The biggest free agent demand for the New York Rangers – Hockey Writer – New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are entering a critical offseason. Someone who has seen Chris Kreider trade to the Anaheim Ducks, which probably won’t be the only missing name in the roster at the start of next season, and K’andre Miller looks likely to be traded. The ranger is at the intersection. They have a horrible season, but they have a new coach, still have a center, a No. 1 defensive player and top goalkeeper. They can’t rebuild, so they have to make more changes. They need to solve this offseason problem, but whether they are full of long-term work or short-term solutions remains to be seen.

Zibanejad problem

One of the main decisions head coach Mike Sullivan will face is where to play Mika Zibanejad. Did he play on JT Miller’s right wing or was he centered in the third act? If he was on Miller’s line, the Rangers had a clear hole at 3C, and there was no obvious internal choice to fill it. If they want a long-term solution, they may have to go through a deal or offer form, and Marco Rossi is a reasonable goal. Otherwise, they should go in the short term.

If Zibanejad stays in the center of the third row, then Gabe Perreault should have a chance to play in the top six and take the right wing next to JT Miller. Giving Perreault a real chance to grow in scoring roles rather than burying him in the bottom six like Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafrenière did, it’s a smarter way to do it. In recent years, Rangers have failed to develop skilled forwards correctly. They can’t afford to make the same mistake again.

Adam Fox’s defense partner

Rangers have a huge hole next to Adam Fox. Fox is good enough to improve the guy who plays side by side, but the team should still look for a defensive player who can handle tough minutes and keep Fox focused more on driving offense. This could be a short-term fix. Drew Fortescue is developing at Boston College and looks like a player who can eventually have Fox for a long time. Rangers are unable to issue another multi-year contract for the untrade protection measures that are ultimately responsible.

Left Defense Army

The rest of the Defense Department also needs help, especially if the K’andre Miller deals. The right side of Fox, Will Borgen and Braden Schneider is solid. On the left is another story. Without Miller, the Rangers had almost nothing. They will need to build a brand new left-wing defense team. Long-term contracts should not be considered. This needs to be resolved with veterans willing to sign for a year or two, and that’s all.

Play as a young man

Rangers need to provide real performance and development opportunities for young players. The team has long owed Veterans sites, while young players sit in limited roles or are buried in the roster. That must change. Will Cuylle won his own position last season and now should have a real chance to score in the first six minutes. Perreault should start the season with a meaningful role. Brett Berard deserves a mention. Brennan Othmann should not be hidden or used rarely; he needs to play.

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At some point, rangers must trust their development systems and start using cheap, manageable talent to fill the roster gap. Relying on veterans at every depth is not sustainable. It causes wage cap issues. The only way to find out what these players can become is to give them real time to work through their mistakes. The team cannot continue to make the same mistakes for every high-end forward prospect through the system. Play as the kids.

Rangers shouldn’t be headlined in the offseason. They need to make smart, disciplined decisions to solve the roster without causing new problems. This means patching the defense without locking in bad money. This means addressing the frontline early and working to give young players real roles. This means avoiding the same mistakes related to the progress of that team in the past.