Insider Shoots Down Rangers Interest in Trading for $17 Million Forward

Getty The New York Rangers aren't interested in trading for Trevor Zegras.

NHL insider Arthur Staple of The Athletic says the New York Rangers aren’t interested in trading for Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras.

Zegras is entering the second year of his three-year $17.6 million deal and has been the subject of trade rumors. The skilled forward struggled to stay healthy last season, and his name has been on the trade block.

The Rangers have been a popular destination in mock trades for Zegras but Staple doesn’t think New York has any interest in trading for him.

“I don’t think the Rangers have ever been interested in Zegras, much as the local kid would love to be a Ranger. I don’t think the Sabres have ever seriously considered moving Tuch. And if the Rangers were in on either of those guys, it would take a lot more than Kakko as the centerpiece of whatever was going the other way,” Staple wrote in his article.

“The deal with Kakko now, after five pro seasons and 300 NHL games, is that he’s not a player other teams are coveting. Teams surely want him, and I’d guess Drury has received offers but nothing good – he’s a buy-low player now,” Staple added.

As Staple says, he believes Zegras would love to be a Ranger given he is from New York, but the NHL analyst doubts the team is interested in the forward.

Zegras was drafted ninth overall in the 2019 NHL draft by the Ducks. He has skated in 211 NHL games recording 55 goals and 99 assists for 154 points.

Ducks Listening on Trade Offers for Zegras

Although Zegras is just 23 and was supposed to be part of the Ducks’ rebuild, the team is listening to trade offers for him, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.

Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek says the goal for the team this offseason was to get a deeper roster and one that is ready to compete for a playoff spot.

“I think if you look at last year, it was a learning curve not only for our younger players but our older players, just kind of coming in for a different coaching style and accountability standard,” Ducks GM Pat Verbeek told The Athletic. “I think that was a huge culture shock for the majority of the players. But looking into next season, I think they got through it and now they understand.

“So I think there’s going to be a different mindset, a different approach and a lot better understanding of what’s expected. So it’ll be different from that aspect. The learning curve is going to be lesser. So yeah, I’m expecting us to take a step,” Verbeek added.

Anaheim went 27-50-5 last season which was the fourth worst record in the NHL.

Rangers GM Said Nothing Was Off The Table in The Offseason

The Rangers were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Florida Panthers.

After New York suffered another playoff exit, Rangers GM Chris Drury said nothing would be off the table this offseason.

“We’re looking at a lot of different things,” Drury said to the media on June 7. “And there’s different ways to get to where we want to go. To me, really, nothing’s off the table. We’re trying to be better. We’re trying, as I said, to reach the ultimate goal here. In the middle of that process now and trying to figure out what’s next and what can we do to be better.”

In the offseason, the Rangers have added forward Reilly Smith and Sam Carrick.