With no clear timeline for when Filip Chytil or Kaapo Kakko will return from injury, the New York Rangers will be playing without two of their top-six forwards for the foreseeable future. They have tried to put other players in the top-six, like Blake Wheeler and Jonny Brodzinski, but the results just haven’t been as good as they need to be.
The Rangers are going to be tight on cap space going into the trade deadline on March 8, 2024, but they have enough to make a move to help the team’s top-six going forward. With plenty of names on the market, here are three former Rangers who could end up back with the team to help fill the void.
Anthony Duclair
It’s easy to forget that Anthony Duclair was drafted by and played 18 games for the Rangers during the 2014-15 season. He scored one goal and seven points before being traded to the Arizona Coyotes in the deal that brought Keith Yandle to New York.
Now, with the San Jose Sharks, his sixth team, Duclair finds himself as the perfect trade target for teams looking for a scoring option in their top-six. The Sharks will be sellers at the deadline, and he is going to be one of their top trade pieces. He has six goals and 11 points in 27 games on a struggling team, but two seasons ago, he scored 31 goals with the Florida Panthers. Any team looking for a scoring upgrade will have Duclair high on the list.
For the Rangers, Duclair would fit perfectly into their top-six and would be a great placeholder until Chytil and Kakko return. He would also be the easiest trade to make, given the team’s limited cap space. Duclair makes $3 million and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so if the Sharks retain half his salary, the Rangers could easily take on the $1.5 million. Duclair would bring speed and skill to the Rangers, which is what the team is lacking without Chytil and Kakko. He would also be an upgrade over a player like Wheeler; it would also be nice to see him back in a Rangers uniform.
Vladimir Tarasenko
As of this writing, the Ottawa Senators are the worst team in the Eastern Conference, with an 11-15-0 record and 22 points. They are likely to be sellers again at the deadline, and Rangers fans are sure to want Vladimir Tarasenko back.
He had a decent run with the Rangers last season, scoring 8 goals and 21 points in 31 games, and it seemed that he wanted to return to New York, but the organization did not have the money to sign him. He signed with the Senators on a one-year deal, and he has been good for them, with six goals and 19 points in 24 games. If he keeps up this pace, he will be one of the more attractive pieces on the market as the deadline gets closer.
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The Rangers know what they would be getting in Tarasenko. While he might not be the same player he used to be, he still has an elite shot and is a shoot-first player, something the Rangers continue to lack. He would immediately fit on the top line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad since he already has chemistry with them after playing together last season. The money might be an issue as the Senators would need to retain half of his $5 million salary, and it would still be a tight fit for the Rangers.
Frank Vatrano
Rangers fans have been wanting Frank Vatrano back from the Anaheim Ducks. In his short time with the team during the 2021-22 season, Vatrano became a fan favorite as the style he played, with his shoot-first mentality, was a joy to watch on a team full of players who look to pass. He is a pure goal-scorer and continues to be with the Ducks. He scored 22 goals last season and has 14 goals in 30 games this season – however, he only has two goals in his last ten games.
Like Tarasenko, Vatrano already has chemistry playing with Kreider and Zibanejad and would be a great fit in the top-line right-wing spot. The difference between Vatrano and the other players mentioned here is that he has another year left on his deal after this season. The Ducks would have to retain part of his $3.650 million deal, but that shouldn’t be an issue since they have plenty of cap space and are a rebuilding team. If the Rangers could make the money work, Vatrano would be a great fit for the rest of this year and next season.
These three former Rangers would be a good fit to fill the Rangers’ top-six vacancy. There will be other players to watch as the trade deadline approaches, but these three are arguably the best fit for what the Rangers are looking for and what they need while they wait for injured players to return.
