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New York Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
NHL offseason trade board: An early look at the summer's top targets, from Kreider to Rossi to Ehlers
The NHL offseason is about to kick into high gear. With June on the horizon, many teams have already gone through pro scouting meetings or are in the midst of conducting them. Next week, they'll all travel to Buffalo for the NHL Scouting Combine — an important event where general managers and agents start laying the groundwork for the player movement to come this summer. Advertisement At a time when the salary cap ceiling is taking a significant jump to $95.5 million, the conditions are ripe for upheaval. Flexibility is returning to the league's financial system, and teams have more needs collectively than the free-agent list offers solutions. So there's every reason to expect a fertile trade market. With that in mind, here's an early look at the names in play entering the summer. Team: New York Rangers Position: Left Wing Shoots: Left 2024-25 stats: 22 goals, 30 points, 68 games Age: 34 Contract: $6.5 million AAV through 2027; 15-team no-trade list A fresh start seems in order here. The Rangers started shuttling veterans this season, including former captain Jacob Trouba, and general manager Chris Drury mentioned Kreider's availability in a memo circulated to his peers in November. While Kreider is coming off his lowest goal-scoring season in eight years, with 0.32 goals per game, his cap hit is moderate on a contract that runs through 2026-27. Kreider remains a strong skater who sits in the 90th percentile in speed bursts over 22 miles per hour, according to NHL Edge data. He maintains some say in the process courtesy of a 15-team no-trade clause. Team: Minnesota Wild Position: Center Shoots: Left 2024-25 stats: 24 goals, 60 points, 82 games Age: 23 Contract: RFA coming off three-year, $2.59 million deal Enormously skilled but on the lighter side at 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds, there is still some debate about what Rossi can be as an NHL player. It's pretty clear where the Wild are leaning after they gave him just 11 minutes of ice time per game in the playoffs following a 60-point regular season. Now it's decision time with Rossi hitting restricted free agency and seeking a long-term contract. Minnesota has shopped Rossi before and appears unlikely to give him the kind of money a second-line center typically commands, so he's available to be had. Advertisement Team: Buffalo Sabres Position: Defense Shoots: Left 2024-25 stats: 7 goals, 38 points, 82 games Age: 23 Contract: RFA coming off two-year, $7.7 million deal The Sabres have a glut of defensemen on the left side, and the 23-year-old needs a new contract coming off his healthiest and most productive NHL season. That's why Buffalo has been gauging the trade market on the RFA. Byram is an elite skater who can log big minutes and still has his best years ahead of him, making him an intriguing option for teams looking for a blue-line upgrade. Team: Calgary Flames Position: Defense Shoots: Right 2024-25 stats: 11 goals, 31 points, 81 games Age: 28 Contract: $4.55 million AAV through 2026; six-team no-trade list One year out from unrestricted free agency, the right-shot defenseman is expected to draw a crowd if he doesn't sign an extension with the Flames when he's eligible this summer. Andersson is an all-around defender who excels at winning puck battles and can jump into the attack. He brings highly valued off-ice intangibles, too, and recently wore the 'C' for Sweden on home ice at the World Championship. While there are some minor concerns — such as his foot speed and an ugly minus-38 rating this season — Andersson is a major asset for Calgary to peddle. Team: Anaheim Ducks Position: Goalie 2024-25 stats: 11-11-2, .911 save percentage, 2.77 GAA Age: 31 Contract: $6.4 million AAV through 2027; 10-team no-trade list The pickings are slim in the free-agent goaltending market and Gibson is coming off a bounce-back performance. While he may have relinquished the Ducks' No. 1 job to Lukáš Dostál, the veteran finished with a .911 save percentage and an impressive 15.3 goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck. Multiple teams have kicked tires on Gibson in recent years, with no trade materializing, but his contract looks more movable than ever with just two seasons remaining and the cap on the rise. Advertisement Team: New York Rangers Position: Defense Shoots: Left 2024-25 stats: 7 goals, 27 points, 74 games Age: 25 Contract: RFA coming off two-year, $3.872 million deal A confluence of factors has made Miller's future a little bit murky in New York. For starters, he's due a qualifying offer north of $4.6 million this summer and is eligible to hit unrestricted free agency as soon as 2026. Basically, this is a time when the Rangers would typically be looking to make a big investment in a 23-year-old player. However, the team has to be mindful of the salary cap, and Miller's game showed some real cracks this season with defensive lapses and a dip in production contributing to the struggles the Rangers' blue line endured. Still, he would be a prime trade asset due to his age, skating ability and elite physical tools. Team: Buffalo Sabres Position: Left Wing Shoots: Left 2024-25 stats: 27 goals, 68 points, 77 games Age: 23 Contract: RFA coming off three-year, $2.775 million deal Another restricted free agent due for a hefty pay raise, there'd be strong trade value for the Sabres to mine if they moved off a winger who's twice crested 25 goals and finished the season tied for second on the team with 68 points. While Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams told reporters in March that Peterka is one of the team's 'core young guys,' it's not clear that he's willing to make that kind of commitment to the organization. Peterka is a candidate for an offer sheet if he's not traded before July 1. The Canadiens currently own a pair of picks smack dab in the middle of the first round, and it won't be surprising if they don't end up using both of the Nos. 16 and 17 selections on June 27 in Los Angeles. Montreal has an array of prospects already in the pipeline and is open to moving a pick if it can be used to acquire a more immediate need for the current roster. Another center would be ideal. Team: Nashville Predators Position: Right Wing Shoots: Right 2024-25 stats: 21 goals, 56 points, 78 games Age: 34 Contract: $5.5 million AAV through 2029 What a difference a year makes. The Predators swung a mighty bat last July 1, landing Marchessault plus Steven Stamkos and Brady Skjei off the open market, and they already find themselves facing another roster renovation. The 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner can still put the puck in the net and boasts a resume that includes 102 career playoff games. What's more, his cap hit should become even more palatable as it ages. Advertisement Team: Pittsburgh Penguins Position: Defense Shoots: Right 2024-25 stats: 11 goals, 53 points, 82 games Age: 34 Contract: $10 million cap hit through 2027 The fit has never seemed quite right in Pittsburgh for the three-time Norris Trophy winner, who last appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs six years ago. Karlsson will be 35 when next season begins, and it makes sense for him and the retooling Penguins to work together on finding him a new home. Karlsson's $10 million cap hit offers a significant barrier, even if Pittsburgh steps up with some retention. Perhaps there is some hope to be found in his strong performance for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off over the winter for any team thinking about taking the plunge. Team: New York Islanders Position: Center Shoots: Right 2024-25 stats: 14 goals, 42 points, 79 games Age: 32 Contract: $5 million AAV through 2026; 16-team no-trade list Set to enter the final season of his contract, the veteran center is a candidate to find a new home with recently hired Islanders GM Mathieu Darche set to start turning over the team's underperforming roster. Pageau is elite in the faceoff circle and a strong penalty killer who is due just $3.5 million in actual salary next season. He does own a 16-team no-trade clause. Team: Toronto Maple Leafs Position: Left Wing Shoots: Left 2024-25 stats: 15 goals, 22 points, 69 games Age: 23 Contract: RFA coming off one-year, $875,000 deal It's 11 months on from his trade request and the 23-year-old forward is still looking for a change of scenery. Robertson once again found himself watching the Leafs' most important games from the press box, dressing for just three of 13 playoff games, and is a restricted free agent holding arbitration rights this summer. Robertson has a wicked release and high work rate, scoring 29 goals across the past two seasons despite seeing limited power-play time. Team: Chicago Blackhawks Position: Defense Shoots: Right 2024-25 stats: 2 goals, 19 points, 68 games Age: 32 Contract: $4.4 million AAV through 2026; 10-team no-trade list Advertisement Big, strong and experienced, Murphy posted good defensive results under less-than-favorable conditions with the Blackhawks this season. The right shot comes with an expiring contract that should be fairly easy to move, particularly in light of how well he compares to this summer's free-agent class. This is a time of transition in Chicago so roster flexibility is paramount. Team: St. Louis Blues Position: Left wing Shoots: Left 2024-25 stats: 18 goals, 50 points, 82 games Age: 33 Contract: $6.5 million AAV through 2028; full no-trade list becomes 15-team no-trade list on July 1 There was plenty of discussion around Schenn leading up to the trade deadline, but the Blues captain told the team his preference was to stay at that time. Could that change? Schenn's full no-trade clause is set to convert to a 15-team no-trade list this summer, which shifts more leverage to the front office if it chooses to reengage the market on the veteran center. The Blues set a high price on Schenn in talks last season. He remains a productive point producer who brings value at both ends of the ice. Team: Pittsburgh Penguins Position: Right Wing Shoots: Right 2024-25 stats: 31 goals, 65 points, 71 games Age: 33 Contract: $5.125 million AAV through 2028; no-movement clause expires June 30 The Penguins won't be looking to move a highly dependable, low-maintenance winger with ties to their back-to-back Stanley Cup years. However, with Rust's no-movement clause set to expire on June 30, it's possible — if not likely — that the 33-year-old will be one of their most sought-after assets. Rust is coming off a 31-goal, 65-point season and remains an above-average skater who plays an effective two-way game. An added bonus comes from the fact that the actual money owing over the final three years of his contract is below his already-affordable cap number. Team: Columbus Blue Jackets Position: Goalie 2024-25 stats: 26-21-5, .892 save percentage, 3.18 GAA Age: 31 Contract: $5.4 million through 2027; 10-team no-trade list Merzlikins has seemingly been on thin ice in Columbus for a couple of years now, with open discussions about a trade dating back at least 16 months. He's consistently struggled to perform up to the level of his contract, which is why colleague Aaron Portzline identified a goaltending overhaul as an organizational priority in Columbus this summer. Amid a muddled goaltending market, Merzlikins is available. He'll also likely be a buyout candidate if a trade doesn't emerge. Advertisement Team: Boston Bruins Position: Right Wing Shoots: Right 2024-25 stats: 33 goals, 57 points, 77 games Age: 26 Contract: RFA coming off two-year, $4 million deal Geekie finds himself in a prime negotiating position, coming off a 33-goal season and sitting one year away from unrestricted free agency. Cha-ching. While there's every expectation that he and the Bruins will engage in negotiations on a contract extension, a move remains a possibility if they aren't able to find common ground. Geekie turns 27 this summer and Boston already started accumulating future assets with an aggressive sale ahead of the trade deadline. Team: Toronto Maple Leafs Position: Right Wing Shoots: Right 2024-25 stats: 1 goal, 7 points, 19 games Age: 33 Contract: $2.1 million AAV through 2026 A reliable player who can be trusted across 200 feet, Järnkrok is coming off a season where he struggled to find any kind of rhythm after not being healthy enough to play before March. Still, he's a low-risk bet with a strong track record of consistent play and favorable contract status. Once his $1.325 million bonus is paid on July 1, Järnkrok will be owed just $775,000 in salary next season — making him the equivalent of a league-minimum player. Team: Montreal Canadiens Position: Defense Shoots: Right 2024-25 stats: 2 goals, 4 points, 7 games Age: 22 Contract: $875,000 AAV through 2026 (RFA) The Canadiens' cupboards are overflowing with promising young defensemen, which makes the path to the NHL roster a little crowded. Call it a good problem to have. Mailloux played a big role for the AHL's Laval Rocket this season and got a brief taste of NHL experience with the Habs, scoring twice in seven games. While he's certainly not a player Montreal has to move, the belief is he could be had in the right deal. Team: Winnipeg Jets Position: Left Wing Shoots: Left 2024-25 stats: 24 goals, 63 points, 69 games Age: 29 Contract: UFA coming off seven-year, $42 million deal Advertisement With Ehlers set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, there may be some desire from a suitor to get a jump on the market if he signals an intention to part ways with the Winnipeg Jets before the end of June. There aren't many pure goal-scorers among this crop of free agents. And even though Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff indicated that he'd like to make Ehlers a 'Jet for life,' the early indications are that he's going to have a difficult time doing so. Note: Contract terms via PuckPedia. (Top photos of Marco Rossi and Chris Kreider: Sean M. Haffey and Rich Lam / Getty Images)
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why it's time for Rangers to trade Chris Kreider this offseason
This offseason should not be a time for the New York Rangers to be sentimental about their current longest-tenured player. It's best for the Rangers to find a trade partner and cut ties with Chris Kreider. Perhaps that sounds a bit cold. But if that's the case, then the Rangers likely have the right man for the job to manage this situation. Though you'd hope that Chris Drury would handle Kreider's exit more smoothly than he did those of Jacob Trouba and Barclay Goodrow, the bottom line is that the general manager has already proven capable of making hard decisions when it comes to veteran personnel. Advertisement That Drury already showed his hand by including Kreider specifically in the infamous trade memo to the 31 other GMs in the League last November is reason to believe that he's planning to move on from Kreider. Though, there are valid arguments to keep Kreider, they simply don't trump those to deal him away. There's certainly sentiment that new coach Mike Sullivan could help spur a comeback season from Kreider, who dropped to 22 goals and 30 points this past season. That, coupled with the hope that a healthy Kreider is due to bounce back in 2025-26, are understandable reasons to keep CK20 on Broadway. The Kreider who's a game-changing net front presence and 30+ goal scorer as he was the previous three seasons before his 2024-25 downturn is enticing to have on the roster. But at age 34 and coming off a slew of injuries, can that type of season be expected from him? Then there is the sentimental side. Kreider is one of three players to score 300 goals in Rangers history, and is 11 away from passing Jean Ratelle for second-most all-time. He needs one more power-play goal to pass Camille Henry for most in franchise history. He's 117 games away from 1,000 with the Rangers. Advertisement But as already stated, sentimentality has no place here. If Brian Leetch can be traded by this organization, so can Chris Kreider. So, let's breakdown into why exactly this is the time for the Rangers to trade Kreider. Related: Why John Davidson believes Rangers will 'come back … make some noise' next season Reason why Rangers should trade Chris Kreider this offseason James Guillory-Imagn Images Salary cap The No. 1 reason to move Kreider is to create more room under the salary cap. It's exactly why Drury went to such lengths to move on from Goodrow and Trouba. Veterans making too much money, where salary-cap space outweighs a player's value to the roster. Advertisement Kreider is owed $6.5 million each of the next two seasons. To help reshape their roster, the Rangers need more room under the cap and removing Kreider's AAV would be a big help. As of today, the Rangers have roughly $8.422 million in cap space, per PuckPedia, even with it rising to $95.5 million next season. That's before they re-sign RFAs Will Cuylle, K'Andre Miller, Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom. It's not going to be easy. Kreider has a 15-team no-trade clause; and there might be teams interested in Kreider who want the Rangers to retain some salary here. The Rangers don't want that. They'll take less in return to rid themselves of the full $6.5 million per season. But keep in mind, there may not be a robust market for an aging power forward with back issues coming off his lowest full-season point total in seven years. Drury's proven adept at getting other teams to take on the full contract before — again, see Trouba and Goodrow, in different circumstances — so he may need to wield some similar magic here with Kreider. Give the kids a chance Removing Kreider from the mix, in theory, creates more opportunity for young forwards Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard. We say 'in theory' because the Rangers could use the Kreider savings to add another veteran forward either via trade or free agency. But for salary-cap reasons and solid roster management, it makes the most sense to give the kids an opportunity at regular playing time. Advertisement That doesn't mean guaranteeing Perreault, Othmann and/or Berard a lineup spot. Sullivan's already made it clear that everyone must earn their way. But without Kreider there, it creates an opening, an opportunity. Perreault will be a 20-year-old rookie next season. He's the wild card here. Will he be ready to add skill and high hockey IQ to this stagnant lineup next season? Othmann doesn't have a goal in 25 career games in the NHL, but he's been a goal scorer at every other level, is just 22, and brings a physical element the Rangers like. Berard scored six goals and had 10 points in 35 games this season; he adds speed and energy to the lineup, but his upside is more in question than the other two. Maybe Juuso Parssinen gets more of a look, too. With Kreider out of the picture, it makes it easier to work Will Cuylle full-time into the top six. Perhaps Cuylle or Alexis Lafreniere takes over Kreider's power-play time, as well. Advertisement But the key here is that competition ramps up and the kids get a chance if Kreider is not on the roster. Shake up stagnant core This is a transitional time for the Rangers. Their core — led by Kreider and Mika Zibanejad — has been intact a long time and achieved some success with a pair of trips to the Eastern Conference Final, three 100-point seasons, and winning the Presidents' Trophy in 2023-24. But that core crumbled last season and showed signs of not being mentally strong enough to be a champion. Drury noticed the need for change after the six-game loss to the Florida Panthers in the 2024 conference final. He's addressed it some with several roster changes the past year. But he's not done. And moving Kreider feels like the most obvious move to make here to continue shaking up the mix on the ice and in the room. Advertisement That's not to insinuate at all that Kreider is a problem. It just feels like it's time to make this move. Related Headlines
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Examining alternatives if Rangers don't trade Chris Kreider this offseason
It feels like there's a better than 50-50 chance the New York Rangers move on from Chris Kreider and trade the 34-year-old forward this offseason. But there's certainly a world where the longest-tenured current Rangers player remains on the roster next season. It'd seem prudent that the Rangers take the least sentimental approach and trade Kreider this summer. This is especially so after general manager Chris Drury included Kreider's name in the infamous trade memo to the other 31 GMs in November. Advertisement You can review the reasons why the Rangers should trade Kreider in an article published last week here at Forever Blueshirts. But here, let's focus on what happens if the Rangers don't cut ties with Kreider. In that scenario, the Rangers retain his $6.5 million AAV, which runs through 2026-27 and have roughly $8.42 million in available salary-cap space to work with this offseason. Much — all? — of that is needed to re-sign restricted free agents K'Andre Miller, Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom. Zac Jones and Arthur Kaliyev are also RFAs, but not sure how they can be re-signed, even at modest deals, with so little cap space and others in line ahead of them. You may have heard that the NHL salary cap increases significantly next season to $95.5 million, a jump of $7.5 million. So, where is all that extra space for the Rangers? Well, it's been pretty much eaten up with extensions for Igor Shesterkin, Alexis Lafreniere, Will Borgen, Urho Vaakanainen and Juuso Parssinen, each of which kick in next season. Advertisement So, with all that said, what are the Rangers options if Kreider returns for the 2025-26 season? Related: Resurrecting Mika Zibanejad's game is major Mike Sullivan challenge with Rangers Alternative options if Rangers don't trade Chris Kreider this offseason Danny Wild-Imagn Images Run it back Does Drury believe he's tweaked the core enough by trading away some players and adding the likes of J.T. Miller and Borgen last season? Is that the level of change he sought? Likely not. It's hard to imagine Drury has the stomach to run it back with the same cast that closed out this past season six points out of a playoff spot and woefully underperformed throughout 2024-25. Advertisement But if Kreider isn't traded, one of the Rangers options is to stay the course and trust that new coach Mike Sullivan can help guide this current group back into the postseason. Remember, this core, by and large, did win the Presidents' Trophy two seasons ago. The Rangers could run it back, likely with better results than this past season, and focus on the 2025-26 offseason, when they currently project to have $38 million in available space to do their serious retooling. A lot can change between now and then, but as of today Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Kirill Kaprizov, Kyle Connor and Artemi Panarin project to be free agents in 2026. Back to the task at hand here. In this 'run-it-back' scenario, Kreider likely lands on the third line, and remains on the penalty kill and one of the power-play units. To keep it simple, let's assume for this project that the Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Lafreniere line remains intact, and Mika Zibanejad plays right wing on a line with J.T. Miller and Cuylle. Advertisement Assuming the fourth line will be Sam Carrick centering for the Twin Towers of Rempe and Edstrom, that leaves Kreider on the third line with Parssinen or Jonny Bordzinski in the middle and one of Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard or Parssinen on the other wing. Perhaps Noah Laba could work his way into the mix as third-line center. If Zibanejad lines up at center, he and Kreider could be reunited on that third line and a top-six role opens up for the skilled prospect Perreault, or perhaps Othmann, Parssinen or Berard. Or in this case, Kreider could move back up into a top-six role if healthy and productive. If this has the look and feel and of same-old, same-old, well, that's because it is. Trade Mika Zibanejad or Artemi Panarin This option is possible, if unlikely. Not to mention it would be very, very difficult, considering both Zibanejad and Panarin have full no-move clauses. Moving either would be the ultimate shake-up to this core, though the Rangers would then need to replace quite a bit of lost production in the lineup. Advertisement Again, moving either veteran is highly unlikely. But just for information purposes, the Rangers would save $11.64 million against the cap by trading Panarin, who has one season remaining on his mega-deal. Zibanejad makes $8.5 million annually through 2029-30. Trade Alexis Lafreniere Again, an unlikely option, but a possibility nonetheless. The Rangers committed to a long-term extension with Lafreniere last season, and despite a poor showing in 2024-25, he's the type player you build around and give more responsibility to moving forward. Lafreniere will be 24 next season and did score 28 goals two years ago, not to mention how he didn't wilt in the 2024 postseason. Trading Lafreniere is somewhat appealing because it frees up $7.45 million under the cap and you'd assume the Rangers could get a sizeable return for the former No. 1 overall pick. Still, that feels like a panic move and short-sighted. Trade K'Andre Miller K'Andre Miller is obviously not a forward, but the Rangers have an important decision to make on the 25-year-old defenseman's long-term future. He's a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, due a sizeable raise, and can be a UFA in 2027. But his wonky inconsistent play the past two seasons doesn't necessarily have him on a linear path to someone you can trust and invest in long term. Advertisement Signing him this summer likely means $6 million-plus added to the budget, and is probably the way the Rangers go, especially if they view Miller as Adam Fox's long-term partner. They could trade him, receive a solid return, but then be in the position of investing in a replacement. Again, this feels unlikely, unless Drury and Sullivan don't believe in Miller and would rather cut ties. Again, whatever cap savings there'd be would go into paying his replacement. Trade Carson Soucy It's hard to tell how much the Rangers value Carson Soucy. In the minds of the hierarchy, Soucy might be a partner for Fox, a second-pair staple with Borgen, on the third pairing, or be a swing 6th-7th defenseman. Really, who knows? He was so-so after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks ahead of the trade deadline. Advertisement If he's not a keeper, the Rangers could free up $3.25 million by trading him. Soucy does have a 12-team no-trade clause, but that shouldn't stand in the way of a deal. That would give the Rangers some wiggle room financially, though another defenseman would be needed on the roster and could mean Jones is back in the mix as an affordable and familiar option. Related Headlines
New York Times
15-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What would an ideal Rangers offseason look like? And a nightmare one?
There will be jokes. I get it. So let's get the 'wasn't the regular season enough of a nightmare???' bits out of the way now. This is one of our many fun thought exercises for the offseason — a look at two possible extremes among many outcomes for the New York Rangers this offseason. General manager Chris Drury got his first win by hiring Mike Sullivan, so things are already looking up after such a dismal 2024-25. There is still plenty of work to be done, so with the help of the incredible PuckPedia and its PuckGM feature, I've constructed two rosters for 2025-26. Advertisement One is pie-in-the-sky. One is pie-in-the-face. Both are incredibly unrealistic. Let's get a conversation started in the comments after you read up on the Rangers' ideal offseason as well as their nightmare offseason. I really went for it in this scenario. I saw your pleas and responded. Mika Zibanejad agrees to waive his full no-trade. Chris Kreider has a new home. Carson Soucy, a deadline acquisition just a few months ago, is also gone. And there's minimal cost to upgrade via trade on defense, plus a couple of solid free-agent signings up front to deepen that group. Here's what I got for the ideal Rangers, 2025-26 edition. The forwards first: This is the way we got here: • Traded Kreider to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a pair of third-round picks. • Traded Zibanejad (with 20 percent salary retention) and a second-round pick to Chicago for future considerations. • Signed unrestricted free agent Brock Boeser to a three-year deal worth $6 million per season. • Signed UFA Adam Gaudette to a three-year deal worth $2.8 million per. • Signed restricted free agent Will Cuylle to a two-year deal worth $2.75 million per. • Signed RFA Matt Rempe to a two-year deal worth $1.25 million per. • Signed RFA Adam Edstrom to a one-year deal worth $1 million. The one wrinkle I couldn't properly fix is what to do with Brennan Othmann. Signing Boeser, re-signing Cuylle and not moving anyone else, such as Artemi Panarin or Alexis Lafreniére — there may be reasons to try and move both of them, but there's no chance to get any value back — means Othmann's path to a roster spot is tricky. He could beat out Brett Berard and fill a third-line spot, so perhaps it's not as dire as all that. You may quibble with the Boeser signing, and there's no way he's taking three years, $6 million on the open market if he's looking for the biggest payday. But let's pretend he wants to reunite with J.T. Miller and play for Sullivan. He'd invigorate the power play that will be minus Kreider and Zibanejad, and he provides a scoring touch this lineup needs. He's also a left wing, but we can fix that in editing. Advertisement Gaudette had a breakout season in Ottawa with 19 goals and could provide a nice touch on a young third line with Berard, Othmann or Gabe Perreault. He also could be relatively inexpensive, which is something a lot of UFA centers will not be this summer. Matt Duchene or Mikael Granlund would be great 3Cs here, but neither will come cheap. Cuylle on a bridge deal makes sense here and in real life, plus signing Edstrom and Rempe on low-cost second contracts to fill out the fourth line again with Sam Carrick seems like a no-brainer. The trades: If Zibanejad agrees to waive his no-move, you take what you can get. In my pretend scenario, it's throwing in a decent pick to get the Blackhawks to take him while retaining $1.75 million per year. That's a bargain if you want Zibanejad out. And Drury has proved adept at moving contracts without needing to retain, so as long as Columbus isn't on Kreider's 15-team no-trade list, the Jackets might be interested in Kreider's veteran leadership and power-play capabilities on a very young team. Again, not seeking much of a return here, just freeing up money and a roster spot. Now, to the defense: How we got here: • Traded Soucy to the Utah Mammoth for a fifth-round pick. • Traded RFA Dylan Garand to the Golden Knights for Nic Hague and signed Hague to a three-year deal worth $4.25 million per. • Signed RFA K'Andre Miller to a three-year deal worth $5.5 million per. • Signed UFA Nate Schmidt to a one-year deal worth $1 million. Soucy didn't look like a top-four solution in his 16 Rangers games, so I acted quickly to shed that salary. Garand is a promising goalie prospect, but he really has nowhere to go in this organization. The Knights, meanwhile, need a young goalie in their pipeline, so I jumped at the chance to trade for Hague, a 6-foot-6 lefty who has been a steady third-pair guy in Vegas and could be due for an increased role elsewhere. Advertisement Schmidt is a versatile sixth or seventh defenseman and could be a nice complement for Braden Schneider on the third pair. Plus, he's a cheap veteran who's got a good presence. K'Andre Miller's deal is a bargain, way below what he's likely to get, but I'd rather keep him and see if he can continue being a solid No. 3 alongside Will Borgen or whether he can pair with Adam Fox to be an elite top pair. Trading him likely would have meant lesser value coming back and then signing an older left-handed defenseman to a big UFA deal. Not interested. So, there's no Mitch Marner here, nor is there a trade for Devon Toews or an elite left-handed defenseman. But shedding Kreider and Zibanejad would be a major coup and change for this group, so I'll call that as ideal as I could make it. This scenario is simple: No one gets moved, RFAs sign for too much money and someone swoops in to steal Cuylle via offer sheet. The ultimate nightmare scenario for that is the Canadiens — a team overseen by former Rangers GM Jeff Gorton that, in my horrible scenario, pounces after deals are struck with K'Andre Miller, Edstrom and Rempe, leaving very little cap space to fend off an offer-sheet challenge. In real life, Drury would likely either buy out Kreider or make a disadvantageous trade to get salary off the books to be able to keep Cuylle. But we're just burning some nightmare fuel here, so let's leave it as is: If Kreider, Zibanejad and the rest of the top-nine forwards regain at least some of their pre-2024-25 form, this might end up OK. But the lack of cap flexibility with just 21 players on the roster and no extra defensemen is worrisome. The Soucy-Fox pairing would have to greatly improve, as would those middle two lines. They'd have extra first- and third-round picks from Montreal with the offer sheet, but Cuylle could become a stud, and that would demoralize a fan base that needed to see signs of progress this offseason. What do you say? Give us some of your own ideal offseason moves in the comments. (Photo of J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser: Derek Cain / Getty Images)
Miami Herald
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Can Mike Sullivan Reignite The Rangers Like He Did The Penguins?
With veteran coach Mike Sullivan joining the New York Rangers as their new bench boss, attention is turning to the roster he'll have to work with next season. And while there are some interesting similarities between the current makeup of the Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins team Sullivan took over in 2015-16, it's obvious the Blueshirts need to at least make a couple of significant roster changes. In 2014-15, the Penguins had four players with a point-per-game average of higher than 0.75: defenseman Kris Letang (0.78), right winger Patric Hornqvist (0.80), center Evgeni Malkin (1.01), and center Sidney Crosby (1.09). But that offensive output stalled in a major way the following season under coach Mike Johnston, with Crosby's point-per-game average dropping to 0.68, and only Malkin (0.93) having a point-per-game average better than 0.75. So, when Sullivan took over from Johnston in December of 2015, his challenge was clear: instill confidence in Pittsburgh's stars. And to Sullivan's credit – as he led the Pens to a Stanley Cup championship that season – his Penguins players responded well. Hornqvist was back at 0.77, Malkin had a boost to 1.11, Letang improved to 1.15, and Crosby nearly doubled his output to 1.29. You can see, then, what Sullivan's challenge is with the Rangers, who had four players this season with a point-per-game average of 0.75 or better: star right winger Artemi Panarin (1.11), center J.T. Miller (1.09), defenseman Adam Fox (0.82), and center Mika Zibanejad (0.76). Contrast that with the Blueshirts' five producers of 0.75 points per game or better in 2023-24: Panarin (1.46), Fox (1.01), center Vincent Trocheck (0.94), left winger Chris Kreider (0.91) and Zibanejad (0.89). Sullivan's job is to reinvigorate the Rangers' veterans, and if the Blueshirts are to get back into the playoffs, he'll need to be successful in that regard. Still, it's also clear there has to be some roster alteration to give the Rangers a different look next year. And although Rangers GM Chris Drury chose not to deal Kreider this season, we'd be lying if we said we didn't expect Drury to pull the trigger on a Kreider trade this summer. The 34-year-old Kreider had a sub-par year by his standards this season, but he still produced 22 goals and 30 points in 68 games. And while Kreider's salary of $6.5-million runs for another two seasons, he has a modified no-trade clause that allows him to veto a deal to 15 of the league's 31 other teams. That leaves 16 teams Kreider can be dealt to, and his track record of producing in the playoffs – he has 24 goals and 37 points in his most recent 43 playoff games – should make him attractive to many teams. For instance, would an up-and-coming team like the Utah Hockey Club value Kreider's skills? We think so, as Utah is a team in need of Kreider's veteran knowhow. The same goes for the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings, two teams in that they're all trying to get over the hump and be a playoff squad next season. Thus, we can see Drury getting a decent deal for Kreider – even if it only means getting out from under Kreider's cap hit and spending it elsewhere. In any case, the Rangers definitely need to give Sullivan a rejigged roster to work with next season. Sullivan can infuse the Blueshirts' returning players with the confidence he gave to the Penguins at the start of his very successful tenure, but he also needs a different chemistry mix for the Rangers to thrive. Because the way this season fell apart for the Rangers, they can't run it back with the same group. A different look has to happen for the Rangers, and if Drury can pull that off, the pressure will shift to Sullivan as he attempts to work his magic the way he did in Pittsburgh for nearly a full decade. Get thelatest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and bysubscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting belowthe article on Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
