The New York Rangers were active on the first day of free agency, through trades and signings.
The Rangers are coming off a disappointing season last year, and GM Chris Drury is looking to get the team back on track. New York dealt Will Borgen to the Boston Bruins and acquired Marcus Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks to change up the blue line.
Meanwhile, hard-nosed defenseman Braden Schneider has been a popular trade candidate. Yet, Rangers insider Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic doesn’t think New York will trade him.
“Meanwhile, the D corps is decidedly improved. Matthew Robertson and Braden Schneider finished as the second pair last season, but they’ll be bumped down to the third and replaced by an intriguing duo of Pettersson and Durzi,” Mercogliano wrote.
“The likelihood of Schneider sticking around has increased, following New York’s decision to move on from Borgen, who’s five years older and fell behind Schneider in terms of usage last season.”
Schneider is 24-years-old and skated in all 82 games last season, recording 2 goals and 16 assists for 18 points. The former first-round pick is a physical defenseman who fits perfectly on the third pair to be a shutdown defenseman and add some size to the backend.
Schneider is currently unsigned but is an RFA, and Mercogliano believes he will be part of the Rangers next season.
Rangers Have Active Free Agency
New York was active on the opening day of free agency on July 1.
The Rangers traded star centerman Vincent Trochek to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Sean Durzi, top prospect Cole Beaudoin, and a third-round pick.
New York then acquired Pettersson on the blue line from the Vancouver Canucks for a 2031 first-round pick. The Rangers also dealt Borgen to the Boston Bruins for a 2027 2nd round pick and a conditional 2028 3rd round pick.
New York also made another trade with the Bruins, acquiring backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo for Kalle Väisänen and a 2028 4th-round pick.
In free agency, the Rangers signed Oliver Bjorkstrand to a one-year, $4.5 million deal. Bjorkstrand struggled with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, as he recorded just 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points in 80 games.
The Rangers also inked forward Joe Veleno to a one-year, $1.2 million deal as the other NHL signing the team made. Veleno recorded 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in 61 games last season.
Analyst Believes New York is a Playoff Contender
After the opening day of free agency, Mercogliano believes the Rangers are improved.
Although New York struggled last season, Mercogliano believes the Rangers could be in line to compete for a playoff spot.
“In bolstering the roster, Drury has turned the Rangers into viable challengers for a playoff spot. But they won’t be viewed as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders until they uncover more play drivers who can rise to the top of the lineup and match up with the NHL’s most dynamic weapons,” Mercogliano added.
“Maybe the recent upgrades will help lure more stars in the coming years, but recent history tells us that’s a dangerous game to play. The best and most sustainable way to build the roster is from within, and that will require drafting and developing well for the next few years.”
The Rangers have missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
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