The New York Rangers have been struggling in a big way this season and there is a real possibility they miss the playoffs just one season after winning the President’s Trophy for having the best record in the entire NHL. Unfortunately, things have gone downhill and it seems the team is prepared to sell most of their assets in hopes of revamping their roster and changing the landscape of their future.
The team already moved on from Kaapo Kakko as he was traded to the Seattle Kraken, as well as former captain Jacob Trouba who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. While they’ve added some draft picks in those deals, the main goal of those deals was to clear cap space which is what they did. A recent report indicates they may be planning another trade with the Buffalo Sabres.
The Sabres currently sit 8th in the Atlantic Division with a 14-20-4 record and have 32 points. The Rangers currently sit 8th in the Metropolitan Division with a 16-19-1 record and have 33 points. The Rangers are 2-8-0 in their last 10 games while the Sabres are 3-7-0.
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While no names were revealed, Elliotte Friedman hinted at a deal as both teams were active on the trade market before the holiday roster freeze, and he believes they could start to become active again. With the Rangers’ newfound cap space from the trades they have already made, they could look to make a trade with the Sabres that involves players who need a fresh start which in turn, could shake up both teams as they try to fight their way up from the bottom. Realistically, who could be involved in a deal between these two struggling franchises?
Rangers & Sabres Could Make Massive Swap
The Rangers currently have $9.1 million in cap space while the Sabres have $10.9 million. In theory, they can both afford to swap just about any player without having to worry about the financial side of things. When looking at which players could be available, it’s hard to think Chris Kreider wouldn’t be available after Chris Drury openly stated he was looking to move him, so maybe he should consider trading him in a swap with the Sabres. Mika Zibanejad could be someone the Rangers would want to move, but his contract includes trade protection which ultimately makes moving him close to impossible.
They may also look to move goaltender Jonathan Quick who is a veteran and may want to push for a Stanley Cup before he retires, but the Sabres aren’t exactly an enticing franchise for that. From the Sabres’ side, pending unrestricted free agents Jason Zucker and Nicolas Aube-Kubel could make sense for them to move. They could also gauge the market for 23-year-old Dylan Cozens if they wanted to make a blockbuster deal and shake their team to the core. Both teams also have their 2025 first-round draft picks, so they could truly pull off something massive if they wanted to.
However, I wouldn’t hold my breath. Realistically, I would expect something small to come out if these two teams made a deal. Something to shake things up a bit in their respective lineups, but nothing that alters the look of their future. Both teams need a reset and could utilize each other’s assets to make a change, and a swap of players could be exactly what the Rangers need to finally turn their season around and try to squeak into the playoffs.
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