No matter how well they play in the next six games before the March 7 Trade Deadline, the New York Rangers needed only one game to prove why they should be sellers and nothing else. Coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break, this team was entering a critical part of the season, as they are fighting for their playoff lives. How did they come out in their first game back? By letting up five goals in the first period and eight overall to the Eastern Conference-worst Buffalo Sabres.
This was the most embarrassing performance of the season, as none of the players decided to show up when their season was on the line, and they needed as many points as possible in this tight playoff race in the East. When the season is over, and they miss the playoffs by a few points, this is a game you will look back on and say that they needed the two points. If the Rangers decide to go on a heater in these games leading up to the deadline, it shouldn’t matter. General manager Chris Drury needs to sell off as many players as possible heading into the deadline because this team just showed that even against one of the league’s worst teams, they can’t even look competitive.
Rangers’ Top Players Are Way Too Inconsistent
This game was over in the first period after Igor Shesterkin let up five goals on 16 shots, and it continued his recent stretch of poor play. Over his last six starts, he has a 1-5 record with an .817 save percentage (SV%) and has a .885 SV% or less in each of those starts. He is just one of the many top players on this team who have had inconsistent seasons, which has led the team to where they are today. No one was expecting Artemi Panarin to repeat his 49-goal, 120-point season, but he is nowhere near the same kind of impact player he was last season, with just 23 goals and 58 points in 54 games. His linemates from last season, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere, have taken big steps back from what they did a season ago.
The two worst drop-offs have been from Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Two of the highest-paid forwards on the team and key members of the top six and the power play have both had massive offensive drop-offs this season. Zibanejad, who started showing decline last season with 26 goals and 72 points, has only 12 goals and 38 points in 56 games this season. Kreider, who had 39 goals and 75 points last season, has 17 goals and just four assists for 21 points in 48 games this season. With all of these players having down seasons at the same time, it is no wonder why this team has been so mediocre this season. The rest of the lineup isn’t good enough to pick up the slack, which is another reason why they need to be sellers.
Rangers Should Sell Off as Many Players as Possible
The Rangers only have three pending unrestricted free agents on the roster in Ryan Lindgren, Reilly Smith, and Jimmy Vesey. All three are more than likely getting traded and hopefully, they can bring back some good assets as they need to have a quick turnaround next season. Let’s not forget that if the Rangers miss the playoffs this season and get a top-13 pick in the draft, their unprotected first-round pick next season goes to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who got it from the Vancouver Canucks in the Marcus Pettersson deal. This isn’t going to be the start of a rebuild, as they need to be good next season. With Shesterkin’s contract extension kicking in and with the acquisition of J.T. Miller, they are still going to be in their Stanley Cup window. There is no time to rebuild this team.
Related: 5 Takeaways From Rangers’ Horrific 8-2 Loss to the Sabres
Heading into this deadline, they shouldn’t just consider moving only the pending unrestricted free agents. They need to consider drastic changes. While many of the top players on the team have trade protection and would be more likely to move in the offseason, the Rangers still have players they can move on from and get good assets back for. Two players on the defense who could move are Zac Jones and K’Andre Miller. For Jones, it is clear he isn’t trusted to play an everyday role. He was a healthy scratch for 19 straight games. He and Miller are both restricted free agents this summer, so while the Rangers would still have his rights, both sides should move on.
As for Miller, he is having a down season on both sides of the puck. His offensive numbers have dropped off and more importantly, his defensive game has taken a major step back. With him being only 25 years old, teams could see him as a player just needing a change of scenery. With him looking for a long-term, big-money deal this offseason, it would be best to move on from him now if the Rangers don’t see him being a part of the future. Another player in trade rumors is Kreider, but with it being known he is dealing with a back injury and with his drop in production, they would be selling low on him. Would it be worth just moving on from him and clearing out his $6.5 million in cap space? Maybe, but if they don’t find a fair offer for him, he would be more likely to move in the offseason.
Rangers Can’t Fix This Team for This Season
At this point, this season is beyond saving, as this group of players has shown that they just don’t have what it takes like they did last season. More moves should’ve been made earlier in the season when the first signs of struggles started taking place. When guys like Jacob Trouba and Kaapo Kakko were moved in early December, more players should have been moved as well because it became clear then that this team was not good enough and that this core had run its course. The team culture has been damaged beyond repair and now, this season has turned into a complete mess with no clear direction in sight moving forward.
What they should do moving into the offseason is get rid of players like Kreider and Zibanejad. Even though they both have trade protections, it would be best for them to both move on from this team. They are no longer part of the future. Even a player like Panarin should be approached and asked to waive his no-move clause. He has only a year left on his deal after this season and with bigger names that might become available in the next few seasons, he just won’t have a spot on the team anymore. It seems as if the Rangers are trying to build a new culture around players like J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck. Guys who play with heart and aren’t afraid to get into fights and scrums. If that is the way they are looking to go, then the three players mentioned before need to go as soon as possible, because they don’t play that style at all.
The Rangers were supposed to be legit threats for the Stanley Cup this season. Instead, they are closer to blowing the team up than chasing for the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 31 years. Nobody ever could’ve expected this season to go the way that it has, but even though they are still in the playoff race, it took just this one game against the Sabres to prove why they shouldn’t be buyers at the deadline. Even if they somehow find a way to make the playoffs, they would be a first-round exit and would likely get swept. This season is lost, and it is time to start looking to the future. It starts by selling off players at the trade deadline.
