The New York Rangers are expected to be one of the busiest teams heading towards the trade deadline. GM Chris Drury immediately increased his workload after he openly declared that his team is open for business. So far, the exec has completed two significant trades. Artemi Panarin was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings, and Carson Soucy moved out to the New York Islanders.
Nevertheless, more moves are certainly coming. Vincent Trocheck is widely viewed as the top legitimate trade candidate in the NHL. Defenseman Braden Schneider is likely set to depart the Big Apple as well. While the duo would be key subtractions for the Rangers, the club is apparently open to offloading additional stars.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos recently addressed trade chatter involving Trocheck and Schneider. He, however, also included a very surprising comment regarding the rest of the Rangers roster. “The Rangers are still taking calls on Schneider as they consider any and all trade options on the roster except Igor Shesterkin,” claimed the NHL insider.
The remark suggests that New York could be willing to field offers for star duo Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox. While the club is “retooling,” the Rangers were previously not expected to offload either player or Shesterkin and J.T. Miller. Nevertheless, the situation may have changed in recent days.
Mika Zibanejad may Reconsider his Future with the New York Rangers
GettyMika Zibanejad was reenergized with Team Sweden at the Olympics.
Zibanejad’s future with the Rangers is particularly interesting. He will be turning 33 in April, and the club is not expected to be a contender for at least a few years. The center does, however, essentially control his destiny. He currently has a full no-movement clause (NMC) in his massive eight-year, $68 million contract. Does he really want to stick around a struggling team, though?
The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta addressed this question in mid-January.“I am curious if teams poke around on Mika Zibanejad,” wrote Pagnotta. “Trade chatter surrounded him around the NHL Draft and over the offseason, and while he was adamant, at the time, that he had no interest in waiving his NMC and accepting a trade, he may now reconsider and could be open to evaluating possible trade destinations given the club’s new direction.”
Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton also wondered if Zibanejad would change his mind during a segment on February 25. The tandem hinted that the recent Olympic Games may make the forward hungry to compete in the NHL. Zibanejad even claimed that the experience in Italy gave him a boost of energy after arriving back in the States.
Bigger Changes Could be Coming to New York This Summer
While the Rangers’ trading Zibanejad could be possible, it is still fairly unlikely to occur in the coming days. The center holds all of the leverage in the potential negotiations, and suitors could have difficulty handling his $8.5 million AAV cap hit. Because of this, a summer move could be more likely, assuming he has changed his mind about New York.
Rangers fans may have to wait to see Zibanejad take the ice in his return from the Olympics. Vince Mercogliano is reporting that the star missed a team practice on February 25 due to illness. It remains to be seen if the forward will recover in time to face the Philadelphia Flyers on February 26.
Rangers Could be Open to Trading Highest-Paid Forward