2/12/24 | Elliotte Friedman said on Monday, “I think there is definitely the potential of two. They have cap issues and are tight like a lot of teams so it probably depends…I wonder, with Chytil’s injury, if they think they have a bit more room capwise to do something….he’s definitely been looking at the idea of two.”
Friedman added that it’s possible that the Rangers spend more to acquire a third line center and keep the fourth line position with internal players.
1/29/24 | Elliotte Friedman was on NHL Network on Monday and said the following about the Rangers and their possible approach to the trade deadline.
“The thing that is interesting to me is that Larry Brooks, who is really plugged in with the Rangers, was tweeting yesterday about how they might not want to pay a big price for a center because they haven’t played very well lately. That to me, and I would never argue with him, he’s really plugged in what they are thinking, but I do wonder if it’s a little bit of a smokescreen. They still have the eighth-best winning percentage in the NHL, I know they haven’t played great lately, but to me it all comes down to Shesterkin and how does he play over the next month. If he finds his form again there is no reason that the Rangers can’t contend again to win that division and the playoffs.”
“They were already looking for one depth center, like a fourth-line center kind of player beforehand, now with Chytil being out they might be looking for two. The question for me is how high do they want to go. To me, a guy like Adam Henrique makes a lot of sense. I don’t know if Lindholm they could make fit, but he kind of fits. Sean Monahan, we’ve all been kind of joking in the last 48-hours that the Rangers and Canadians are unlikely trade parties because of some of the history with the personalities there. Someone told me to go watch Tyler Johnson a bit to see how he plays because he’s the guy who could have potentially fit on their fourth line. Now I wonder if they look higher at a Henrique and I think the next month will determine that.”
Adam Rotter: Henrique is going to be the big name connected to the Rangers until they trade for him or someone trades for him. He fits on the third line, is a veteran, a pending UFA and can score a bit. For all the reasons that he works for the Rangers is why he will be in demand across the league. Other than Henrique, Monahan and maybe Jack Roslovic from Columbus, there aren’t many players from teams that are definitely selling. Elias Lindholm is likely another one of those, but many expect that he will be traded and then sign an extension right away with his new team and that won’t work for the Rangers.
Over the next month we’ll see other teams fall out of the race and new players become available, but I don’t think anyone worthy of a first-round pick is going to come available. I think that the Rangers want to and are going to add, but they may find more options if they look for a depth center and then for more help on the wing.