6/27/24: | The Athletic says that there is mutual interest in a return between Kane and the Rangers. (The Athletic)
6/26/24: The Rangers are believed to be “very interested” in bringing Kane back, but he has not ruled out a return to the Red Wings and is expected to have “multiple options” if he becomes a free agent on Monday. (NY Post)
Jacob Trouba is ranked 14th on The Athletic’s trade list and #8 on Daily Faceoffs.
6/25/24: 5:55 PM: The Athletic writes that the Rangers have interest, like at the trade deadline, in Jake Guentzel but he is looking at a seven-year deal at around $8.5 million per season.
9:30AM: Following Barclay Goodrow’s waiver claim by the Sharks, the Rangers enter this week’s Draft and next week’s Free Agency with around $13.7 million in cap space. (Puck Pedia)
Larry Brooks writes that there is no indication the Rangers are “contemplating” a buyout of captain Jacob Trouba, but people he has spoken with are “divided” on whether the Rangers may try to trade Trouba after his no-move clause becomes a modified no-trade clause on July 1. Trouba will submit a list of 15 teams he can’t be traded to without his permission. (NY Post)
Brooks adds that the Rangers are “aggressively shopping” Kaapo Kakko and they are attempting to use him to move up in Friday’s first round of the NHL Draft. (NY Post)
The Rangers have the 30th pick in Friday’s first round.
Braden Schneider and Ryan Lindgren are RFAs that need new contracts.
Frank Seravalli has floated the idea of Patrick Kane potentially returning to the Rangers as a free agent. (Daily Faceoff)
Adam Rotter: I’d be surprised if Jacob Trouba isn’t on the Rangers this season. I could be wrong as I didn’t expect anyone to claim Barclay Goodrow, but I think Trouba, even if he is an $8 million dollar third defenseman, still has too big of a role on the team.
Most of the Rangers offseason still revolves around Kaapo Kakko. Prior to the Barclay Goodrow buyout I thought that it was more than likely that Kakko would remain with the Rangers and they would take one more crack at trying to see him break out. But once Goodrow was claimed it seemed like maybe the Rangers were going to go in a different direction with some extra cap space. That brings us to Patrick Kane…again. While I’m interested in trying once again to make it work with Kakko, I’m definitely interested in trying again with a new healthy Patrick Kane. He was healthy and scored at a near point per game pace last year and now he will have a full offseason to train and a training camp where the Rangers can find a spot that works rather than just shoehorning him in at the deadline. I don’t know if the money or term will work, but he’s obviously a proven scorer and he can also fill some of the leadership lost with Barclay Goodrow now in San Jose. Kane isn’t their only option, but he’s likely to cost half of what some think Jake Guentzel and Sam Reinhart will get with their next contracts.
Bringing in Kane doesn’t necessarily preclude the Rangers from keeping Kakko and they are unquestionably a better and deeper team if he’s on the third line, but if they add Kane or another big RW then they will likely need Kakko’s $2.4 million. I’m not entirely sure what Kakko’s value is on the market compared to how Drury is valuing Kakko and the chance that he, like Mika Zibanejad, starts fulfilling his promise and potential on another team. My guess is that the Rangers are looking for a first round pick for Kakko, but I’m not sure if anyone will pay that. Maybe a team like Chicago, which has the 18th pick in addition to the 2nd pick, would move 18 to add a 23-year old that steps right into their lineup rather than an 18-year old that could be years away. I don’t know how high the Rangers can get in the first round by combining Kakko and #30. Maybe they can get into the top-15, but I don’t think much higher. There is also a chance that the Rangers go another direction and trade Kakko for multiple second and third round picks to replenish the ones they have traded the last few years.