The New York Rangers are battling for a playoff spot, but their team could look much different in the offseason.
The website PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see Rangers acquiring Bowen Byram in a four-player offseason blockbuster deal with the Buffalo Sabres.
Rangers acquire:
- Bowen Byram
- Jacob Bernard-Docker
- 2026 fourth-round pick (Edmonton’s)
Sabres acquire:
- Braden Schneider
- Chris Kreider
- 2026 third-round pick
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster and would happen in the offseason once trades are able to happen. New York would acquire two young defensemen and a draft pick for a young defenseman and also get out of Kreider’s contract, as well as dealing a draft pick.
The Rangers would acquire Byram, who’s in the final year of his two-year $7.7 million deal and is a pending RFA. The user predicts New York would sign Byram to a two-year deal worth $4.75 million per season. Byram has recorded 7 goals and 25 assists for 32 points in 65 games.
New York would also acquire Bernard-Docker who’s also a pending RFA. He’s predicted to sign a two-year deal worth $900,000 per season. With the Sabres and Ottawa Senators this season, he’s recorded 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points in 25 games.
Buffalo, meanwhile, would acquire Schneider, who’s a star young defenseman and would replace the void of Byram. Schneider is in the first year of a two-year $4.4 million deal and has recorded 5 goals and 11 assists for 16 points in 67 games this season.
The Rangers would also acquire Kreider who’s in the fifth year of a seven-year $45.5 million deal. His name has come up in trade rumors as he’s recorded 18 goals and 4 assists for 22 points in 53 games.
Rangers’ Kreider Discusses Trade Rumors
New York’s season has not gone as expected and Kreider’s name has come up in trade rumors.
Kreider was rumored to be dealt in November all the way up until the deadline. However, no deal was made and Kreider says he isn’t worried about that as he’s just focused on hockey.
“I’m not privy to that information. I worry about what’s right in front of me and right now it’s Winnipeg. Happy to be here, enjoyed my time here and I’ll continue to try to help this team win hockey games,” Kreider said.
Rangers general manager Chris Drury, meanwhile, declined to speak on the conversations he had with Kreider regarding trade rumors.
“I’m certainly not going to get into private talks I have with teams,” Drury said. “But I’m really excited that Chris is here.”
New York is 33-28-6 and holding onto the final Wild Card spot.
Sabres GM Confident in Group
Buffalo is set to miss the playoffs again for the 14th straight season.
Although the Sabres will miss the playoffs again, general manager Kevyn Adams has confidence in his group going forward.
“What I can tell you, and I can tell our fans this, I promise our guys care,” Adams said. “It has not gone well this year. This is not a group of players that doesn’t respect the game, doesn’t want to be in Buffalo. These guys, we’re not where we need to be, and I’m going to do everything in my power to fix it.”
The Sabres did add the likes of Josh Norris and Bernard-Docker at the deadline while extending Jason Zucker and Jordan Greenway.
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