What Is the New York Rangers’ Ideal 2025 Offseason?

The question now is, what does a trade return even look like for Kreider? He has two seasons left on his deal, and he makes $6.5 million against the cap. Teams that would likely want to acquire him might not want to take on his full salary, which could lead to Drury having to retain some money, but he has figured out ways to not have to do that, like he did with Trouba when he sent him to the Anaheim Ducks. Would the deal simply be a salary dump so they can open more space to make other moves, or is there a team willing to give up a player or a few picks and prospects because they see this season as a one-off for Kreider and feel he can bounce back? Either way, this should be one of, if not the first move Drury makes this offseason in order to shake up this roster.

Trading One of Mika Zibanejad or Artemi Panarin

Now, this deal is easier said than done. Both Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin have full no-move clauses in their contracts, and if Drury did want to move off of either of them, he would need their consent to make the deal. This is different from a player like Kreider because he has a 15-team no-trade list, so he is still eligible to be traded to over half the league. Moving off of either of these players would send a massive shock to the locker room and the leadership group, but it’s a necessary move given their track record in recent history. Both of these players have failed to show up in the teams’ last two playoff runs, including a combined one goal between them in their seven-game first-round loss to the New Jersey Devils in 2023. They are also the two highest-paid forwards on the team, and if neither of them can show up when the games matter most, then it’s time to move on.

It’s not to take away from the fact that both of these players have been amazing Rangers, but it has been proven over and over again that this core group of players can’t win a Stanley Cup, so it’s time to make a change. If Drury could have his way, both of these players would be off the roster this offseason because he could get back a great haul for Panarin, and it would open up a good amount of cap space for now and the future because Zibanejad makes $8.5 million until the 2029-30 season and getting him off the books would be great. While it does seem like both of these players will be here next season, anything can happen in the offseason, and maybe Dury is able to convince one or both of them that they need a fresh start on a new team.

Acquiring a Top-Four Defenseman and a Top-Six Winger

There is no question that one of the major weaknesses of the Rangers over the past few years has been their poor defensive play. Outside of Adam Fox, no one else has truly stood out and taken over as another top defenseman for this team. This is certainly the case when it comes to the left side of the Rangers’ blue line, as it is filled with tons of questions going forward.

K’Andre Miller, who is the player that has the most potential to turn into a top-pairing player, is coming off a poor season and is a restricted free agent this offseason. His name has been floating around in trade rumors, and if the right deal comes up, he might not be on this team next season. Carson Soucy was brought in at the trade deadline, and he looked abysmal in the games he played. Zac Jones was the third-pairing defenseman, and he, too, is a restricted free agent this offseason and may not come back. All this to say is that one of the biggest needs this team has is that they need to acquire a top-four left-handed defenseman who can play with or take some of the load off of Fox going forward.

When looking at some of the names that could be available, whether by trade or free agency, there are not too many appealing ones. For the free agents, some of the top names are Vladislav Gavrikov, Ivan Provorov, and Dmitry Orlov. They could be players that can help now, but all three of these players are going to be looking for long-term deals for way too much money, and they are either already 30 or over, or close to it.

Drury should be focused on bringing in younger players, and one name that is on the trade market is Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres. He is 23 years old and a restricted free agent. A trade could be made there, but he does have a concussion history that could scare some teams away. Could his teammate, Owen Power, be had for the right price? He is 22 years old and has signed a long-term deal for $8,350,000 until the 2030-31 season. He could be the answer, but what would it cost?

Another area that needs to be addressed if certain players get traded away is the need for a top-six winger. If Kreider gets moved and if one of Panarin or Zibanejad gets moved, there are going to be holes to fill in the top six of the lineup. You could just move players like Will Cuylle or Gabe Perreault into those roles, but is that too much to ask of them? Once again, the free agent market does not have many appealing options besides a big name like Mitch Marner, which is a direction the Rangers should not go. Could a player like Brad Marchand be an option on a short-term deal? He brings the grit and nastiness that Drury is looking for, and he is a former captain and Stanley Cup champion. While it might not be the most appealing option, Dury might have to get creative and look for other options. Maybe back to Buffalo for players like Alex Tuch and J.J. Peterka?