It’s time for another round of NHL rumors. Although the trade deadline has passed, general managers are still navigating the aftermath of their moves. Now, the focus shifts toward July 1 and the upcoming free agency period. Teams are evaluating their next steps, and we could see more trades and signings in the coming weeks. One team facing some important decisions is the New York Rangers. This edition of NHL rumors examines what the Rangers might do during the off-season.
NHL Rumors: What’s Next for the New York Rangers?
Rumor: Peter Baugh of The Athletic has analyzed the Rangers’ situation post-trade deadline and shared insights on what the team might do during the off-season.
Analysis: Rangers General Manager Chris Drury made several moves at the deadline, including offloading Ryan Lindgren’s $4.5 million cap hit by trading him to the Colorado Avalanche. Drury also secured contract extensions for defensemen Will Borgen and Urho Vaakanainen, providing some stability on the blue line heading into the off-season.
However, there is still more work to be done. One of the team’s key defensemen, restricted free agent K’Andre Miller, needs a new contract. Although the Rangers have cleared some cap space, Drury still has to address deals for other RFAs, including Will Cuylle and Adam Edstrom. There is also concern about the possibility of other teams being aggressive with offer sheets, given what the St. Louis Blues did last off-season.
What It Means:
According to Baugh, the Rangers will enter the off-season with $12.1 million in cap space. However, re-signing their RFAs could consume a significant portion of that. Cuylle is expected to receive a raise after his recent performances, while Miller is also likely to see an increase from his current $3.872 million salary.
With limited cap flexibility, the Rangers may have to consider trading key players like Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad to free up space. Drury previously indicated a willingness to move Kreider during an early-season shakeup that sent Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks. Trading Kreider without retaining salary would clear $6.5 million, but his recent struggles and hefty cap hit may make it challenging to find a trade partner, especially given his 15-team no-trade list.
Baugh also notes that both Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin could be on the move, but their full no-movement clauses make any potential trades complicated. Although dealing either player would open up cap space, it would also leave a significant gap in the team’s offensive production.