The New York Rangers are officially open for business. However, since The Letter 2.0, nothing has come to fruition. It makes sense that changes would not occur immediately. Instead, moves would happen gradually.
Part of that gradual shift has been GM Chris Drury’s assessment of the current team morale. As The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported, that assessment has included meetings by Drury with his veteran players.
In particular, Drury met on Friday with players holding full no-trade clauses. The players in question include captain J.T. Miller, Vladislav Gavrikov, Igor Shesterkin, Adam Fox, and Mika Zibanejad. As LeBrun stated, none of the aforementioned players expressed a willingness to waive their clauses.
That’s no bueno for the Rangers and for any club eyeing these players. Zibanejad has been part of trade rumors for quite some time. Meanwhile, Adam Fox could fetch a king’s ransom. Shesterkin could become the trade of the century.
However, none of those players will hit the market any time soon. That situation means the Rangers will have to work the impending retool around their current veteran core. That’s why it seems the shake-up on Broadway won’t be quite as extensive as some observers may have believed.
Rangers Clear on Panarin’s Fate
The other player holding a full no-trade clause is impending UFA Artemi Panarin. Panarin’s fate was made clear when the team announced it wouldn’t be offering him an extension.
As LeBrun reiterated, the Rangers will be looking to work a trade that’s favorable for the 34-year-old star. As for where Panarin could land, that’s a discussion for another day. The usual suspects have been part of the conversation, but it seems the Colorado Avalanche, of all teams, could be one of the frontrunners for The Breadman.
Be that as it may, Panarin’s fate is clear. He will not be returning to New York next season. That’s why maximizing the return on this trade will be crucial in helping the Rangers recoup pieces to further their retool.
Miller Willing to Play through the Retool
Another interesting note is Miller’s willingness to go down with the ship, as any good captain would do. LeBrun wrote that Miller is ready to remain on the club throughout the entirety of the retool.
That makes sense considering that Miller is a relatively new acquisition for the team. The veteran center joined the club following a mid-season trade with the Vancouver Canucks last year.
The Rangers named Miller their captain at the outset of this season, showing their long-term commitment. That’s why it would seem implausible that Miller would be on the outs at this point.
It’s worth pointing out that a trade is not impossible. The Rangers may receive an offer they can’t refuse for Miller. Such a situation may not be on the horizon any time soon. If anything, the Rangers can build around Miller’s leadership moving forward.
The 32-year-old is under contract until 2030. However, his full no-trade clause morphs into a 15 no-trade list ahead of the 2027-28 season. Perhaps trading Miller could become more plausible at that point.
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