The New York Rangers are eyeing a former Winnipeg Jets first-round draft pick to bolster their blue line. General manager Chris Drury has several roster holes to fill this summer. Among these needs are a skillful forward (likely through the draft), a puck-moving defenseman, and a bottom-six center.
According to Puckpedia.com, the Rangers have over $25 million in projected cap space. This figure will expand even further once Vincent Trocheck is traded away in the coming weeks. The veteran center carries an annual cap hit of $5.62 million. Despite this financial freedom, New York is not expected to make several major offseason splashes.
Instead, Drury and the Rangers will look to make under-the-radar moves with an eye on the future. One of these deals could be for defenseman Ville Heinola. The Athletic’s Peter Baugh and Vince Mercogliano are reporting that New York is interested in signing the veteran unrestricted free agent. The former 20th-overall selection in the 2019 draft only played five total NHL games this past season with the Jets.
Heinola, however, did record 21 points in 44 AHL games with the Manitoba Moose during the 2025-26 season. The puck-moving blueliner was also part of Team Finland at the recent 2026 IIHF World Championship. Heinola picked up six points in 10 games, as well as a +9 rating, at the tournament as Finland went on to win the gold medal. The defenseman also helped Finland win the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Ville Heinola Would be a Low-Risk, Medium-Reward Signing by the New York Rangers
GettyVille Heinola impressed for Team Finland at the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
While Heinola may not exactly be a household name in the United States, the New York Rangers view him as a low-risk buy. The defenseman’s previous contract with the Jets was a two-year, $1.6 million deal. A somewhat similar contract this summer is fairly likely, considering his lack of recent NHL success. Heinola has played 58 total NHL games across six seasons with Winnipeg.
Assuming New York lands Heinola and he performs well, the move would prove to be a smart deal. If not, the Rangers would not be on the hook for much money.
Drury and New York likely assumed Scott Morrow would fill their need for a puck-moving blueliner. The Rangers previously acquired the former highly rated youngster in a deal that sent K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2025.
Nevertheless, Morrow has not developed as Drury had hoped. The blueliner is currently a restricted free agent, and it remains to be seen if he will return. Meanwhile, Miller was a key piece of the puzzle in Carolina’s recent Stanley Cup triumph.
New York has Been Linked to Heinola Before
This is not the first time that the New York Rangers have been linked with Heinola. Baugh previously named the former Jet as a potential Drury target. The reporter even claimed that the defenseman is “the type of player the Rangers would be wise to take a chance on.” Baugh also included fellow blueliners Ryan Shea, Mario Ferraro, and Brett Kulak in his list.
Although New York is set to offload Trocheck, they are resisting the urge to trade away Vladislav Gavrikov. The aforementioned reporters are pouring cold water on recent rumors linking the star defenseman with a move out of the Big Apple. Gavrikov only just signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Rangers last summer.
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