Following the New York Rangers first season missing the playoffs since 2020-21 , pressure is building on the organization to make moves — bold moves that can reshape the roster. With the Stanley Cup window closing on this longtime core, the next few weeks should set the tone for the Rangers future.
No pressure, Chris Drury.
"The Rangers are a team to keep an eye on the next few weeks," NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast . "Drury is telling teams he is ready for offers."
Though not a surprising take, considering the fact that the Rangers are coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, it's still something that Friedman is hearing plenty of Blueshirts buzz.
So far, the Rangers most significant change occurred behind the bench, where two-time Stanley Cup champion Mike Sullivan was hired to replaced the fired Peter Laviolette. The Rangers also re-signed RFA forward Juuso Parssinen , not exactly a front-page news.
But there's more to come, whether to alter the makeup of the roster and leadership group, or to ship out high-salaried players to create more maneuverability under the salary cap. Drury likely wants to make a big move to couple with acquiring J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31.
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If the Rangers want to make serious waves this off-season, Drury likely needs to explore the trade market. With limited salary-cape space and multiple RFAs to re-sign, the Rangers are not expected to be major players in free agency.
"The Rangers are considering an awful lot of things," Friedman said. "After the season they had last year, there are very few things that are off the table."
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One trade candidate is Chris Kreider , who has two years left on his contract at a $6.5 million AAV . Trading him would be tough emotionally — the fan-favorite is a career-long Ranger — but doing so would open up some meaningful cap space. But it won't be easy. Kreider's coming off a down season, is 34, and has a partial no-trade clause.
But, especially after his name surfaced in the infamous Drury trade memo last November, it'd be far from a shock if Kreider is traded this summer. Defensemen Carson Soucy and his $3.25 million AAV could also help free additional room if traded.
K'Andre Miller's future remains in question. Though still a restricted free agent, he's due a major raise now just two years out from UFA status. Do the Rangers want to commit long term to the 25-year-old, who's time on Broadway has been littered with inconsistent play? Are his terrific flashes and high upside enough to make him a core member or will the Rangers look to move him for significant return this summer?
Alexis Lafreniere 's long-term contract extension begins this season, and it's unlikely the Rangers have the stomach to trade the former No. 1 overall pick, who'll be 24 next season. But Drury would be a fool to not at least listen to what other teams might offer if they come calling about Lafreniere.
ESPN NY radio host Don Lagreca suggested it's time for the Rangers to explore trading Artemi Panarin as he enters the final season of his mega-contract. That may seem like an extreme move for the Rangers, but, remember, Friedman did say nothing is off the table.
Lagreca's thinking is that it's important this summer to move away on from "the Kreider-[Mika] Zibanejad Rangers." His first preference is to deal Zibanejad, but it doesn't appear the 32-year-old has any interest in waiving his no-move clause. So, why not ask Panarin to waive his?
"What I keep coming back to, and it's a major splash but I think it's something that probably needs to happen, is do they address the possibility of trading Artemi Panarin?," Lagreca told Forever Blueshirts on the RINK RAP podcast. "He's got a year left on his contract, he's very attractive to some teams. If Chris Drury and Mike Sullivan want a north-south team, he's not a north-south guy. So, as much as you'd hate to give up a guy that's your leading scorer, is that the move that could now make it more J.T. Miller's team?"
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The Rangers have the No. 12 pick in this year's NHL Draft, and the team is in need of a center to bolster organizational depth at the position. The current centers are solid, but J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck , Zibanejad and Sam Carrick aren't getting any younger, and there's no real blue-chip center waiting to step up once they age out.
Their top forward prospects consist of Gabe Perreault , Brennan Othmann , and Brett Berard , each a winger. Even Dylan Roobroeck, a 6-foot-7 center prospect with some upside , is more of a long-term bottom-six guy if he makes the jump. Noah Laba is a middle-six center, likely a future third-liner at the NHL level. That's why this draft is a huge opportunity to start building up the middle again.
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But at No. 12, the Rangers could also look to improve their depth on the defense corps, or simply take the best available player.
That's if they keep the pick. Since it's a conditional pick that was traded away, the Rangers have until June 25 to inform the Pittsburgh Penguins if they intend to keep their 2025 first-round pick and send the Penguins an unprotected 2026 first-rounder, or keep that 2026 selection and give Pittsburgh the No. 12 pick this year.
It's a dicey call either way for Drury, who's going to be making plenty of major decisions this summer.
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