The New York Rangers have to move on after missing out on their dream target. New York had previously been linked with landing star forward Brady Tkachuk since 2024. Even in recent months, reports continued to surface that Rangers general manager Chris Drury wanted to acquire the American as his team undergoes a retooling.
Nevertheless, Tkachuk was shockingly traded from the Ottawa Senators to the Florida Panthers on Father’s Day. Unfortunately for the Rangers, they were not among the list of teams that the star forward wanted to play for. This is even though Drury seemingly compiled enough draft capital to strike a deal with Ottawa.
Now that Tkachuk is off the board, Drury and New York must target other quality forwards. The Athletic’s Peter Baugh has now provided some insight into where the Rangers could turn to for goals on the wing. According to Baugh, Mason Marchment would be a solid fit in New York. The veteran forward is now a free agent after his previous four-year, $18 million contract ($4.5 million AAV) expired.
The link may not necessarily give Rangers fans overwhelming excitement. After all, Marchment has played with three different teams in two years and recorded 45 total points during the 2025-26 season. However, as Baugh points out, the veteran played very well for the Columbus Blue Jackets after being dealt by the Seattle Kraken midseason. Marchment had 32 points in 39 games with Columbus. His tough style of play would also seemingly fit in well with New York.
Mason Marchment’s Projected Contract Also Fits Well With the New York Rangers
GettyMason Marchment excelled with the Columbus Blue Jackets after being acquired midseason.
Before identifying Marchment, Baugh also mentioned Alex Tuch’s potential fit with the New York Rangers. According to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston, Tuch is the top unrestricted free agent this summer. This is, of course, assuming he is not extended by the Buffalo Sabres. While Tuch is widely viewed as a better player than Marchment, Baugh is not sure New York is willing to give the Sabre a massive contract.
Tuch is likely to receive a long-term deal worth around $10 million AAV in the coming weeks. At the moment, it does not appear likely that Buffalo will meet these demands. It remains to be seen if Drury and the Rangers want to give out such a massive contract, considering they are retooling. Marchment, on the other hand, is expected to receive a shorter deal worth around $5.5 million AAV.
Baugh is not the only NHL writer to link the Rangers with Marchment. Several other news outlets, including FanSided’s Blue Line Station, have also named the veteran forward as a solid fit for New York.
New York has Money to Spend, but Several Holes to Fill
Responses to the aforementioned Baugh piece were not exactly overly positive. Many New York Rangers fans want their beloved club to land star players this summer. According to PuckPedia.com, New York has over $25 million in projected cap space. This is before Vincent Trocheck’s $5.62 million AAV contract is likely offloaded.
New York clearly has money to make a major move. They do, however, have several holes to fill on the roster. With free agency lacking true star power, the Rangers will have to target a trade if they are to land their next big player. Nevertheless, Drury could have trouble persuading a star player to join a retooling team this summer.
Rangers Linked With 45-Point Forward as Tkachuk Backup Plan