6PM: On the After Whistle Podcast on Monday, Elliotte Friedman said “Drury will take a big swing, he’s looking at it. I think he’s asked about Giroux, I think he asked about Patrick Kane, I don’t know if either one of those are possible….he’s looking to strike this year, there is no question about that.
3/4/22 5:04PM: Dave Pagnotta said on the NHL Network that the Rangers want to make a “move or two ahead of the deadline. They want to shore up their blue line a little bit and add more stability.”
He added that “up front” the Rangers are looking to bring in a top-six forward. He said that they checked in Rakell and are “looking around to see what other options they have available to them. If they can make a move to bring in someone that can fit into their top-six and deepen their forward corp.”
He added that the Rangers checked in with Chicago about the status of Patrick Kane.”
8:48 AM: Emily Kaplan writes at ESPN.com that the Rangers are “in on” some veteran defenseman but have also done “significant scouting” on forwards.
She says that the two prospects garnering the most interest are Nils Lundkvist and Vitali Kravtsov. (ESPN.com)
Kaplan also says that Alex Georgiev is “very much in play.” (ESPN.com)
Arthur Staple of The Athletic says that the Rangers interest in Rakell has “increased” as of late. He adds that the Rangers are “still taking a run” at JT Miller.
He adds that Seattle forwards Calle Jarnkrok and Marcus Johansson could also be options. Staple also says that the Rangers could also use their cap space to facilitate another trade in exchange for an asset. (The Athletic )
3/3/22 | 8:44 PM: Emily Kaplan said on ESPN’s The Point that the Rangers are one of the teams interested in Seattle’s Mark Giordano.
7:48 PM: On TSN‘s Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun said that the Vancouver Canucks are “not that into the idea of trading” JT Miller.
Darren Dreger then said “the New York Rangers would like to get their hands, once again, on Miller and he is a target of theirs as is Rickard Rakell of the Anaheim Ducks. Chris Drury and the Rangers, given the opportunity, would like to bolster his blueline, so they are among the many suitors in on Montreal Canadiens’ defenceman Ben Chiarot three weeks before the deadline.”
Miller has long been connected to the Rangers and Chiarot has been connected to them in the past.
Rakell, 28, is slated to be a UFA and has 15 goals and 11 assists this season. He is a two-time 30 goal scorer, but has not had more than 18 in the past four seasons.
Adam Rotter: Rakell is the name that seems to make the most sense. He can play in the middle six and won’t cost nearly as much as someone like Miller, but still may cost the Rangers someone like Nils Lundkvist or their first round pick. Rakell may end up being one of the best forwards available, especially if Tomas Hertl re-signs and Vancouver doesn’t want to move Miller, so it will cost the Rangers something of value to get him.
All of the JT Miller talk has really quieted down and while he could still be had, it does seem like Vancouver’s looking for someone like Alexis Lafreniere or Kaapo Kakko as centerpieces and I don’t think the Rangers are going to do that.
I don’t know how interested the Rangers are in Ben Chiarot. I’m sure they have some level of interest, but I don’t think they are looking to spend a first round pick, plus another asset, for someone who may or may not play depending on Patrik Nemeth and how Braden Schneider is doing. I think that that if the Rangers are going to add a defenseman it’s going to be a much cheaper player.