There is no secret that the New York Rangers are still looking to make another significant offseason move. It was recently revealed that general manager Chris Drury is eyeing one more top-six forward to add to his group. After acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev, New York’s first two lines look fairly solid. Nevertheless, Oliver Bjorkstrand is likely better served on the third line.
The Athletic’s Vince Mercogliano discussed the Rangers forward options on his latest The Flying V podcast. According to the reporter, Drury and New York have “poked around on” unrestricted free agent Eeli Tolvanen. As Mercogliano points out, the veteran’s ability to play on the right wing makes him particularly attractive to the Rangers. Tolvanen recently posted 36 points in 78 games with the Seattle Kraken.
Mercogliano’s colleague, Chris Johnston, recently ranked Tolvanen as the 25th-best unrestricted free agent this summer. The NHL insider predicts that the former Seattle forward will earn a new contract in the neighborhood of two years, $7.2 million ($3.6 million AAV). If so, this could work for the New York Rangers. According to PuckPedia.com, Drury has just under $8 million in cap space to work with.
While Mercogliano believes Tolvanen is a possible target for New York, Anthony Mantha is likely not. According to the beat writer, the former Pittsburgh Penguins winger has almost certainly priced himself out of a deal with the Rangers. Johnston projects Mantha to grab an annual salary exceeding the $6 million mark.
Eeli Tolvanen’s Age, Projected Contract Would Suit the New York Rangers
GettyFormer Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen may be the best available option for the New York Rangers.
While the New York Rangers have nearly $8 million to play with, this does not exactly tell the full story. Defenseman Braden Schneider recently filed for arbitration. If Drury and the Rangers want to keep him long-term, they will have to pay up. Recent projections have Schneider receiving an AAV of between $4 million and $6 million in his next deal.
New York, however, has other free agent options besides Tolvanen. Patrik Laine has also been linked to the Rangers in recent weeks. Mercogliano still believes that Drury could still target the former Canadien.
Nevertheless, New York hockey fans may be disappointed to learn that their beloved club is seemingly passing on Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. Mercogliano claims that the veteran duo is “older than the Rangers want to go.” Kane has also been linked with a move back to the Chicago Blackhawks since Connor Bedard suffered a significant shoulder injury.
New York Could Make One More Trade This Summer
Outside of free agency, the New York Rangers could also land a top-six forward via a trade. In fact, Mercogliano hints that this may be the more likely route. This is even though Drury and the Rangers have used up much of their attractive tradable assets this summer. Bryan Rust, Shane Wright, and even Frank Vatrano were all specifically named by the reporter.
Assuming New York does decide on Tolvanen, they may have to act quickly. The Detroit Red Wings have recently been linked with the winger to help replace the seemingly outgoing Kane. Unlike the Rangers, the Red Wings have plenty of money and can flex their financial muscles.
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