The New York Rangers are expected to be active in the free agent market. After coming off an extremely disappointing 2025-26 season, Rangers general manager Chris Drury is likely eyeing three specific areas of need in the coming days. New York has room for a left-handed defenseman, a right winger, and a bottom-six center.
Because the Rangers are unlikely to break the bank to acquire players in these positions, they will have options. As far as New York’s center targets go, The Athletic’s Vince Mercogliano is keeping an eye on Teddy Blueger. According to the reporter, the veteran would be a solid option for multiple reasons. Perhaps most notably is the fact that Blueger and Rangers first-round draft pick Alberts Šmits are both Latvian.
Blueger and Šmits even played together on Team Latvia during the 2026 Olympics in Italy. Although Latvia was eliminated early in the tournament, the two are obviously familiar with each other. As Mercogliano points out, potentially having a veteran countryman such as Blueger there to help Šmits adjust to the NHL would be “an added benefit.”
Besides the Latvian connection, Blueger has also proven to be a solid player on the ice. While he was limited to just 35 games with the Vancouver Canucks in 2025-26, the center recorded 17 points on the season. The veteran missed a large portion of the campaign due to a significant lower-body injury and subsequent complications. Nevertheless, he did eventually recover and finish the season on a strong note.
New York Rangers Can Afford to Reward Teddy Blueger
GettyThe New York Rangers are being linked with Latvian center Teddy Blueger.
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston recently ranked Blueger as the 42nd-best NHL unrestricted free agent. While it is not exactly a high-profile ranking, the veteran is Johnston’s fifth-best center in the market. According to the NHL insider, Blueger is rated for his speed and defensive capabilities. His solid offensive output per game last year is merely an added boost. The veteran is also a Stanley Cup champion due to his time with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Johnston is predicting that Blueger will receive a contract of around three years, $8 million ($2.7 million AAV). If so, this would be a decent pay raise for the veteran. The forward previously earned an annual salary of $1.8 million with the Canucks. The New York Rangers could quite easily afford to reward the center with this sort of deal. According to Puckpedia.com, New York has just under $16 million in projected cap space.
Nevertheless, Jack Drury’s deal with the Nashville Predators could set the tone for bottom-six centers this summer. The fellow center recently shocked many NHL fans by penning a five-year, $22.5 million contract ($4.5 million AAV) with Nashville. With the NHL salary cap on the rise, look for somewhat similar deals for comparable centers in the near future.
New York Will Have Competition for Veteran Forward
The New York Rangers, however, will have plenty of competition in the chase for Blueger’s signature. The Toronto Maple Leafs have recently been urged to target the veteran forward as well. Along with the two Eastern Conference clubs, several other teams from around the league will likely want to grab Blueger.
New York and Drury will be looking to make several under-the-radar signings in the coming days. Adding Blueger, along with a left-handed blueliner and right winger, would be a solid start to the offseason for the Rangers.
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