This is how you navigate the NHL trade deadline. The New York Rangers have greatly and wisely improved their squad by acquiring Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane for role players and a few draft picks.
Rangers GM Chris Drury really deserves a round of applause for how he has conducted himself and the Rangers organization in what can only be described as the time of the year when all other NHL GM’s go looney.
Having started off the countdown to the NHL trade deadline sitting comfortably in 3rd place in the Metropolitain Division and 7th overall in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers really didn’t need to do too many ground-breaking moves to solidify their spot in the playoffs.
Teams like the New York Islanders (4th in Metro), Pittsburgh Penguins (5th in Metro), and the Washington Capitals (6th in Metro) are way too far behind the Rangers to mount a serious threat at their 3rd seeding, while the Rangers have more than enough point to secure a Wild Card spot even if they did drop down. Essentially, Drury and the Rangers were in prime position to ride the players they had to a 2nd round or greater run if they so desired.
Yet, like the competent GM Chris Drury is, he didn’t sit on his laurels as he went out and acquired Patrick Kane AND Vladimir Tarasenko to compliment the 2nd best offense (201 GF) in the Metro (7th overall in the Eastern Conference).
“They got Patrick Kane AND Vladimir Tarasenko!?!? They must have had to pay a king’s ransom for them!” you are probably thinking after watching some teams give away stupid hauls for decent role players at best.
And, fortunately for Rangers fans, you’d be 100% wrong as the Rangers only gave away an AHL defenseman, a 2023 2nd round pick (that could be a 1st if the Rangers reach the Conference Finals), a 2025 3rd round pick (sent to the Coyotes for cap retention), and a 2025 4th round pick for Kane, while they shipped away Sammy Blais, a prospect forward, and some conditional future picks to the Blues for Tarasenko.
So, in recapping, the Rangers gave up a 2nd round pick (that might be a 1st), a 3rd round pick, some conditional picks (which usually don’t amount for too much), Sammy Blais (0 G, 5 A, 5 PTS for Rangers this year), a prospect, and a career AHL defender in exchange for one of the greatest hockey players of all-time in Patrick Kane (16 G, 29 A, 45 PTS) and 260+ goal scorer in Vladimir Tarasenko (10 G, 19 A, 29 PTS for Blues).
These must be two of the best deadline week moves of all-time.
Not only have the Rangers dramatically improved their offense with two of the best wingers over the last decade, but they also were able to keep hold of their future high-end draft picks. That just doesn’t happen during this time of the year as we’ve all seen with some of these moves.
I’m not sure if the Rangers will be good enough to beat the Hurricanes, Bruins, Maple Leafs, and/or Lightning in the later rounds of the playoffs, but the additions of Kane and Tarasenko will make them serious challengers for the Stanely Cup in the East.
Well done for keeping your sanity in such a crazy time for GMs, Chris Drury.
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