With the NHL Trade Deadline approaching at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, there’s a lot of buzz and speculation. The New York Rangers have already made significant moves this season with four trades, but rumors continue about their interest in acquiring a left-shot defenseman and possibly offloading pending UFA forward Reilly Smith. However, major changes to the Rangers’ roster seem unlikely before the deadline. Trade discussions surrounding Chris Kreider may pose a challenge for general manager Chris Drury, especially with Kreider currently sidelined due to an upper-body injury.
The idea of targeting a left-handed defenseman with term remaining on their contract is appealing but may be hard to execute, especially with players rapidly being acquired from the market. As the deadline approaches, the Rangers (31-26-5) sit ninth in the Eastern Conference, tied with the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card, just one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the top wild card spot. This follows a frustrating 3-2 overtime defeat to the Washington Capitals that left the Rangers winless in their season series against them (0-2-1).
Directly after the deadline, the Rangers face two crucial games: a visit to the Senators in Ottawa on Saturday, followed by a home game against the Blue Jackets at MSG on Sunday. This could be a key opportunity to assert dominance over their challengers for a playoff position.
In the meantime, we’ll keep an eye on the moves made by other playoff contenders as the deadline approaches to see if Drury has any surprises. Here are the winners and losers from the Rangers’ loss to the Capitals, along with three important takeaways from that game.
Marty Biron advised that the Rangers should aim for a third-place finish in the Metropolitan Division rather than just a wild-card spot, noting the Devils’ current vulnerabilities.
Ryan Lindgren had mixed reviews on his advanced stats during his Colorado Avalanche debut, but coach Jared Bednar praised him. Our John Kreiser analyzed the implications for the New Jersey Devils following Jack Hughes’ season-ending shoulder surgery.
Reports indicate that the Devils are nearing a deal with the Anaheim Ducks to acquire defenseman Brian Dumoulin for a second-round pick and a prospect.
Pierre LeBrun has shared that the Carolina Hurricanes are receiving enticing offers for Mikko Rantanen, with hints that he may have declined long-term contract offers from them.
LeBrun also noted that the San Jose Sharks are open to offers for defenseman Mario Ferraro.
The Sharks recently traded backup goalie Vitek Vanecek to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Patrick Giles, a move that could lessen interest in top goalie John Gibson, who exited the Anaheim Ducks game against the Vancouver Canucks due to a collision in the second period.
The Canucks narrowly defeated the Ducks 3-2.
The Tampa Bay Lightning made a significant acquisition, bringing in forwards Yani Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for two first-round picks.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins strengthened their roster by acquiring forward Tommy Novak and veteran defenseman Luke Schenn from the Nashville Predators for forward Michael Bunting.
Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell stated that Ivan Provorov is expected to remain with the team rather than being traded before the deadline, as it seems unlikely they will re-sign him soon.
Jordan Greenway has signed a two-year, $8 million contract extension with the Buffalo Sabres.
The Utah Hockey Club has also secured new contracts for goalie Karel Vejmelka (five years), forward Alex Kerfoot (one year), and defenseman Ian Cole (one year).
Lastly, the Ottawa Senators achieved an important 4-3 overtime victory against the Chicago Blackhawks, highlighted by Tim Stutzle’s winning goal. In contrast, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2, resulting in goalie Joseph Woll being pulled in the first period.
