3 position spots. Adding Cole will relieve some pressure off the top pairing and he can be a factor when it comes to scoring. Though his contract demands might be a little high, the Rangers can afford to give up some of their cap space to have a solid d-man. Hopefully this doesn’t end up like another Brendan Smith situation all over again.

Alexi Emelin, D, 31

Again, though I’m hesitant about defense thanks to Brendan Smtih, Alexi Emelin could solve two problems at once. Another “problem” the Rangers had was no physical toughness. Gorton said they potentially might target some gritty players to round out the bottom of the lineup. With my fellow writers addressing Milan Lucic and Leo Komarov for potential signings and myself addressing Greg Pateryn in a previous post, I’ll go for Alexi Emelin. Though he doesn’t have that scoring touch that everyone wants, a shut-down defenseman who can hit, block shots and kill penalties could be the answer to the question of why the Rangers were so bad last year. Emelin is coming off a decreased role with his new team (Nashville) with only averaging barely 17 minutes on the ice verses over 21 minutes in the 2016/17 season (Montreal).  Though surprisingly that didn’t slow him down as he still accumulated 181 hits and 109 blocked shots. This type of gritty, stay at home defense is the type of play the Rangers need to get back on track and to open the ice for their goal scorers. I still believe Pateryn would be more of a steal and more of a smart signing but there’s nothing wrong with having Emelin on your team.

Thomas Vanek, LW, 34

Okay this one is a stretch but hear me out. Does anyone really expect the Rangers to make the playoffs next year? Unless they dazzle with some unique free agent signings and some how have stolen three franchise players in this upcoming draft that score at will, the reality is that they will be rocking the bottom of the standings. So why not sign Vanek? He can still produce a solid amount of points (56 this past season) and he’s no stranger to the powerplay. The reason you sign him is to give your centers some confidence by just shoveling the puck to him for some goals here or there. Mentoring players can be a big part of the reason you sign him, and his contract can probably be minimal when it comes to term. Remember, the Rangers are rebuilding for the first time in years, this usually means not being good for a short period.

It has been said that “too much of a good thing can be bad,” and the New York Rangers are experiencing that first hand. There has been much to do about the lack of depth at the center position. There has been mention of the top four defensemen, and there have been rumors of Nick Holden being on the move. While Tyler Bozak has been mentioned as a target, and places like Edmonton have been named as potential destinations, one fact remains; the New York Rangers cannot keep Nick Holden.

Market Value

One of the most difficult parts of a general manager’s job is making trades. Trades need to make sense and they also have to benefit both teams. This is exactly why this article is not about Marc Staal. To trade Staal, the Rangers will either need to retain salary or find a team that has a gap big enough for a defenseman of Staal’s skill set; which can be left to interpretation.

Holden has value, but not all that much considering that the Avalanche traded him for a fourth round pick last offseason. He certainly is not the centerpiece standing between the Rangers and the center they need. He may not even yield a bottom six forward. The new NHL video game may be coming out soon, but this is real life and the team cannot trade a low-value player like Holden for a difference maker. However, they could trade him for a draft pick or picks, which would allow Jeff Gorton to continue retooling. Similar to the Brendan Smith deal, trading Holden for a pick (or two) now, could then yield a return of something much more valuable later.

There are potentially four players that are fighting for the spot Holden currently possesses. In other words, the team has depth at the blue line. The top four spots are filled for the foreseeable future, and Marc Staal will need a new partner before October hits.

Listen to Jim Cerny talk about Nick Holden and the NYR defense here!

Far From a Perfect Match

Holden quite honestly has value simply because he has a team friendly contract. It does not come from his play. Coming off his best season, Holden had some good moments with the Rangers. He started the season hot but cooled off fast as the year progressed. By the time the playoffs came around, he was a borderline liability on the ice.

If Holden doesn’t have Staal as his partner, he probably ends up playing better; and vice versa. Neither player is a traffic cone on the ice, however, neither possess the speed demanded by the system they play in. That is why the pairing was insufferable because neither player could make a mistake, or make up for their partner’s mistakes. Both are formidable third pair defensemen, just not together. If Staal has Anthony DeAngelo, a fast skating defenseman as his partner, I believe that Staal will show that he still has some game left in the tank

Addition by Subtraction

That may not seem possible to Dunder Mifflin’s regional manager Michael Scott, but the Rangers can absolutely improve by losing Holden. They cannot afford to allow four young and talented defensemen to compete for the sixth defense spot. When the calendar reads October 5th, Nick Holden needs to be wearing a sweater other than the Blueshirt.

Since the Rangers traded away Derek Stepan and lost Oscar Lindberg to expansion, it was clear GM, Jeff Gorton was going to have to address this via free agency or trade. When the move was done to bring in David Desharnais, Lindberg was essentially replaced. Then rumors of moving J.T. Miller to center were squashed by Alain Vigneault who doesn't see him there yet. Now, Mika Zibanejad has been re-signed for 5 years but a huge hole exists and a need to bring in one more center persists.

The Interest In Bozak Goes Back 2 Years

Dating back to the 2015 trade deadline, Bozak has been linked to the Rangers. Insider, Bob McKenzie was the biggest name reporting it, and it likely fell through due to cap constraints. Bozak's ability to win face-offs (career 53.6%) and play substantial minutes (career TOIA 18:50) made Bozak a fit then and now. He's a decent scorer with a career points per game average of .62, which is perfect for a 2nd line center.

Where We Are Today

FullTilt Rangers first learned of the Blueshirt's rekindled interest in Bozak on July 4th. We stated that Nick Holden was also a potential key piece in moving to Toronto as well. Since then, Larry Brooks and some others have mentioned Bozak as a potential fit.

It should also be known that the rumor mill does not only have the Rangers as a potential trade partner. Rumors out of Pittsburgh have Olli Maatta for Bozak as a potential swap. Problem there is that it doesn't help Toronto's cap concerns.

Bozak makes 4.2M and the Rangers have just over 3M in space. How to make room you say? Well per Brooks we learned that the Blueshirts are looking to trade Holden and his 1.65M contract for a center. That is enough to fit Bozak for sure but doesn't leave much breathing room for adding a 13th forward or in season emergency call ups.

Earlier today, we were able to reconfirm that the Rangers were once again focusing on acquiring Bozak from Toronto. Now that Zibanejad is settled it makes sense.

Yes #NYR fans, we are hearing that acquiring Bozak is indeed being kicked into high gear. Oddly, & shockingly for me also buying out Staal.

— FullTilt Rangers (@NYR_FullTilt) July 26, 2017

Howard Berger who has been covering the Leafs for over a decade has been stating that they've been working on something for awhile. This was also tweeted today.

Is Nick Holden (#NewYorkRangers) for Tyler Bozak a fair swap for the #Leafs? It is being discussed. More in a blog later today.

— Howard Berger (@Berger_BYTES) July 26, 2017

There's simply is too much smoke to ignore now.

gonna be tight on $$$ even if Holden gets traded, but, yes, that rumor has been out there for a while https://t.co/W5j4C8dC8K

— Jim Cerny (@JimCerny) July 26, 2017

Marc Staal Buyout

While there is discussion within the organization, we've learned it's a pretty heated debate. I would be totally shocked if the Rangers go this route considering it's 8 years of dead cap space and an average hit of 6M for the next three years.

However, if you are thinking win now that additional 3+ million in space gives you flexibility to add maybe 2 more pieces. Rumors about a Jaromir Jagr return or adding UFA, Alex Chiasson are being floated about. As a side note, Chiasson played college hockey for BU and the Rangers love college players from Boston.

Will It All Go Down?

We are just a blog…I get it. Everyone here though really appreciates the loyal readership we have and none of us have the connections of the top hockey insiders. That being said, many of us have been doing this for awhile and have fostered some decent relationship. The truth is we don't know with any certainties if this does get done. Like all the insiders say, they are just rumors until a deal is announced.

What we have learned by reaching out is that trading for Bozak is more than likely to happen. As of right now, we think something goes down with the Rangers very soon.

If we're right, many will say we got lucky (again)…but if we are wrong, I'm sure we will never hear the end of it. No matter what…thanks for reading us always.

Larry Brooks released his latest edition of Slap Shots and brought up some interesting info.

Zibanejad Arbitration

While Zibanejad’s “ask” is unknown at this time, Brooks appears to reaffirm what I was told…it’s high. The numbers are due to come out some time today. Brooks ultimately believes that Mika will land somewhere around the 5.25M mark, and if Tomas Tatar’s (5.3Mx4Y) recent contract is any indication, that seems about right.

The Rangers current cap space per CapFriendly is $7,608,056.

Marc Staal Buyout?

The second buyout window will close 48 hours after Zibanejad’s arbitration/contract is settled. Buying out Staal gives the Rangers 3.75M in additional cap space, which seems like a great idea when you look at the young ready for primetime defenseman the Blueshirts have.

Anthony Deangelo, Neal Pionk, and Alexei Bereglazov may be ready to lock up spots on the bottom pair. However after buying out Dan Girardi, an additional buyout of Staal would mean the Rangers would be operating with less cap space until 2025.

Here’s a detailed view of how much dead cap space the Rangers would carry.

As you can see that’s 4.7M in dead space this year with 3 staggering deficits of 5.7M, 6.7m, and 5M until 2021. As a new CBA approaches in 2020 with a potential amnesty buyout, it would behoove the Rangers to wait.

Trade Winds Blowing

The Rangers as Brooks’ pointed out have a plethora of blue liners. It is highly unlikely they take them all into opening night. So a deal of some sort is imminent. The talks swirling around Tyler Bozak “have cooled” per Brooks. However, one of our own recently was told by a “clued in” source a deal would be coming soon.

My source is saying Bozak to nyr is imminent. # nyr

— Christopher (@icehole25) July 22, 2017

Note: Since this tweet, random unverified “insiders” have been posting that a deal is in place, or even what the deal is. None of that info is confirmed.

It is important to understand that the Zibanejad domino needs to fall in order to see where the Rangers stand with cap space. Bozak makes 4.25M and the Blueshirts need to leave some cap room to accommodate for emergency call ups.

Bottom line, the Rangers need another center and have been interested in Bozak for years. He is a UFA at season’s end and the Leafs may not be interested in retaining him. There is definite smoke here.

Tyler Bozak also got married yesterday and some photos have popped up from teammates at the wedding. Here’s his beautiful bride with Sydney Esiason (instragram). Congrats to the newlyweds.

Tyler Bozak has just listed his condo for sale according to Jeff Veillette of Leafs Nation.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bozak’s downtown condo is up for sale, speculate as you will: https://t.co/6Sf9ijcYMu

— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) July 18, 2017

You can take this for what it’s worth, but the optics indicate that Bozak could be preparing for a move. On July 4th, I tweeted out the Rangers had kicked the tires on the 31 year old center and since then Larry Brooks and others have connected the two as well.

The Rangers however, may not be the favorite to land Bozak as reports out of Pittsburgh have them heavily interested also. So let’s see how this shakes out.

Growing concern over Zibanejad

As the Rangers and Mika Zibanejad both draw near the July 25th arbitration date, much of the discussion is on comparables for the the young center. Larry Brooks recently wrote about it, but one key paragraph seems to be flying under the radar with little discussion.

In the world of comparables, that should set the number around $4.8 million per for the 24-year-old Zibanejad — who, somewhat strangely, is using his half-brother, Monir Kalgoum, to represent him in his talks with the Blueshirts after leaving the powerhouse Newport Sports Agency following the season.

So this doesn’t sound alarm bells to anyone but me?

I recently spoke with a reporter in Ottawa that told me one of the big reasons to move such a highly promising young center was fear they couldn’t afford him when his contract expired. That his demands were already too high.

In addition, there is reason to believe that Zibanejad and Newport Sports were not seeing eye to eye on his value. This prompted him to ditch one of the leading sports agencies in North America and hire his half brother. Rumor has it that Zibanejad could be seeking 5.5M or more on his next contract.

Could this be heading the route of Nik Zherdhev? The Rangers actually walked away from his arbitration reward, although I doubt they would here. However, the Rangers may be forced (or have already decided) into only signing Zibanejad to a 2 year deal, which would make him a potentially very desirable UFA at its expiration.

This could get ugly.

In the span of a couple days, the New York Rangers lost two of their four centers. Oscar Lindberg was selected in the expansion draft by Las Vegas, and Derek Stepan was traded to Arizona. In addressing the press about trading away Stepan, GM Jeff Gorton stated the team, “would fill the holes at center via the trade and/or free agent markets”. Last season, the two remaining Rangers centers, Mika Zibanajad and Kevin Hayes both missed time. Zibanejad missed 26 games due to a broken leg, and Hayes missed six games with a lower body injury. Hockey is a sport where injuries are a big part of the game. Imagine what this team would look like if one of these two missed significant time?

Addressing the Middle

On July 4, the Blueshirts announced the signing of former Oiler and Canadien, David Desharnais. A prototypical fourth line center, Desharnais fills one of the gaping holes with speed and strong faceoff ability. But there is still a large hole in the top three line combinations.

This hole cannot be underestimated. The Rangers are actually fairly deep on the wings, and after adding Anthony DeAngelo via trade, and Kevin Shattenkirk, Alexei Bereglazov, and Neal Pionk on defense, they now have numbers there too. With this depth, the hope is Gorton will be able to swing a trade to address their need at center.

Future is bright at center

The Rangers picked centers with both first round picks, Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil. While Chytil has no chance of making the team due to his age, Andersson is considered one of the most NHL ready players in this past draft. But a top 9 role may be too much too soon.

Cristoval Nieves, who had an impressive tournament in Traverse City, last summer, along with a strong training camp, had a rough season in Hartford.

He was injured with a concussion early in the season, and then had his season end prematurely with a second, worse concussion that caused him to miss 19 games. Nieves also suffered a concussion while with Michigan in 2015. That’s three in a short time span. Suffice to say it will be very hard to count on Nieves for any type of role until he gets to play some games and proves himself again.

With the need for depth at the center position a vital need, let’s look at some potential trades:

Tyler Bozak for Nick Holden

Yes, this trade is potentially a one for one deal, but Toronto acquires something else…Cap space. The difference in salaries is over 2.5 million dollars; with Holden making less. The Leafs get much desired cap space, and a defenseman that slots in at 4 on their depth chart in all likelihood.

Holden also is very capable of playing both the left and right side and would seamlessly replace Matt Hunwick, who went to Pittsburgh as a free agent. Both players are unrestricted free agents at season’s end. It’s a simple positional need deal. Bozak is great on faceoffs and right-handed, which are both pluses for New York. Holden could play in all situations in Toronto, and would fit their system nicely. This potential deal has been rumored in both New York and Toronto and has the best chance of happening.

Ryan Spooner for Nick Holden

Spooner had a down year last season in Boston and is on the trade block. He dipped to 39 points from 49 points the year before. In both years his +/- was not good (-8,-9), and he is scheduled to get a raise from the 1.9 mil he received last season. As with the previous hypothetical deal, the bruins could use a young veteran to provide experience, and cap space that will come with this exchange. Spooner is on the outs with the coaching staff according to Boston writers. While he has the potential to be a better player than he has shown, a change of scenary may be needed. He is a very good skater with fine passing ability, but has some weaknesses in the defensive zone. In my opinion, this trade is probably a last resort for both teams.

Vincent Trocheck for JT Miller

This is another straight positional trade for both teams. The Rangers have one too many wings, if all are healthy, to squeeze onto the top 3 lines. Put it this way, they didn’t bring in Jimmy Vesey and Pavel Buchnevich to be fourth line players.

Florida lost a lot on the wings in trading Reilly Smith to Las Vegas, and walking away from Jaromir Jagr. They have Alek Barkov, Nick Bjugstad, Derek MacKenzie and Jonathan Huberdeau, that can play center. Miller would be a first or second line LW for them.

Trocheck would be a second line center for the Rangers. He is right handed, and shoots the puck well and often. The Rangers are flooded with pass first forwards and could use a player that shoots like Trocheck. He also has an excellent contract in that he has 5 more years at 4.5 million per year. This is a great number for a second line center, and consistent 50+ points a year producer. He would also represent an improvement over Stepan in the faceoff circle. Though, he isn’t as good defensively.

Matt Duchene for Lias Andersson, JT Miller and a 2018 first round pick

There is no secret that Matt Duchene is available. The problem is GM Joe Sakic is seeking the sun, the moon and several stars for him. Let’s call this deal highly unlikely, but considering how good a player Duchene is, it would be foolish to at least take a swing at him.

In all probability if Jeff Gorton called and offered Brady Skjei, he would definitely get Sakic’s attention. Skjei is exactly the type of defenseman he has been asking for as PART of a trade. Though, I don’t think the Rangers are in a postion to offer Skjei. Duchene would slot in as the Blueshirts first line center, and play in all situations.

Because of Matt Duchene’s cap hit of 6 million dollars, Nick Holden would have to be moved for a draft pick in a separate transaction to a defenseman needy team to make it all fit. At present the Rangers depth at center is dangerously thin. Coach Alain Vigneault has stated recently he doesn’t think JT Miller is ready to play center in the NHL right now, despite his superior passing skills. But, there were games last year that he tried Miller there in a pinch with mostly poor results. He is still a work in progress.

Despite, the coach’s misgivings, at times it may be necessary to give him a look in the middle if a trade cannot be consummated, or injury strikes. By all public comments, the organization must feel pretty confident they could swing a deal. It will be interesting to see which direction they choose to go in.

The Rangers have agreed to terms with their 2nd first round pick in this past NHL entry draft

OFFICIAL: #NYR have agreed to terms with forward Filip Chytil on a three-year, entry-level contract. pic.twitter.com/b83yyKprpS

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 14, 2017

Speaking of first round picks…it appears Lias Andersson is aiming to make the team out of camp.

Per the Rangers website:

“That’s my goal to start with the team the first year,” Andersson stated. “It’s all about winning at this level. It’s not junior hockey anymore; it’s pro hockey and it’s all about winning. I’m coming to camp with a mindset to make the team and I gotta work for it.”

Head coach, Alain Vigneault stated that he would give Lias every opportunity but don’t get your hopes up he will make the team this season. Even if the Rangers fail to trade for a veteran center, prospects like Boo Nieves won’t just give up their opportunity to get that last center spot so easily.

Klein off to Europe

Kanadischer Verteidiger für den Zett!

Kevin Klein zu den ZSC Lions https://t.co/1qrFr90LmN

Bild: EQ-Images pic.twitter.com/e3zKGYepO3

— ZSC Lions (@zsclions) July 14, 2017

Latest On Bozak Rumor

I let you all know that the Rangers had kicked the tires on Bozak’s availability on July 4th.

#NYR have kicked the tires again on Tyler Bozak. Will have more soon @FullTiltNYRBlog for you soon. Would be a good move.

— FullTilt Rangers (@NYR_FullTilt) July 4, 2017

Larry Brooks hinted about the Rangers interest in Bozak and reports out of Toronto state several teams have interest in Bozak including NY, Pittsburgh, and Montreal. As of right now, there is no deal imminent.

Toronto however is going to be making a move to gain additional cap space after inking Marleau to the tune of 6.25M AAV. They will get some relief once they move several contracts to LTIR (Horton/Lupul), but still need to sign RFA, Connor Brown. So a move is coming.

Expect the Rangers to get more involved once they resolve the pending contract of Mika Zibanejad. This move is very much in play.

When the list of free agents came out at the end of the NHL season, one name that was thought to be a good fit for the Blueshirts was Joe Thornton. Jumbo Joe would have been perfect for what the Rangers needed: a center with plenty of leadership, is good in the faceoff circle, plays a 200-foot game and will put up points.

Now that Thornton has re-signed with the Sharks, details are starting to come out about what happened when the Rangers talked to the grizzled veteran. Larry Brooks reports that Jeff Gorton had “extended, productive talks with Joe Thornton” before he ultimately chose to head back to the Bay Area. 

There have been some rumblings about the availability of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bozak. The 31-year-old center is in the final year of his contract, making $4.2 million and has a modified no-trade-clause attached to it. Bozak could be a valuable “rental” player should he be moved. As Brooks noted, his ice time in Toronto has gone down from 21 minutes per game to roughly 16.5 minutes over the last four years. Bozak has similar production to the Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad and is just as good, if not better, at the faceoff dot.

One name from the Rangers that could be involved in a potential deal is defenseman Nick Holden. Holden is also in the final year of his contract, and with Jeff Gorton stockpiling blue line prospects during the spring, he was unlikely to have his contract renewed at the end of next season. The Leafs have a very young defensive core, with six of their seven defensemen being 27 years old and younger. Holden could slide in and be a veteran presence for Mike Babcock’s squad and at $1.65 million, Toronto would get some additional cap room as well.

Again, this is just a rumor, but it is one that if the trade was made, it would benefit both sides.