3:13PM: Alex Wennberg is being held out of Seattle’s game tonight for trade related reasons and the Rangers are one of the teams being mentioned as having interest.
10:51AM: In 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman wrote that the Rangers “liked” Nashville’s Tommy Novak and also “asked” about Buffalo’s Alex Tuch.
Novak, 26, is in his third season with Nashville and had 43 points in 51 games last season and 34 points in 51 games so far this season. He’s a pending UFA and is expected to re-sign with the Predators.
On the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman said of the Rangers and Chris Drury”I think they are going to add…he is looking for a center, the Blake Wheeler situation had him thinking about wingers again, too. He was already looking for depth, I had people saying to me Blackwell, you know who got a video tribute when he went back? Kevin Rooney, he was someone that people were kind of wondering about a bit.”
He added “obviously, Vatrano, but we know that is a big price, how does Drury feel about paying what is a big price for them there. I’ve mentioned Tyler Johnson before. I really do think that Novak was there guy, I think that was the guy they really liked so I’m trying to figure out where his biggest strike is going to be after that and how does he fit around that with the likes of Blackwell…is it going to be Vatrano or is going to be someone else and where does it go then with the Rooney, Blackwell, Kyle Okposo, players like that that can fit into roles because those are the kind of guys that I think he’s looking at, too. Novak signing or imminent signing took away the big one I think we were all kind of wondering about.”
Friedman wrote that the Rangers “prefer” not to trade their top prospects, that Kaapo Kakko’s name has been “out there,” reiterated that there are familiar players like Colin Blackwell and Kevin Rooney that could be available as depth players and he also wonders if the Rangers think that their current fourth line could work in the playoffs.
Adam Rotter: I’m expecting the Rangers to add at least one top-nine forward. Whether that is a third line center or a winger who will spend the rest of the season and playoffs flip-flopping with Kaapo Kakko on the top line, I’m not sure.
Novak was an interesting name as a relatively young center who has added offense and is likely someone they envisioned being a similar type of player and replacement for Filip Chytil. But he is staying in Nashville. Tuch would have been a great addition, but he’s a big part of the Sabres and it’s hard to see why they would move him. Tuch though, at 27 and with two-more years after this one at $4.75 million, seems like the kind of player or conversation where some of the Kaapo Kakko chatter has come from. I don’t think the Rangers will or even should trade Kakko, but a more proven, still youngish player with three potential playoff runs in him would be the kind situation where I could see Kakko being involved.
We know that Vatrano makes sense, he has another year left and that he’s worked well with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider before, but how high of a price would the Rangers be willing to pay?
I could definitely see the return of guys like Colin Blackwell or Kevin Rooney or just more guys who could fit on the fourth line and as depth. Tonight is their last game before the deadline and while Matt Rempe has definitely been exciting and played fairly well, he’s still not playing all that much. If Peter Laviolette is planning to cut down to 10 forwards in the playoffs anyway then it doesn’t matter, but if the idea is to roll four lines than the Rangers need some more depth on the fourth line.