The New York Rangers’ season has taken a dramatic turn in the last 24 hours or so. The stunning loss of Vezina Trophy-caliber goalie Igor Shesterkin has left the Blueshirts’ season circling the drain.
To compound matters, the return of All-Star defenseman Adam Fox to LTIR has done little to help the club’s efforts to salvage the season.
But if fans are looking to pin the blame on someone, it won’t be on Rangers GM Chris Drury. According to an explosive piece on RG Media, veteran journalist James Murphy cited an anonymous source claiming to have identified the culprits for the Rangers’ sour season.
The source told Murphy:
“Clearly, Drury has convinced the owner it’s on the players and he has the green light to make whatever moves he deems necessary.”
The comments from the unnamed source come on the heels of Rangers owner James Dolan’s public endorsement of Chris Drury. As such, it seems that the source’s revelations may have a grain of truth to them.
Most importantly, Drury now has the go-ahead to make whatever moves he sees fit. That’s why a major shakeup may not be far off into distance.
The source added:
“Drury won’t wait much longer. He was poking around on the trade market and he’s let it be known, he’s not afraid to move a big name off his roster, too. If he makes an impact move, it’s going to be a roster player for a roster player, and it will be a shakeup move to send a message to that dressing room.”
In short, it seems the Rangers GM is itching to make an example out of someone. Per Murphy’s source, three names could be the closest to go.
Rangers Could Move Veterans in Roster Shakeup
The most immediate name is Artemi Panarin. The impending UFA has been a part of rumors all season long. The source in question told Murphy:
“I heard his name out there leading into the Holiday Roster Freeze.”
Who could have been the parties potentially interested? That’s tough to tell. But the source did point the finger at a few teams:
“The question is: Is there a team out there willing to take him on as a rental? I would think Colorado or Dallas could be interested. …maybe Detroit?”
The Avalanche and Stars seem highly implausible given their cap situations and lack of assets. But Detroit emerges as an interesting alternative that may hold water in a trade with the Rangers.
Other Vets Could Be on the Move
The other two names who could be on the move are Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad. Seeing these names is hardly a surprise. But what does seem surprising is the timeline attached to their potential trades.
The source also outlined that the Rangers could be making a move at some point leading up to the Olympic break. Murphy’s source doesn’t believe Drury will wait until the trade deadline in early March. The clock is ticking. So, the time to make a move is now.
Whoever ends up becoming part of a trade, it will be a big name as part of a player-in, player-out type of deal.
Rangers GM Drury Sells Players Out: Rumor