3 July 1 Predictions for the New York Rangers

NHL free agency is set to open up tomorrow. While this free-agent class is not as exciting as many hoped it would be, July 1 is still going to be a big day around the league. For the New York Rangers, they already made a big move last week, acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights. They still have some holes to fill on their roster and potential players to trade away. Here, we will make three predictions for what the Rangers are going to do on July 1.

The Rangers Sign Mats Zuccarello

While the Rangers did bring in Dorofeyev to play in the top six, they are still lacking one top-six player going into next season. The free agent market is very thin on players of that caliber, but one player who could be a short-term option is a fan favorite from the past, Mats Zuccarello. He spent the first nine seasons of his NHL career with the Rangers before they traded him during their rebuild in 2019. He briefly played with the Dallas Stars before signing with the Minnesota Wild and spending the last seven seasons with them. Now, with it appearing he will hit the free-agent market tomorrow, the Rangers should be interested in a reunion.

Even at age 38, Zuccarello is still a very productive player, putting up 50 or more points in each of the past five seasons. He already has experience playing in New York, with a few of his former teammates, Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller, still on the team. Fans were upset when he left all those years ago, and now it seems like the perfect time to bring him home; if it were to all work out, Zuccarello could end his career where it began. It makes sense for the team in the short term, and he could easily fit into the top six for the next two seasons.

The Rangers Trade Vincent Trocheck

This move has been months in the making, but when the calendar finally switches to July, Vincent Trocheck’s time with the New York Rangers will come to an end. Trocheck has been in rumors for a while now, and with general manager Chris Drury asking a high price for him, no team has been willing to step up and match that price. With how thin the center market is in free agency and not many available to acquire via trade, Trocheck is Drury’s most valuable trade chip, and he can’t afford to lose a trade. It also helps that when the calendar flips to July 1, Trocheck’s no-trade list drops from 12 to 10 teams, which means he has less say on where he gets traded to.

The teams that have been connected to him the most over the past few weeks are been the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs. If it were down to only these two teams that Drury could choose from, the Sabres have the more interesting trade pieces. A player such as Jack Quinn, who has yet to truly break out in Buffalo, could be a key piece in return who would help fill the Rangers’ need for a top-six winger. Could a trade involving Quinn, a 2027 first-round pick, and another pick or prospect be enough for Drury to finally pull the trigger? It remains to be seen, but this saga should be coming to an end soon, maybe and hopefully as soon as July 1.

The Rangers Sign Mario Ferraro

Another thing the Rangers need is a top-four defenseman, specifically a left-handed one. Outside of Vladislav Gavrikov, they don’t have another bona fide top-four left-handed blue liner; while they did draft Alberts Šmits, they should not expect him to jump right into the top four. One free agent who could be of interest to them is Mario Ferraro, who has spent the first seven seasons of his career with the San Jose Sharks and has had to be the number-one defenseman on a very bad team. Now, with the chance to explore the open market, he has a chance to find a better fit for himself. It’s possible that fit is with the Rangers.

The Rangers have been linked to him in the past, and he was a potential trade target for them a few years ago when they were Stanley Cup contenders. Now, as they look to reshape their blue line, Ferraro could be a good fit for them on the second pair next to a player like Braden Schneider (if he’s still with the Rangers) or Will Borgen. While he’s not the most offensive player, he can still move the puck well and can skate well, which is something the Rangers are lacking from their defense. His ask might be high, but with the salary cap rising fast, it won’t look as bad over the next few years if they do end up signing him.

July 1 is always a busy and exciting day in the NHL. Even with this year’s free agent class being weaker than usual, it’s always fun to see where players end up and what trades end up getting made. The Rangers have already made some big moves to help the team get better for next season, but need to make more. Will these predictions come true? Maybe, but it will be interesting to see what the Rangers do on July 1 and which players they target.